Folie

Act II, Scene 2

"Fuck you guys," Patrick said jokingly as he approached Brendon and Pete at the gay bar.

"What did I do this time?" Pete asked.

"Well, you cut everyone off just as Joe and I were about to kiss, not to mention, Joe and Dallon sat next to me because you came to rehearsal late, and you," Patrick pointed at Brendon, "fuck you because you knew what you were doing both with me and Joe and with you and Dallon. You're not the only one who's into him!" Patrick said in a mock-accusatory tone.

"Hey, I'm not the one who wrote in a stage kiss between Dallon and me, but can you blame me for wanting to take advantage of it?" Brendon responded.

"First off," Pete cut in, just as Patrick opened his mouth to respond, "I don't see why you're complaining. You were practically begging me to write in a relationship between you and Joe and you and Dallon. Luckily, it just so happened to fit the plot I had already come up with, before we had cast anybody. So, I should think you'd want them to sit next to you, since you're clearly so desperate to spend time with them," he smirked.

"Wait, you mean-"

"That's right, Brendon," Patrick said, flashing an evil grin, "I get to kiss Dallon too."

"Okay, so fuck both of you," Brendon scoffed.

"Also," Pete added, "Brendon gave me a strict timeline to enforce. The fact that I cut off your kiss with Joe was completely unintentional."

"Why does Brendon need you to enforce his timeline?"

"Honestly? I didn't trust myself to not get lost in Dallon's deep, ocean-blue eyes," Brendon swooned, then his eyes turned dark as he faced Patrick, "I don't see why you need Dallon when you have Joe."

"I don't have Joe. I don't have anyone. I'm still a free agent, I'm free to shop around before making a purchase," Patrick quipped.

"Fine! We'll just see who wins Dallon!" Brendon said as he dramatically rose to leave, "I have to go. I was going to leave to work on staging the musical anyway, but I figure now's the perfect time for a dramatic exit," and with that, Brendon flipped his coat around his shoulder and left in a huff.

After he left, Andy walked up to Pete and Patrick from behind the bar.

"Hey, guys! Need a drink?"

"God, do we ever," Pete replied.

---

Patrick and Pete swayed in each other's arms like reefs in a current as the strobe lights glimmered around them.

"Oh my god, Pete, I love you so much," Patrick groaned, as the bass line to a Beyoncé song rattled their bones.

"Me too, 'Tricky, me too," Pete said, exhaling alcohol with every syllable.

"Drunk in lo-o-o-ove," Patrick sang in his typical, soul-like fashion.

"DRUNK IN LOVE!" Pete scream-sang in response, nearly causing Patrick to collapse in laughter.

Patrick was still laughing when he saw an unexpected giant arrive at the door, but he quickly stopped when he saw him.

"Oh my god! It's Dallon! Look Pete, it's Dallon!" and before Pete could protest, Patrick began dragging him along in a mad rush to the door.

"Hi, Dallon," Patrick said in a sing-songy voice, as Pete rolled his eyes so far back, he swore he could see his brain.

"Hey, Patrick, hey Pete. Didn't expect to see you guys here."

"Yeah, we're super gay," Patrick said, dragging out the last word, "well, at least I am. I don't know about Pe-"

"You wanna get a drink, Dallon? My treat," Pete interrupted.

"Sure, man! To be honest, I'm already kind of tipsy."

Patrick giggled, "Dallon is tipsy, and Patrick is wasted!" he sang.

All three boys sat down at the bar, and Pete grabbed one of the bartenders' attention.

"Give this man a drink on my tab," Pete declared, "I'm going to go talk to Andy. He looks a little lonely over there..."

"Have fun," he whispered to Patrick as he walked to Andy. He didn't really want to leave Patrick, but he knew he wanted to spend time with Dallon, and as his best friend, he wanted to help him out.

"I'll take a shot of Fireball, please," Dallon told the bartender.

"So, Dallon, are you a theater major?" Patrick asked in a high-pitched, child-like voice.

"Minor," he corrected with a smile, "my major is vocal performance."

"Really?" Patrick asked, his eyes suddenly glowing, "I'm a composition major! How come I've never seen you before?"

"Oh, I just started my master's here this year. But that's really cool that you study composition. I never understood how someone could look at a blank page and put music on it. Did you write the music for Folie?" he asked excitedly, as the bartender served him his shot.

"Yup! I did! Still working on the third act, though. Gotta hurry, though, or Brendon will be mad at me," he pouted. He wasn't sure where this little kid act was coming from.

Dallon laughed, then took a shot. "Well, you're rather talented, Mr. Patrick. I love the part you wrote for me," he replied smiling. He was beginning to find Patrick rather adorable.

"Thank you, Mr. Giraffe- I mean, Mr. Dallon," Patrick giggled. Dallon chortled at the name Patrick gave him.

"Am I really that funny?" Patrick asked with doe eyes. Dallon couldn't take it anymore.

---

"Hey, Pete. Where's Patrick?" Andy asked, as Pete approached him at the other bar table in the club.

"Over there, talking to a guy," Pete sighed.

"Ah. Not too happy, I presume?"

"I don't know," Pete replied sadly, "like I wanna help Patrick find someone, but sometime, I don't wanna share him. I don't know if I get jealous because he's my friend, or maybe if it's something more," he whined drunkenly, "I just know that sometimes, it kind of bothers me."

Andy hummed in consideration, "well, do you think you like him?"

"I don't know. I don't think so. I love him as a friend, and I tried things with him when I first met him, but it didn't do anything for me. But I don't know, is it normal to sometimes feel jealous and left out when you see your friend giving someone else attention?"

"It can be normal, it just depends. But I can't tell you what you feel. You'll have to decide that. But, hopefully, you'll have some time to think about it, before-" Andy stopped, his face widening in shock.

"What-" Pete turned to look in the same direction. His stomach dropped ten stories as he did.

Patrick and Dallon were making out.