The Incredible League of Goth Pizza Haters (RH)

Part 57

---Sylvia---

The next day we'd brought Wally over to the house and over a period of five hours, slowly closed the space between him and Dexter. They didn't seem to like each other much. There was some unfriendly sniffing and then Wally jumped on the chair Dexter was on and there was some unfriendly growling so we decided it was best for Wally to stay in the upstairs for now. We would work it out over time. Everything takes time.

Three and a half weeks after that we'd arranged all the furniture and finally made the house look like a place where people actually lived and Balz and Ricky were already preparing to pack up and leave for tour.

I was in my office, cutting up and editing some video footage at my desk when Ricky came in and sat on the couch behind me.

"You're not upset at all?" he asked,

"About what?"

"Me leaving in a few days."

"I'm... Going to miss you, but it's your dream job and I'm not going to get in the way of that." I spun the rolling chair around and looked at him. "Why? Do you want me to be upset?"

"Well," he did the thing with his tongue, "Yeah. A little bit. Beg me to stay, complain about tour. Act like you'll miss me." I scooted the chair forward until it was in front of him and then moved to sit on the couch. Placing my hands on his shoulders I leaned in and kissed him, long and slow. He reached one hand up and cupped the side of my face as we swayed and when I pulled away I leaned back in so our foreheads were touching.

"I'm going to miss you." I pulled back a little bit as he leaned in again, "A lot."

"I'll miss you, too." he murmured and kissed me, "I do really appreciate you being so understanding about it, though."      

"It's your dream and I wanna support you. Just," I drew away before patting him on the chest, "Be careful. Tour is scary. There's strange towns and weird after-parties and girls."

"Girls?"

"Girls." I dramatically shuddered as he chuckled and laced his fingers with mine.

"I promise to beware of," he brought our intertwined fingers to his chest and whispered fearfully, "Girls."

"Good." I laughed.

That night Ricky and Balz were going out to eat with the rest of their band. They invited me along, as Ryan Ashley was already coming so it wasn't band members only. I graciously refused and said that I had a lot of editing and work to do, which was partially true. They said alright and before they left, Ricky popped his head through the door and let me know they were leaving. Tour started for them the day after Valentine's Day, which was in a few days and they wanted to go to a good local wings restaurant before hitting the road. I said goodbye and soon I was alone.

I wasn't cross with anyone or anything, I just didn't want to be social that night. I was never really good in group settings because I'm a quiet talker and tend to get ignored. No one does it on purpose, it's just the way things go and though it never particularly bothered me, it did always bring a sense of invisibility. It's not always bad. Usually I'm just content with listening. I was lucky to have friends who were nice people and usually did pay attention to me, but tonight the idea of sitting home alone with the cats and my computer seemed more appealing.

After about a half hour of editing I decided to wander aimlessly around the house. Explore a bit, since it was so new. And just because it was me, me and only me in this house, I decided why not pour a glass of whatever alcoholic beverage I had hidden casually under the sink? I was living with a straight edge and a non-drinker and when I'd first brought in some bottles Balz had shaken his head in distaste.

"I still wish you wouldn't drink that, V," he'd said. I'd said something dismissive but waited until I was alone in the room to stow them away with the extra dish soap beneath the sink.

Now, I poured myself a glass of Jack Daniels and left myself to explore. It made everything a bit more enthusiastic and fun as the alcohol burned like fire down my throat. I wasn't drinking heavily, but I remember after a glass and a half I decided to take my party to the downstairs living room couch after I stumbled and nearly fell down the stairs.

---Ricky---

Balz decided to drop me off at the house before taking himself back to visit Ryan Ashley for a bit. I stepped out of the car and before I could even unlock the front door, they pulled out the driveway and vanished down the road into the night time haze. I stepped inside and heard the tv in the living room. I took myself in there and found Via watching some doctor show. I sat beside her and she looked at me and smiled.

"Hey, how was the dinner?" she asked,

"Good. The wings were a bit burnt." I said and leaned in to kiss her. I tasted the liquor and pulled away. She looked confused,

"What?"

"You've been drinking." It was about then I noticed the glass on the coffee table. I'm an idiot.

"Only a little bit," she sits back and stretches, "I'm slightly buzzed." She cuddles up against me and we watch the tv a bit while she gives me a very confusing revision of what's happening on Grey's Anatomy. I acknowledged she was trying.

After the episode ends she leans forward and takes another sip from the cup, wincing, then looks back at me.
"Oh, damn it." she murmurs and facepalms. She get's up and heads to the kitchen.

"Via?"

"Yeah?"

"Watcha doing?"

"Pouring out my drink."

"Why?"

"You're not supposed to know I'm drinking."

"Ah, well you're doing a very good job of hiding it."

"Thank you." I hear her pour out the drink and clumsily wash the glass before returning to me in the livingroom. She settles back on the couch and sits up against me, turning to look up and play with my hair. She leans forward and nearly whispers.

"I have an idea."

"What's your idea?"

"We should go get food."

"I just ate."

"Oh," she's twirling my hair around her fingertips, "Then we should go to Mena's. Have you met Mena? I haven't remember?"

"You haven't remember?" I teased.

"Nope." she said. What a lightweight.

"I met her at Thanksgiving." I reminded her.

"Ohh yeahh. When you fell on your butt off the trampoline." she laughed. I winced. Why'd she have to phrase it like that? "Anyway," she slapped her hands down lightly on my shoulders, "Let's go!" she got up and stumbled over to the door.

I sighed, before getting up and following her.

***

"No, no left."

"This is left!"

"Then the other left!" I did a U turn and then pulled a right into a driveway to a decently sized house. About the size of ours, actually. Just a bit more modern. I pulled up beside the single other car and Via stumbled out and walked to the door. "She should be back by now." she said. We knocked at the door and a few minutes later Mena opened up, holding a phone in her hand and looking confused.

"Hello?"

"Hi." Via and I said at the same time. My girlfriend walked forward and hugged Mena for a long time while Mena looked at me weird.

'Is she okay?' she mouthed to me.

'Drunk.' I mouthed back. She nodded and guided Via inside, motioning for me to follow. Her house was spacious and light and smelled nice.

"Alright," Mena murmured, looking between the both of us. "You guys like sandwiches?"