Senior Slump Or Comeback Of The Year

Sweat and Dirt

Pete didn't bother showering after the game. He used a towel to wipe the sweat from his body and hurried into his normal clothes.

He didn't know how long the guys would be able to keep Andy busy. First, he suggested to coach that his son should get more involved. Maybe help pass out towels and drinks after the hard game. After that maybe he should help collect the jerseys for cleaning. He even hinted at him helping the staff clean up the bleachers. But coach said that might be too much.

Pete deliberately stuffed his jersey in the spare balls basket. Hoping it would take Andy forever to find it. He knew Patrick would be upstairs waiting for him to finish. This might be his only chance to talk to the boy without the middle man.

He didn't bother saying goodbye to any of his teammates. They'd see him at the party tonight anyway. He ran up the stairs two at a time. Patrick was were he assumed he would be. Standing in front of his locker. His back was turned towards him so he didn't see him coming.

"Hey there." He tapped his shoulder. Patrick jumped.

"What do you want, Pete?"

"To take you home."

"Excuse me?"

"Not to my house." He laughed. "To drive you to your own house."

"Andy's driving me."

"He asked me to do it for him."

"Yeah right." He scoffed. "Andy doesn't even like you."

"No. But he likes you. And he knows you need to get home soon and safe. He's being forced to help coach clean up. Which could take hours. So I volunteered to take you home. He agreed that it was the best solution."

Patrick eyed him warily. Like he didn't know whether or not to believe what he was saying. Which Pete took offense to because he thought that was a pretty well put together lie.

"Maybe I should text him."

"Go ahead. But his phone is probably in coach's office." Please don't call that bluff.

"Fine."

"Fine?"

"You can drive me home."

"Cool." Pete grinned. "Follow me."

"As if I have a choice."

Patrick made sure to stay at least a foot behind him as they walked into the dark parking lot. Which was ridiculous because they were going to be right beside each other in the car. Pete held his door open for him. Receiving a quiet thank you. And then they were off.

He didn't need to put his address in the gps this time. He remember it. How creepy was that? Patrick shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Pete noticed.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I-I just have to pee." He shrugged. "And my bookbag is pushing against my stomach." To prove his point, he adjusted the bag on his lap.

"Well here." Pete pulled one hand off the wheel to grab Patrick's backpack and put it on the floor.

"Thanks."

They didn't speak for the rest of the drive. Pete kept glancing away from the road to look at Patrick. His head was pressed against the back of the seat. His eyes closed. He looked completely content.

Originally Pete planned to corner him into telling him the truth about why he was avoiding him again. And what ever the hell he and Andy had hinted towards before the game. It wasn't like he could run away in the moving car.

But now that he looked at him more closely, he could see that Patrick looked exhausted. There were black bags decorating the bottom of his eyes. His lips were set in a grim line. And he had to be extremely tired to fall asleep next to Pete.

There was no way he was going to worry him with questions right now. He'd wait for another opportunity. He didn't even want to wake him up when they were parked in front of his house.

"Patrick." He whispered.

His eyes snapped open. He looked confused and panicked. But then he seemed to remember where he was. His eyes took in their surrounding. He was home. Without so much as a goodnight, he picked up his bag and got out of the car. Pete didn't pull away until he walked into the house.

Now he needed to get back to the school before the guys noticed he was gone. They were all supposed to ride to the big party at the same time. He was going to arrive smelling like sweat and dirt but it didn't matter. No one would call him on it.

He pulled in front of the school just as his usual group was walking out the doors. Being followed and praised by the other students for their big win.

"Where the fuck were you?" Mikey wrapped his arm around his shoulder. "We thought we were going to have to leave without you."

"You guys wouldn't dare." He laughed.

"Where were you?" Sarah repeated the question.

"I had to get something from my car." The excuse didn't make sense but it was accepted.

"Well thank god you came back just in time." She pulled him away from Mikey. Meagan smirked at the interaction. That used to be her. But now she knew the truth. She still hadn't spoken to him since she found out. And she still hadn't told anyone else. "I was afraid I'd have to ride with Frank."

"You should be so lucky." Frank called out. They all laughed.

"Have no fear." Pete gently pulled away from her. "Because now you're riding via Wentz."

"Don't you go getting a girl's hopes up now." She nudged him. Meagan coughed.

They all went their separate ways in the parking lot. Sarah grabbed Pete's hand in hers as they walked to his car. This was starting to feel too familiar. It was going to be a replay of what happened with Meagan. He could feel it. Would she be able to keep her mouth closed?

Probably not.

He just needed to keep her from getting too close. They slid into the car. He kept both hands tightly on the wheel as he drove. So she wouldn't continue to hold his hand.

Sarah didn't seem to mind. She turned on the radio and sung along to some pop song he'd never heard. Nodding her head, clapping her hands, and tapping her feet to the beat. Way more respectful of his personal space than Meagan was. If he wasn't gay, Sarah would definitely be his type.

"Hey." She stopped her mini performance to reach down in the seat. "What's this?"

"What's what?" Pete didn't bother looking away from the road.

"This." She pulled up a pill bottle. Bringing it closer to her face for a better look. "Prenatal multi-vitamin." She read the label. "Why are there prenatal pills in your car?"

"I don't know." He shrugged. "I don't even know what that means."

"They're pills. For expecting girls. My mom used to take these all the time when she was pregnant with my brother."

Pete finally looked at her. Pills for pregnant women. How the hell would that get in his car? He sure as hell couldn't use them. And he'd cleaned his car out three days ago. No one had even ridden in it until now except Patrick.

Patrick.

Holy shit.