Pete Wentz's Guide To Getting the Lead Role (And A Boyfriend) >> Petekey

II

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"I'm sorry, Pete," Mr. Joseph stared at Pete, sympathetically. "We have a horde of incoming freshman, surprisingly, and so many of them want to work backstage. I had to give all the jobs to other people who could tutor them," he scratched his neck, awkwardly.

"But I've always worked backstage!" Pete protested, anxiously. "Please, Mr. Joseph? Romeo and Juliet is my absolute favorite play!" He begged, staring at his teacher with hopeful eyes.

They were in the theatre room, kids scattered around, anxiously conversing about the play. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Mikey and Alicia, conversing softly, heads bowed together. Then he watched as Alicia walked over to them.

"Um, excuse me, Mr. Joseph?" Alicia stepped in front of Pete, and placed her hands on her hips. "If Pete's looking for something to do, I might have an idea! Isn't there there scenes where things need to be cleaned off the stage for rehearsal and stuff? Pete could do that," she smiled.

"A person who cleans up after rehearsal," Mr. Joseph pondered. "Pete, would that satisfy you in your need to participate?" He grinned, silently begging Pete to say yes.

"Yeah, sure," Pete mumbled. "I always enjoy being the trash boy."

"That's great!" Alicia beamed at him. "You could always try out, Pete, you know," she shrugged.

"You know full well that he has stage fright, Alicia,"

Pete's eyes snapped to Mikey, who he hadn't noticed coming up behind Alicia. Mr. Joseph took this as his cue to leave, and he went back to his desk.

"It was just a suggestion," she pouted, batting her eyelashes at Mikey, who just shook his head in response.

"I-uh, actually have to go do... Um... trash boy stuff, so I'll see you guys around, okay?" Pete gave them a little wave, and walked off.

He joined Patrick who was sitting at one of the tables, a piece of paper on the table.

"This is just great," he sat down, heavily, on the spinning chair. "My last performance at Belleville High and I'm just the trash boy," he shook his head, sighing.

"What?" Patrick looked up at him, confused.

"All the usual jobs are taken by the incoming freshman, so I'm stuck on trash-duty. I'm not even going to be able to move the sets around! I'm just the janitor," he sighed, spinning around in the chair.

"Why don't you try out?" Patrick asked, motioning to the piece of paper. "This is my monologue."

Pete picked it up, still in a sour mood.

"No Witnesses," he read aloud. "Sounds interesting," he added, handing it back to Patrick. "Can't wait to hear it."

"Don't be so down, Pete," Patrick punched him, lightly, in the shoulder. "At least you don't have to worry about screwing anything up. Having Romeo's or Juliet's part would be absolute torture."

"Yeah, if you're not dedicated," Pete replied, bitterly. "Mikey and Alicia spend hours a day perfecting their performance. Plus, they have acting coaches. This role should get to be easy for them," he added.

"Who cares, Pete, it's just a school play," Patrick shrugged.

"It's not just a school play, Patrick, it's Romeo and Juliet!" He insisted. "One or the greatest love stories of all time! We're not going to mess it up because we're not good enough," he added.

"Whatever you say, Pete," Patrick shrugged. He turned back to his monologue and began mouthing the words.

-

"So, do you really think Mikey's going to get Romeo?" Patrick asked, as they left the school building.

"It's pretty obvious, don't you think?" Pete asked, a little bit more harsh than he meant.

"People can surprise you, Pete," Patrick chided him, gently.

"What, you think you're going to get Romeo?" Pete laughed.

"You don't think I could do it?" Patrick asked, a little hurt.

"No, of course I think you could do it!" Pete replied, quickly. "It's just that Mikey has had acting coaches, and has had a lot more acting experience than you! It's not just you, either. He's probably going to get it more easy than anyo-"

"Pete, relax. I was just joking," Patrick replied, rolling his eyes. "Didn't you hear me when I said I wanted a small role?"

"Oh," Pete said, softly. "I guess I forgot," he added, scratching his arm. "Sorry, I was just distracted."

"Yeah, by Mikey," Patrick teased.

"You wouldn't be wrong," Pete admitted, running a hand through his hair, sighing. "I hate crushes. Why do I have to be so gay?"

"It's not like you had a choice," Patrick shrugged. "You never know. Maybe Mikey is gay too and is secretly in love with you."

"Oh, don't give me ideas." Pete rolled his eyes at his best friend. "I already have to live with knowing that he'll never love me, but now you're going to MAKE me think about it," he sighed.

"You're not open to ideas at all, Pete," Patrick sighed, as they reached Pete's car. "You have no imagination."

Pete opened the door and climbed in, Patrick doing the same.

"Speaking of the devil himself," Patrick murmured, quietly. He pointed over to the front of the school where Mikey was standing with Alicia.

He bent down to kiss her cheek and Pete sighed, turning in his seat to turn the car on. He watched as Gerard, Mikey's brother, called him over, and Mikey left Alicia on the sidewalk.

"Ready to go?" Patrick asked, biting his lip.

Pete nodded, and stepped on the gas. Pulling out of the parking space before they sped off, Patrick playing music on a low volume.

"Don't beat yourself over it, Pete. You'll get over him, eventually," he promised his best friend.

"But, I don't want to get over him, Patrick... I want him!" Pete whined, stopping at a stoplight.

"You really like him, don't you?" Patrick asked, quietly.

Pete nodded.

"Well, Pete... If things don't work out for us in the long run, we could just marry each other." He joked.

"I'll pass."

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Hope you guys liked the second chapter? :)