The Evening's Events *Brendon Urie*- pt. 2

REMY

PART ONE: ARRIVAL

*********

6:27 p.m.

Friday, July 15, 2004

Summerlin, Las Vegas, Nevada

Outside Shannon's house, and none too pleased...

"Shan!" I snapped into my phone, huddling under her front porch and crossing my arms against the freezing wind that was rustling the bushes framing her perfectly trim front porch. "This isn't funny-- open the fucking door, there's a freak storm going on, I swear to god..."

I stared at her stubbornly closed front door menacingly, shifting from foot to foot in an effort to stay warm. Shannon's laugh crackled in my ear from my phone, and she replied chipperly, "Calm down, Rem... it's just a little wind. We're upstairs, I'll be down in a second..."

I could hear the faint laughter of my other best friends in the background, all five of them. Already starting the party and goofing off without me... Damn my chronic lateness. I heard one more giggle before the line went dead in my ear.

I sighed and slipped my phone back into my shoulder bag, a little pissed but too excited for it to really register.

The six of us had been planning this night all summer. The timing was perfect; Shannon's parents were at a convention in Seattle for the weekend, leaving her house unattended and wonderfully empty, and Spencer had weaseled his way out of babysitting his sisters for the night by dropping them off at a friend's house on the way over. We agreed to bring candy, movies, CDs, and (by my personal decision) two dozen cans of Silly String. They clunked together in my bag as I fidgeted on the porch, waiting for the door to open so that I could hurry inside and start off this sleepover right.

I grinned as the doorknob shuddered and turned, and the door creaked open to reveal a crowd of laughing teenagers taking up space in the doorway. Shannon squeezed between Ryan and Spencer, laughing and punching Spencer playfully on the arm at something he had said, and smiled hugely at me.

"Dude, you're here!" she exclaimed, her dark blue eyes crinkling as she smiled. She wiped a strand of pin straight strawberry-blonde hair outof her face and grabbed my by the wrist, pulling me inside. "Let's party!"

I laughed and pulled the door shut behind me, stepping on Spencer's foot in the process. He gave me a look, then smiled and pulled me into a side-hug. "Would it kill you to be on time just once?"he asked incredulously.

I stuck my tongue out at him, grateful for the warmth of Shannon's home. Everything was brightly lit and disorganized, be it the toppling stack of magazines on the coffee table or the growing pile of empty Red Bull cans on the couch as we went into the living room.

Carissa and Brendon were sitting on the floor with their heads leaning against the couch, talking and laughing and eating Pizza Pringles. I walked in and sat my bag on the floor, giving them a perky wave and plopping down between them. Carissa smiled and hugged me as I joined them, quiet as ever behind her mane of shockingly red hair. Brendon grinned as I sat down, his perfectly white smile lighting up his face.

"Well, hey there..." he greeted, offering me the canister of chips. I took it from him gratefully and popped a chip in my mouth. "Nice hair," he commented after a moment, glancing at my messy dark brown hair with a cocked eyebrow.

I shoved him lightly and replied through a mouthful of Pringles, "Shuddup. It's pretty darn windy outside, if you haven't noticed, Mr. Urinator..." I watched him visibly cringe at the sound of the dreaded nickname I had bestowed on him in eighth grade.

"You call me that again, and I might just have to tickle you to death..." he warned, his coffee brown eyes joking.

I raised the canister of Pringles defensively, daring him.

We both exploded into laughter, and he took a chip from me, chuckling.

Spencer sat down on Brendon's left, and Ryan lowered himself down next to Carissa, wiping his straight brown sidebangs out of his amber eyes and giving her an awkward smile. She chuckled and smiled slightly in return, her pink cheeks clashing with her vibrant hair. I elbowed Brendon, and jerked my head at them as he looked up. His eyes fell on them, and we both smiled knowingly; Carissa and Ryan had been madly and love with each other since they were about 10. Brendon and I had been planning to get them together for some time now, and I was thinking that tonight would be the perfect time to make it happen...

Shannon sat down next to Spencer and kicked her feet up onto his lap, making a silly face at him as as he glanced in her direction. He just grinned and shook his head.

She turned to face everybody, and her face took on that devious expression that I had grown to fear. "... So, to kick off the evening.." she began, concealing her huge grin, "I was thinking we'd play a little Spin the Bottle...!"

