The Theory of Existence (Peterick)

3: The Theory of Existence part 1/3

"Sorry!" Patrick blurted out, face burning up in embarrassment.

"Huh?" Pete said, turning around and looking at Patrick as though he'd just noticed the boy. "Oh hey! Nice shirt!" He shouted over the noises of the party.

"What? Oh, oh! My shirt!" Patrick stuttered. Raising his voice, he shouted, "Thanks!"

"What?" Pete said, head cocked to the side, a smile playing on his lips.

"THANKS!" Patrick repeated, louder than before.

"What was that?" Pete asked again.

Raising his voice as loud as he possibly could, Patrick tried again. "I SAID-"

Pete grabbed Patrick's arm and pulled him through the crowd. "Wait."

Patrick pushed past loud, obnoxious teenagers as Pete dragged him along, the heat of his skin against Patrick's wrist driving the ginger mad. Even just the tiniest bit of contact was more than he could handle.

By the time they were out of the initial crowd and into the far less occupied kitchen, Patrick was flushed with embarrassment and nerves.

"So what did you say?" Pete asked, pearly whites displayed in a heart stopping smile.

Not wanting to disappoint, and feeling bad that he'd just wasted so much of Pete's time over a stupid thank you, Patrick stuttered, tripping over his own tongue. He felt disappointment wash over him, knowing Pete would be annoyed with his lack of anything interesting to say. "I just said thanks." Nervously, he rambled on, however, he was desperate to make himself shut up, but it just couldn't be done. "causeyousaidyoulikedmyshirtandallandididntwanttoberudeandijust-"

Pete chuckled, leaning against the counter. "Hey some of us were gonna go upstairs and play truth or dare or something. Wanna join?"

Upon seeing Patrick's hesitation, Pete straightened up. "It's kinda stupid and middle school-esque but I mean, it could be fun," Pete said, hope filling his words, as he tried not to sound too lame.

"Uh, sure," Patrick said, surprised he was being asked to hang out by Pete and not caring at all what they would be doing as long as he was a part of it.

"Cool," Pete said, relief obvious to anyone with a brain, but Patrick's blood flow was being directed to a different head of his, preventing him from seeing the hopeful and nervousness way Pete was handling himself.

"C'mon," Pete said, motioning for Patrick to follow him, as he maneuvered through the crowd and up the steps. His house was small, and very crowded, but it was well kept- when there didn't happen to be red solo cups and spilled beer everywhere.

Turning into the second room on the right, Patrick found himself in the cutest little bedroom he'd ever seen.

There was barely even room for the twin sized bed and the walls were covered in posters for all the greatest rock bands and a few posters of half naked women, but Patrick chose to ignore those, cause they made his heart ache just a little more than he was comfortable acknowledging.

"Heyyy," a girl with orange hair and black skin-tight clothes said from where she was laying on Pete's floor, phone held lazily in hand. Her voice was soft. Cool. Yet warm and inviting at the same time. It was calming and sexy- not that Patrick personally cared how sexy her voice was or wasn't, but he didn't want Pete thinking it was.

"Hey, Hayley," Pete said, raising his hand in an effortless greeting.

"Andy," Pete said looking at the muscular, pale kid sitting on his bed.

"Yo," Andy said, not bothering to look up from his phone.

Patrick gulped. "Pete?" Patrick said, voice shaky, barely audible.

Pete raised his eyebrows and turned to Patrick, "Yeah?"

"I think I should go," Patrick slipped put of the room and began speed walking down the hall.

"Wait!" Pete said, jogging down to stand in front of Patrick before he could retreat down the stairs. "Where are you going?"

"I just don't think this is my crowd. I really should go," Patrick said again, dead set on leaving before Andy embarrassed him more than he already had when he outed the poor kid to the whole school.

"Oh come on, it'll be fun!" Pete tried to persuade Patrick, unaware of why Patrick was suddenly so skittish.

Patrick just looked at the floor and muttered, "No, really, I-"

Pete lifted Patrick's chin and gave his most adorable puppy dog eyes, as he begged. "Please?"

"Pete."

"Pleeeaase?" Pete repeated, drawing out the word and being blatantly obvious that he wanted Patrick around, but the ginger was still not seeing what was right in front of him.

"Pete, I-"

Ignoring Patrick's protests, Pete grabbed Patrick by the wrist and dragged him back to his bedroom. "C'mon. It'll be fun," Pete assured, praying he was right and wouldn't be disappointing the adorable boy he'd forced along.
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