What's in your pencil case? (Patrick Hockstetter)

A Boyfriend? (Part 12)

When all I wanted was a hand to hold to watch the world explode. I was all of the things that you always dreamt and then never did. (Black Rain)

The moment she stepped through their front door she found herself smothered in a tight embrace. "Darling! Don't you ever do that again. I was just about to drive to the Uris myself!", the fear evident in her mother's shrill voice. She had went to take her jacket out of habit, but it lay forgotten on the street in front of the Derry Town House. A silent witness of the horrors that had occurred.

"Mom! It was just about three minutes. I'm fine.", once again she couldn't bring herself to meet the concerned eyes. She knew she'd never miss curfew again. Even if it was a matter of seconds. Her mother however stood frozen still. "Really, it's alright, Mom.", she reassured her. But she had missed the reason for her mother's strange behaviour. Her hands were hovering over the place, where she usually handed her the jacket. She couldn't take a break from her routine. She worried. She really worried about her mother sometimes. Her mother didn't address the missing clothing, instead a strange smile adorned her face. "Why didn't you tell me you had a boyfriend?"

This caught her off guard. The stupid hickey. Of course. She wanted to deny any rumours before her mother's phantasy would bloom. The hickey had brought her enough trouble already. So did the boy behind it. Yet, her mother had recovered from the shock and returned to her usual upbeat self. No chance to cut in  between the relentless chatting. "I knew there was some special reason why you wanted to see that Uris boy so bad! Don't you want to introduce me to him? I talked some more with Maggie. He is always well-mannered and polite. A perfect son-in-law, if he weren't a-"

The word "Jew" hung loosely in the air. She didn't notice how sharply she had glared due to the blatant racism her mother showed. Her mother however did. For once she stood utterly still. For about three seconds. Then she silently sorted out the shoes. You already did that, Mom. As always she bit on her tongue to prevent herself from ripping her mother out of her dream world. "Anyways, you should invite him over to dinner. My little girl is growing up!"

That night she pondered her mother's innocent assumptions. If only her mother knew what was really troubling her. Indeed her little girl was growing up, but the religion of a crush was the least of her problems. The boy she was crushing on probably had his own cult. Not that she couldn't see why people would worship him. Hell, she had been close to doing so herself.

---Time skip---

The Quarry was as serene as ever. They had the seldom luck of a sunny day in Derry. Surely a sign. The sunset painted the Quarry in beautiful colours. The most breathtaking sight however was the one right next to her. The boy who held her hand. "I'll never let you go", a velvety baritone burst through her observations. "You're mine." He pulled her down to him, so her head rested on his lap and started softly playing with her hair. "Your girlfriend?", she suggested teasingly. "I couldn't imagine being with anyone but you. And I couldn't bear seeing you with anyone else. If you call that girlfriend...", he shrugged his honest confession off, as if it were common knowledge.

Involuntarily a wide smile spread over her face. Through squinted eyes she took in every smallest detail of his face. Starting with his long lashes that grazed his stormy eyes. And ending spellbound by his lips. He caught her gaze and slowly bent down to her. Drawing circles on her thigh with his free hand. "Are you gonna kiss me, Patrick?", she heard herself ask coyly. "I've only waited for you to ask. I'll make you feel so good, if you want me to.", he sighed. "I wanna make you feel good, too.", she shot back with an uncharacteristically bold smirk , rising from her position to also use her hands on him.  His shirt was swiftly pulled over his head. Her sweater following soon after. They didn't have to worry about a lack of warmth though. Both of them gladly shared their body heat. And with her head resting on his chest, his steady heartbeat serenading her, his breath playing with her hair and his arms engulfing her in a warm embrace, she felt right at home.

"Patrick I don't know if I can jump!", she exclaimed, peering down the cliff. So close to the abyss, the heady heights really called for her attention. And for her fear. In an instant he was by her side. "Are you scared?", he asked in a low voice. She wanted to deny it, but thought better of it. She could trust Patrick after all. Her boyfriend Patrick. "A little."

"You don't have to be. I won't let anything happen to you. C'mon we can jump together!", he offered with an earnest smile. She couldn't recall Patrick Hockstetter smiling before she had talked to him. Let alone the way he did now. She couldn't help the warm smile spreading on her face in return. It was a rare but beautiful sight to behold. She held out her hand. Shaking in anticipation and slight fear. He took it. And suddenly the fear wasn't her main focus anymore. "Ready?", he asked, as they stepped forward with linked hands. "When you are.", she replied. And together they dared making the jump. At that point she would have jumped anywhere, if he held her hand.

Cold water encased her whole body. She wanted to swim up. Though with the overwhelming dizziness in her head, her orientation was completely lost. And Patrick's firm grip on her had vanished, too. Look for the light, that's upwards. The advise her Dad gave her once popped up in her mind. Yet, she found it to be useless. Everything around her was dark. Then suddenly bright lights burned in her eyes. She felt something brush her leg below her and recognized a tall silhouette. Patrick? The grip on her leg tightened. It pulled her towards him. Away from the light above. Further down in the deep. She finally locked eyes with her presumed rescuer and gasped.

The water invading her mouth for a second. Spluttering, she stared in the familiar eyes of the painter. Fire appeared to be reflected in his pupils. And his burning limbs reached out to her.

Are you gonna burn or drown? Today's special offer. Two for one.

Followed by maniacal laughter. She was going insane with this sickly cheerful voice in her head. It must've come from her head. And where was Patrick? Patrick. That was the last name she thought of before she finally ripped herself out of her freezing state.

Her eyes firmly locked with the gruesomely familiar ones, a bloodcurdling scream left her throat. Masses of water spilled all over her. Invaded her mouth and nose. And drowned out the little air she had left. Meeting the haunting orbs in front of her for the last time, she could only form one coherent thought. She was going to drown.