Shannon plucked one of the Red Bull cans off the floor and waved it in front of our faces. Carissa exhaled and hid her face in her hand, and my smile grew.

Things just got interesting.

*******

Rules for dealing with my crazy groups of friends….

Number One: Never give Shannon an excuse to make out with a bunch of guys at a party.

I started cracking up, rolling over on my side and hiding my face in Carissa’s shoulder as Shannon plopped herself down in Spencer’s lap, completely ignoring the shade of beet red that his face had turned. Smashing Pumpkins was blasting from the speakers in the corner as he gave her a questioning look, and she winked jokingly at him in return, wrapping her legs around his waist. Everyone laughed and whistled as she started fiercely making out with him, right there in front of everyone. Her blond hair was falling into her face as she half-kissed, half-giggled the poor guy.

Spencer’s face was that of complete shock as she finally got off of him, nearly knocking the Red Bull can out of the middle of the neat little circle we had made on the floor as she sat back down on his right.

“Damn, Shan…” he muttered to the floor, his face an embarrassingly bright shade of pink.

Number Two: Never willingly put Ryan and Carissa into an awkward situation.

Brendon spun the silver can when it was Ryan’s turn, still chuckling into his hand, and we all watched with excitement as it came to a shuddering halt on Carissa. Her face was already a fierce shade of red, and she gave a nervous, high-pitched giggle and hid her face in her hands. On her right, Ryan shot daggers at Brendon with his eyes as Brendon started wolf whistling. I chuckled and slapped him in the side.

“Come on, you guys…” I urged teasingly, grinning at their awkwardness as Ryan glanced fervently over at Carissa as if frightened she would run out of the room.

“Hop to, Ry!” joked Spencer, winking at him and urging him on.

Ryan scratched the side of his head awkwardly and turned to face Carissa, his cheeks pink and his dark hair in his eyes.

“Hey, Car…” he muttered with an awkward laugh, glancing at her nervously.

Carissa gave another nervous giggle and turned to him, slowly unclenching her hands from around her knees. “… Hey, Ry,” she greeted in return, smiling.

Ryan tried to conceal his growing smile as his face slowly inched toward hers, and his lips collided with Carissa’s.

Brendon nudged me; I nudged him back.

“They are so freakin’ adorable…” I muttered to him behind my hand as Carissa finally pulled away, red-faced and grinning.

Ryan coughed into his hand, his smile brighter than I’d ever seen it.

Brendon’s bright brown eye perked up suddenly, and he leaned his head in, hovering near my ear.

“Your hair smells really good…” he noted with a quiet smile.

Which brings me to Rule Number Three:

NEVER give Brendon an unlimited supply of caffeine.

We were about a half hour into the game, and he had already downed four Cokes…… and six tall, thin cans of Red Bull. As I glanced over at him, I noticed the ever growing pile of crumpled tin cans on his side, and saw how fidgety he was becoming; drumming his fingers incessantly on the side of his leg, singing along to Billy Corgan at an obnoxiously loud level, and laughing in a jittery way as Spencer had to give Ryan a quick peck on the cheek.

“Mybestfriendsaregay….” he sang feverishly under his breath, his dark eyes darting everywhere at once.

I leaned in and clasped a hand over the top of the Red Bull can clenched tightly in his fist. “I’m gonna have to cut you off, dude,” I ordered jokingly, tugging at the can.

Brendon snatched it away from me and stuck out his tongue. “I know my limits, woman,” he insisted, poking me in the side and chuckling.

I rolled my eyes at him, but reluctantly giggled. “Sure you do…” I said dryly, batting his hand away as he tried to poke me again.

Shannon chuckled and pointed to me from across the circle. “Alright, Rem.. your turn!” she laughed, crouching and reaching out to spin the empty can.

My smile faded.

As Shannon gave the can a good twist, I briefly noticed Spencer’s dark blue eyes unashamedly trailing her light-denimed backside. I hid my laugh with a cough; it looked like there was a small new romance at hand.

I leaned my head against the back of the couch, watching with dread as the can spun around, and tugged absentmindedly on the sleeve of Brendon’s dark green hoodie, smiling as he fidgeting and made a face. We all watched as the can spun once…. twice… passed Carissa… Ryan… Shannon… Spencer…

… And came to a slow stop on Brendon.