And All Hell Broke Loose (A LIKE HELL collection)

Sweet Revenge (Part #2)

The moon was glowing in the darkness. Patrick took a breath, feeling the cool night air drift into his lungs. It was peaceful to stare up into the sky like this, to see a smattering of stars right above him. Maybe it was because summer was drawing closer, or maybe it was because he was stood on the roof of Bantham Hall. But the world seemed so much more exciting, so full of promise up here.

Everett clambered out of the window, his feet slipping on the red tiles. Patrick grabbed his hand, and hauled him up to the flat part of the roof that lay between bedrooms.

'Thanks,' Everett said, breathing hard. He was covered in a thin layer of sweat, and Patrick felt similarly clammy. They leaned back against the slope of the roof, and surveyed their handiwork.

The bed had been impossible to get through the window frame. But the rest had been easy. Ryan's bedside table, his lamp, his desk chair, his basketball posters, even the photos of him and his girlfriend were now arranged artfully on the roof of Bantham Hall.

Patrick sank down into the huge grey beanbag that was now balanced precariously on the tiles. Everett wheeled the desk chair over, and sat down beside him. They stared out at their college campus, at the pinpricks of light dotted throughout the buildings and walkways.

'It's kind of beautiful,' Everett said after a while, breaking the silence. 'It's hard to tell in the day.'

'Who knew it would take getting Ryan Dreeva blackout drunk for you to notice?' Patrick said. 'He's going to lose his shit when he realizes what we've done.'

Everett smiled faintly. 'He technically already has lost his shit.'

Patrick snorted. 'We won't be suspects. He thinks that we were just as wasted as he is.'

'Well, we better make sure we don't get stuck up here. Then we will be.'

'You know he deserves this, right?'

There was a pause. 'I know.'

Patrick sighed, leaning back into the beanbag. 'It's good to be a little evil sometimes, you know. Let some of it out. Otherwise you'll go crazy.'

Everett frowned, staring up at the sky. 'I can't help but feel guilty though.'

'Fuck it,' Patrick said simply. 'Fuck. It.'

They lapsed back into silence, allowing the cool night to swallow up their words. Patrick closed his eyes, letting the quiet press down on his ears. He knew he should be full of adrenaline right now, his veins singing with the rush of the prank they'd pulled off. But up here, with Everett, all he felt was a strange sense of calmness stealing through him.

Minutes passed before Everett spoke again. 'Hey, Patrick?'

He cracked open his eyes, blinking. 'Yeah?'

'I never said thank you.'

'For what?'

'For doing this for me. For wanting to get... revenge.' Everett took a breath. 'I'm not sure what I did to deserve a friend like you, but I'm glad I did whatever it was.'

The words were like a splinter beneath his ribs. His mother's voice reverberated around his head. What sins have I committed to deserve a son like you?

He shook his head, swallowing. 'Don't worry about it. You'd probably do the same for me. Right?'

Everett shifted from the desk chair, and sank down onto the beanbag beside him. 'You know I would. Whatever you need. I won't ever forget who befriended me when I was set on being the loner nerd of Bantham Hall.'