Mixtape For The End of the World

15. Gabe makes out with some guy in order to impress Sexy Stranger #2.

15. Gabe makes out with some guy (probably Pete) in order to impress Sexy Stranger #2.

The next several days were uneventful, which at the point, was the greatest thing that had happened all summer. It meant that I didn't have to worry about Gabe's visions or how Brendon was dealing with the revelation that Dallon didn't like him or any of my own problems. I didn't even see Gabe or Brendon for the rest of the week, but by the weekend, I was starting to miss my friends. It was a small price to pay for a few days of normalcy though.

When Brendon called me at eight o'clock, I was lounging around on the couch, eating mac and cheese and an extra large deep dish pizza from Fall Out Bros. and watching TV. Don't judge me - I was really hungry. I was expecting to have a quiet night, but when the phone rang, I knew that it was useless to even think about spending the night on the sofa. Brendon would keep things interesting.

"It's Saturday night!" Brendon screamed into the phone. "I'm going to the Sunshine Riptide, and I swear to God I ain't ever gonna repent. Do you want to come too?"

I sighed and asked, "Is anyone else going?"

"Ryan's coming too!" Brendon exclaimed. "We're going to have so much fun. I'm feeling so good right now."

I thought about Brendon's offer for a moment. I didn't particularly want to go out, and going to the Sunshine Riptide would only make it more likely that Gabe would meet Sexy Stranger #2 and attempt to make out with me to impress them. Besides, if Ryan was going, Brendon would be fine. He wouldn't end up in his neighbor's pool again. "I think I'll pass on this one," I told Brendon. "I'm kind of tired."

"That's the lamest excuse I've ever heard," Brendon said. "Whatever. I'll just ask Gabe." He hung up, and I went back to laying on the couch and thinking about how if personal pan pizzas came in the form of human beings, I would make mine a Patrick Stump every time.

When I thought about it, I realized that it was a mistake for me to turn down Brendon's invitation. When he had first offered, Gabe wasn't even coming, so his vision couldn't happen. More importantly, Patrick might be going to the Sunshine Riptide. I had missed the perfect opportunity to see him again.

A few minutes later, the phone rang again, and I picked it up. Before I could say anything, Gabe asked, "Pete, why aren't you coming to the Sunshine Riptide with us?! I need my wingman!"

"I'm tired," I said.

"Brendon said that, but that's a lame excuse," Gabe said.

"I had three hours of soccer practice today," I said, which was technically true.

"I'm sure you still have some energy left to party," Gabe said. "Dancing's not a crime, you know."

"I'm worried about making your next vision come true," I admitted.

Gabe laughed and said, "Don't worry about it, Pete. Brendon and Ryan will be there. They'll make sure that I don't do anything stupid."

I thought about it a little more and then said, "I'll come."

"Great," Gabe said. "Can you pick me up? My parents aren't exactly going to drive me to the Sunshine Riptide."

"Yes, of course," I said. I went back into my bedroom and changed into a Cure T-shirt, a black leather jacket, tight black jeans, and boots. I spent far too long on my hair, making sure that it looked just right, but I had to be prepared, just in case I ran into Patrick again. "Makeup is great for a guy, because it makes a guy look beautiful," I said to myself in the mirror as I put the finishing touches on my eyeliner. "Trick knows that, right?"