FicWad

"Oh my god," Ricki said through clenched teeth. She shut her eyes as she gripped the arm rest and tried not to think about the way Pete was weaving through traffic. "Pete I'm not late, you don't have to go so fast."

"I'm barely going 85," he scoffed. He cut off a car on his right as he sped forward and passed the car that was in front of him moments earlier. Cutting back into the fast lane he chanced a look at Ricki. He laughed and smacked her head. "I don't drive that fast."
Ricki blindly swatted her hand at him. "You drive like this is some roller coaster and you're trying to hit two G's." She relaxed her death grip on the arm rest and reluctantly opened her eyes. "Why do you always drive like we're running two hours behind?"

Pete shrugged as he crossed three lanes to get to the exit he needed. "If it takes twenty minutes to get there, I can make it in ten."

Ricki let out the breath she had been holding when she saw her building come into view. "Note to self: Don't let Pete drive me...ANYWHERE."

"Oh you're a comedian now," he mumbled as he stopped at the stoplight. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. "So...not gonna TRY to come tonight?"

Ricki shook her head and watched a couple walk hand in hand across the crosswalk. "Nope, but if you are gonna have that after party at my place, you're cleaning it up."

Pete shot forward once the light turned green and swung into the parking lot. "Of course, of course."

"When you say that, I have a feeling me and Patrick are going to be cleaning up."

Pete parked in a vacant parking spot and gave her a hurt look. "I'm hurt! How many times have we had parties are your place and I've cleaned up?"

Ricki pretended to count on her fingers. "Oh about...never."

Pete rolled his eyes. "Whatever, I cleaned up after that one party."

Ricki rolled her eyes right back at him. "Way to narrow that one down." She started collecting her things. "So be here BY 10:30. I will draw blood if I have to wait an hour like last time."

Pete smiled and unlocked the doors. "Oh, I'll be on time."

Ricki turned back once she got out of the car. "Why do I not like that?"

"Because you're a pessimist and look for the bad in every situation?"

Ricki flipped him off and shut the door. She heard him honk at her as he drove away and she went inside. She made her rounds to her coworkers, waving at those on the phone and saying hi to the ones who weren't. She started up her computer and logged in. She felt her hip vibrate and she read the text message that flashed on her sidekick.

Just ASK for the night off.

"Pete just doesn't know when to give up," she muttered.

"What was that?"

Ricki turned around and smiled at her boss. She liked him, he had been her boss since she was hired at the company two years ago. He was a very fatherly looking man, stout with a full beard. He had a reputation of being quite the prankster (for April Fools he emailed everyone's checks to them and then took out all the ink from the printers) but also for being a hard ass for getting time off. Ricki always had to beg and plead at least a month in advance before he'd even consider letting her get the time off.

"Oh nothing, just talking to myself," she said. Well it's now or never, she thought. "I know I'm suppose to work tonight but I was wondering if I could get off in a couple hours."

Mr. Davis' eyebrows raised and he leaned against her cubicle. "And why is that?"

Ricki took a deep breath. "Well, you see I haven't been completely honest with you." She rubbed her elbow when he slightly seemed more interested. "I don't get to see my best friend a lot and it's been like a month and a half since I've seen him. Well he's here tonight and him and...uh...his band are doing a special show and I didn't know they had a special show until last night or I would've asked for the time off earlier. Well I wanted to know if I could get off in a couple hours and maybe work overtime Monday." She panted a little when she finally got it all out in one breath.

"And who is this best friend?"

Ricki chuckled nervously. "Well, his name is Pete Wentz and he plays for this band -"

"Fall Out Boy," he finished for her.

"Uh...you listen to them?"

He shook his head. "My daughter does and she said something about a secret show..."

Ricki didn't like the way he trailed off but she swallowed once and continued. "Yes...well...uhm yes. And I'd really appreciate the time off because I do miss him and...yeah," she finished lamely.

