**ON HOLD** More Than Meets the Eyes (Patrick Stump FanFiction)

Chapter 5

        I was shocked by that line. I didn't know she liked me. She never has dated anyone, stating “education before boys” and turned down the few guys who have asked her out around me. But why me? She's so beautiful a social, and I'm so anti-social and.... fat. I never thought she liked me back. I'd never had the guts to tell her that I had feelings for her, although every Valentine's Day I would leave her a rose in her locker from “her secret admirer” so she knew there was someone out there who did think about her on the day of love.

        “Wow” Anna mouthed towards me when I finally snapped back into reality. I gazed from her, to the picture, back to her, and then down at my desk. What should I do? I quickly grabbed my pencil and flipped to a new page in the book and scribbled down “call me, whenever you need at whatever time” and jotted down my number underneath. I debated trying to draw, but I am not an artist whatsoever, so I just drew a heart and left it at that. I got up, quickly so nobody would have time to see me run to Christa's empty seat and leave the sketchbook open on the page I'd written on and walked up to Mr. Stella's desk.

        “Can I go to the restroom?” I asked him impatiently. He raised an eyebrow at me.

        “I don't know, can you?” He asked. Smart mouth.

        “Yes.” I stated and walked out of the class. I headed towards the bathrooms, she had to be in the women's restroom, it was private. I slowly walked up to the door and pressed my ear to it, surely enough, I heard the muffled sound of crying coming from inside. I shouldn't go in there.. I pressed on the door and slightly opened it. I really shouldn't.. I pressed it even more. Stop Patrick, you'll get in trouble. I opened the door fully. Well, the door is open.. I stepped inside and quickly closed the door. I looked over and saw a “closed for cleaning” sign and decided to put that on the door. There, hopefully no one comes in here now.

        I made my way towards the crying and found myself standing in front of the last stall. Of course she'd want the big stall, it has room to move around and people can't look under and see you easily. I knocked on the stall door to see if she'd let me in, but instead, the door slowly opened by itself. I walked in, hoping she wasn't actually using the bathroom. Thankfully, she wasn't. Instead, she was hugging her knees tightly to her chest and had her face buried in them while she sat in the corner. I walked over and took the spot next to her.

        Reaching my arm around her, I started singing to her in the most soothing voice I could. I don't sing, but I thought I'd give it a try and sing “Everyday” by Buddy Holly to try and get her spirits up even in the slightest way. By the end of the song, I don't know if it was me singing to her that caused it or what, she reduced her crying to the occasional sniffle and was wrapped in my arms and held close. She was finally warming up, but her skin was still cool to the touch gave me goosebumps. I wrapped my jacket around her so the only thing separating her from me was my shirt and cardigan.

        We sat there, in the same position for a few minutes while I stroked her arm with my thumb. After the first minute, she was warmed up fully so I offered to take my jacket off from being around her, but she sat silently so I stayed put. We just sat there in the silence for what seemed like eternity, both waiting for the other to say something.

        “Patrick?” I heard her ask in a low whisper. It was barely audible, and I wouldn't have been able to hear her in any other scene than this silent bathroom.

        “Yes?” I looked down at her but she kept staring straight at the wall opposite of us.

        “Why..” she trailed off and I saw her start tearing up, “why did you come in here?” She was starting to cry again.