Wishes In The Dark - A Peterick Fanfiction

Four

After school, I rush to the school entrance and wait for Kevin's car to show up. When it does show up, I get in the passenger seat next to Kevin with a smile on my face.

"Hey Pat," smiles Kevin, starting to drive away. "How was your first day of school?"

"It was good!" I say chirpily. "Better than I thought it would be. Principal Way was nice to me, my form tutor seems alright, I even made a few friends."

"That's great!" beams Kevin. "Well done, kiddo."

I suddenly remember telling Hayley I'd go to the OCK meet-up tonight. But should I really tell Kevin? He said he didn't want me doing anything dangerous, and I don't think he'd want me going out tonight. I probably won't even go. So I remain silent.

When we step inside the apartment, Kevin opens his wallet.

"I almost forgot," he says, handing me a small key. "I got you a key for this apartment. There you go."

I smile at the key and at Kevin. "Thanks, Kev."

"No problem. Hey, I'm going out for the evening and probably most of the night with a friend. Is that okay?"

"Yeah, that's fine."

"Stay here, okay? There's some pasta in one of the draws in the kitchen, and a jar of tomato sauce. Will that be alright for you?"

"It'll be fine. What time are you going?"

"About 6:30."

Suddenly something very strange happens to me. A strange, alien thought pops into my head; I've never had this kind of thought before. I'm having...a rebellious thought. What's wrong with me? The rebellious thought is that I could sneak out to the OCK meet-up after Kevin leaves. Then after the meet-up I'd sneak back in without Kevin ever finding out. Oh my gosh, I never knew I could be so rebellious...

"Don't leave the apartment," Kevin instructs seriously.

Then his phone vibrates in his pocket. He takes it out and answers the call.

"Hi Meg," he says.

Why is Megan calling him?

"Yeah," he says to Megan. "Yeah, he said it went okay. Yeah. Okay, hold on one second." Kevin takes the phone away from his ear and hands it to me. "Megan wants to speak to you."

I hold the phone to my ear.

"Hi Megan," I say cheerily.

"Hey Pat!" she says. "So how did school go?"

"Good," I reply. "I made some friends."

"That's great!" she says. "Have you met a girrrrrrl?"

She says it in such an irritating girly way that I have to roll my eyes. It's also ridiculous. Me? Girls? Really? She knows I'll never have a girl who loves me, so why is she asking this question? Is she just trying to boost my confidence?

"No," I mutter.

"Or is it a boy?"

"...No."

"You hesitated."

"No, I didn't."

"Yes you did."

"No I didn't! Look, why did you call?"

"Can you put me on speaker?"

I do as I'm told and Kevin listens in.

"I'm calling to tell you that Tom and I are leaving for a couple months," says Megan. "We're going on a vacation!"