The Will of Love and Life (Peterick)

Chapter Three

May 2, 2016

The first place Patrick went Monday morning was into Joe's office. He stormed in, slamming the door shut behind him.

"Something wrong, Patrick?" Joe  asked without looking up from his computer.

"He has a boyfriend," Patrick complained, sitting on the chair across from Joe's desk.

Confused, he looked up at Patrick. "And you're mad why?"

Patrick shrugged, scratching at his arm.

"Do you like this guy or something?"

"No," Patrick said, immediately shooting down the possibility. "I've seen his boyfriend. I don't think he treats him right."

"Well, what're you gonna do about it."

"Nothing. It's none of my business."

"Maybe you should say something," Joe suggested anyway.

"I barely know the kid," Patrick argued. "It isn't my place to tell him to dump his boyfriend."

Joe sighed. "Why are you so pissed off if you don't even care?"

Patrick bit his lip, glaring angrily at the floor.

"I think you do care," Joe whispered.

"I don't," Patrick snapped.

Joe frowned, and Patrick looked away, a sneer on his face. Talking to Patrick was like talking to a wall. He was extremely stubborn and wouldn't budge no matter what was said to him.

Patrick sat curled up on the chair as Joe worked. He had been angry all of Sunday, refusing to get out of bed. The blood-stained knife still sat on the bedroom floor.

Patrick finally left Joe when he heard his own office phone ring next door. He knew it was Mister Hendricks calling to make adjustments to the will and make another appointment. He tried not to be a bitch on the phone, but he couldn't adjust his personality. Mister Hendricks said to keep his sister as his children's guardian, and Patrick somehow managed to keep the "I told you so" in.

He hung up the phone with a slam and let out a bitter sigh. He collapsed on his chair and ignored the work piled up on his desk. He didn't care.

His office door swung open two hours later, and he couldn't be bothered to look up to see Joe standing in the doorway.

"Patrick, have you done anything since you left my office?" Joe asked, snapping his fingers in front of the estate lawyer's face.

"I answered the phone," Patrick said, eyes still staring off at nothing.

"Are you sure you don't have a crush on this boy already?" Joe asked. "It's okay, you know. If you do."

"I've only known him for a few days. I can't. He's just my friend, okay? Barely that, even."

"You don't have to get defensive," Joe said. "I just think---"

"No, Joe, I don't like him," Patrick said. "Its just that someone was giving me attention and I liked it. It's nothing."

"Then prove it to me."

"What?"

"You're not allowed to talk to him for the rest of the week. Or about him."

"Deal." Patrick scoffed. "I can do that."

They shook on it, and Joe smirked.

May 5, 2016