A Handful Of Moments You Wish You Could Change (Patrick Stump Imagine Story)

Time For A Different Part

Author's Note: I just wasted an hour of my life. It might just be me, but award ceremonies only remind me how much I hate school. All while I'm receiving an award for having a GPA above 94.5. Yeah, I do well in school, that doesn't mean I want be recognized for it. I'm just one of those people who doesn't like to take credit, you know? Contribute to society anonymously. Anyone relate or is it just me? Rachael

"Did Mommy catch you?" Gabby inquires.

"Yeah, but she wasn't too mad since I was only two years old," He answers, flipping to the next page and sighing, "Plus she can't stay mad for long. It's, like, in her genes or something."

"But sometimes Mommy doesn't wear jeans. She wears sweatpants. And sometimes dresses. Are you saying that she stays mad for long when she's not in jeans?"

Ethan shakes his head, "Not those kind of jeans, Gabby. Genes." She looks up at him, not understanding the difference. He shakes his head, "Never mind."

"Why don't you play spies now?" Gabby asks another question.

"I don't know. I'm older now and so is Janie. I mean, she's graduating high school. High schoolers don't play spies."

"Why not?"

"Playing spies is for kids."

"You're a kid."

"No, I'm a teenager."

"What's the difference?"

"Teenagers don't play spies. Now, stop asking me about it. That part's over, it's time for a different part," He tells her, folding the page over to the other side and looking for a picture he could use to continue his pieced-together story.

Gabby groans, "But I don't want a different part. I like the spy part. Your story was so boring before that."

Ethan scoffs, "What do you mean 'boring'? I only told you two freaking stories before that."

"Yeah, about Daddy not knowing how to change a diaper and you getting a frosty. Big whoop. I want excitement, action, drama!" She exclaims, throwing her hands in the air. "Like Mommy's soap Oprahs."

"You mean soap operas?"

"No, soap Oprahs. I'm four years old, Ethan, I think I know what Mommy's shows are called."

Ethan shakes his head, "Sure you do, Gabs. But do you want me to continue or not?"

"Only if there's spies," She responds.

"Well there isn't any more spies, so I guess this isn't the story for you." He closes the book and sets it aside, picking his sister up out of his lap and standing up. Gabby frowns at him as he picks up the photo album and puts it back on his bookshelf.

"But it's not over," She mumbles, crossing her arms and furrowing her eyes brows together, "You can't just start reading me a story and then not finish it."

"Just get out!" He snaps, frustrated with her, "If you don't want to hear my story, then you can just get out, Gabby. I'm starting to get sick of you anyways."

Tears waver in your daughter's eyes, "B-But what about the washer? It's still out there..."

"Oh my god, Gabby, I was just trying to scare you! To be funny! The washer's not going to hurt us, it isn't even a monster! It's a freaking household appliance, okay? All it does is clean our clothes. God, when are you going to grow up and learn the difference between fact and fiction?"

Gabby stares at her brother, not understanding half of the stuff he just yelled at her.

"You're just so gullible sometimes. Like when you believe Mom when she says that things will get better. Well you know what? She's been telling that to me for over ten years, and has it gotten better? No. So why don't you stop believing everything everyone tells you and just grow up!"

"I don't need to grow up!" Ethan's little sister shouts back, "I'm only..." She holds up her small hand, her thumb pressed down into the palm of her hand, "...four years old! And I don't believe everything everyone tells me!"

"Yes you do! Gabby, this house is full of lies. You think Dad loves Mom? You think Dad loves us?" Ethan chuckles cynically, "Dad couldn't love us even if he wanted to. He doesn't care about us. All he cares about is music. He might think that he cares about us, but when it comes down to it, there's no doubt in my mind that he'd choose that stupid band of his over us in a heartbeat."

She sniffles, "Y-You're lying."

He scoffs, "Gabby, I'm not lying to you."

"You just told me not to believe what everyone tells me!" She screams at him, tears streaming down her rosy red cheeks. "So why should I believe you?"

He sighs and shakes his head, "Because Dad didn't even want you, okay?"

Gabby's eye double in size, the words hitting her like a pile of bricks.

"He didn't want me and he sure as hell didn't want you."