Last Seen In San Francisco (Tony Perry)

• Bitch, Your Ass Is Through •

{ f o r t y f o u r }

I opened my office door, shocked to see Becca sitting on my desk along with Vic. Alexis was staring her down, the three other pierce the veil boys awkwardly standing behind her.

"I told her she couldn't be here." Alexis explained to me, sending Becca a bitchy look, eyebrow raised, lips in a thin line, before turning back to me.

"It's...fine? I guess? I mean Jaime's girlfriend was here before so why not." I awkwardly agreed to having her stay here. Great.

My heels clicked on the floor as I walked over to the desk, unlocking a drawer in there and placing my purse and phone inside. I discovered this feature a few days ago- its a great addition. I locked the drawer again before throwing my bag down onto the chair tucked into the desk.

"Office security?" Tony asked me rhetorically. "Nice." I gave him a half smirk before walking over to the recording studio.

"Right," I sighed, turning to Alexis. "Who do you wanna work with?"

She barely had time to open her mouth before Vic was cutting in.

"Could I work with you again on lyrics?" I looked towards him, glancing at Becca's withdrawn expression and then his hopeful smile. It didn't take a genius to figure out that they were planning something. Obviously it's going to include me, why else would Vic willingly ask to work with me?

"I'm going to be 30 in a few years," I stated to them both, "this is my job and it's going to be the one I retire with. I'm not playing games with you both."

"Just lyrics." Vic stated. I hesitated, he looks serious but can I really trust them? I'll have to take my chances. I nodded slowly, looking back to Alexis.

She gave me a small smile before looking behind her at the other three boys. "Do you guys want to work on some stuff together in the studio?"

They all gave positive replies.

"Good," she said. "Go on then. Lydia an I are working with Vic today." I looked down at the floor to grin. Even if we have our bad days- multiple sometimes, we always come out on top. We're always there for each other even if we're mad at each other; hence now.

It's nice to know I won't have to go with Vic and Becca alone. They both really hate me.

"What?" I heard Becca whisper to Vic, not quietly enough obviously. She started to blush and pulled away from him when she realised we'd all heard. They three boys walked into the studio and I watched them go through the door and emerge in the window. Mike sat down at the drum kit, Jaime picked up his bass and just as Tony picked up his guitar I walked into the room. They all looked at me.

"Maddie wants to see you." I told him with a smile, leaning against the door frame.

"Tonight?" He asked. "I can pick her up?"

"Sounds good." I told him, giving him a smile and Mike a salute before walking out again, closing the door behind me.

I picked up the pile of papers from my desk, the lyrics, and then sat down on the floor against the wall. Alexis sat next to me. Vic and Becca took their time but eventually sat opposite us- both with grimaces that practically matched each other's. Obviously a couple made for each other.

We started off slow but eventually started wading through them, improving some, deciding the pace of songs. Putting in where instrumental solos should go. Becca didn't give much input.

We had a dinner break and then got back to it. It was towards the end of the work day when things started to blow up.

"Guitar solo maybe?" I asked Vic, pointing between two chorus'.

"Tony in the spotlight- wouldn't that be a change." Becca muttered under her breath. Vic glanced towards her with furrowed eyebrows before looking to see my reaction. I didn't react, Alexis nudged me but other than that nothing was said.

"Or drum. We'll talk to the boys." Vic finally agreed, writing on the page to put a solo.

"Maybe we should get Lyd to speak to Tony." Becca told Vic with a small smile.

"Do you have a problem, Rebecca?" Alexis butted in.

"Yes, actually-"

I held up my hand, clearing my throat and staring at Becca.

"Can we not do this?" I asked her.

"Our lesbian cult hearts can't take it." Alexis added on and I couldn't help the choked laughter coming out of my mouth. I closed my mouth as soon as it started but Becca's eyes had already locked onto me.

"You think you're so high and mighty," Becca told me, leaning forward to invade my personal space. "Now you have a friend who'll fight your battles and Tony and Mike wrapped around your fingers you think you're the best person who exists." I scoffed at that because that's definitely incorrect.

Alexis opened her mouth and closed it again. Lost for words.

"You're selfish too. Anything for poor, little Lydia. $8000 a year? Piece of cake for Lydia-"

"Madison! That's for Madison, not me. That is for his daughter's education- don't you dare put that on me." I butted in. Her glare got heavier as she realised I was right.

"You still left without a fucking goodbye! After everything we did for you- after everything I did for you. We were so close Lydia and you didn't hesitate to leave without even a second glance. Who does that?"

"Woah." I heard a voice from the door. I looked up to see Alex standing in the doorway to the studio, the rest of the boys looking through the window with wide eyes. I stood up, wiping at my eyes.

"The selfish thing wasn't me leaving, the selfish thing would've been making myself stay. It would've been selfish of me to bring any harm to that little baby inside of me- and that's exactly what would've happened if I stayed with you guys."

Alex walked over to me and put a hand on my hip, coaxing me away from Becca, who now stood eye to eye with me.

"I was willing to be civil- friends with all of you, because I've grown up. I'm not the same person I was when we were friends Rebecca. Maybe you need to grow up too."

Alex managed to drag me away before anything else could happen. He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me into his body, leaning down to whisper something that made me instantly break out into a smile.

"Fucking savage."

Alex Gaskarth is an idiot and that makes me smile.