"END GAME" - ᴍᴀʜᴏᴍᴇs.

049. Never again

Patrick stormed up the steps to Brittany's front door, his knuckles white as he held his fist tight. how could she go behind his back like this? He raised his fist to pound on the door but paused, taking a deep breath to calm himself before knocking firmly three times.
A moment later, the door swung open to reveal Brittany, looking startled. Her eyes widened when she saw him standing there, fists clenched at his sides.
"What are you doing here?" she asked
"What the fuck have you said about me?" His voice was low and menacing, his eyes narrowing as he glared at Brittany. "well? I know your don't like her, but making up a lie like that is-"
She held up her hands in a placating gesture, trying to calm him down.
"Patrick, please, just listen," she said softly. "I swear, I haven't said anything bad about you to Kylie. i've never even spoken to her."
"you said I forced you to get that abortion." patrick snapped. Brittany could see the anger in his usually pale green eyes- now almost brown.
"If she thinks I told her that you forced me to get an abortion, then someone must be lying to her." she sighed.
Patrick's expression remained skeptical.
"Andwho would do something like that? And why?"
Patrick sank onto the couch, running a hand through his hair as he tried to process everything. Brittany sat down beside him, her hand resting lightly on his arm.
"Okay, think this through," she said calmly. "The only other people who knew about it were Travis and your mom. But you know Travis would never betray your trust like this. He's not that kind of person."
Patrick nodded slowly, considering her words. His mother was another matter entirely. She had always been fiercely protective of him, but she could also be vindictive when crossed. Could she really have gone behind his back like this?
"You need to talk to your mom," Brittany said, reading his thoughts. "If she's the one who spread these lies, you need to know why."

With a heavy heart, Patrick thanked Brittany and apologised for his outburst before he headed to his mother's house.

He knocked loudly on the door, his anger fueling every knock. When his mother answered, she looked surprised to see him, but quickly recovered. "Patrick, darling, what brings you back here so soon?" she asked, her tone sugary-sweet despite the storm brewing within him.
"Cut the crap, Mom!" he snapped, pushing past her into the house. "We need to talk."
His mother followed him into the living room, her expression turning from surprise to concern.
"Is everything okay?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
"No, it's not fucking okay!" Patrick exploded. "Did you really go behind my back and lie about me?"
Randi sighed heavily, sitting down on the edge of her sofa.
"I'm just trying to protect you, sweetheart," she said softly. "Kylie has got you trapped, hasn't she? With that baby."
Patrick's jaw tightened, his hands clenching into fists at his sides.
"And that's supposed to justify lying about me?" he spat out. "Forcing Brittany to get an abortion? Because that's what you're accusing me of!"
Randi's gaze dropped to her lap, avoiding his eyes.
"It seemed like the best way to handle things," she murmured defensively. "To protect you from getting tied down again..."
"oh my God, Mom!" Patrick roared, his voice echoing off the walls of the living room. "Do you hear yourself? Forcing Brittany to get an abortion? That's bullshit! It wasn't forced. it was her choice, her idea!"
Randi shook her head stubbornly, refusing to back down.
"That girl is no good for you, Patrick. She's keeping secrets from you, mark my words. Did you know she was planning a trip to New York to see some guy named Taylor?"
Patrick rolled his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Taylor is a woman, Mom. She's Kylie's best friend. They've known each other for years."
"Well, maybe she's lying about that too," Randi huffed, crossing her arms defiantly. "Face it, son. That girl has dated half the NFL, too."
Patrick groaned, rubbing his temples. "Mom, that doesn't make sense. Three guys doesn't mean she's dating half the league."
"Oh, come now, dear," Randi replied, a smug smile playing on her lips. "Brock Purdy, Joe Burrow, Josh Allen... Those are just the ones I can remember right now."
Patrick cut her off with a wave of his hand. "This is absurd," he muttered under his breath. "Even if she's dated all those guys, it doesn't mean anything."
"Have you ever done a deep Google search on her?" Randi asked, leaning forward intently. "Because that might give you some insight into the type of person she really is."
Patrick scoffed, standing up abruptly and pacing the room.
"As if I'd waste my time doing something like that," he retorted. "That's mental insanity."
"But it might help you understand why she's doing what she's doing," Randi persisted. "Maybe there's a reason she's having this baby. Maybe she wants to trap you into marriage."
Patrick stopped pacing, whirling around to face his mother.
"Marriage?" he echoed incredulously. "You think she's doing this because she wants to marry me?" He let out a derisive snort. "Mom, Kylie isn't after my money." Patrick threw his hands up in exasperation. "She's actually richer than I am," he stated flatly. "Her dad signed over all the rights to his music and stuff before he died."
"And did you know her mom's in jail?" Randi asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "For coke, if I recall correctly."
Patrick's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "What? No, I didn't know that," he admitted. "But that doesn't change anything. Just because her mom's in jail doesn't mean Kylie's a bad person."
Randi sighed, shaking her head. "You're so naive, Patrick," she chided. "Just look at how she's manipulating you. First, she gets pregnant, then she makes you believe you're the father..."
Patrick's patience finally snapped at her last comment.
"Enough!" he shouted, slamming his fist against the wall. "I'm sick and tired of this bullshit. You know what, Mom? I'm done. I'm never speaking to you again."
With that, he stormed towards the front door, his body trembling with barely contained rage. As he reached for the knob, he spotted his younger brother standing in the hallway, watching the scene unfold with wide-eyed curiosity.
"You're fucking weird too, you know that?" Patrick growled, glaring at his sibling. "I'm not talking to you ever again, either."
He pushed past his brother, nearly knocking him over as he made his way outside. The cool evening air hit his flushed cheeks, but it did little to calm the storm raging inside him.