Mister Wentz

May 15th, 2015

Patrick couldn't wait for eighth grade to be over. He was only fifteen days away from freedom, and the heat outside only proved summer was near.

He calls his arrival into his home before kicking off his shoes and scurrying upstairs to throw his bag down in his room and flop on his bed.

For a moment, he allows himself to sink into the mattress, closing his eyes and letting the stress of the week fade.

Friday was his favorite day of the week. The weekend was time he could relax, play video games, and hang out at the park with the neighborhood kids.

When he opens his eyes, he looks to his discarded backpack and frowns. His math teacher assigned a worksheet of problems for over the weekend, as a practice for the final exam coming up.

He might as well get those done now so he can enjoy his Saturday and Sunday as a free man.

Tired muscles in his arms push him from the bed, and exhausted feet shuffle over to his bag. He snatches the red folder out of the pocket and plops at his desk.

The first thirty minutes of his schoolwork went by without a hitch. The house was quiet; his sister, Megan, in her room listening to music, his parents at work. But the peace was disturbed when the front door opened and loud laughter fills his ears.

Patrick feels his upper lip curl into disgust.

"Shut the fuck up, Wentz!" Kevin giggles.

Pete only laughs louder, echoing in the foyer of the house.

"Come on, let's go raid the pantry while we wait for your mom to answer," Kevin says.

Great, Pete is not only in the house, but he's hoping to stay. Patrick's weekend joy retreats. He grumbles a swear and tries to dial back into his homework, failing to stay focused when Pete and Kevin cackle every other minute.

Patrick's hated Pete since he was a third grader and he's positive he'll always hate Pete until the day he croaks. Nobody ever understands why though, especially when Pete, only a freshman, has already become a popular presence at the local high school. Sure, he's a little bit of a troublemaker, but the teachers hate to love the intelligent student and talented soccer player.

It doesn't help that Kevin brings Pete around any chance he gets, and Patrick thinks he does it just to piss him off at this point. Kevin knows how much Patrick hates Pete, watching Pete tease Patrick; ruffling his hair, laughing at his stature, mocking his whining. Patrick can only hope Pete and Kevin stay away from him.

"Dude, my mom said yes!" Pete cheers.

"Hell yeah!" Kevin matches his energy. "We'll have the whole weekend to hang."

Patrick almost faints. The whole weekend!? Not just night, no, the whole fucking weekend. Two days, one night of pure terror being under the same roof as Pete Wentz.

"Come on, I think the community pool opened up," Kevin approaches the stairs.  "I'll give you a swim suit."

Patrick jumps up like he's on fire, shutting and locking his door quickly. He's not risking an interaction with Pete right now, not when he's trying to focus on his homework. His ADHD can't handle both Wentz and work at once.

He hears footsteps upstairs, down the hall where Kevin's room is. The footsteps approach the bathroom, the door next to Patrick's room, and hesitate for a moment outside of Patrick's door. Patrick stays quiet, staring at his door until the footsteps disappear into the bathroom.

~~~

The sun is low in the sky, casting a pink and orange hue across the clouds. Patrick's since finished his homework, now sprawled across his bed watching videos on Vine.