Categories > Celebrities > Fall Out Boy > All We Are
Chapter 3
Payton was a tired mess. She had finally arrived at her apartment some twenty odd hours since she had last been there.
Now serving the final year of her fellowship at St. Joseph’s, her body had forgotten how to cope with the grueling hours that she had worked during her internship just a few years before.
‘Either I’m getting spoiled or just getting old.’ she thought ruefully as she tossed her keys into the basket waiting on a table by the front door.
Her comfortable apartment was quiet and dark, with the only light coming from her fish tank where her pet fish Winston Churchill lived.
Turning on the lights, she walked over to the tank. “Hey Winston, did ya miss me?” she smiled as she reached up to grab the small bottle of fish food laying on the shelf above the tank. The canary Rock fish just looked up placidly at Payton and patiently waited for the human to give him food.
After feeding Winston, Payton hit the play messages button on her answering machine and continued down the hall toward her bedroom. As she kicked off her shoes and began unbuttoning her blouse, a woman’s voice rang through the apartment.
*“Hey sugar! I thought you were supposed to be home by now. Ugh…Please don’t tell me I am going to have to call the hospital and have someone hunt you down just so I can talk to you again.”*
Payton grinned at the sound of her best friend Debbie’s distinctive North Carolinian twang.
*“Alright...just remember I am flying in next week for your birthday, and I expect to get some one on one time with my best friend. In case you forgot, that would be you! I guess I’ll call you later, and you better either have your cell phone on or be at home to answer the damn phone, cause’ tomorrow is suppose to be your day off!” she huffed. “ Love ya, bye!” *
Payton was really looking forward to seeing her long time best friend next week. Since she had moved to Chicago, visits between them were a rare treat.
A successful lawyer working in Raleigh, North Carolina, Debbie’s schedule was as full as Payton’s these days.
Debbie Lynn Morris entered Payton’s life their freshman year of college at UNC. Randomly paired as dorm mates both girls made the snap judgment that they couldn‘t stand one another after only one brief exchange.
Debbie being a loud, brash and somewhat of a bossy person, affronted Payton’s sensibilities right away. In return Debbie thought Payton was a meek and boring goodie two shoes. Mixing like oil and water, neither girl was looking forward to a year of sharing a living space.
After almost a whole semester of snippy remarks and avoiding one another when possible, their opinions were changed dramatically all in one afternoon.
Payton had just come from a biology 220 class when she found Debbie collapsed on the floor at the foot of her bed. The girl was crying hysterically and babbling incoherently.
In that moment, all the animosity that had built up between them the last several weeks instantly melted away. Payton’s instincts kicked in, and she just did what had always been natural for her when confronted with someone in pain. She tried to make it better.
Payton gently put her arms around the sobbing girl and rocked her back and forth as she cried her eyes out. Finally after a good long cry and a much needed face wash, Debbie shared her woes.
She had went to her boyfriends Fraternity house unannounced, only to find him in bed enthusiastically screwing another girl. After apparently making a scene that would go down in Pi Kappa Alpha history, Debbie retreated back to their dorm room only to break down completely.
With the story of what happened told, Payton refused to leave Debbie’s side. That evening over a gallon of mint chocolate chip and a two liter of grape soda, a lasting friendship was formed.
Payton quickly learned that this loud outspoken girl really had a heart of gold, and she envied her sass and ability to always speak her mind.
In return Debbie finally saw Payton for what she was. A sweet, intelligent, unassuming person who had quiet strength and a capacity for compassion that was very rare.
In the next four years of college they formed a bond that had endured and would last them the rest of their lives. They were truly each others soft place to land.
After listening to the rest of her messages, none of them of any interest, she then moved to her adjoining bathroom.
With hot water and bubbles filling in her tub, the smell of lavender began to permeate through the bathroom. Payton peered into the mirror that lined the wall over her vanity. She cringed at the dark smudges that stood out under her light green eyes.
