Everything Clicks - An AJR Music Video Fic

II - Call My Dad (Ryan)

If there's one thing I can say about all of this, it's that we should've just stayed home. I knew that from the start, but I agreed to it anyway, and it's one of the worst decisions of my life. That one choice has caused nothing but disaster. If I could take it all back, spare all of this from happening to us...by god, I would. Whatever it takes. I've had enough.

    We were all sitting at the curb, waiting for a taxi after the party. People were still filing in and out of the house, in a not-so-orderly fashion. A sort of disorganized valet, if you will. I worried for Adam and Jack. Maybe I was just an anxious, protective brother, but I wasn't so trusting of a random stranger offering "alcohol-free" drinks at a house party. Even as Jack had said, there were no set regulations here. There was no way to ensure anything. Everything he said was right. And then the way the server acted after I rejected his offer...something wasn't adding up. I didn't like it. I didn't like any of it.

    Before I could think any more about it, however, a taxi had rounded the corner onto our current street. It seemed Jack had spotted it at the same time as me, as he stood up and raised a hand to call it. The car brakes squeaked lightly as it pulled off the road and came to a slow stop by the curb. Adam and I stood up in near-perfect unison and I opened the back door of the taxi. We each clambered into the tiny space, gave the driver Jack and I's address, and watched as the lights and sounds from the party slowly faded into the distance, and hopefully, soon, out of mind.

    Jack fixed his hat on his head as he yawned. "God, I'm exhausted." He fell back against his seat.

    "Same..." Adam caught his yawn, "what a night..."

    I tried my best to not continue the train of yawning and gave them a half-smile. "You guys can rest for right now if you want. I'll wake you up when we get there."

    Adam and Jack seemed to hardly give it a second thought. They each nodded before taking to their corresponding sides of the car and drifting off.

The driver of the taxi was awfully quiet and hadn't bothered to turn the radio on, which altogether gave the car an uneasy silence. I wasn't sure whether that was for better or worse for my sake. I decided to fill my time with something at least a little bit thought-invoking rather than make myself miserable with anxiety. I looked out Jack's window at the surrounding area.

Outside, I could see that we were just leaving the suburbs and getting back into the main part of the city. Skyscrapers, streetlamps, and the usual traffic came into view and things slowly became more recognizable. Signs for businesses and restaurants passed by, and couples and groups of friends enjoyed the New York nightlife. My expression saddened. Normally, it would make me happy to call this city my home, but tonight it only reminded me of the situation we had just abandoned. I wished I could've enjoyed it more. I wished we all could've.

I snapped myself out of it. I couldn't let every little thing make me anxious about the party, as much as my subconscious was going to try. Sprinkles of raindrops began to fall on the windows and the roof overhead. At least it was something to listen to. I looked over at Jack. He slept with his head resting in his hand, his elbow positioned in the pocket of the door panel. In some way, he seemed to be sleeping soundly. The turbulence and start-stop rhythm of traffic didn't seem to disturb him. The party must've really knocked him out. I chuckled to myself.

Adam seemed to be in about the same state. He sat a bit slumped, with his head kinked against the side of the headrest. He maybe wasn't sleeping quite as elegantly as Jack, but he was just as tired. I began to wonder if maybe I had been overreacting about the drinks after all. I was almost tempted to join them and fall asleep, too. But someone had to stay awake and make sure we got home safe. It was New York, after all. You can't trust everything in a big city like this.