Take Your Tears, Put 'Em On Ice

~ T-W-O ~ {II}

~ Friday; 24th of April 2020 ~

~ P-E-T-E ~

I haven't heard from Patrick for a good two weeks now. It worried me majorly, but I didn't want to seem like a clingy girlfriend. My weighted concern was just from our last conversation on the phone. It had lasted a mere four minutes and he had been in tears the whole time. One of his friends, by the name of Aaron I believe had taken the phone from him and explained to me what was going on before dropping the call.

Apparently Patrick has gotten so attached to his friends here, he's fighting pretty bad separation anxiety.

I had just gotten home from school, somehow ending up having Josh and Tyler tag along. I went to the basement as normal, tossing my book bag onto my bed. Josh jumped down the last few steps, miscalculating the distance and landing face first onto a beanbag. Tyler slid down the railing and had expected Josh to not be there, so flew off and landed ontop of the other. Both were a laughing mess and where as I would be laughing as well, I just rolled my eyes and plopped down into my desk chair.

"Josh," I turned the chair around, looking at the two. They both looked up at me with curious eyes. I hadn't spoken much either, so when I did it was like treasure for everyone. "You love me, right?" He grinned that goofy grin of his and nodded. I smirked. "Then you'll answer my question honestly?" He nodded again. "Is everyone avoiding me, or have I really shut everything out that much?"

"Kinda both." He replied almost instantly. Tyler elbowed him in the side. Josh threw him a glare before rolling onto the floor and sitting up. I felt hurt, but I drew this onto myself. "Not like, I mean... well, we've been kinda skeptical around you dude, not wanting to set you off like that one Saturday?" He lifted up his shirt a little.

"Oh, right. Sorry," I bowed my head. We all looked up when the basement door opened though.

"Pete, dear? You're down here and it's not just Ty and Josh again, right?"

"Yes ma," I jumped up and ran to the bottom of the stairs. My mother smiled at me and came down the first few steps, handing me the house phone.

"It's for you, but I don't know who it is. He just said it was very important," she spoke quietly before disappearing back upstairs.

I held the phone to my ear and walked back down the stairs slowly. "Hello...?"

"Pete?"

The phone slipped out of my hand and almost fell to the floor, if Tyler hadn't caught it. I quickly snatched it up out of his hand and brought it to my ear again. "Patrick?"

"Yeah," he let out a sigh. In that moment all the weight on my chest was released. I slowly sunk down onto the floor with my back against the wall next to the doorway upwards. I saw Josh and Tyler exchange glances but neither moved.

"It's... its so good to hear your voice," my own voice cracked once. He let out a sound, somewhere between a giggle and a sniffle.

"It's good to h-hear yours too, and sorry for not calling sooner, it's been chaotic and bloody hell this isn't even my phone!"

"Hey, it's alright. I promise. Just keep going and get things over there straightened out." I squeezed my eyes closed. "I-If thi-ing have t-to st-stop b-between us t-to mak-ke things easier, th-then they will," the back of my throat was burning.

His side of the line was silent for a few moments, and I thought he had hung up until he sniffled again. "I hope they never, ever get to that point."

"Me too baby, me too," I whispered as I pulled up my knees and let my forehead rest against them.

"I-I'm going t-to go now, I-I don't want these bloody prices to cost any m-more than they do."

"Alright, I'll talk to you soon, right?"

"Right."

And then the call ended. I let the phone clatter to the floor and I picked my head back up, looking over at my two friends. Tyler actually had tears in his eyes and Josh was staring intently at a spot on the floor with his jaw clenched. I cleared my throat and slowly stood, popping my back. "Who wants to go play a friendly game of hockey?"

Josh and Tyler looked at one another briefly before also standing, but watching me cautiously.

"Sure, can we take your car and stop by our places quickly, for equipment?" Tyler wiped his eyes. I nodded and walked over to my book bag, getting my car keys from one of the front pockets. In moments we were upstairs and outside, getting into my car. Neither of the two lived far, Josh at the end of this street and Tyler a little down the next.

When we stopped by Josh's, Tyler leaned up between the seats from the back and just stared at me. I let it just happen for a few seconds but after that it was uncomfortable and weird. I shifted in my seat and looked back at him, holding his chocolate brown eyes in a locked gaze. Josh soon came back before I asked questions and Tyler leaned away. We went to his house, and then to the rink.

Nothing big and exciting happened then, we just passed the puck around here and there, laughing like teenage idiots. It felt good in all honesty. Well, all was good until Brendon and Ryan showed up, and on Ryan's feet were a pair of white figure skates. But I didn't let this physically bother me, I don't need my friends hiding more away than they already have.

Ever since they arrived, Brendon kept watching me. It was getting a little irritating, everyone watching my every move, but like I said before, I brought this upon myself. Now I have to figure out how to get myself out of it. Knowing Patrick actually is okay, and that we may be able to talk from now on did take a lot off my chest. Now to show them that it really has.

"Yo Brendon!" I shouted at my best friend across the rink. I had the puck in front of me and my hockey stick in stance. And my stance I mean like I was playing golf. He looked over and I put my hand on my forehead as if shading my eyes from the lights above. I saw him raise an eyebrow. "FOOORRRE!" I smacked the puck as hard as I could- without breaking anything- and sent it flying across the ice.

"HOLY FUCK," he yelled and jumped out of the way as it hit the wall right where he had been standing just seconds before. It hopped into the air a little and fell back to the ice, slowly sliding away. "Oh, I see. We're gonna play that game, huh?"

Ryan quickly got off the ice and changed into his hockey skates, grabbing his stick. Josh and Tyler exchanged looks before grinning and standing on opposite sides of the rink; Tyler on where first base would be, I myself watching second and standing the "pitcher's mound", Josh on third and Ryan behind Bren.

Baseball, golf, and hockey. Who knew?

"And 69 Urie steps up to the plate," Brendon began to narrate. I snorted a laugh. "He puts up his hockey stick, knowing this was not a game of baseball, but a game of extreme idiocy. He watched the puck with those seductive brown eyes, and-" crack!

The puck flew across the ice and right between Tyler's feet. Brendon dropped his hockey stick and raced towards "first base". But me? I was laughing too hard to be able to properly breathe, muchless see.

Things will be okay.