The Incredible League of Goth Pizza Haters (RH)

Part 58

---Ricky---

"So, you liked the album?" I asked.

"Hell yeah. Well, not at first, but now yes," Mena laughed, "Via made me like it. Even before you joined, she would play Motionless In White and add commentary to try to get me into it."

"And she was successful."

"She was." A piece of lettuce shed itself from her sandwich and she picked it up, placing it on top of Via's head. Via had passed out no more than fifteen minutes after we arrived so Mena and I began to talk about music. We laughed a bit as she stirred, shifting on the couch in the space between us.

"So, cat or dog?" Mena asked me then. I smiled at the bit of deja vu from that question.

"Cat."

"I'm a dog person myself."

"Woah, really?"

"Yeah, what's so wrong with that?"

"Nothing, I just figured all Via's friends were like her. Introverted cat people."

"No, and I'm actually extroverted. I think it's a sort of opposites thing. I don't know, we are pretty similar though. Especially when it comes to writing. You know we used to write books together?" I shook my head and she laughed. "They were so dumb, but something we love looking back on together. We were kids, so a lot of it was pretty cringey but I mean... Whether it was good or not. It was something we did together. Something we bonded over and something that honestly probably led to us being the people we are now. We met in an after-school writing club back in high school."

"Wow, you guys even went through the college days together?" I asked and she snorted.

"Via's a dropout and I never went."

"Oh, yeah."

"Did you go to college?"

"Dropped out. I was a film student but I wanted to do music." I said. She nodded and took another bite of her sandwich.

"How did we get here?"

"What do you mean?"

"Nothin'. Life is weird is all. These just feel like some of the strangest years of my life. Young adulthood I guess.. Weird. Weird. Weird. Ya know?"

"Yeah." I murmured.

"So your family's in Seattle?" she asks.

"Yeah. How'd you know?"

"Via and I talk about you." she said nonchalantly. I raised my eyebrows.

"What?" I huffed, chuckling.

"Ohh yeah. I know everything." she whispered and laughed.

"Really?" I asked, my voice a bit too serious. Via and I'd already had quite a few deep in-depth conversations, sometimes staying up in the night talking. I'd told her a lot of things and she'd told me a lot of things. She wouldn't say anything too personal about me to Mena... I think she picked up on my slight mood change.

"Not 'everything'. I'm joking. We did talk about you but don't worry. She didn't tell me about your dick or anything." She said and I relaxed and smiled awkwardly. I felt a sudden wave of guilt wash over me for so quickly assuming my girlfriend was relaying all my secrets to her best friend. Great move, Rick, you fuckin dick. I decided to change the topic.

"What about you? Does your family live away from here?" I asked and she got an almost sad look on her face.

"Ohh, um..." she bit her lip and averted her eyes for a few moments. I'd obviously made her feel uncomfortable. Way to go, dickhead. You're on a roll.

"Sorry, um-,"

"No, it's okay. My parents live here, they're just not around much. They have important jobs that keep them away from home."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay," she smiled again, kind of somberly, "I'm used to it. It's been that way since I was a kid. I hit the double digits and they hit the road. Who needs mommy and daddy's love when you have a well-paid babysitter to tuck you in a night?" she laughed bitterly and when I couldn't find anything to say back she shook her head. "Sorry, that was a bit of a conversation killer."

"It's alright." I said. She was definitely more of an open book than Via. That wasn't a bad thing, not at all. It made things simpler.

"Via's home kinda became my own. Her mom's really sweet, she kinda opened her arms to me after Via and I became friends. I go there for holidays and stuff."

"Yeah, we met at Thanksgiving."

"Yeah." she nodded and yawned. I could see she was pretty tired so I rubbed my hands together and stood up.

"It's getting late. I should probably go. Sorry for popping in so unannounced."

"It's fine," she said, "Better she wanted to go here than that sketchy club."

"You don't like the club?"

"I think the owner is a creep and I know for a fact he doesn't care if you're an underage drinker so long as it doesn't end up hurting his business." I thought back to the place and couldn't help but agree with her. It didn't all seem completely legal and from what I'd seen the owner was a handsy drunk.

"Yeah.." I murmured. Mena smacked me lightly on the arm and gestured to Via.

"Should we wake her up or..?" I leaned over her and shook her gently.

"Via." I murmured, "Viiiiaaaaaa." Mena snorted as Via made no signs of waking up.

"She's out. She's a light sleeper except when she drinks." I shook her again, gently, and when she didn't respond a pang of worry shot through my stomach. She was okay, right? I shook her roughly this time and she woke with a gasp, sleepy eyes looking around in frantic confusion.

"Oh, good. We thought you were comatose." Mena joked and I let out a sigh of relief and smiled.

"C'mon. We're going home." I told her, nudging her up and following Mena to the door. She opened it for us and watched us load in the car.

"I'll talk to you guys later. Drive home safe." she said from the doorway and I smiled and nodded at her. I made sure my half-conscious girlfriend was buckled in and then we were off down the dark road. I turned on the heat and soon enough she was asleep again. It was very cozy and for once I enjoyed a quiet drive. The only music that filled the silence was the hum of the heaters and the sound of tires running over the nighttime road.

Arriving back at the house, the only other car in the driveway was Via's so I guessed Balz was staying the night over at Ryan Ashley's. I pulled in and shut the car off. I reached over and shook Via, who groaned and shifted in her seat but didn't wake up. I sighed and got out the car, walking around and opening the passenger door.

I unbuckled the seatbelt before I lifted one of her arms and slung it over my shoulder before gingerly slipping my arms around her body. Slowly, I lifted her out of the car and carrying her, tried to close the car door with my back. I walked up to the front door and sighed. Goddamn keys. Somehow I managed the keys from my pocket to my hand to the slot in the door without waking my girlfriend.

I opened the door and carried her inside, lowering her to the living room couch before I went to shut the door and lock the car. Returning, I sighed tiredly. She'd stretched out on the couch and looked peaceful. I grabbed a blanket from the awkward pile on the ottoman and draped it over her. Collapsing on the chair, I reached over and pulled one on myself. I kicked off my shoes and felt my eyes drooping nearly the moment my head hit the pillows.