FicWad

"Get your sorry butt out of bed right now!" Miranda scolded me.
"So much for jumping off of the cliff," added Adam.
I glared at the two of them, "Just leave me alone!" Then I pulled the covers back up over my head. Why in the world did I give Miranda a key to my apartment and tell her I didn't go see Pete yesterday?
The next thing I knew, Miranda had pulled the covers off, Adam grabbed me, and I was being unceremoniously lugged out of my bedroom.
"Put me down!" I really was in a bad mood. At least I slept in my clothes from yesterday and not pajamas. Adam plunked me down on the couch.
"Why didn't you go see him?" Miranda asked.
I glared at her for a moment, then looked sadly down at the floor. "I just couldn't..." How am I supposed to describe everything to her when I'm not even sure of it myself?
Miranda softened and sat down next to me. "Rory, sometimes you just have to put on a brave face."
"From what I've heard about Pete, he's a pretty cool guy," Adam sat down on my other side. "You two would have had an awesome time."
I shook my head, "I don't want to hear the stupid encouragement. It's over."
"How can you say something's over when you never even gave it a chance?" asked Adam.
I didn't know what to say. After a silent moment, I scrambled words together, "I would have been too nervous. I would have been too shy. He wouldn't be able to know the real me. I would have done something stupid. I would have been an embarrassment." I shrugged, at a loss for words now.
Miranda looked at me intently, "Pete already knows the real you." She continued after glimpsing my questioning face, "You've told me a million times how easy it is to talk to him, to be totally you. You've talked to him on IM for hours. He's got to know you by now."
For some reason, I felt a little hopeful, "Yeah, that does make sense." But my spirits fell as quickly as they rose, "It's too late. I stood him up yesterday. I'll probably never see him again."
"You know, there is the concert tonight," Adam added thoughtfully.
I opened my mouth to object, but closed it. Why not? Maybe I do need to see him. Maybe I need to do this for myself, if not to apologize to him.


I looked in the mirror again, completely aware that I was obsessing over my appearance. And for once, I didn't care, because I finally came to terms with myself. I do like Pete, and no matter what I say, I can't keep avoiding the facts. I was wearing a black and green Clandestine shirt, worn dark blue jeans, and black Converse high-tops. The only makeup I had on was thin eyeliner, green eye shadow, and black mascara.
"You look fine," Miranda assured me for what seemed to be the thousandth time.
I sighed. "I guess I have to go now," I joked, forcing out a nervous smile.
Miranda cocked an eyebrow, "Or do you?" I gave Miranda a totally confused look. She just laughed. "Does he even know what you look like?"
I thought for a moment, "He said he thought he knew what I looked like."
"And yet he still asked you for a picture," Adam had to put his peanut gallery comments into this whole thing.
I looked back and forth from Adam to Miranda to Adam to Miranda. I sighed, then smiled mischievously. I grabbed my cell phone, flipped it open, pressed a few buttons, and snapped a picture. I studied it on the screen. I wasn't looking at the camera, and I realized that I sort of looked, well, sad. Do I always look that angsty?
Before I could change my mind about this whole thing, I attached the picture to a text message that read: See you at the concert tonight. Hate me if you like.
And with that, I shoved my press badge into my pocket along with my cell phone, keys, and extremely thin wallet. I only had my driver's license, ATM card, and a few dollars in it. I sighed one last time and glanced in the mirror quickly. Time for the show...I guess...


Looks of envy and curiosity shot at me from the line outside the venue as I passed the waiting people up. My press badge could get me in just about anywhere. I guess my job has a few nice benefits.
I showed the laminated card with my picture, name, /Graphic Noise/, and the address to the office on it to the security guard by the door.
The security guard pointed to a hall next to the normal entrance, "If you take that hall and turn left at the first door, you can get into a special access area. I think your other reporter and photographer are there."
I nodded my head. Of course! Callie is covering this event, and Adam is photographing it. Why didn't he remind me? That idiot.
"Well hello there!" Adam heartily greeted me when I reached the special access area. It was to the left of the stage and there was a small staircase to get up onto the stage.
I nearly slapped Adam, "You didn't remind me that you were photographing the concert!"
He just gave me that stupid smile, "I didn't want to stress you out even more." I gave him a glare that could have killed.
"What're you doing here?" Callie asked. She was dressed out in Fall Out Boy merchandise, with her wavy orange-blonde hair pulled back into a messy bun.
"She's chasing Petey," Adam had two seconds before I kicked him in the shin. He grabbed his leg, "What the hell was that for?"
I glared at him again, "Are you really that stupid? Oh wait, you are that stupid."
"I was just joking!" Adam defended his self, still rubbing his sore shin.
"And I'm not in the mood for joking!" I was getting exasperated, and worse, I was getting ready to ditch.
Adam softened, "OK, I'll take the hint. Just try to stay calm." Then he added on a second thought, "And I will resort to physical restraint if you try to ditch."
Damn, he knows me too well. "Like this morning?" I asked.
"You're like a fricken feather," Adam finally stopped rubbing his leg.
Callie finally piped up, "You mean, Petey as in Pete Wentz?" I nodded my head. "Oh my gosh! That's so cute! You two would look awesome together."
I smiled a little. That's typical Callie for you, always stuck in boy mode.
Just then, screams erupted from the audience. I looked up at the stage. Fall Out Boy was making their entrance by just walking out onto the stage. Not even close to as flashy as the entrances some bands make, but much more sensible. Joe was on the stage right in front of the special access area, Patrick in the middle, Andy on the raised platform with the drums behind him, and Pete entering last to the right. He was exactly diagonal from where I was standing.
I bit my lip and felt my heart skip a beat. Seeing him in person made all the feelings seem way to real. And way too out of control. I looked at the exit, but Adam grabbed my arm and pushed me closer to the stage. He gave me a smile that said, "Yeah right." I sighed and knew that there would be no ditching tonight. I was in it for the long haul, like it or not. Maybe that's why Adam didn't remind me he was going to be here?
Pete did all the talking, no surprise. The crowd ate it all up. I sort of felt bad for the other guys, but then I remembered reading that Patrick said he was "the anti-front man."
Everything was going alright, and I was alright, until Pete looked towards the special access area at the beginning of Dance, Dance during his big bass part. Our eyes locked, and I wanted to smile or wave or something, but I just froze and tensed up instead. His fingers faltered and a horridly wrong note blared out. Patrick gave him a sharp look, and Pete quickly turned his head and continued playing.
Adam leaned close to he could talk to me above all the screaming and noise, "I guess he got your picture!"
All I could do was nod my head and smile, full of hope and confidence.