Troubled Soul || Fall Out Boy

~24~

When Pete turned 8, his Mom and Dad let him have a birthday party at his house.

He invited all his friends from his baseball team, and a couple of friends from school too. To say he was excited was an understatement.

The day started fantastic. His Mom made him pancakes and bacon, his favourite breakfast, and then came presents.

Andrew and Hillary had gotten him a set of new guitar picks for his bass, which made him very happy. Then Pete's Mom and Dad gave him a new bike, something he had been wanting for a really long time. Patrick finally handed Pete a piece of paper.

"What's this?" He asked.

"It's a drawing."

"Of what?"

"You being a monster truck driver."

Pete looked at it. "It doesn't look like me."

"Peter!" Pete's Mom scolded him.

Pete groaned internally. "Thanks Patrick, I guess."

Patrick shrugged and sat back down next to Pete's Mom.

"So when do all my friends get here?"

"2 o'clock."

"And what's the time now?"

"10 o'clock."

Pete groaned. "That's forever!"

Pete's Dad ruffled his hair. "It'll go quicker than you think. Why don't you and Patrick take Hillary to the park? You can take your bike if you want."

Pete's face lit up. "Okay!"

Pete rode ahead of Patrick and Hillary as they made their way to the park. When they got there, Hillary played on the play equipment, and Pete rode his new bike around the track, but Patrick just sat down on the park bench and stared into the forest.

Pete rode over. "What are you looking at?"

Patrick didn't shift his concentration. "A bad place."

"Bad place?"

Patrick nodded.

"What's so bad about it?"

Patrick pulled his fedora down further onto his head. "I-It's r-really b-bad..."

Pete was feeling brave. "I'm going to go and have a look."

"No!" Patrick shrieked.

Pete started riding off, but much to his suprise, Patrick was chasing him, going as fast as his limp would allow.

"NO!" He screamed, grabbing Pete's back tire and falling over.

Pete screamed too as his bike stopped and tiped over onto the sidewalk.

"LOOK AT WHAT YOU DID!" Pete shouted. "YOU HURT ME AND NOW MY NEW BIKE IS SCRATCHED AND IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!"

Patrick looked up at Pete in terror, before bursting into tears.

"Such a baby." Pete stated. "Come on Hillary, let's go home."

When Pete's parents found out that he'd left Patrick at the park by himself, they were angry. Very, very angry. They even drove the car to go and find him.

Pete was surprised to find that he hadn't moved at all since he'd left.

"I think he's broken his arm Gale." Pete's Dad murmured as he lifted Patrick up from the sidewalk.

Pete's Mom looked his arm over. "We should probably take him to the hospital."

"But what about my birthday party?!" Pete asked.

Pete's Mom and Dad exchanged a glance. "After today Pete, you should've even be having one. Mom will help you set up. I'll take Patrick to the hospital."

Pete sighed. "Fine."