Troubled Soul || Fall Out Boy

~10~

"And he cried all last night. He never shuts up. And Mom and Dad just love him!"

Andy shrugged. "Seems like you don't like him very much."

After music, Pete's Dad had taken his three children to the park, where Pete had found Andy. And Joe. But they didn't speak to Joe. Joe was weird.

"I hate him!" Pete huffed. "He's stealing everything I own including my parents!"

"What do you mean?" Andy asked. "He can't exactly steal your parents."

"They never get mad at him!" Pete exclaimed. "And they just love him so much! It's like they don't even see me anymore except to get mad at me!"

"I think you're jealous." Andy stated.

"Jealous?! Why would I be jealous?!"

"Because you think your Mom and Dad like him more than you."

Pete kicked a rock away with his shoe. "I'm not jealous. He's weird."

"Joe weird?" Andy asked, looking at Joe on the other side of the playground.

"No, a different weird. He cries all the time, and doesn't talk at all, except in really short sentences to my Mom and Dad. And he walks funny because he's an ampootee."

"What does that mean?"

"He's like a pirate. He has a peg leg."

Andy stifled a giggle. "That's funny."

Pete mimicked the way Patrick walked. "He walks like this."

"That's weird. I'm glad I don't have a Patrick."

"Patrick is the worst. And you know we have to share a room too?! He just moved in and Mom and Dad are making him sleep in my room!"

"That sucks." Andy agreed. "Top bunk?"

Pete shook his head. "I got to keep the top bunk."

"So does this mean I can't come over for sleepovers anymore?"

"If you do, Patrick can sleep in Hillary's room." Pete stated. "Mom won't make you sleep in there."

"Uh oh..."

"What?"

"Your Dad is speaking to my Mom. I hope he's not telling her to get a Patrick."

Pete looked up. "Quick! We need to stop it!"

The two children quickly climbed down the playground and ran to the two adults, who were indeed quietly conversating about Patrick.

"We don't want a Patrick Mom!" Andy panted, a little puffed out from running all the way from the climbing fort.

"Huh?" Andy's Mom asked.

"We don't want a Patrick! Apparently they cry too much!"

Pete's Dad sighed. "Peter..."

"It's true Dad!" Pete exclaimed. "I'm trying to save Andy!"

Pete's Dad shot Andy's Mom an apologetic look. "Sorry about this. Peter is still trying to get used to having another child in the house."

"Well, I do think what you're doing for this poor boy is wonderful." Andy's Mom smiled. "Anyway, we best be off now. See you later Peter and Peter."

Pete and Pete's Dad waved in unison as Andy and Andy's Mom walked away.

"Now, Peter, why were you telling Andrew all those horrible things about Patrick? Patrick hasn't done anything to you."

Pete sniffled. "You guys don't love me like you love Patrick."

Pete's Dad sighed. "That's not true, Peter."

"But it is!" Pete exclaimed. "You and Mom never get mad at him and since he got here you haven't talked to me except to yell at me!"

Pete's Dad sighed once again. "Patrick has come from a bad place, okay? He's really scared at the moment because he doesn't know anybody and he's just had to come and live with a bunch of people he doesn't know at all. I'm sorry for not being able to spend as much time with you, but when he settles in and calms down, then we'll have all the time in the world. Does that sound okay?"

Pete nodded uncertainly. "But why does he have to stay with us?"

"Because he doesn't have anywhere else he can go, Peter. We've been through this."

"I know, but aren't there other families that'll look after him? I've got too many siblings already."

Pete's Dad sighed. "No, Peter. That's the answer. No, he isn't going anywhere. And you, need to start being nicer to him, or else there will be severe consequences."

Pete sighed. "Can he at least get his own room?"

"We don't have a spare room Peter. He's staying with you."

"B-But!"

"I'll tell you what, we'll get him his own bed. How does that sound?"

Pete considered. "Fine."

Pete's Dad smiled. "Thank you. Now, let's find your sister and head home."

When they arrived home, Pete's Mom was sitting with Patrick at the kitchen table, watching him draw. She had a sort of grimace on her face as she watched his violent scribbles.

"I like your fedora, Patrick." Pete's Dad complimented.

Patrick didn't look up, seemingly not hearing him.

Pete's Mom smiled. "I found him trying it on, and it looked so gosh darn cute on him, so I bought it."

Pete frowned. His Mom never bought him things that looked gosh darn cute on him. She would tell him that he looked gosh darn cute before ordering him to put it back.

"What did the optometrist say?" Pete's Dad asked.

"Glasses, obviously. They'll be ready in 2 weeks."

Patrick needed glasses? Pete wondered how many extra bits he needed to make sure that he worked properly. He made the comparison of Patrick with a cyborg and felt the comparison was fair.

"How was music?" Pete's Mom asked.

"Good." Pete shrugged, sitting down next to her. "I think I'm getting better."

Pete's Mom smiled. "That's good sweetie."

Patrick interrupted the conversation by violently tearing a page out of his notebook and throwing it on the floor.

"Patrick, hun, we don't do that, okay? If you have some rubbish, you put it in the bin."

Patrick looked up at Pete's Mom, already getting glassy eyed. Pete rolled his eyes.

"Do you want me to show you where the bin is?"

Pete's Mom helped Patrick up and he picked up the paper from the ground, before following her to the kitchen and placing it in the rubbish bin.

"There. So next time, just do that and you'll be perfect!" Pete's Mom smiled encouragingly.

Patrick hung his head. "I-I'm sorry..."

"It's okay Pattycakes. I can see you're trying."

Pete left to go upstairs so he wouldn't have to see Patrick cry again.