After The Dance (FOB FanFic ft. Panic! At The Disco)

~PART ONE~ [Chapter 7] The Fedora

Author's Note: Hey guys! This note has nothing to do with this chapter specifically, but if you want to see what Lexy looks like, I added a picture of the actress who plays Lexy to the first chapter of this book. That's all. Hope you like this chapter and thanks for reading! -Rachael

Lexy and I were walking home from school. "So, I've started packing up my room," Lexy retorted in an attempt to spark a conversation. I looked over at her. "I know, it's sad. But you won't believe what I found."

"What'd you find?" I inquired.

"I found a picture of you and me from when we were both like...five years old. We were on that swing you used to have in your backyard, laughing our little asses off. I can't remember what we were laughing about, but I'm sure it was nothing," I looked over at her and saw the smile on her face. "Those were the days..." She glanced over at me and asked, "Do you realize that we have never been apart since we met? Not once have we been separated. We've always done everything together. Even vacations."

I chuckled, "What can I say? We're inseparable."

She sighed and said in a much sadder tone, "I'm going to miss you in New Jersey, Patrick."

"I'm going to miss you too, Lex," I retorted, not being able to make eye contact with her.

There was a long pause of silence before she asked, "Promise me that when the four of you start to go on tour and do concerts nationwide and all that fun stuff, because I know you will, promise me that you'll perform somewhere close to me in New Jersey so I can come and see you guys?"

"Of course," I glanced over her and the corner of my lip curled up.

We arrived at her house and she heaved a sigh, "Well, I've got more packing to do, so..."

"Why don't I help you?" I offered, wanting to spend as much time with her as I could before she left.

She seemed to be thrown off by my offer, but she laughed and said, "Yeah, sure. Come on in." She led me up the driveway and into the house she's lived in for the past sixteen years of her life. I couldn't believe her dad was making her move. It was just...unfair.

"I'm home!" She called to her dad before running up the stairs. I followed after her and into her bedroom, where she threw her backpack down on the floor and flopped on her bed, tilting her head up so she could look at me. There were boxes all over her room, there was barely any room to walk. All of the posters that used to cover her walls had been taken down, and I think this was the first time I realized her walls were a powder pink color.

"I know," She retorted even though I said nothing, "It's disgusting," It being the color of her walls, "This used to be Catherine's room. She was always the girly girl when we were younger."

I set my backpack down next to hers and slipped my hands into my pockets, "I think that you secretly like these pink walls." She scoffed as a smirk crawled on my face. "You just don't want to admit it."

She scoffed, "Yeah, totally, Patrick. That's why I covered them with posters." She retorted sarcastically.

I walked over and lied down next to her. The bed creaked as I lied down.

"It's old, it always does that," She tried to convince me, even though I knew that wasn't the case. I was overweight. There was nothing more to it. But Lexy never mentioned my weight or judged me for it, it's like she saw right through it. It was like it meant nothing to her.

We kind of just lied there in silence, but it wasn't one of those awkward silences. It was...comfortable. I looked over at her and thought about what the guys had told me at lunch. That it's obvious I like her. And it's obvious that she likes me too. So, I thought I'd slip my hand under hers and interlock her fingers with mine. I anticipated for her to rip her hand out of my hold, saying something how we were just friends, but instead, she squeezed my hand, tightening our hold and turning her head so she was looking at me.

She smirked at me before she slipped her hand out of mine and turned around, getting to her feet and walking to the other side of the room where she ripped open a box and dug her hand into it. She pulled out something and turned around. In her hands was a hat, a fedora to be specific. I sat up.

"I know this probably isn't the most original thing, nor does it mean anything to you or me, but..." She walked over to me and placed the fedora on my head, adjusting it a little before sitting down in front of me and smiling, "...I want you to have it. Something to remember me by when I'm miserable in New Jersey."

I tilted my head down and took the hat off, holding it in my hands for a little bit before setting it beside me, "You make it sound like you're dying."

"Because I am dying," She retorted, flailing her arms in the air and lying back down her bed all dramatically. A smirk crossed my face as I looked back at her. She looked up at me and said, "Moving away is literally going to make my soul die."

I opened my mouth to say something when Lexy's door flew opened. Lexy sat up and I looked back to see her father standing in the doorway. "Who let you in?" He yelled at me, pointing his finger in my direction, "And what are you doing on my daughter's bed?"

"Dad, it's just Patrick..." Lexy tried to convince him. He acted like he didn't know me. Like I hadn't lived next door to him for the past sixteen years.

"Patrick, please get out of my daughter's room," He ordered, pointing behind him. I nodded my head in understanding and looked back at Lexy, smiling at her and grabbing her gift to me before rising to my feet, swooping up my backpack, and brushing past her father.

As I walked downstairs, I passed a mirror and retraced my steps, looking into the mirror, flipping the fedora and putting it on my head, seeing how I looked in it.

"Nice hat."

I jumped, thinking no one else was there, but looked to my left to see Catherine. "It looks good on you," She added with a grin before escaping into the kitchen. I looked back at myself in the mirror one more time, smirked, and walked out of the house with more confidence than I think I've ever had besides performing on stage with the band.