“Lovely Payton, if they ever bring back The Adams Family you would be a shoe in for Uncle Fester”…she mumbled to herself. Barely glancing in the mirror at her small framed 5’2 body, Payton pulled her mid length curly auburn hair into a lose bun.
As she stepped into the bath and settled back against the reclining wall of the tub with a sigh, Payton knew she needed to clear her mind and physically relax, or she would not be getting any sleep tonight.
Later with her bath finished, Payton dressed in her terry cloth robe and fuzzy Miss Piggy slippers. She then lazily made her way toward the kitchen.
After heating up a bowl of pasta with alfredo sauce, she grabbed a bottle of water and curled up on her big comfy couch to watch television while she ate.
Flipping thorough the channels, she stopped on a local news channel, but after listening to depressing news story after depressing news story, Payton decided something a bit lighter was in order.
She was flipping through the channels, when she stopped at MTV. “Yay, TRL!” she chirped to herself. Music was something that she loved, but never got to watch a lot of music videos because of her busy schedule.
She turned up the television when that Fahey guy started talking. “Hi this is Damien Fahey, and I am here to start your video request countdown. First I have Pete Wentz from Fall Out Boy with me today.”
As people in the studio audience began to clap and cheer, the camera cut to a smiling Pete. ‘Wow, that is one sexy guy.’ Was the thought running through Payton’s head as she watched Pete standing there in his tight jeans, grey t-shirt and stripped beanie.
She enjoyed Fall Out Boy’s music, having heard them on the radio many times. She had even bought a couple of their albums, but she had never really paid close attention to the actual band members before.
‘I love his smile’ she thought as she studied the television screen. Payton grinned to herself thinking about what raunchy things Debbie would have to say about Pete Wentz, his tight pants and his big smile.
Soon she finished her dinner, turned off the TV and decided to head to bed. Today had been a hard fight to keep Baby J alive, and she knew sleep would not come easy despite her efforts.
Abandoned baby cases were always emotional for the hospital staff, but for Payton personally it was especially tough.
With a small sigh, she slipped under the thick softness of her duvet and waited for sleep to come.
Payton was a tired mess. She had finally arrived at her apartment some twenty odd hours since she had last been there.
Now serving the final year of her fellowship at St. Joseph’s, her body had forgotten how to cope with the grueling hours that she had worked during her internship just a few years before.
‘Either I’m getting spoiled or just getting old.’ she thought ruefully as she tossed her keys into the basket waiting on a table by the front door.
Her comfortable apartment was quiet and dark, with the only light coming from her fish tank where her pet fish Winston Churchill lived.
Turning on the lights, she walked over to the tank. “Hey Winston, did ya miss me?” she smiled as she reached up to grab the small bottle of fish food laying on the shelf above the tank. The canary Rock fish just looked up placidly at Payton and patiently waited for the human to give him food.
After feeding Winston, Payton hit the play messages button on her answering machine and continued down the hall toward her bedroom. As she kicked off her shoes and began unbuttoning her blouse, a woman’s voice rang through the apartment.
*“Hey sugar! I thought you were supposed to be home by now. Ugh…Please don’t tell me I am going to have to call the hospital and have someone hunt you down just so I can talk to you again.”*
Payton grinned at the sound of her best friend Debbie’s distinctive North Carolinian twang.
*“Alright...just remember I am flying in next week for your birthday, and I expect to get some one on one time with my best friend. In case you forgot, that would be you! I guess I’ll call you later, and you better either have your cell phone on or be at home to answer the damn phone, cause’ tomorrow is suppose to be your day off!” she huffed. “ Love ya, bye!” *
Payton was really looking forward to seeing her long time best friend next week. Since she had moved to Chicago, visits between them were a rare treat.
A successful lawyer working in Raleigh, North Carolina, Debbie’s schedule was as full as Payton’s these days.
Debbie Lynn Morris entered Payton’s life their freshman year of college at UNC. Randomly paired as dorm mates both girls made the snap judgment that they couldn‘t stand one another after only one brief exchange.
