Another Day, Another Door

Chapter 5

Dan looked up at the clock to make sure his appointment wouldn't cut into Patrick's story.

"I had just reached my sophomore year when all of a sudden I get this note in my locker. It was from some girl named Summer. She doesn't go to our school anymore. Anyway, she wanted to meet me in the gym after school...alone," Patrick said nervously.

He continued, "So curiosity got the best of me and I met her in the gym. Next thing I know she drags me into the janitor's closet trying to do...stuff to me but I get nervous, you know? And I push her away. She got a little defensive and asked me if i'd ever done it before. I told her no and she started laughing at me. 

Then she kept asking me why and I was just so fed up with her by that point and I kind of yelled at her. I told her that I was afraid to and I was waiting for the right person. And then she just says 'That's all I needed to hear' and leaves."

Dan patted his friend on the back, "I'm sorry, man." 

Patrick shook his head. "It gets worse."

Dan was almost afraid to hear how worse it could get. 

Patrick continued, "So the next morning, I'm sitting in first period English and all of a sudden, right when Mrs. Tiller is in the middle of teaching, the conversation I had with Summer starts playing over the school's intercom. God, even the teachers heard it."

Dan's eyes widened. He was embarrassed just hearing the story. He couldn't imagine how Patrick must've taken it. "What happened?" he inquired.

"Turns out it all was a prank and Summer recorded the whole thing on the phone in her pocket. I should've seen it coming," Patrick scolded himself. "Anyway, I lost most of my friends after that, which is why I didn't want to tell you. I knew you'd get embarrassed and leave."

Dan gave his friend a sad smile. "I'm not going anywhere, Patrick."

Before too long Dan's name was called for his appointment and he reluctantly went to the back to talk with Patrick's father. He wasn't supposed to keep anything from the doctor but he decided that this was to stay between himself and Patrick.

In a strange way, Patrick's pain was therapeutic for Dan. It felt good to be the comforter instead of the person who needed to be comforted. He just wished there was some other form of therapy for him besides his friend's sadness.

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"He calls it music therapy," Dan said on the way home from his appointment. Patrick sat in the back seat next to him. "Sounds right up your alley, Danny. Do you need to stop by your house to pick up some stuff Patrick?" Dan's mom asked from the driver's seat.

It was his father's idea for Patrick to spend the weekend at Dan's house. It was a subtle way of therapy. 

"Yes, ma'am," Patrick said politely. Dan stifled a laugh. Patrick was always so overly polite.

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All of Saturday, the boys stayed in the smallish backyard and had a long jam session. It was a match made in heaven. 

With their voices, their talent and their sorrow they made quite a dynamic duo in Dan's backyard. They switched off playing guitar and drums every hour or so and shared the vocals.

"Dude, I didn't know you sang that good," Dan said as he put down a pair of drumsticks for a water break. Patrick shrugged as if it was nothing then followed Dan back into his house. 

He almost tripped over the small dog that rushed out of the door. "Sorry about Bambi," Dan said. "You've got a dog called Bambi?" Patrick laughed. Dan chuckled, "Yeah, one of my sisters named her. She's as mad as a rabbit...the dog, not my sister."

Patrick laughed as a few of Dan's little siblings ran out into the yard chasing the dog. "You said you've got how many sisters?" Patrick asked. Dan held up four fingers as he drank a tall glass of water. "And that's on top of your four brothers?!"

Dan nodded. Patrick honestly didn't know how his friend could handle all of that. He often wondered what it would be like to have a sibling but to have 8? No way. 

But in a strange way, Dan was starting to become like a brother, which was good news for Dan. It wouldn't be long before Dan would need Patrick more than his own brothers.