I'm Not Broken Hearted (Patrick Stump / Fall Out Boy Fanfic)

Chapter 3 - Patrick (One Year Later)

 As I held the record in my hands, I could barely believe it. A year of hard work, and a lifetime of dreaming, I finally had my solo album. Soul Punk, as I had called it, was officially on the shelves of record stores everywhere, and it was having a much better reception than I thought it would. My fans were far more loyal than I gave them credit for, I guess. But here it was, my own vinyl copy, and there was my record player, just begging to play it for the first time. I set in into the machine gently, almost tenderly, and lowered the needle to its surface.

My own voice and music played back at me, and I smiled. Just as I was rocking out to myself, my phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out to find Pete's name flashing across the screen.

"Hey, Pete," I answered, smiling as I lowered the volume of the record player.

"Patrick," he stated, very matter-of-factly.

"...Yes?"

"I bought your album."

Immediately, I groaned in frustration. "Pete, why? I would have given you –"

"No, shut up. I bought it and I listened to it."

"Okay...and?" I prompted, wondering why he was being so cryptic.

"It was amazing. When are you touring?"

"Pete –"

"I'll come to the Chicago show."

"Pete, I'll probably be in LA anyways –"

"I want to listen to you sing about Chicago while actually being in Chicago."

"Uh...okay? I guess. I'll let you know when I set up a tour, alright?"

"Good, good," Pete laughed. I sat down and let out a breath I didn't realize I had been holding. I was really glad he liked my album. "One more question, though," Pete muttered, "That one song...who was that about?"

"Huh?" I asked, genuinely unsure of what he meant.

"You know which one."

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Pete."

"Allie."

Singing about her had been one thing. Actually hearing her name was different. Very different. Pete, I knew, had stayed in touch with her over the years. They had been close friends, even before I dated her, and I never expected that to end just because our relationship did. But normally, Pete never spoke about her with me. "Pete..." I started, my voice trailing off.

"Just yes or no, Patrick. Is it about her?"

I hesitated. Of course it was. "...Yeah. Yeah, it's about...her."

Pete was quiet for a moment. "You miss her," he stated.

"No, Pete, I don't," I said, a little too quickly. "It just...sounded good. I liked the idea, so I wrote it. Nothing to work yourself up about."

"Whatever you say, Patrick. But hey, I have to get going, Bronx just woke up from his nap. I'll talk to you soon, okay?"

"Okay, Pete, sounds good," I said, sighing internally as I was thankful he wasn't going to ask any more questions.

"And Patrick?" Well, so much for that.

"Yeah, Pete?"

"Call me if you ever need me, okay?"

I hesitated, running a hand over my face tiredly. "I know, Pete. I will. Talk to you later." I hung up with that, and leaned my head back against the back of the chair. Allie was quietly playing in the background. I hadn't realized I'd been on the phone that long, but I listened to the words, my own words, and closed my eyes. Did I miss her? Of course I did. I never really stopped loving her. She was gone though, and always would be. I had to move on. It had been eleven years, and here I am, still dwelling on her. Who does that?

Maybe this song was what I needed to get it out of my system, but at the same time, I knew, deep down, that this wouldn't be the last time I thought about her.