Not Good Enough For Truth In Cliche

Out From The Window See Her Backdrop Sillouette

*two years later*

My phone rang. "Yo."
"Hi, it's the warden from-"
"Is Ronnie getting released?" I asked, grinning.
"Yes, he is." He laughed, hearing my happiness. "Ronnie just needs to sign some papers, but he needs someone to pick him up."
"I'm on my way." I ended the call and looked at Craig. "Babe, I gotta go."
"Why?"
"Ronnie's free! I gotta pick him up."
Craig furrowed his eyebrows. Right. He didn't like Ronnie too much, as, you know, him and I slept together. "Okay."
"Babe." I kissed his cheek. "I don't have feelings for him. You know I only love you."
"I know."
"For good measure, I'll wear your jacket." I grabbed his leather jacket.
"Okay." He laughed. "Have fun, Ash."
"Bye!" I raced out the door and to the car downstairs. Revving the engine, I almost sped to the prison.
"Ash Charles." The guard on duty laughed. "I'm gonna miss you visiting so often."
"Right back at you, Mike."
"I don't want to have to see you again, then I know more of your friends are trouble."
I ran to the visiting room. Ronnie was standing there in outside clothes. Jeans and a tank top. "Hey, asshole."
He turned. "Ash!" He swept me up into a hug. "Fuck, I'm free!"
"I know, I gotta drive you back!"
"Can we go back?"
I grinned. "Yeah."
We went outside to the car. Ronnie attempted to swipe my keys. "Hey!"
"My keys."
"My car."
"I'm driving." I slid into the driver's side seat. "Backseat."
"Aw, hell no." Ronnie got into the passenger side. He turned on the radio. Playing was Escape The Fate. "Oh, gross, Craig."
"Hey, driver picks music, Ronnie."
He stared at me. "Who's jacket are you wearing?"
We were on the road back to my apartment now. "Craig's."
"Like, Mabbitt?"
"Yeah."
"Why?"
"He's..." I tried to stall, to figure out out to phrase this. "My boyfriend."
"Oh." Ronnie was quiet. I knew that wasn't good, his quiet anger was the absolute worst.
"Say something?"
"You're fucking the guy I hate most. What do you want me to say?"
"Ronnie, it's-"
"Not what it looks like?" He laughed bitterly. "I've liked you, Ash, and I thought we could have something, and you just go and sleep with Craig fucking Mabbitt. How long has it been going on?" I was quiet, focusing on the road. "How long?"
"Couple weeks after you were admitted."
"Years, then."
"Two."
"You're unbelievable."
"I'm sorry-"
"Sorry doesn't cut it. I'm assuming he's living there?"
"Yeah."
"I'll grab my shit, get the hell out of your life, then."
"No, Ronnie, I-"
"You what?"
"I don't want you out of my life. You're my best friend."
"I'm obviously not that important."
"Don't you dare fucking say that to me, don't you dare!" I kept my eyes on the road, but I could still see Ronnie was static. "You think I just lept into his arms? No! The whole band was mad at me, and Monte was my only friend, and I was fucking wasted! And Craig just... He kisses me, and that was the start of that."
"What happened that night?"
"Heroin. I went to the bathroom, he kissed me. I was out of it. We went home and fucked. Okay? And we didn't do anything else for like, two weeks, Ronnie."
"And then he's your boyfriend. They went on tour, I'm assuming? You went with?"
"You know I get sick. I stayed home."
"Huh."
"Don't do this to me."
"You shouldn'tve done this to me, Ash."
"What was I supposed to do? Fucking sit around and pine for Ronnie? Wait for you to leave so we could be a couple?"
"No, but you should've not fucked Craig Mabbitt."
"I heard you. The day Max visited."
"What?"
"The day Max visited you in prison, I heard you guys talking about me."

*flashback*

"You should've dated her, dude."
"I know. I know, believe me. I know everything about her. Up until the last couple months. Hell, I grew up with her. I introduced her to drugs, for God's sake."
"When you get out. Don't date a girl while you're in prison."
"I'm not stupid, Max."
"I'm not saying you are."
"She's doing okay?"
"Got fucked on heroin a couple weeks back, but yeah, she's okay. I'm watching her."
"Promise on our birthday you'll do something fun?"
"I promise."
"She dating anyone?"
"No."
Ronnie sighed. "We... She was seventeen, almost eighteen. I would've been almost twenty. I told her I had a crush on her, and she said that it wouldn't work because we grew up together, in the same house, since we were eleven. She was the responsible one. I should've gotten to her when I had the chance."
"She sucked your dick."
"For a line of coke! And yeah, I want that again, but like, this time, I want it to be because she really likes me. I want her. Not drug Ash. Just Ash."
Max sighed loudly. "I'm sorry."

"I can't believe you." Ronnie whispered.
"I can't believe you, either."
"Do you love him?"
"Yeah. I do."
"Wow."
"Get over it."
"I didn't betray my best friend."
"You didn't?"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You fucking serious? I was there when they dragged you out, I was there when they sentenced you. I always defended you from ETF and any other person who talked shit. I didn't get so much as a thank you for everything I did, Ronnie. I do one thing that makes you mad and you're never gonna talk to me again? Pathetic." I pulled into my parking spot and tossed him the keys. "Follow me."
We went upstairs and I unlocked the apartment. "Craig, Ronnie, Ronnie, Craig. You have twenty minutes to get your shit out of my apartment. Anything that's left, I'm throwing in the dumpster." I collapsed onto the couch.
"Babe, what happened?" Craig asked,
"Shut the fuck up." Ronnie said, throwing clothes into a suitcase.
"He's mad." I whispered. "That we're dating. He's pissed at me. Don't engage, or he'll be more mad at you."
"Do you like him?"
"I want him to be my friend, like he always has been."
"Do you have feelings for him?"
"No." I buried my face in his chest. "Definitely not."
"Okay."
"But he's Ronnie. He's my best friend. We grew up together, and now he's just abandoning me."
"You don't need him."
"I know."
Ronnie looked at us. "I hope you're happy, Ash. And you, Craig? I fucking hate you." He left and slammed the door,
I looked at the door. "Goddamnit."
"He's an asshole."
"I know."
"He's not worth your time."
"I know, Craig."
"I'm here for you, for whatever you need, okay?"
I nodded and bit my lip. "I love you."
He kissed the top of my head. "I love you too, babe."