Wonderwall

The New Crew

Over the next two weeks not much changed. I still spent most of my time in the house, Alex came over everyday, Ashlee and Pete were only around sparingly and when he left, she left. It was strange to me to see Pete in person and then see stories about him and Ashlee on entertainment news and on the internet. It's such a cliché but he really was a completely different guy than how he was portrayed. Gradually Pete's friends began to hang around the house more than they had been. I met Joe's girlfriend, Angel, Patrick's girlfriend, Lacey, Andy's girlfriend Tessa and a bunch of the people the band works with. They were all really nice but whenever they were around I tended to stay upstairs.

On Friday afternoon I went downstairs for some lunch (leftovers from Alex) and they were all in the living room hanging out. I tried to be as quiet as possible hoping they would ignore me. But it's a little heard to be quiet using a microwave. "Hey Reina, you've been here for like three weeks now and you've never come out with us. You should come to Sugar with us tonight," suggested Angel who had turned around on the couch to face me.

I really did not feel up to partying and even though Angel was being super sweet by inviting me I just didn't know if I fit in with Pete and his friends. "I don't have anything to wear." It was true, the only dressy top I had brought with me had unraveled in the wash last week.

"Oh please, us girls always say that. I'm sure you've got something." She got up, grabbed my hand, and led me upstairs. Lacey and Tessa followed. I pointed Angel in the direction of my suitcase which was sitting against the closet door. She opened it and began rifling through its contents. Once she had looked at all of them she stood up and opened the empty closet door. She closed the door back an began opening the drawers of the dresser. After finding them to be empty as well she turned to me befuddled. "Where's the rest of you stuff?"

"There is no rest, that's it."

She looked dumbfounded for a moment before heading quickly out of the room and back downstairs. Lacey, Tessa, and I followed. "Peter Wentz, why haven't you bought that girl any clothes," she demanded.

Pete looked surprised and caught off-guard. "I...I didn't know she needed any," he said unsurely.

"She came here expecting to stay a week, she's only got a week's worth of clothes. And didn't you notice she kept wearing the same things over again?"

"...I wear the same things all the time," he said flatly.

"Really it's ok, I'm doing fine. I bought my own detergent and I've just been doing laundry, but it doesn't take anytime at all really. I'm ok I just can't go out that's all."

Pete got up from the couch and led me into the foyer away from the rest of the group. "Reina," he began, "you should go out with us tonight. It will be good for you; you've done nothing but stay in the house and basically that room the whole time you've been here. You know I have no problem with giving you money to buy clothes; you need it. You should have just told me. Let the girls take you shopping today, maybe you'll actually have some fun. And don't worry about the money really, it's not important." He handed me his credit card from his back pocket. I stared at it for a moment before taking it and putting in my own pocket.

"Oooh are we going on a shopping spree," asked Angel excitedly.

"Yes, but guys try to be reasonable. Rey has no need for a $20,000 ball gown ok," Pete pleaded.

"But what if she has to go to the Oscars, she won't have anything to wear," teased Tessa.

"Guys..."

"Don't worry Pete, I'll keep them in line," said Lacey.

"Thanks."