Take Your Tears, Put 'Em On Ice

~ N-I-N-E-T-E-E-N ~

~Tuesday; 17th of December 2019~

~ P-E-T-E ~

"PATRICK MARTIN VAGHN STUMPH!"

A very loud, very enraged female voice rang out around the small ice rink. Patrick immediately broke off our kiss and fell from my hands, curling into a ball on the ice.

I quickly looked around as I knelt down, pulling Patrick into my arms again. He was whimpering and shaking his head, constantly repeating "I'm sorry". My eyes finally landed on another figure by the gateway, my heart beat faltering. It was no other than a tense stanced, red faced Mrs. Burch. I've never seen her like this, so it was actually kind of terrifying.

"Get away from my nephew!" She screeched. I didn't move, just looked back down at the boy in my arms.

"J-Just let m-me g-go," he shakily whispered.

"But-"

He shook his head and I opened my arms. We both stood. Patrick's face was very pale and his eyes were glassy, tears streaking down his face. He wiped his cheeks with his sweater sleeves, seeming much smaller than before. My heart actually began to ache at the situation we were in.

We made our way over to the fuming woman and she ordered Patrick to take his skates off and hand them to her. He did so and we both put on our regular shoes.

"Patrick, you and I are going home. Peter," she sneered and looked up at me. "You are to never come close to my nephew for the rest of the week! I'd move your classes if you weren't so advanced." With that she grabbed one of Patrick's arms and practically dragged him out the door.

I didn't know what to feel.... I just felt so-

"-numb." I ended, putting my face in my hands. I felt Brendon wrap his arms around my shoulders and the noise at our lunch table stayed quiet.

"Wait," Ryan spoke up after a little while. I picked my head up and looked over at him. "What did she mean by 'rest of the week'?"

I shrugged and let my head fall back against Brendon's shoulder. "I think I'm going to skip the rest of the day again. I don't want to deal with her in English and now is the best time to leave without much trouble..."

"Nooo no no no," Brendon shook his head and stopped rubbing my back. "You're not skipping school like yesterday. The Pete Wentz I know does not do that no matter the trouble." His voice softened so only I and Ryan could possibly hear him. "I'm not letting you fall down."

I felt my eyes begin to tear up and I scrunched them shut. I am Peter Wentz, Junior at Glenbrook, Captain of the hockey team, with a father, name and face almost everyone knows. I shouldn't be like this. This pathetic, emotional mess I've never been before.

"Alright, listen here." Brendon made me sit up and I quietly groaned. He smirked and rolled his eyes, continuing on to what he was going to say. "We're going to English," I began to glare at him. "And you can either act like the saddest most depressed person in the world, pretend nothing happened over the weekend at all, or even seem to hold the biggest grudge against her than anyone ever has."

I pondered over his options. "You know what? Sure, fine. Okay. I'll-" my phone buzzed. "-answer the message later?" It buzzed again. "That's a call." I stood up and retrieved my phone from my back pocket, glancing at the caller ID.