Grand Theft Autumn

Chapter 14

Pete's POV

I stood on the corner of the street where Natasha told me he would be. Time was passing by slowly, and I was all too aware of every stare I was getting. I had a hood on, and I had put on these large sunglasses that were covering my face. I checked my watch for what must have been the hundredth time. He should be coming out any minute now.

The street was relatively quiet, so when I heard the hushed whispers it caught my attention.   

"You need to go, now. Don't be late." Someone whispered. The voice came from the alleyway, where two people stood. One was taller than the other. The other was wearing a hoodie, and was holding a plastic bag. Before I got a good look at either of them, the taller one ran off, back down the alley. I took a few more steps towards the shorter person who was holding a bag.

They turned around towards me suddenly, and started walking quickly. My heart stopped, and I nearly screamed.

It was Patrick. Yeah, he looked paler than usual, and his hair looked like it was bleached, and he also looked like he hasn't eaten in a week, but it was Patrick. He was already walking past me, so I reached out and grabbed his arm.

Patrick flinched, and was already ripping his arm out of my grasp. The plastic bag that was in his hand swung around. 

"Pat, Pat, no, it's me!" I said, trying hard not to shout. But it was Patrick! He was alive! Patrick stopped walking completely, and slowly turned around to face me. I took off my sunglasses, so I could look at Patrick fully. His eyes were wide, and I could see the remnants of a bruise on his eye. "Oh my god, Patrick," I said in a hushed voice. I started to pull him into a hug, relieved that I could actually hold Patrick in my arms, but he pulled away almost violently.

"Pete?" Patrick's voice was harsh, and sounded rough. "What are you doing here?" Even though it was a question, he sounded accusing. I took a small step back, slightly scared.

"Patrick. You have been missing for over a week. Of course I am going to be here, looking for yo-" Patrick cut me off.

"No. You need to go. You can't be here." It sounded like his voice cracked, but I must have imagined it. "Pete, you need to go." His voice was getting harder and harder by the second. Patrick looked around him, as if to make sure that we weren't being watched. Were we being watched?

"Patrick, what are you talking about? We need to go, now! You can come home!" I said, reaching out for Patrick again. He shook his head and took another step back.

"You can't be here. You need to go home."

Patrick's eyes widened. "Is anyone else here?"
He asked, referring to Brendon or the rest of Fall Out Boy. I shook my head.

"No, but-" I started, but Patrick cut me off again.

"Go. Now. Go home, back to wherever. You can't be here." Patrick started to walk around me. "Just... Go home, Pete. Pretend that I don't exist. You never saw me here." Before I could reply, or even try to grab him again, Patrick was gone. I turned around in the direction he had gone in, but couldn't find him. I started to run, trying to find him.

It shouldn't be hard to catch him again, he had blond hair for fuck's sake. But I couldn't see him. In my rushed haze, I stumbled over my own feet and fell to the ground. My hands scraped against the ground, but I didn't feel it.
Patrick. Patrick. Patrick.

I managed to get to my feet and stumbled over to the side of the wall. Patrick was here. Why was he here? Why he look so beat up? Who was he talking to? What was in that bag that he was holding?

Why was he so scared?

People were staring at me as they walked past. I saw a mother direct her child away from me. Honestly, I didn't care. I needed to find Patrick again.

Somehow, I made it back to my motel room. I went to the bathroom and ran the water. I grabbed a washcloth and rubbed my face.
Should I try to forget that happened? Or should I try to over analyze it? I considered calling Natasha, but I really didn't want to have to deal with more of her cryptic shit.

I walked back into the room, and my eyes fell on the journal. I picked it up again, and flipped through the pages. I stopped at the second to last filled page, the one that was covered in the words 'let's be alone together, babe.'.

What do they mean? I stared at them for a few seconds until something... Clicked. I grabbed my phone and opened GarageBand, starting a new song.

I grabbed a pen and the pad of paper that the motel left (I didn't want to write in the journal. It didn't seem right). I played a note on the app, and hummed. I started to scribble down words.

I don't know where you're going, but do you got room for one more troubled soul?
I don't know where I'm going, but I don't think I'm coming home
And I said, I'll check in tomorrow if I don't wake up dead
This is the road to ruin and we're starting at the end

These weren't words. They were lyrics. I continued to play notes, occasionally rewritting things so they all fit.

Let's be alone together
We could stay young forever
Scream it from the top of your lungs, lungs, lungs

What did these words mean? What happened to Lukas?

Say, yeah
Let's be alone together
We can stay young forever
We'll stay young, young, young, young, young