There's No Coldness In California (Patrick Stump/FOB Imagine Short Story)

Part 15

You're at work, staring at the second hand as it comes closer and closer to the twelve at the top of the clock. Your heart is pounding against your chest and your foot is tapping incessantly.

"Someone's excited," A coworker of yours - the one who's taking over for you - comments, taking note of your jitters.

You turn your head and feign a grin. "I just really want to see my daughter dance. She has the solo and the recital started thirty minutes ago. I don't want to miss her."

"Take a video for me, would you?" They ask as the two of you switch spots at the register, a smile on their face.

"Of course," You assure them, practically running to the break room and quickly clocking out. You snatch your jacket off of the hook on the wall and slip into it as fast as you can, going out to the parking lot only to find that that its been covered in a blanket about four inches thick - and growing. You groan in annoyance, knowing it's going to take you longer than expected to get to the dance studio.

You trudge your way through the fluffy white sea and reach your car, yanking your car door open and getting in. You start the car up and shift the car into drive, speeding out of the driveway and doing your best to keep the car in control as the wheels spin against the snow-covered pavement.

*****

Miraculously avoiding getting into a car crash, you find a spot somewhere not too far from the studio. Before getting out of the car, out of the warm environment that engulfed you on your drive, you unlock your phone and see that twenty minutes have passed since you left for work. You sigh, hoping that you didn't miss Gabby's solo, and go to get out of your car when a car rushes past you, almost taking the door off of your car. You gasp and quickly pull the door back in, watching as the sports car speeds past you.

"Asshole," You grumble under your breath, getting out safely this time and slamming your car door behind you. You make your way onto the deserted sidewalk and walk the rest of the way to the studio, entering through the doors and walking up the flight of stairs.

You reach the top and shake the snow off of you and your coat, wrapping your hand around the studio's door knob and cautiously turning it, slowly opening the door as to not create a scene or interrupt the recital. But when you walk in, you see that there's no one on stage. Everyone's sitting on the seats set up in front of the stage - the girls, the moms, three-fourths of Fall Out Boy. You raise an eyebrow and make your way over to the guys, sitting down in the seat next to Joe.

"Mommy!" Gabby exclaims, her face lighting up as she jumps out of Andy's lap and into yours.

"Hey, Gabby," You greet, hugging her and looking over at the guys, asking, "Did I miss the recital?"

"It hasn't even started yet," Pete informs you.

"We've been sitting here for more than an hour," Joe tacks on.

"What? Why?"

"We don't know," Andy replies.

"Ooh, guys!" Tania exclaims, attracting everyone's attention as she waves her hand in the air, her phone in the other, "I just got a text from Elisa. She said she just got here."

"Just got here?" Another one of the dance moms repeats, "Where was she?"

"Stuck in traffic," Bethany's mom explains, swiping her finger across her phone screen, "She said to get the girls ready, that she'll be up in a few minutes."

"Well then let's go!" A third mom exclaims, everyone getting up from the seats and going into the room where the girls were all practicing when they first arrived, everyone except you and the guys. Gabby looks up at you, confused as to what she should do or what's going on.

"Come on, Gabby," Andy says, standing up and picking her up from your lap, "Let's go get you ready."

"Be careful, Andy," Joe remarks, grabbing his friend by the coat and making him look down at him, "Those moms in there...they're vicious. I don't know what they'll do to you. So if you don't come back, I want you to know that you were my favorite when we were a band."

"Hey!" Pete snaps, causing Andy to break into a smile and shake his head, taking Gabby to where she needs to be.

"I can't believe I didn't miss the recital," You think aloud, leaning back in your seat and looking at the two members who meet your gaze.

"Well hey, at least you're here. Gabby was really upset that you wouldn't be able to see her, but now you can and-"

"(Y/N)?"