I hated the way he’d gone behind my back to make arrangements with Alex. And now, giving me no option but to take Alex’s charity. That was the one thing I didn’t want.
“We could move out without accepting Alex’s offer,” I said. “Just get a place on our own. Somewhere better than this.”
“That’s impossible, and you know it. We have no money. We don’t have the kind of money you need for a security deposit and rent up front. Besides, you need steady jobs and all that.”
“We could get steady jobs.” I unfolded my legs, lowering them to the floor, but then I remembered the critters and put them back on the bed.
“That would take months. No one’s asking you to date the guy or even be nice to him. You just have to play at the club.”
“And live in the apartment.”
“The apartment is all ours. Alex won’t exactly be bunking with us. He said it’s an investment property he owns that’s empty at the moment. He wants to get some work done there, painting and the like, so he’s only letting us stay there until that’s done.”
“And Ferdie agrees with you?”
“Ferdie is 100% behind me.”
I put my head on my knees. I didn’t want to say Pete was right but he was. I could get close to Alex this way and could really get under his skin. But, screw it all, I’d keep a detailed record of our expenses other than the regular payment for playing, and I’d shove that money in his pie hole as soon as I could.
“You’ll agree, won’t you?”
I kept my head down.
“You don’t have to say I’m right,” Pete said. “You just have to say I’m not wrong.”
I slowly put my head up. “You aren’t totally wrong. There is wrongness in there but there’s some common sense too. I can change my plan to accommodate this, if that’s what it takes to make you and Ferdie happy.”
Pete smiled and I stood up. Just as I did so, the scratching noise in the wall cavity started again. I screamed and jumped.
“You can spend the night with the rats if you want to, but we’re out of here.” Pete dangled a key on his finger.
“I told you not to say the ‘r’ word!”
“What if it gnaws on your guitar.”
“Okay, okay, I’ll pack my stuff.”
***
“Tell me again, this place is free?” Ferdie moved from room to room. “It’s awesome. We have everything we could possibly need and more. Three different gaming systems, even snack foods in the cupboard. This is the sweet life.”
“It’s not free,” I said. “There are strings attached. Well, more like ropes, those big, thick ones they use on freighter ships. We’ve sold our souls just so you have a PS4. So worth it.”
“We’ve got the latest Assassin’s Creed.”
“Okay, maybe it is kinda worth it.” I’d play the fuck out of that but, first, I’d get some food together. We had enough stuff in the fridge to put together a meal. Plus, an assortment of fancy teas. Even if I hated Alex, I couldn’t hate his apartment.
“I’ll play later, I’ve got to get to work,” Pete said.
“Huh?” Ferdie and I both turned to face him.
“That was another part of the deal with Alex. Well, a separate deal altogether. Alex gave me a job working at the bar.”
“Wow, you and Alex are best buds now, aren’t you? Why don’t you just marry Alex and be done with it.”
“What? The guy offers me a job? What am supposed to do? I need a new bass and my van’s falling to bits. Do you guys want to walk to gigs? Plus, we need to spend some money on promotion. So, while you two sit on your butts, playing Assassin’s Creed, I’ll be serving drinks to make an honest buck or two. That’s not a crime.”
I shrugged. Pete had been too right lately, and I’d been way too wrong. The threads that I’d been hanging onto, the hatred and resentment, Pete had let go of so easily. I couldn’t be like Pete. Those threads were the only thing holding me together. I banged some pots around in the kitchen with no plan of actually fixing food.
“Don’t worry about cooking,” Ferdie said. “Let’s order pizza. We can at least afford that now we’re on easy street.”