Light My Way Back Home •Patrick Stump+Fall Out Boy•

Chapter Nineteen: Sophomore Slump or Comeback of The Year

||Cole Wentz|| First Person||

I squint my eyes to as small as I can get them, stretching my hands out in front of my body so I can feel for anything out of the ordinary, which is ridiculous because that phrase sums up my entire life. My hand comes into contact with a large branch, and I hesitate before taking a step forward. I run my hand across the raggedy branch, feeling little pieces of wood prick at my burning skin. I crouch down and listen to the dry leaves crunching underneath my feet, stopping and squinting out into the dark, fogginess this night provides. Just perfect. I follow the jagged pathway down the hill, trying to slow my steps so I don't end up falling and rolling down like Katniss Everdeen. Eventually, I see a tall figure and a small beam of light coming from their hands. Keychain flashlight. Derek Skinner.

I feel my knees start shaking and my palms start sweating. My breath comes out in laboured gasps, and when I realize that it's only 9:56, I realize that these next four minutes will be my last four minutes of peace(as terrible as it is). I feel my way through the abundance of old trees and reach for a good one, grasping onto the little chunks of wood sticking out before I hoist myself up onto the strong and sturdy branch. I hold a hand to my forehead and stare intently at the figure before me. His back is turned to me now, him tapping his feet impatiently as he raises his hand to his face to make out the numbers on his wrist watch. I suck in a breath of air and close my eyes, holding onto the tree trunk tightly as I try to calm my anxiety down. It's like about to do a presentation worth twenty percent of your final mark that you aren't ready for, times a billion.

"Okay," I whisper under my breath. "You're going to be okay." And with that, I pull myself up to a comfortable position and jump down. My knees immediately buckle and I'm falling face first into the ground, holding my arms out to break my fall. I inhale sharply, making sure that no bones were broken, and stand up to my feet. I continue my walk, letting my legs carry me closer and closer to the one person I could condone murdering.

For Hayley. For Elisa. For Katherine.

"It's ten on the dot," I comment, willing my voice to project to him. I'm vaguely surprised that I am able to say that with such strength. Derek whips around, narrowing his eyes in my direction before he's pointing the laser flashlight at me. The beam lands on my face, and I'm turning away because I honest to God think he's purposely shining it in my eye. His expression alone suggests that he wasn't prepared for me to make the initiative. "You wanted me here?"

"Ah, Colby." Derek finally speaks, his voice more gravelly than it usually is. "Colby, Colby, Colby," Derek lets out a humourless laugh, tilting his head back and pushing out the sharp and bitter sound from his diaphragm, before he's composing himself again to continue speaking. "I'm surprised that you actually showed up on time."

"You know me," I shrug my shoulders.

"Funny thing is, I do. I know you like to push your bangs specifically to the right of your face because it naturally grows in that direction, I know you are always on time- like, exactly on time,- and I know you would do anything for the ones you love." He smiles on the last line. I hold back a gag.

"Yeah, well," I dig my hands into the pockets of my coat, "cut the bullshit and tell me what the hell you want." The words barely leave my mouth before Derek is reaching forward and grasping my shoulders in his rough palms, pulling me to him before slamming my body into the oak tree trunk. My back and my head collide with the hard wood, and I can't see anything for a moment until my vision returns with an intense pain.

"Cute, but don't talk to me like that." Derek tells me, his voice clearly making the fact that he was livid evident.

"Last time I checked," I say, my voice hoarse as I speak, "the Universal Declaration of Human Rights proposed by the United Nations in 1948 states that every person has the right to freedom of speech and expression." I glare at him.