You're a Hot Mess (Peterick)

Chapter Five - Gentle, Gentle, Gentle.

*Can I just point out how this is a day early? Yeah. How peculiar. Also, I've been getting some lovely messages recently. It's nice of you guys to actually inbox me. I'm always here if you need me, man. From here on out pretty much 99% of this fic will be Pete's POV. If it changes I'll still say it don't worry. Now go read.* 

A loud bump followed by the sound of someone cussing under their breath wakes me up. It takes a pretty huge effort for me to open my eyes, and even then I can't see anything immediately. When my eyes adjust to the dark I see Patrick picking up his acoustic guitar along with the picks scattered along the floor. 

I groan and my head hits the pillow again. Focus on getting back to sleep Pete. Just shut up and- "Oh sorry, did I wake you?" He asks cheerfully. Someone had a good date. I'm sure it was just perfect, perfect. "Don't you always?" I grumble, my face buried into the pillow so my words are muffled. I'm not sure if he heard me. 

Regardless of whether he did or not he doesn't say anything and instead yawns,"I'm wrecked. What a night though." I can tell he's waiting for me to ask. And when I don't he tells me anyway. "We had a move marathon." I roll my eyes into the pillow. How cliche. I bet the cuddled up together in a warm blanket too. 

"We were all cuddled up together too." I called it. Sounds pretty boring if you ask me. Patrick and I did that first. I was the original. "She's a really lovely girl."

"Fan-fucking-tastic. Now let me sleep." I say sourly, turning over to face the wall. Patrick clears his throat, "G'night then." I don't say anything back.

* * * * * *

At breakfast, I don't sit beside Patrick. I might have, if he wasn't sitting beside Elisa. He asked me to sit beside him on his other side, but as far as I can get away from the happy couple, the less nauseous I feel. 

Brendon sat beside me instead. Probably because he wants to find out as much as he can about my 'crush'. Patrick and Elisa are all smiles and giggles this morning and come on. Sure, they've spoken a lot since the start of the year but they've been going out for like a day. Or... at least as far as I know. What if they've been going out longer and he didn't tell me? He wouldn't do that, would he?

I tap Brendon lightly and he stops talking to Spencer and turns to me. "How long do you think they've been going out?" I tap my fingers rapidly on the table, not having yet eaten any of my breakfast. They didn't let me have pizza this morning, said it's unhealthy for the third day in a row. In my opinion, not eating cold morning pizza is unhealthy but that's apparently not what nutritionists think. 

Brendon has a knowing smirk on his face and shrugs all non-chalantly. "Why don't you ask him?" I shake my head fiercely, "No, he'll think I actually care." He raises his eyebrows with an obvious expression. "You do care." He says, poking my shoulder. "He can't know that." 

"Patrick I think Pete wants you." I blush vibrantly. Even the way he worded it sounds like I want to bang him. Which is not utterly wrong. Patrick's staring now, a warm smile on his face but Elisa's doesn't look as... warm. Or smiley for that matter. 

I swallow and lean back in my chair, trying to act like I'm not bothered when in reality, my heart's beating involuntarily fast. "Oh it's not really important." Brendon shoots me a glare. Elisa goes back to talking to Patrick but he cuts her off and laughs. "Come on Pete. What is it?" 

"I was just wondering how long you two have been going out." They both look at each other and Patrick looks suddenly uneasy. "A few weeks." He mumbles, Elisa smiles. It's fake. 

The fucker never even told me. They've been hiding it. 

I don't say anything, instead just look down at the table. Brendon shifts restlessly beside me as if he has a feeling I'm about to explode. I avoid eye contact with Patrick for the rest of the lunch. No one attempts to talk to me for the rest of breakfast. Maybe they think I'm going to do something drastic too. 

I've eventually had enough of the awkward atmosphere we created and I get up, mumbling about having to get ready for class. Brendon hesitates, asking if I want him to come too but I reject his offer, leaving him to eat with the rest of them. 

I get half way down the hall before Patrick calls my name cautiously. I pretend I didn't hear him. "Pete! I'm sorry." He sounds it too. He grabs at my wrist. I try to pull away but Patrick always has had a surprisingly strong grip. You wouldn't be able to tell by looking at him. He's skinny and short, seemingly harmless. Those are always the most dangerous boys. 

"I didn't mean to keep it from you." I scoff. How can you 'accidentally' not tell someone something. You can't forget something like that. It wouldn't have been a big deal if he'd told me at the start. Yes, I'd still be jealous, but at least then I wouldn't be mad too.

My mind moves over to what he meant when he said 'a few weeks' That could be a month. A whole month. I just don't understand how he was so happy when he mentioned his date, but now that I've found out he'd kept it from me he feels guilty. 

"I-"

"How could you not tell me?" I stop, fold my arms and look down at my feet. The hallway is not the place for emotional outbreaks. "Like I said.. I didn't mean to. It just slipped my mind." His voice is soft and comforting. Gentle, gentle, gentle. That's Patrick. "No it didn't. You made an effort to hide it from everyone." 

Then it occurs to me.. "Wait.." Patrick stays silent. I turn around to face him, he looks as if he already knows what I'm about to say. "All those nights you didn't come back until late... you were together weren't you?" He nods slowly and apologetically. 

I open my mouth to say something I'd regret soon after, yet no words come out. I nod excessively as if I'm only now taking in all this information. 

"Okay." I say quietly. And I walk away from him, this time though, Patrick doesn't stop me.