Patrick Stump
I was counting the seconds to go until school was over. I had practice without a bass player, I had to visit a repair guy I know to repair Pete's bass and I had to visit Pete. Twelve minutes until I had to go to my next class and then I was done.
"Patrick," Mr. Armstrong called my name. "Do you know the answer?" Funny thing. I was actually listening.
"Yes sir." I said scrolling through my notes. "It is the French-Indian War."
"Correct." Mr. Armstrong said writing it down on the board. "Now how did..." Then I zoned out. Next thing I knew was the bell rang for my next class. I gathered my stuff and went to biology.
Okay well bio was a bust. Hayley and Michelle have been given detention for sleeping in class. I know the reason they were sleeping, but I was too scared to say anything.
"Hey, Patrick right?" I heard someone say from behind me.
"Holy smokes!" I said putting my things in my locker. It was Mikey and Gerard. "You guys scared me!"
"Sorry." Gerard said patting my back. "Can you show us some of your songs after school today?"
"Umm. Well, I need a bass player since Pete is in the hospital, but other than that, yeah." I reply locking my locker. "You don't happen to know anyone who can play by any chance?"
"Mikey can." Gerard says looking at Mikey. "Right Mikes?"
"I mean, I guess. But I don't know any of their songs." Mikey said.
"That's okay. Joe can show you." I said checking the time. "Okay I have to go. I need to see a repair guy for Pete's bass."
"What happened to his bass?" Gerard asked.
"The neck broke and it may have caught on fire." I sigh and start to walk with them following me. "So I need to explain that to Tré. He's my repair guy."
"Okay is five okay?" Mikey asked. I nod an they scribble something on my hand. It was their address.
"Later Mikey. Bye Gerard. And tell Frank I said hey." I holler at them. Then I got a text from Pete.
Pete: Im bored + lonely
Then he sent me a picture of him being "bored" and "lonely."
Me: I have to fix you're bass and then I have to audition for the dance thing.
Pete: Play Dance, Dance
Me: Why? I text back as I unlock my door and get in my car.
Pete: It's a dance. It'll be ironic + stuff I start the engine.
Me: I have to go. Love you. Then I start to drive to Tré's little shop. He always was able to fix our instruments, but I think this is a bit too hefty.
Pete: Ughhh. Fine. I luv u 2.
I get at Tré's in about ten minutes. I have roughly two hours to get things done. I turn off my car and get Pete's bass from the trunk. It was faded and burnt in some places. Tré will be pissed. I walk in the store and he's helping a girl with dark brown hair buy a violin.
"Hey Patrick!" He said waving at me. He was getting the violin and case down for her. "I'll be with you in a second, okay?"
"Alright." I say not too eager to show him the monstrosity that is this bass. It was in the case so he couldn't immediately see it.
He rang up the girl and she left smiling at me.
"Hey what's your name?" She said biting her lip.
"I have a boyfriend." I say. She doesn't seem faced by this. "I suck penis. I'm not into vaginas." Then she frowns in disgust and leaves.
"Good going there Pat." Tré says patting my back. "Anyway, what do you need? Is it something of Pete's again?"
"Yeah. It's his bass. He was doing something stupid and It got him in the hospital." I say putting the case on this wooden table he usually works on things.
"I'm sorry to hear that." Tré says opening the case. "What the hell happened?"
"He jumped off a roof while playing. He landed on it and some fireworks so it may or may not have caught on fire." I said cautiously. "And so Pete has a broken arm and a first degree burn on his ass."
"When do you need this done by?" Tré asks while searching a drawer for bass strings. He pulls out a pack and takes off the old ones.
"By next Thursday at the latest." I answer and fix my hair and fedora. "Can you do it?"
"I've dealt with worse." Tré says getting out some paints and metal thingys. "I'll call you when I'm done, okay?"
"Alright Tré. How much will it be?" I ask pulling out my wallet.
"A lot. I'll bother your dad with it though." Tré says smiling.
My dad is really chill and cool. My dad is really supportive of the fact that I'm dating a guy, my mom not so much. She just ignores the fact that I'm in a relationship at all with Pete.
"Thanks Tré." I call to him as I walk out.
"No problem kid." He says working on the bass. "And happy birthday."
"Thanks Tré." I walk out to my car and I get a call from Pete.
"Hello?" I say and I hear Pete laughing. "How are you calling me right now?"
"Just come over to Joe's house right now. You got that?" He said into the phone. I start my engine and pull onto the road.
"Yeah I got it. But why?" I ask.
"Just come over. And happy birthday Pattycakes." He said then hung up.
"He's so weird." I put down my phone and turn a left to go to Joe's.
When I arrive it's pretty quiet. Suspiciously quiet. Like in a horror movie. I walk up the front steps and enter the house. The lights cut on and people jumped out from hiding spots.
"Holy smokes!" I gasp. "Why?"
"Surprise!" Pete says from behind me.
"I told you I didn't want anything for my birthday." I say as Pete hugs me.
"Well, then surprise." He says and kisses my cheek as the people go back to what they would usually do at a party. Pete releases me and drags me to the couch.
"So everyone was in on this?" I asked as Joe and Andy sat next us.
"Yep. Even Mikey and Gerard. Frank was the one who set it up." Joe answered. "Where is he?"
"I have no clue." Andy says as Frank pops out in front of me showing a small box in his hands.
"Here you go." Frank says handing me the box. I open it and it shows a guitar pick that has the letters FOB on it (The picture).
"Thanks Frankie." I say and hug him.
"Okay that's enough." Pete says prying me away from Frank. Frank leaves and starts to talk to Gerard. "So, how does it feel to be 17?"
"The same I guess." I answer. "I mean should I feel different?"
"You might tonight." Joe says while eating a tortilla chip.
"True. I will make you feel different." Pete says making me blush.
"I hate you." I say as Pete drags me upstairs to the bathroom.
