Hammers and Strings

Static. It's the first thing I hear. "Hello?" I shouted, hoping someone would hear me. "Hello? ANYONE?"

I heard part of a sentence, but realized I wasn't going to get much out of this. William grabbed the headset from me and unplugged the X-Box. "What the hell, William Eugene?!" I yelled, standing up. "I'm trying to see if our friends are--"

"Kate knows how to work a radio." He shook a ham radio in my face. "Give me a sec."

"This is Hotel Kilo three Juliet Golf Bravo. Are you there, Alpha two four Lima India Uniform?" William said into the radio. When did William get a ham radio license? Was this a new hobby he never told me about?

"Bill, you could've just said your name or something." Kate's voice sounded really tired. "Anyway, what's up? How are you guys? Is everyone okay on that end?"

"Yeah, we're fine. Lexi and I are fine."

"Are you two--"

"Pete's dead!" I said suddenly, a pang of guilt running through my body. God, I felt terrible. We had thrown out Pete's body through William's window. The zombies had probably devoured it by now.

"Pete's...what?" There was some noise in the background, aside from the static, and then yelling. I guess Kate had just announced the news. It's rather unpleasant, and I'm sure the guys felt terrible. Pete Wentz, the man who got them signed onto a label, a good friend, a great guy, was now dead and was eaten by a pile of flesh-loving demons. This was sad.

William held my hand, and I slapped him.

Whoops.

He scowled. "I'm trying to be nice."

"Well, I don't appreciate it." I made a face.

"Aww, they're fighting." Sisky's voice. My blood's boiling.

"You say that again, and I'm going to shove a firecracker up your ass and light it, Siska."

"She's violent."

"Are all of you all right? No one's bitten? Gone outside? Hurt?" William was now changing the subject as he rubbed his arm.

"Yeah, we're all fine. But we want to see you two!"

"Kate, it's too dangerous. We can't leave the apartment. We'll be bombarded by zombies. We'll see you soon. When we're rescued." William sighed. "We'll talk later, okay? Stay close to the radio. Talk to us when something's up."

"'Kay. You two patch things up!" Butcher said.

In the kitchen, William was making sandwiches for lunch. He had out the peanut butter and jelly, which he spread onto each slice of white bread. He handed me one. "I'm sure you're starving," William said, smiling sadly.

I took it. "Thanks," I muttered, biting into it. I remembered how much fun William and I had making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. He usually put peanut butter on my nose...

I touched my nose. I smeared jelly on it, and then spotting the gooey mess on my hands. Gross. I cringed, turning around to the table and reaching for a napkin, but William was already wiping my face. "I got it." He kissed me, smiling slightly. "I love you, Lex," he whispered, his nose an inch away from mine. My heart started racing. Why do I feel like a stupid sixteen-year-old girl right now?

Why does he only say that when he does something wrong? Why can't he just say it out of the blue? "Saying 'I love you' doesn't fix anything." I continued to eat my sandwich, my heart rate going down as William turned on the news again. "Will you turn that off, please? I don't need to know about how the zombies have eaten the rest of the camera crew." I turned the television off.

"Lex, I want to ask you something."

Oh no. This is not the time for a deep discussion with William Beckett. If this turned into an argument, I would never win. "What, William?" I said gruffly, crossing my arms as I stomped back over to the living room. He motioned for me to sit down. And I did, keeping a fair distance between us. He tried to close the gap, but I was ready to sit on the arm of the sofa. William sighed and moved back to his original position.

"I don't understand why we broke up." He frowns, his hands laced together, knees apart. He's hunched over a little bit, elbows resting on his thighs.

MEN. I swear to God, if it's obvious to everyone I talked to and not him, I don't understand how he can't see it. Is this even plausible? "William, I shouldn't even be explaining what's wrong. You should be trying to figure that out."

"Don't tell me it's because you feel as though we never had anything between us." Right on the money. William turned to me. He looked really hurt. Why did I feel guilty? Stop feeling guilty! "Lex, I thought that was what you wanted. I thought you wanted a loose relationship. Space."

"Oh, yeah. That's why I frown every time I see Kate and Butcher together, or even Pete and Ashlee." I shook my head. "Are you that oblivious? Good Lord, William! All I wanted for you to do is act like I meant something to you, aside from the occasional booty call. Hell, we'd be walking around the park together, and every girl who came up to you assumed I was your sister. Doesn't that mean something?" I, by the way, look nothing like Courtney Beckett. I have green eyes and blonde hair.

"...Then why didn't you say something?"

I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes. "Because...because I thought that maybe, just maybe, you'd take the hints." I stomped to the bathroom and locked the door.

Stupid men. Stupid William.