Trivium (All Time Low Fic)

I Was Going To Have A Witty P!ATD Style Title But I'm Lazy Okay

(a/n: Look, this was originally written as a Calum & Luke fanfiction, but towards the end of typing up this chapter, I decided I wanted it to be an ATL fanfiction.

Enjoy.)

(Ruby's POV)

"Look man, you're my best friend, and I love you more than I care to admit," I pause to take a breath from my rant, "but Jack is an ass!"

Alex ignores my frustration and laughs at me.

"You're so red. Look, I know he's an ass, but he's my best-"

"No."

"He's like a brother to me. And he can kind of not be a jerk. Sometimes," Alex rambles off at the end.

Alex goes back to grabbing junk foods from the cabinets, turning his iPod's volume up to silence me. I guess I should fill you in on what's going on.

Jack is a masochist bent on picking on me, and he can't keep his hands to himself. And he's my best friend/housemate's other best friend. I live with Alex and his family in California, and Jack is coming over tonight.

You would probably say I could just make plans to be out of the house, but... Okay, I don't have any other friends and I don't like going out alone.

Oh yeah, I'm Ruby. I moved out of my parents house in Texas and came all the way to California. Alex welcomed me with open arms.

"Back to reality," Alex smiles warmly at me, bringing me back to the present. "How about I sit between you two and you come watch Suicide Squad with us? Jack got a bootleg copy from his brother."

Suicide Squad is one of my favorite movies, and it just stopped playing in theaters. Plus there's gonna be junk food...

"Okay," I accept. "But I got dibs on the Skittles."

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

...

"I'm telling you if you don't back up I'm going to deck you," I threaten.

Jack simply laughs and scoots closer to me on the floor.

Alex and his stupid soda addiction and chugging contest and bladder!

"Jack, please," I whisper, the boy close enough to hear me. "I don't like people being that close to me."

"But I'm not people," he argues, unmoving. "I'm Alex's bestie! Your secret love!"

"Jack, back up," I demand, feeling the air leave my lungs, expecting no easy return.

Jack doesn't move, and as expected, my breath shortens. I have trouble taking in air and turn my shoulder on Jack, facing away. With my fingernails scratching into my palms, I pull my knees up to my chest and lower my head.

You can't have a panic attack in front of him
You know what happened last time
You can't have a panic attack in front of him
You won't have a panic attack in front of Jack

My mind clouds, everything around me becoming distant. I hear Alex reenter the room, but I don't hear his voice. He's speaking, but I can't translate his words through the fog in my mind...

It's louder now... They're yelling at each other.

Look what you did
You're ruining their friendship
Ungrateful little shit
This is what you do

The yelling stops. I feel a hand on my shoulder, and even though it's gentle, I jump. My breathing is still uneven. My lungs burn.

You ruin everything.