Debbie being a loud, brash and somewhat of a bossy person, affronted Payton’s sensibilities right away. In return Debbie thought Payton was a meek and boring goodie two shoes. Mixing like oil and water, neither girl was looking forward to a year of sharing a living space.
After almost a whole semester of snippy remarks and avoiding one another when possible, their opinions were changed dramatically all in one afternoon.
Payton had just come from a biology 220 class when she found Debbie collapsed on the floor at the foot of her bed. The girl was crying hysterically and babbling incoherently.
In that moment, all the animosity that had built up between them the last several weeks instantly melted away. Payton’s instincts kicked in, and she just did what had always been natural for her when confronted with someone in pain. She tried to make it better.
Payton gently put her arms around the sobbing girl and rocked her back and forth as she cried her eyes out. Finally after a good long cry and a much needed face wash, Debbie shared her woes.
She had went to her boyfriends Fraternity house unannounced, only to find him in bed enthusiastically screwing another girl. After apparently making a scene that would go down in Pi Kappa Alpha history, Debbie retreated back to their dorm room only to break down completely.
With the story of what happened told, Payton refused to leave Debbie’s side. That evening over a gallon of mint chocolate chip and a two liter of grape soda, a lasting friendship was formed.
Payton quickly learned that this loud outspoken girl really had a heart of gold, and she envied her sass and ability to always speak her mind.
In return Debbie finally saw Payton for what she was. A sweet, intelligent, unassuming person who had quiet strength and a capacity for compassion that was very rare.
In the next four years of college they formed a bond that had endured and would last them the rest of their lives. They were truly each others soft place to land.
After listening to the rest of her messages, none of them of any interest, she then moved to her adjoining bathroom.
With hot water and bubbles filling in her tub, the smell of lavender began to permeate through the bathroom. Payton peered into the mirror that lined the wall over her vanity. She cringed at the dark smudges that stood out under her light green eyes.
“Lovely Payton, if they ever bring back The Adams Family you would be a shoe in for Uncle Fester”…she mumbled to herself. Barely glancing in the mirror at her small framed 5’2 body, Payton pulled her mid length curly auburn hair into a lose bun.
As she stepped into the bath and settled back against the reclining wall of the tub with a sigh, Payton knew she needed to clear her mind and physically relax, or she would not be getting any sleep tonight.
Later with her bath finished, Payton dressed in her terry cloth robe and fuzzy Miss Piggy slippers. She then lazily made her way toward the kitchen.
After heating up a bowl of pasta with alfredo sauce, she grabbed a bottle of water and curled up on her big comfy couch to watch television while she ate.
Flipping thorough the channels, she stopped on a local news channel, but after listening to depressing news story after depressing news story, Payton decided something a bit lighter was in order.
She was flipping through the channels, when she stopped at MTV. “Yay, TRL!” she chirped to herself. Music was something that she loved, but never got to watch a lot of music videos because of her busy schedule.
She turned up the television when that Fahey guy started talking. “Hi this is Damien Fahey, and I am here to start your video request countdown. First I have Pete Wentz from Fall Out Boy with me today.”
As people in the studio audience began to clap and cheer, the camera cut to a smiling Pete. ‘Wow, that is one sexy guy.’ Was the thought running through Payton’s head as she watched Pete standing there in his tight jeans, grey t-shirt and stripped beanie.
She enjoyed Fall Out Boy’s music, having heard them on the radio many times. She had even bought a couple of their albums, but she had never really paid close attention to the actual band members before.
‘I love his smile’ she thought as she studied the television screen. Payton grinned to herself thinking about what raunchy things Debbie would have to say about Pete Wentz, his tight pants and his big smile.
Soon she finished her dinner, turned off the TV and decided to head to bed. Today had been a hard fight to keep Baby J alive, and she knew sleep would not come easy despite her efforts.
Abandoned baby cases were always emotional for the hospital staff, but for Payton personally it was especially tough.
With a small sigh, she slipped under the thick softness of her duvet and waited for sleep to come.
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