"I've worked here for twenty years and this is possibly the best excuse I've ever heard to get time off," he said finally. "That's even counting the time when Margret staged her own divorce to get that two weeks off. And she's not even married."

Ricki sighed. "So that's a no?"

Mr. Davis nodded and turned away. "That's more of a hell no, but nice try."

Ricki sighed and sat down at her desk. "Well there goes that."
_________________________________________

"Ricki, Davis wants to see you in his office," a young girl said as she handed her mail. "Did you really use the "Pete Wentz Is my Best Friend" thing?"

Ricki rolled her eyes at her computer before turning around. "Yeah...you heard that?"

Britney Young nodded vigorously, her blonde hair flying around. "Yeah, I think the whole office did." She started to move but turned on her heel. "Is he really your best friend?"

Ricki sighed and made her way past the young girl. "Doesn't matter since I didn't get the time off." She walked down the isle and ignored the stares of her coworkers. She sighed again when she got to her boss' door. "Blinds down never means a good thing."

She walked in and stopped short. "Oh you have GOT to be kidding me."

"And here's my girl," Pete said as he ushered her in and shut the door. "Here is my little gem." He put an arm around her waist and grinned when she picked it up and moved it.

"I'm sorry Mr. Davis I didn't know -"

"I should be the one apologizing," he cut her off. He was sitting behind his desk, enjoying the display between Ricki and Pete. Ricki was staring at Pete, dumbfounded, while Pete was being overly motherly and cleaning up her appearance. When Pete barreled in ten minutes ago, he had to admit he was shocked beyond belief. When he called Ricki up to his office, he thought the charade would fall and it would turn out to be some sort of sham. But seeing them interact, he knew that this sort of friendship isn't developed overnight. "I should have trusted you in the first place, especially since you never gave me a reason not to trust you."

"Yes my little sunshine is very trustworthy," Pete said patting Ricki's head. "Normally I wouldn't mind her missing a show but this is a special show and I really missed my little Ricki."

"I'm sorry he just came in like this in any case," Ricki said, batting at Pete's hand that was trying to hold hers. "I understand that just because he's my best friend doesn't mean I can take time off whenever -"

"Veronica please," Mr. Davis said as he raised a hand to stop her. "I know what it is like to want to spend time with someone you don't see on a daily basis. I am just fine with you taking the rest of the night off."

"Thank you Mr. Davis," Pete said brightly. He chuckled at Ricki's disbelieving face. "I'll make sure Ricki is here bright and early on Monday."

"Well in that case, you better get going Veronica," Davis said as he got up and walked around his desk. "I'm sure Pete has a lot to do before the concert and I myself have to get going." He grinned as he ushered the young couple out, Pete bouncing on his feet excitedly and Ricki still in shock. "I need to go pick up my daughter now that I just got ensured I will be let in. See you both tonight."

Pete dragged Ricki towards her desk. "Thank you again Mr. Davis! Make sure to tell them your name at the door!"

Ricki looked back. "Thank you sir," she finally managed out. She was pushed in her cubicle and finally smacked Pete on the arm. "Talk about a God complex."

Pete grinned and reached in her drawers for her purse. "I wanted you to come and helloooo he called my best friend a liar. That's a huge no-no."

Ricki logged off her computer and grabbed her jacket. "I just can't believe you came where I worked to show your ugly face." She grabbed her purse from Pete and pushed him towards the exit quickly, ignoring the glances and double takes of some of her co-workers.

"But it was my ugly face that got you the night off," he reminded her. He slowed his steps and giggled when Ricki pushed him forward. "Ashamed of me?"

"Yes," she answered swiftly. She breathed relief when they were outside. "I still can't believe you came to my JOB."

Pete laughed and walked her to his car. "I wanted you there, the guys want you there, you want you there. You have to go."

Ricki sighed and finally let herself smile. "You know, I haven't seen all of you guys since we came back from Europe a month ago."

"Awwww," he cooed as he started the car. "You missssseddd usssss."

Ricki giggled and laced her fingers with Pete's.

"Yeah...I did."