Seeing You - Boys of Tommen

Someone Has To

August 19th, 2005

Katie:

I was so embarrassed, I had collapsed in front of Hugh and Lizzie. Patrick had to carry me like I was his new bride and now both Liz and Hugh knew my secret. 

I was in the passenger seat of Hugh's car and Patrick was driving differently than usual, faster, sharper turns, and his hands were gripping the steering wheel so intensely that his knuckles had turned white.

We had been driving in circles, not going to my house, just in some type of limbo.

"I'm taking you to the hospital." Patrick declared.

"No" I basically screamed, "I'm just tired, please just drop me at my house."

"I'm not Hugh."

"What?"

"You can't lie to me."

"I..." I had nothing to say to that, "if you bring me to the hospital, my Da will worry and I can't do that to him, please just take me home."

"He should be worried." Patrick says, looking at me.

"I.... I, just please, don't take me to the hospital." I'm practically begging now. "I feel fine now."

Patrick looks at me again, "fine, I won't take you to the hospital." thank God. But he doesn't start driving in the direction of my house.

"Where are we going?" I ask, but he just remains quiet, until we reach the only building with its lights still on, some twenty-four hour diner, I've never been to. "What are we doing here?"

"We're eating here." He gets out of his side and is quick to the passenger, side opening my door and helping me up, as I'm still a bit wobbly. "Need me to carry you again?" 

I shake my head, but latch onto his outstretched hand to walk into the establishment. We sit down in one of the booths and I look over the menu, and I eye the garden salad. It sounds gross, but if I ask for it without dressing.... "Nothing from the salad section, don't even look on that side" he says, flipping my menu onto the other side that lists the available soups, sandwiches, and burgers. It all overwhelms me and I can feel the panic rising up my body.

"What can I get for the lovely couple?" An older lady in a vintage looking collared dress asks us, pulling a pen out of her hair. Patrick doesn't correct her and neither do I.

"I'll have a large chips" Patrick says, and looks over to me. Sensing my panic somehow, he orders for me, "she'll have the number three combo, with no tomatoes." before I can even check what he just ordered for me, he's handing the nice lady our menus, "and we'll both have milkshakes, one chocolate, once strawberry."

"Coming right up."

We sit waiting and I feel my fingers moving, as they're folded. 

"Moonlight Sonata?" Patrick asks, pulling me out of trance.

"What?" he points to my fingers. "Oh...yeah it was the first song I ever learnt." I'm amazed he even noticed, let alone he could identify the actual song.

"You do that a lot, when you're nervous."

"I don't even notice it."

"I do."

In no time, our food is delivered and I feel scared, but I'm also drooling at the delicious looking food. Patrick ordered me a burger with chips and I can't remember the last time, I ate one.

I'm halfway, through it when I notice he's stopped eating and is just watching me eat. "Are you okay with me eating meat?" I ask.

"Of course."

"It's probably hard on you, ordering at places."

He doesn't respond to that, "you know, I never told you I was vegetarian, Katie Kat."

I can feel myself blush, "I... uh, guess I just noticed."

He just nods, "Is it good?"

"Yeah." I say putting the rest of the burger down.

"Hey." He says suddenly, "all of it."

"I'm full." I reply and he just levels a stare at me and I wordlessly pick the burger back up and finish it, and start on my chips and take a sip from my milkshake.

"How'd you know I like strawberry?" I ask.

"A wild guess."

"Um...thanks for earlier at the house and this" I say awkwardly.

"It comes at a price."

"Huh?"

"You can't let that happen again."

"I know."

He grabs my wrist, firmly but not enough to cause any pain, "I mean it, Katie Kat, if I have to force feed you, I'll do it."

"Why?"

"Because someone has to."

"Oh." Ever since the camping trip things have been weird with everyone, and I've never been able to bring up our argument, and this might be my only opportunity, "I also wanted to say, that... I'm really sorry for the camping trip, when we... I shouldn't have raised my voice or gotten upset with you."

"It's me who should be apologizing, I didn't mean what I said, you're not weak, I was just drunk and angry."

"No you're right, I am weak, I just didn't want to hear it, especially from you."

"Me?"

"Yeah, you were right about us...um, seeing each other."

"I usually am."

I scoff, "really?"

"Yes, I have a stellar track record." I'm not used to joking like this, with him or anyone as of late and it's nice, really nice.

I just laugh,"I have the opposite record then."

"That's not true, you chose to be friends with me" he banters and I can feel the weight from the whole day lifting off of me.

"How's Aoife doing?"

"Not great, she's about to burst and she's so worried about Joey, and if he's going to be back in time."

We talk a bit longer about our friends, and before I know it I've finished all my chips and my milkshake. "Atta-girl, I knew you could do it."

"Eating a meal, hardly calls for celebration." I say feeling embarrassed.

"I have to disagree, Katie Kat."

"Thank you, Patrick" I say looking at his hypnotizing brown eyes, "seriously, you don't even know how much." I say and it's the truth, it's the first time in months I've actually felt good and it's not just the food it's the company.

Despite my protests he pays and then he drives me home, and for the first time in a long time, I don't feel guilty for eating, I just feel full, and not just in my stomach.

Thanks for reading!  Also I made a little mood board for this chapter! - H <3