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

~PART TWO~ [Chapter 28] Alicia (Patrick)

(Patrick's POV)

I sat across from Lexy and Mikey, picking at the gummies I got by default, watching him and her laugh at something I didn't really catch.

I couldn't believe Lexy didn't tell me she was dating someone. I thought she and I told each other everything. Because I sure wouldn't have told her that I was dating Elisa if that was the case. I knew Lexy and Elisa weren't on the greatest of terms, no one between Fall Out Boy and Panic! At The Disco, whether actual band members or people associated with the band (girlfriends, family), were.

I didn't like Mikey. I didn't like the way he looked at her. I didn't like the way she looked at him. It was like the way she and I used to look at each other. I didn't like that she seemed to completely trust him. Like she used to trust me. All Mikey was, was a distraction for Lexy while the real thing she wanted was in Chicago, writing and recording music for his band. The real thing she wanted was me, not him.

"Miss Jackson?" A nurse called, walking in with a clipboard in her hands and a pen tucked behind her ear. There was no one else in the hospital now, at eleven o'clock in the evening. It was pretty much just Lexy, Mikey, a few nurses, and me.

Lexy looked over her shoulder before standing up and turning towards the nurse. "Yes?"

"Please come with me," The nurse told her, nodding her head down the hall where Lexy's father's hospital room was.

"O-Okay," Lexy stuttered, nervously joining the nurse's side and walking away with her.

That left Mikey and me alone in the ghost-town-like waiting room. I began to tap my foot and rested my head in my hand. Mikey was tapping his fingers on the arm of the chair and stared at the clock, the ticks of its hands echoing through the deserted floor.

Just then, his cell phone went off. I looked over at him and watched as he pulled it out of his pocket, his eyes rolling when he saw who it was. But nonetheless, he answered the call. "I thought I told you not to call me when I was with her." I raised my eyebrow in suspicion.

There was a faint, slightly high-pitched murmuring on the other line, but I couldn't make out what whoever called him had said.

"Alicia, I'm at the hospital right now." Alicia? I thought to myself, Who's Alicia? "Yeah. Lexy's dad is here."

Another murmur, this one sounding a tad bit angry.

"I don't know..." Mikey leaned backwards to look into the hallway Lexy and the nurse had gone down and then sat forward once again, replying "You know what? Fine. I'll be there in a few minutes." Mikey flipped his phone closed and rose to his feet, pointing at me, "Tell Lexy I had to take care of some family business, okay?"

I stared at him blankly.

"Okay?"

I hesitantly nodded my head yes.

He smiled, "Thanks, man." He began to walk away when he stopped in his tracks and turned around to face me, "Hey, it was nice meeting you. Loved your new album, by the way. Can't wait for the next one to come out." I nodded my head in acknowledgement and he smiled once more before disappearing into Staircase D.

Almost right after the door closed behind Mikey, Lexy came out of the hospital room. I rose to my feet as she approached me, her eyes glistening with tears but a slight smile on her face.

"Well?" I asked.

She broke into a wider smile and informed me, quite happily might I add, "He's going to be okay."

I smiled and pulled her into a hug. "See? I told you everything was going to be okay."

"Yeah, I guess," She mumbled into my shirt.

The two of this stood there for a little in silence, besides the constant beeps of heart monitors in the rooms and the occasional phone call the woman at the desk would answer, in each others arms. The next I know, she burst into tears. I held her even closer to me and inquired softly, "Why are you crying, Lex? Your dad's okay. You should be happy."

"I-I know. But I-I was so scared I was...I was going to lose him, Patrick," She sniffled, her tears soaking the shoulder of my t-shirt. "I-I don't want to lose him. I've lost so many people already. I don't want to lose him too."

"Hey." I looked down at Lexy and said kindly, "Look at me." She tilted her head up to reveal her eyes were red and puffy and the makeup she had on was smeared. I swiped my thumb across her wet cheek and told her in a hushed voice, "You've still got me. And all the guys."

She giggled, "Yeah, I guess I do."

I smiled. Lexy stepped out of my embrace and rubbed her eyes, beginning to look around as if she'd lost her cellphone or purse. "Where's Mikey?" She questioned.

"Tell Lexy I had to take care of some family business, okay?" Mikey's voice rang in my head.

"He, uh, he had some family business to take care of," I answered.

"Family business? Is everything alright?"

I nodded my head, "Oh, yes, he said not to worry."

I didn't know why I was covering for him. It was obvious he was cheating on Lexy with whoever this Alicia girl was. He was a lying, cheating, good-for-nothing douchebag who was going to break Lexy's heart. And as Lexy's friend, I should be exposing him for who he really is, telling her what he's really doing. Not covering for his sorry ass.

"Oh...alright, then," She retorted. I smiled. She smiled back. We stood there for a little more before she sighed and changed subjects. "Well, it's pretty late," She remarked, crossing her arms over her chest, "You should probably head back home or to whatever hotel you're staying at. I think I'm going to stay here with my dad."

"I'll stay with you," I retorted quickly, causing her to jump because of my sudden response.

She laughed, blushing ever so slightly, "Thanks, but you really don't need to, Patrick, I-"

"No," I cut her off, grabbing her hands and interlocking my fingers with her, "I'm staying, Lexy."

She slipped her hands out of mine and wrapped her arms around my torso, hugging me, "I couldn't have been more lucky than to have a best friend like you." She murmured, hugging me just a little bit tighter.

"Best friends," I mumbled in response, "Yeah..."

Ex-friends till the end. Better off as lovers and not the other way around.