Happy Miserable Mess (FOB/Patrick Stump FanFic)

Chapter 2

We were at the local park, sitting underneath a big tree in the shade. It was a really nice day, not too hot, not too cold, sun shining brightly, and not a single cloud in the bright blue shy. She and I weren't married yet and we'd only been dating for a few months, but I knew she was the one.

Nothing exciting was really happening. She was reading a book while I was trying to write music to put to some lyrics Pete gave me, my guitar in my lap.

I remember when she used to read, she would wear these Harry Potter-like glasses. I don't know why she wore them, she didn't need help reading or anything. She had 20/20 vision. But regardless, she looked adorable in them.

I was having trouble coming up with an idea so I decided to take a break. I leaned back against the trunk of the tree and groaned, looking over at her. She was sitting perpendicular to me, lying down on the grass with the back of her head resting on the base of the tree, and she completely ignored me.

She'd submerged herself into the Stephen King book she had in her hands.

She absolutely admired his books. She had a whole shelf of our bookshelf dedicated to just his books. It's still there.

The book she was reading that day was called "Insomnia". I had no idea what it was about then, but I've read it since and it was pretty good. She was almost done with it and I didn't want to bother her, get in the way of her finding out what happens in the end.

I then looked back out at the park and began to people watch, something I'd do when I was really bored.

There was this mother who was walking down the sidewalk, pushing along a stroller and yelling into her cellphone. I presumed her baby's deadbeat father was on the other end of line because she was yelling about how he "hadn't seen [their] daughter since she was born" and how "it doesn't matter what [his] sister said, because she knows who she slept with and [he is] the father". I swore it was just like a Maury episode.

After the mother walked away, my attention was drawn to a bench across the park. This couple...they were practically having sex, or as far as they could go in public without being criminally charged. It made me sick, the way they were going at it in a park. A park of all places, haven't they ever heard of a motel? These people needed to learn what you can and what you can't do in public. You didn't see me choking my girlfriend with my tongue.

Not too far away from the almost-fornicating couple was this girl, also sitting on a bench, a different one. She was sobbing into her hands that covered her face. Whether her face was pretty or not, I didn't know. But that's not what was important. A girl only sobbed like that for two reasons (at least, that's what I'd learned from living with my sister growing up) - either the man she thought was her soul-mate dumped her or she just finished reading a Nicholas Sparks book.

Then this dog and their owner jogged past the crying girl. The jogger looked at the girl as he passed by and eventually came to a stop. The dog on the leash the man was holding jerked forward, but stopped when he realized his owner was no longer right behind him. The man retraced his steps and sat down on the bench next to the girl. The girl lifted her head from her hands and looked over at the jogger. The two of them talked for a little before the jogger wrapped his arm around the girl's shoulder and he pulled her close. I assumed they were close friends, because when he sat down and the girl saw who he was, she looked surprised. As did he. But you know, it's only an assumption. I could be completely wrong. I probably am wrong.

I returned my attention to her again. She was closer to the end of her book, but not quite there yet. I once again looked out at the park, thinking aloud, "Have you ever just...people watched?"

"Have I what?" She broke her gaze away from her book to look up at me.

"People watch. You know, just...noticing everyone around you. Forgetting you're even there sometimes. And it's like...the things you see...the assumptions you make based on the things you see...people watching...it can be very inspirational sometimes. Other times it's not, but it's just interesting to see what happens. You never know what you'll see." I glanced over at her, "You should try it some time with me."

"That's really creepy, Patrick," She told me, followed by a lighthearted chuckle to try and make it seem like she was joking with me.

"What? I can't help what I get my inspiration from." She just shook her head and smiled at me, before going back to her reading.

People watching was my favorite pass time, I'm not going to lie. But my favorite person to watch was her. Because she put on this...this show. And the show she put on was quite entertaining.

Compare it to your favorite TV show. When one episode ends, you can't wait for the next one to come. You thrive on that excitement, returning week after week after week. Then all of a sudden, the show gets canceled. No new episodes, no reruns, no old seasons on Netflix, leaving you angry and frustrated because there wasn't a proper ending, no happily ever after, no resolutions to the conflicts, no nothing. It just...ends. And you're left in this state of confusion, wondering what was going to happen next, what it would be like if the show went on, if the show didn't get cut short.

Her show was my favorite TV show that got canceled. I was, and still am, in this state of confusion, wondering what was going to happen next, what it would be like if her show hadn't ended, if her show wasn't cut short.