Senior Slump Or Comeback Of The Year

Liars

Patrick was pissed off. He'd just gotten off the phone with a very concerned Andy. Who spent half an hour looking for him around the almost empty school. He never told Pete to pick him up. He didn't even speak to Pete.

That asshole lied to his face to get him into his car. But why? It wasn't like they spoke or reconciled any differences. He didn't even thank him for driving him home. So what was the point? What did he gain other than making Patrick want to be around him even less?

Now not only was he not going to speak to him, he was going to complain to the school counselor that Pete was bothering him if he ever tried something like that again.

"Patrick, honey." His mom called from downstairs.

He didn't bother answering her. She was probably just calling to tell him dinner was ready. He tossed his phone on his bed and headed down the stairs. Freezing on the bottom step when he saw no other than Pete Wentz standing there.

His mother beamed up at him. "Your friend is here."

"He's not my friend, mom." Patrick walked the final step. His glare darkening as he got closer to them.

"That's not nice." She scolded. "He drove all the way here to return something you left in his car."

"Oh?" Sure he did.

"Yeah." Pete looked just as upset as he was. Which didn't make sense. Why the hell would he be mad? He's the one who lied to him. He should be coming back to apologize.

"Well, I'll leave you two to it." She headed back to the kitchen. Stopping in the doorway to ask, "Pete, would you like to stay for dinner? We're having meatloaf."

"I'm sure he has to get back to his party, don't you?"

"Nope." He smiled. "I'd love to stay."

"Great!" She clapped, disappearing into the next room.

"You're not eating dinner with us." Patrick's voice lowered as he spoke.

"Yes I am. I love meatloaf." Pete calm response was just as low.

"The same way you love lying?" He challenged.

"What?"

"I spoke to Andy." Realization sunk in but Pete didn't look apologetic at all. "You lied about talking to him."

"I did." He admitted. "And I'm glad I did."

That's not the response he was expecting. "Well, I'm glad you did too. Now I know I should never trust you."

"You shouldn't trust me?" He repeated disbelievingly. "You're shitting me, right?"

"No. You lied to my face and you're not even sorry about it."

"Of course I'm not sorry about it. If I hadn't done it I would have never found out you were pregnant."

Patrick's jaw dropped. How the hell had he figured that out just by driving him home? What did he do to give it away? Maybe talking about how badly he had to pee. Maybe it was falling asleep on the short ride. What else could it be?

Nothing definitive. He couldn't be one hundred percent sure. Patrick inhaled and composed his face.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Now who's lying?" He smirked. "You left these in my car." Pete dug in his back pocket. Pulling out the pills Patrick hadn't noticed were gone. "Pills. Pregnant people pills."

"Those aren't mine." He rolled his eyes. Trying to act as casual as he could.

"You know the funny thing about prescription pills?" Pete tossed the bottle in the air lightly. The rattling was quiet but deafening. "If you look really close." He held it closer to Patrick's face. "There's a name on it."

"I-" The denial died on his lips.

"How could you not tell me something like this?" His voice was still low but now the words were being spat out harshly. "You're pregnant. And it's mine I know it's mine. Because we- you know what we did." He dropped his hand to his side. "And Patrick, I'm trying so hard not to freak out. I'm trying to understand." His eyes lowered to Patrick's stomach. "I'm trying so hard to understand, but I-I don't. I'm confused and I'm afraid and I'm concerned. And instead of helping me understand you were going to hide it from me. Probably forever. You were, weren't you?" When Patrick didn't answer, he laughed dryly. "Really? My own kid? You were going to hide that from me forever. I can't believe you. What kind of person hides someone's kid from them? Unless." His gaze returned to Patrick's face. His expression hardening. "Unless it's not my kid. Is that it? Whose is it then? It's that Andy guy's? Have you slept with him?"

"No." The anger in Pete's tone required an answer. "No. It-It's yours."

"I knew it." He sighed. "I- how?"

"I don't know." His shoulders slumped. All the anger was gone and now he was just tired. "No one seems to have a good answer to that. But it's real. It's happening and I-I can't deal with it bravely anymore."

His voice broke. His eyes watered. Pete grabbed him into a hug. It was the first time they'd really touched since the night of the party. It felt good. Natural almost.

"You don't have to be brave." He spoke into his ear. "I can do that for you now."

Patrick sniffed. "These fucking hormones." He pulled out of the hug to wipe his eyes. "I didn't think I'd ever say those words."

Pete laughed so he did too. "It's all so insane. Like a dream or something. I damn near accidentally crashed my car twice driving over here just thinking about it."

"Then maybe it was a good thing I didn't tell you before." Pete frowned disapprovingly. "Because you may have been distracted from the game and lost." He added to lighten the mood.

"Fuck the game." Pete hugged him again. For no reason this time. Patrick didn't object. He let himself be held. "But did you see my touchdown in the second quarter?"

Patrick laughed. "Yeah." He lied.

"I was awesome, right?"

"So awesome."