The Music Or The Misery (FOB FanFic)

Chapter 18

-Pete's POV-

I stood on the far side of the hundredth floor, my arms crossed over my chest as I stared down at the people on the streets. Did they know what was coming? Were they prepared? Do they even care?

I glanced over my shoulder and watched as Mara and Alex played with my son on the makeshift stage, making stupid faces and talking with their voices higher, "baby talk" as I liked to call it. It was so embarrassing, but they didn't care. I couldn't help but smirk.

Returning my attention to the city below me, I deduced how I was going to get the information I needed out of Mara, information she wasn't going to give me in Alex's presence.

I needed to separate them. And to do so, I'd need a diversion.

I spun around and called across the room, "Hey, you guys?" The two looked over at me. "Do you think you could help me with something?"

"Yeah, sure," Alex replied, rising to his feet, "What do you need help with?"

"Well I want to gain more support, you know, to take the ban down," I began my lie, slipping my hands into my pockets and approaching the stage, "But I'm not going to be able to do it on my own. I need someone to come with me to grab a few things from my house. Will one of you come with me?"

"I'll go," Alex immediately volunteered, even going to the extent of raising his hand as if there was competition.

"I-I was actually thinking about taking Mara," I murmured bashfully, my cheeks growing red as I chuckled slightly. Mara met my gaze. "It won't take long, I promise. I just need to get a few things from my house and then we'll come back here."

Patrick's ex-girlfriend gave me a disconcerting look.

"Come on, Mara, we'll leave and be back before you know it," I pleaded. She heaved a sigh and agreed, standing up. "Great! Let's go." I grabbed her hand and dragged her towards the elevator, nearly tripping her.

"Wait, what about your son?" Alex yelled after us as I pressed the down button.

I looked back at him and replied, "You wouldn't mind watching him for a little bit, do you?"

"Uh..." He looked down at my son who was trying to bite his own toes, "I don't know, Pete. I've never really been left to take care of someone's kid before."

"You'll do fine!" I reassured him, the elevator ding sounding and the two doors sliding open, "And anyways, you're not taking care of him. You're just making sure he doesn't get hurt, entertain him if he gets sad. Nothing too difficult."

"Pete, wait!" He cried before I stepped into the elevator, pulling Mara in with me. Alex started running for the elevator when the doors glided shut.

"You honestly just left your son with someone you barely know?" Mara criticized my parenting choices. I glared over at her.

"He's not someone I barely know. I know who he is."

"Do you know him personally?"

I scoffed, "Yes..." She cocked her eyebrow. "Okay, I sort of know him."

Mara shook her head and crossed her arms, averting her gaze away from me. I looked up at the display and watched the numbers decrease as we descended to the ground floor, debating what floor would be a good floor to stop on.

"What do you need at your house anyways?" She mumbled under her breath.

"Oh, nothing," I retorted, leaning forward and pressing the emergency stop button. The elevator lurked to a stop, Mara holding onto the walls of the box we were stuck in. She glared over at me. "I just needed a reason to talk to you."

"Really? I told you I don't like you like that, Pete. I thought I made that very clear the first time."

I rolled my eyes, "No, I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about how you need to tell me where the guys are and what they're doing - and don't tell me you don't know because I know you know."

She heaved a sigh and walked up to me, so close that our noses were almost touching, poking me in the chest with each syllable, "I. Don't. Know."

"Yes. You. Do." I mocked her, poking her back but on the last poke? shoving her away from me. She stumbled on her feet and fell back into the wall. "Mara, I told you I want to help again. So let me help and tell me where they are."

"You had your chance, Pete, and you blew it," She spat back, "If you persevered like the rest of them, maybe you would be with them right now on their way to kill the president." My eyes doubled in size, as did hers. She picked herself back up, "Wait, I didn't mean-"

"They're going to kill the president?" I asked her in shock.

"No."

"You just said-"

"I know what I said. And I didn't mean it."

"You wouldn't have said it if you didn't mean it." She bit her lip and looked into my eyes. "Mara, please, tell me." I shortened the distance in between us, gripping her upper arms tightly, "Where are they?"

"They're too far gone for you to do anything, Pete," She started to cave, but she wasn't at her breaking point just yet.

"Where are they?" I repeated my question, not backing down.

"I'm not telling you!" She shouted, ripping out of my hold and trying to go for the button that would restart our descent. But I was quick and blocked her. "Pete!"

"Mara, you need to tell me now. Because I don't want my friends getting in deep shit for some stupid thing you wanted them to do because you were too chicken to do it yourself."

"This wasn't my idea, Pete! It was Tyler's!" She exclaimed, gasping in realization and clasping her hands over her mouth.

A confused look appeared on my face, "Tyler's?"

She shook her head no, tears starting to form in her eyes.

"Tyler who?"

"Pete, I've already said too much," She mumbled through her hands.

"Tyler who, Mara?" I nearly screamed at her, becoming angry. She whimpered. "Mara, please!"

She shook her head again and dropped her hands to her sides, "Pete, I can't. I really can't. I've already revealed myself, I can't reveal him too."

My anger evolved into fury and I lost control. I brought my hand up and wrapped it around her neck, pushing her back into the wall. "I'm going to ask you one last time, Mara," I growled as she choked, "Tyler...who?"

She clawed at my hand, struggling to bring air into her lungs.

"Mara..."

Her eyes squeeze shut in pain.

"Tell me, Mara..."

"Tyler!" She yelled, her voice raspy and forced in defeat, "Tyler Joseph!"

Author's Note: Can I ask you something? Do you like where this book is going? Or do you think I've totally lost it and everything you've read for the past ten chapters is complete shit? Please tell me. I could really use your feedback because I feel like this book has honestly derailed and is continuing offtrack. So, as always, thanks for reading! (Double thanks if you thought this update wasn't as bad as I think it is.) -Rachael