when the party's over, hockstetter 𝜗𝜚

xvii. i need you

❨ WHEN THE PARTY'S OVER ❩
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:
I NEED YOU

‧ : *: ‧ °✧

his eyes mirrored the flames, capturing their dance and flicker with a haunting, almost surreal clarity. an uncanny grin daunts his face as proudness surges from within.

after what seems like an eternity of staring at the burning building, the raven haired boy wipes his hands on his jeans and begins to saunter away.

he can barely suppress a smirk as the wail of approaching sirens grows louder.

his steps echo on the gravel street, his head hanging low. he lifts a pale hand to brush back a stray strand of hair before shoving it back into his pocket.

the hockstetter boy walks along the road for a short ten minutes before taking a sharp turn into the woods.

his steps are smaller and much gentler than before, barely a whisper on the ground as he moves, not wanting to make too much noise.

"henry, let me go this instant or else i'll—"

patrick's ears perk up at the sound of a female's voice, his hands instinctively reaching for the zippo in his back pocket.

the rustling of two other pairs of feet in the leaves causes the boy to look around wearily. he comes to a halt, finding himself face to face with a girl.

his girl.

his breath hitches in his throat as he watches her tug her arm out of her cousin's grip.

god, he missed her. she seemed to radiate a soft glow, her hair cascading effortlessly, her pregnant belly prominent, and her lips full and inviting.

his lips open and close a few times, trying to find the right words, but nothing comes out.

"oh hey, patrick." henry coughs, attempting to break the awkward silence.

the dark haired boy can only nod, his gaze still stuck on his now ex-girlfriend.

"hi." he whispers, shoving his hands into his pockets as he shifts from one foot to the other.

(y/n) looks up and instantly feels a tug in her chest as their eyes meet; his are a deep blue, revealing a mix of guilt and shame.

she frowns, shakes her head, and bites her lip to hold back the tears.

"i can't." she whispers, not wasting another second in pushing past him.

the dirty blonde haired boy looks between patrick and his cousin with pity, patting the taller boy's shoulder before quickly catching up to (y/n).

patrick watches her walk away, desperate to call out for her to stop, but his voice is trapped in his throat.

the blaring sirens of fire trucks and police cars draw nearer, but the young man remains indifferent.

he collapses onto the slightly damp ground, letting out a deep sigh as he mentally berates himself for being so weak.

patrick closes his eyes tightly, his fists clenched at his sides, struggling to suppress a choked sob. the overwhelming sense of despair engulfs him, and he loathes every aspect of the situation he's found himself in.

☆

"oh come on, (n/n)! you can't hide forever!" victor chuckles, a small grin on his face as he looks around the quarry.

"sure can!" (y/n)'s voice comes from behind him, causing him to quickly turn around.

he stares ahead of him confusedly, wondering where in the hell she was hiding.