Troubled Soul || Fall Out Boy

~36~

The next day, Pete carried around the guilt of what Patrick had told him.

He felt funny about it, and didn't like feeling that way. It was kind of like having a secret, a big big secret that could hurt someone if you kept it, but also hurt them if you told someone.

Patrick was going on life as usual, pretending that none of that conversation had ever happened. He sat with Pete's Mom at the kitchen table, quietly drawing in his notebook until Pete's Mom made him do reading practice, which he didn't like at all because he wasn't very good at it.

Pete couldn't bring himself to make fun of him this time.

It was a Saturday, so they all went to music lessons together, as usual. Patrick went and sat with Joe, and Pete walked over to Andy.

"Hey!" Andy smiled.

"Hey." Pete murmured.

"What's up?"

"I think I'm scared."

"Scared about what?"

"Patrick?"

"Dude, he couldn't hurt a fly."

"No, no." Pete felt a heavy weight on his chest. "Last night he told me that he was going to go away."

"Isn't that what you wanted?"

"To another family yeah, but he wants to like, die."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"What are you going to do?"

"I might tell Mom..." Pete murmured. "But then he's going to hate me forever."

"But you hate him, so won't that be a good thing?"

"Maybe. I don't know."

Andy shrugged. "You should tell your Mom."

That night, when Patrick was asleep, Pete crept downstairs and told his Mom everything. Every single thing that Patrick had said, leaving out a few little things he'd said in reply.

His Mom hugged him, and thanked him for telling her everything. And as a reward for being so kind and caring, Pete's Mom let him have another ice cream, even though it was after bed time.

Pete smiled. This being kind and caring thing was great so far. He ought to try it more often.