Senior Slump Or Comeback Of The Year

Fuck

Patrick- |Are you driving me to school today?|

Pete stared at the text message for a full twenty-three seconds before realizing what it meant.

Patrick wanted Pete to drive him to school like he used to. Which meant he wanted them to resume the routine they set when they started dating. So obviously they were practically boyfriends again. He wasn't sure where they stood when they left the hospital room. Patrick was not only talking to him again but he was smiling at him. His words echoed in Pete's ears all night.

I hate there not being an us to

Please keep doing that.

Even Patrick's mother seemed relieved by their reconciliation. It was nice to have someone other than him rooting for their relationship to succeed. He spotted the sly smile on Mrs. Stump's lips when Patrick pulled Pete's fingers into his as they listened to their baby's heart beat together.

Pete couldn't get that sound out of his head.

It haunted him on the entire drive back to his house. It blared in his ears louder than any music  could. A steady, strong rhythm of pounding that both warmed him to the bone and scared him shitless.

His baby.

That heartbeat.

His baby's heartbeat.

It was so... strong. And it probably sounds stupid but Pete got choked up the moment it filled the room. This was his first time experiencing something like this. It made it more real. Sure, Patrick had a few sonograms. There was no doubt in his mind that his child was in there. But seeing the baby and hearing the baby were two completely different things.

One was just a confusing black and white photo with a lines and shapes gracing it. The other one was a noise. It was proof that not only was it chilling in there, it was alive. It's heart was beating. Just like Pete's was in that moment. He had a heartbeat. His baby had a heartbeat. He and his baby had heartbeats together.

It sounded so fast for the baby to be such a tiny creature. Maybe it was as nervous as Pete was about letting his parents hear it. Maybe it was just so excited to finally be heard. What ever the reason, their child had the heartbeat of a jackrabbit. Pete was afraid that it was too fast. That something was wrong. But Dr. Jackson assured him it was perfectly normal.

Patrick didn't hold the same awe as he did. He was smiling, of course, but he informed Pete that he heard it before. It wasn't a new experience for him. For some stupid reason that upset him. They weren't sharing the moment for the first time. Patrick lived through this for the first time already without him. Probably with Andy. He had to stop himself from running out to find the man and punch him in the face. It didn't make sense for all this shit to have him feeling so emotional. He wasn't the one with surging hormones.

Patrick- |It's fine if you can't...|

The other message popped up under the first one. He cursed himself for being so stuck in his head that he forgot to text back. This time he didn't late day old memories stall his fingers from gliding over his keyboard.

Pete- |I can. I'm omw.|

He began sliding his jacket back onto his shoulders. Swinging one strap of his backpack over his shoulder as he stood up. Mikey stared up at him from where he was sitting at their usual spot on the football field. His best friend stood up and dusted himself off. Probably assuming Pete wanted to go in early for class.

"What's up?"

"I have to drive Patrick to school."

Mikey frowned. "Why didn't you get him on your way to school?"

"I didn't know he wanted me to."

"Doesn't he usually ride with coach's kid?"

"I think so."

"But not today?"

He grinned. "Not today."

"So you guys are back together now?" The taller of the two focused on  twisting and untwisting the top of his water bottle. "That's cool."

"I'm not sure." Pete answered honestly. "I mean, I hope we are. I missed him a lot. But I never really know with Patrick." He began walking to the entrance. Mikey following seconds behind him. "He sends out all these mixed signals and sometimes it's so annoying. But I can't really blame him because I know it's just the baby. Trust me, I know that. But just because he's hormonal, doesn't mean I don't have emotions as-"

Mikey's sudden burst of laughter stopped him mid-word and mid-step. "Is that like code for some freaky shit?"

Pete blinked. "Is what code for some freaky shit?"

Mikey stopped laughing. Instead turning to look at his friend as if he'd lost his mind. "The baby?"

"The-" Pete replayed the entire conversation back in his mind. Going pale when he realized what he accidentally disclosed to his friend. How could he let something like that slip so casually? What the fuck was wrong wit him? Talking to Mikey had just become so natural lately. Especially since he had no one else to speak to. His mouth was moving faster than his brain could keep up with and now the person Patrick hated more than anything knew his biggest secret.

Fuck. Oh fuck.

"Pete are you okay?" He felt Mikey poking his arm.

"I-I'm fine." He swatted his friend's hand away.  Continuing his path to the door in a slower, quieter manner.

"You don't seem fine."

"I am." Please let him forget about what the fuck he just said. Please. If there is a god he will just brush it off as some kinky shit and-

"So about the whole 'the baby' thing, is that a part of some daddy kink?"

"Yes." Pete readily agreed. "Yeah, totally." His laugh had to sound as forced as it was. "It's some shit you don't want me to get in to."

"I bet." Mikey nudged him. Snickering in a way that also wasn't genuine. Neither of them spoke again until they stopped at the door. Pete went to push the bar to open it but the other boy placed him hand in front of it to stop him. "Pete, is Patrick pregnant?"

"What kind of question is that?" He stalled. His brain working a mile a minute to think of a lie.

"The kind that you didn't answer."

"Because it's a stupid question. Patrick is a guy-"

"Which is why I didn't believe a word of what Sarah was saying to me. Even though she had some pretty good reasons-"

"Sarah knows?" His heart nearly jumped out of his chest.

"So it's true?"

There was no use denying it now. He'd already fucked up way beyond backtracking ability. "You can't tell anyone."

"How is that even possible?"

"I can't get into it right now. I have to go get Patrick." He pushed open the door. "I have to explain to him that I slipped up and now you know. And somehow my ex fucking knows."

"Both of your exes." He seemed as reluctant to give the information as Pete was to receive it.

"Both of-"

"Megan." Mikey cut him off. "She told Sarah."

"Fuck."

Patrick was going to lose his shit.

Patrick- |Thanks, baby. See you soon :)|