In Sickness and in Health ( Fall out boy )

Chapter 17

P.o.v Pete

Time runs in slow motion as Patrick's world seizes and collapses within the minute he spends reading Elisa's message.

I only know it's her message because she told me yesterday of her plan. I want to throw up thinking about it, about her. I should have told Patrick myself, but I felt as though it would've caused more problems if the news came from me.

So now I am standing here next to Andy and Joe, watching helplessly as Patrick's entire life crashes before our eyes.

The slow tremble begins in his hands, but soon moves to his arms and then his whole body is shaking violently, and the wedding rings fall from his hand and clatter to the floor, as well as the wretched paper.

Patrick backs up until his back hits the wall of the bus, and his breathing increases, "No. This is a joke, a joke, she's joking, joke..." Patrick repeats under his breath, his eyes distant and hazed.

"Patrick-" I begin, but his crazed stare snaps to me, "No!!" He yells, his voice cracking. "No. A joke. She's funny like that, she likes to make me laugh." Patrick insists, chuckling nervously and grabbing the fedora off his head, throwing it to the ground. "Tell me it's a joke, Pete!!"

I'm speechless as Patrick slams his fists against the wall. "Patrick, you need to calm down. I know this is a shock, god, it's a shock to all of us, but-" Joe tries to say, but stops when Patrick loses it, his knees buckling from underneath his weak body, tears escaping his tired eyes.

I rush to his side and kneel next to him, pulling him into a tight hug, "It's going to be ok, Patrick. Please, be ok." I whisper into his ear, my voice quivering as Patrick's body wracks with intense jerks, "I know everything seems to be happening at once, but you have to be ok, you have to get through this." I say, knowing none of my words are having an affect on his destroyed mind.

"We- we were supposed to be together. We were supposed to have kids, we were supposed to grow old together. How could she leave? After all this time, how?!" Patrick yells into my chest, his hands grasping my shirt.

I feel an unexpected tear roll down my cheek, and I hug my best friend even tighter, Andy and Joe joining us on the floor.

I don't know how long we sit there in silence, but soon enough Patrick's sobs turn into raspy, slow breaths and he finally falls asleep to the incessant pain of his sadness.

I never thought I'd see the day where I'd watch my best friend- my family, my brother -lose everything: 

twice.