You're Not Even Mine to Miss [Fall Out Boy - Wattys 2014]

➽ Track Eleven (Pete's POV).

Track Eleven (Pete’s POV): You can save yourself, you can save your soul.

(April 27th, 2008)

I was fixing the microphone stand in front of Patrick’s “throne” to announce about the gift the band prepared for him when Joe had suddenly appeared out of nowhere (but probably he came from the food table since he was holding a slice of pizza) and elbowed me on the rib. I glared at him after he did that, but he wasn’t looking at me and was pointing at something instead.

“Ba-dam-bum!” Joe sniggered. My eyes followed the direction that he was pointing at, and saw Donnie and Patrick dancing with the slow song that was playing in the background. They seemed to be talking about something that we couldn’t hear; their faces too close for my comfort. Just by looking at them made me feel quite angry and jealous.

It was scary how Donnie still affected me.

“So what? They’re just friends,” I snapped, trying to hide my unexplainable rage towards the two.

“Don’t play dumb with me, Pete. I know that you know what I mean. Can’t you see? Patrick’s starting to make a move,” he said in a hushed tone, and I could hear his smirk even though I wasn’t looking at him. “The little guy is acting like a big boy now.”

“Shut the fuck up, Joe,” I bit back at him, rolling my eyes. He continued his jeering as I waved my hands at the DJ to catch his attention. The DJ was quick to notice me, and I immediately signalled him to stop the music by making a slice in the air near my throat with my hand. He gave me a thumbs-up before the slow song was cut off.

A high-pitched noise from the microphone I was holding had echoed through the studio, letting the crowd focus their attentions to me. Clearing my throat, I began my mini-speech, “Excuse me, everyone.” I let my eyes scan the familiar faces of the people in there, all looking up at me expectantly. “Let me interfere the party for a moment and witness with me one of the best and unforgettable things that might ever happen in the life of Patrick Stump.”

Everybody turned to Patrick as I pointed at him. Joe and Andy – just like what we had agreed upon a few minutes ago – carried Patrick to the throne (good thing the little guy didn’t try to fight against them).

I was smirking at the eyeglasses-wearing guy, who had one eyebrow raised, as he slowly settled himself on his chair and as the band members of Panic! At the Disco pushed a huge gift box in front of the throne for everyone to see. I pointed at the humongous box, still looking at Patrick. “Here’s our ultimate birthday gift for you, ‘Trick,” I winked at him slyly. “Are you ready?”

Without waiting for him to respond, I motioned the DJ to start playing the music, and it didn’t take long enough for Britney Spears’ “Toxic” to blast from the speakers. By cue, the gift box’s lid opened and revealed a lingerie-clad blonde with bunny ears who started dancing seductively, just staring at Patrick and Patrick alone.

The guys in the studio started hooting and hollering and all the girls were laughing as we all watched Patrick’s eyes widen in utter shock as the blonde climbed off the box and started making her way towards him with her stilettos, still dancing with the beat of the music.

“Oh my god!” I heard Donnie laugh as she clutched Rachelle’s arm with one hand and covered her mouth with the other. The two brunettes were standing a few meters away from me, and even with the random noises coming from the merrymaking in the room, I could still hear her – as if my ears were directed only on her. “I’m positively sure that Patrick is really gonna to throw a fit after this!”

“Why’s that?” Rachelle asked her.

“Patrick and I went to this club last year,” she began, putting her lips closer to Rachelle’s ear so that she could hear her better. “One of the girls in there asked him if he wanted to ‘party’, and I think he didn’t know what it actually meant, so he said ‘Yes’ to her and so the girl pushed him back to one of the sofas and attempted to give him a lap dance. Patrick was really shocked and maybe he felt a bit violated, so he just pushed her off him, apologized to her, grabbed my arm and got the hell outta there.”