You're a Hot Mess (Peterick)

Chapter Twelve - Stand By, the Plan's Going Over and Out.

*I sneezed about 50 times while writing this.*

When Gabe texts me the next evening to say that he's ready to initiate the plan, I start to have... seconds thoughts. I just can't help but think that this is unfair. To Patrick and to Elisa. As much as I hate her she hasn't done anything wrong. I stole her boyfriend. I've been nothing but rude to her. And now I'm trying to break them up.  

Despite the crushing amount of guilt I'm dealing with, there's no time to back out now. Gabe would absolutely not allow it. Besides, I'm doing what's best for us. 

Really. For both of us. 

But if that's true then why do I feel so....guilty about it? Not just about breaking them up but from letting Patrick cheat in the first place. 

Gabe texts me again a few seconds later to say that he found Elisa. 

What if it doesn't even work? What if Patrick says I kissed him? There's a lot of risks I'm taking here. With Gabe being involved at all Patrick could see right through our plan. Even if Elisa breaks up with him he might get mad at me. Brendon and I never considered that last night. 

But it's for us. I want him to know that it is for us. I need to tell him that once it's over and done with. 

I sound like a psychopath.

When did it stop being so easy? 

Or when did I first realise that it never was?

My phone starts ringing. 'Gabe is calling' flashes repeatedly on the screen. 

"Aren't you going to answer that?" Patrick asks, in a clearly annoyed tone. 

He came back sometime in the afternoon. I was reading some dumb book he always tried to make me read, acting as if he'd died or something and this was the way to help him find peace. I think a part of me had hoped he'd be impressed. But when he actually came through the door and saw me reading his book, he frowned and didn't say a word about it. Instead, he plugged his iPod into the speakers and started playing music. 

Really, really loud, angry pop punk. That's our favourite.  And I would have enjoyed it, had he not so obviously been trying to disrupt my reading. I'll be honest, I wasn't enjoying this book. The characters were annoying and the plot was boring and made no sense. But I saw it as a challenge. Like we were back in the middle ages or whatever and he had taken off his glove and thrown it to the ground... and it was on. 

So I kept reading. For a whole hour. After then Patrick gave up and put in his headphones, still not saying a word. But it doesn't matter. You know why?

Because I won. 

Patrick sighs when I don't say anything and says, "If you don't answer that damn phone, I will." I continue to stare at Gabe's name flashing on the screen for another few seconds before I actually answer with, "What's up?" Which is a stupid question because he's already texted me 'what's up.'

"Dude," He's whispering, I assume it's because Elisa's still beside him. "Are you ready or not?"  

I take a look at Patrick who's frowning and listening to his own music. He looks over to me and glares even more. 

I didn't know I pissed him off this much.  

In that case, I'm totally ready, and I tell Gabe that. 

"Okay, I'll give you five minutes, yeah? You remember the plan right?" 

I tell him I do and I hang up and look over to Patrick again only when he glares at me this time, I smile back.