The Flier (Patrick Stump)

15 - Distracted

/Chapter 15\

Monday Night

"Zenna!" The sound of Patrick's voice saying my name pulled me back into reality. I looked up from the ground and blinked a couple of times, meeting Patrick's eyes after. "Please don't zone out on me now. We're going to do the entire thing."

"We are?" I quietly asked, surprised by his statement.

"Yes. Or at least just everything we know." Nodding, I shook out my arms a little and backed up so I had enough space to dance and then run to the toss. "You seem kind of distracted."

"A lot's been on my mind. So?" I snapped. He held up his hands in defeat for a second before picking up his rifle from the floor.

"Just saying."

"Okay everyone, get set! We're going to run what we have of the show so far in place, so please give it your all," Kam yelled from the top bleacher of the gym we were practicing in. To be honest, all I really knew of the show was the toss, the dance before the toss, and most of the flag feature. I mean, I guess that was pretty good for the beginning of the second week of practice, but still. Others had two-thirds of a rifle/sabre feature under their belt, too. Like Patrick, with rifle. Now that was impressive.

Kam started the music, and even though she had taught me a dance Thursday night of the week before, I had no recollection of it at all. My solution to that? Standing around, trying to avoid the others that rehearsed around me. However, when the music for the dance before the toss came on, I was more prepared than ever.

"They say I've got a lot of water in my brain..."

Leap, chaîné towards my back left (Kam's and Em's right) corner.

"Oh, I've got no common sense (he's got nobody left to believe)..."

Look lost, confused. Look around desperately, find Patrick doing a chaîné towards me. He stops, pliés and holds his hands out.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah..."

Jazz run towards him. Step up onto his hands.

"Yeah, yeah!"

He threw me up into the air, and even though we had practiced this so many times before, I still felt the adrenaline pumping through my veins. I landed in his outstretched, waiting arms and glanced at his face to see if he was alright. However, the only thing I found was his intense gaze that was focused on me. To remind him that we were still practicing (and because I felt slightly uncomfortable under his gaze), I started wiggling around. He immediately put me down once he got my message, and we both jazz ran up to the front of the tarp, where our flags were set. Since Kam didn't have work written for the section between the toss and the flag feature, we just stood together at the front and waited for everyone to get in place behind us. If being put in the very front in your first year of winter guard isn't scary, then I don't know what is. Actually, understatement. If it isn't terrifying, then I don't know what is. Because it's hella terrifying.

The beginning of the music for the flag feature started to play, and as I struggled to remember the work throughout it, memories of the party began to flood my mind. Pete and Patrick's argument. The fight. Being distracted, though, never mixes well with flag tosses. As I threw the big 45 toss near the end, I didn't realize that I had thrown it wrong. And I didn't realize that the tip of the flag would hit the back of my head on its ascent. Pain shot through my skull, and I could have sworn that it shook my brain a little. The collision caused me to instantly drop to the ground, the flag soon landing on my back afterwards. Several gasps rang out, and people dropped their flags and ran over to me.

"Holy shit! You alright?" Quinn exclaimed, removing the flag from my back and helping me roll over. I groaned in response.

"Let me help you sit up," Lizzie said as she appeared on the other side of me. I nodded as I started to sit up, and she slid her hand under me and pushed up. Once I sat up, everyone cleared a path as Kam hurried through the crowd.

"Are you okay, hon?" she worriedly asked.

"Yeah, I'm okay," I replied. My voice sounded so gravelly compared to earlier. It was strange.

"How about you go sit down in the bleachers," she suggested, holding her hands out to me.

"Sounds like a plan," I answered, and I reached up and took her hands. She pulled me to my feet, which caused my head to pound once I was standing upright. As she began to lead me to the bottom bleachers, I glanced over at Patrick, who was on the outskirts of the crowd that had surrounded me. The sad look on his face gave me the unpleasant suspicion that he knew exactly what had been on my mind.

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AN: (the gif above is naomi scott, the actress portraying zenna!) sorry, this chapter is more of a filler. as always, votes and feedback are appreciated! thanks for putting up with my slow updates, love you guys ❤️ also, if you guys haven't done so already, please check out my new patrick fanfic "spellbound"! i'm excited about it, and i think you will be too. thanks!