***COMPLETED*** Around the World and Back [A Patty Walters Story]

Chapter 6: "I thought you'd never ask."

June 26, 2018
Peoria, Illinois

I woke up before Patty did again, and also long before we needed to be up. My phone appointment was at 11:30, and my alarm clock read 6:42.

"Why do you always wake up so early?" Patty asked quietly in his raspy voice as I shifted. "Is everything okay?"

I groaned, burying my head in his shoulder as I pressed a soft kiss to his neck.

"I don't know," I said as I rubbed my eyes. "I can't stay asleep as long as I used to anymore."

He moved his hand from my hip and placed it on my back, rubbing softly as his fingertips gently tickled my back.

"Remember when we used to take naps together?" He laughed as he looked down at me, kissing my temple. "This used to put you asleep almost immediately."

"Mhm," I groaned as I pulled my comforter up over us again. "We took more naps than your average preschooler," I laughed as I rubbed my eyes.

He continued rubbing my back until I fell back asleep again, which didn't take long at all.

"Avery?" He asked, waiting a few seconds. "I knew it.." he said as he got comfortable again, slipping his arm in the usual spot around my waist.

Xoxox

"Everything on your plan is going to stay the same," the phone store employee said as he went over the contract with my mom and I. "You'll just have a different number."

He activated it and placed it in my hands before handing me my phone contract.

"So we'll just need your signature here, here, and here," he pointed to each of the lines. "Then all you'll need to do is pay for the taxes on the phone and you'll be all set."

I signed the contract, and then my mom signed it, but when I went to go pay for the taxes, she snatched my card from my hand.

"No, Avery," she said as she pulled her Mastercard out of her wallet. "I'll pay for it. This is for your safety, and I will do what I can to protect you, even while you're on tour."

"You don't have to do that, mom," I said as I put my card back in my pocket. "But thank you," I grinned as I kissed her cheek.

In the car, I immediately texted Patty so he would have my new number. Even after all this time, I still had it memorized.

He set his phone down on top of mine with a laugh.

"Your phone is bigger than mine is," he said as he pulled it back. "Why do you need a phone that's not going to fit normally in your butt pocket?"

"Hey, I didn't pay for it!" I laughed as I looked down at my new phone. "It'll fit! Don't wish that on me."

We drove back to my mom's house and had lunch with her before going upstairs to pack our things up.

"Do we have to go back so soon?" I frowned, laying stomach-down on my bed. "It's been so nice being in the quiet and away from all that Warped craziness."

"We'll come back when the tour's over," Patty said as he patted my legs. "It's been nice being here again," he admitted, reaching over and taking the letter I had written.

I sat up after a few minutes and looked up at him as he put his clothes in his bag.

"Our flight doesn't actually leave until 8, and it's only 4, we still have time to do stuff," I grinned as I hopped up to repack my bag with some of my clean clothes. "I know where we can go."

We finished packing up and said our goodbyes to my mom before getting into the rental car.

"Do you recognize where we're going yet?" I asked as I looked over at Patty, who was pouting in the passenger seat. "Oh, don't be sad, I wanted to drive! You can drive back to the airport."

He laughed at me, shaking his head as he reached over and grabbed my hand.

"I know, I just wanted to drive," he smirked. "I kind of remember, but not really."

"Oh, you'll remember in a minute," I smiled as I pulled up to the park, getting out of the car. "We used to come here all the time!"

Surprisingly, nobody was there, even though it was still light out and not hot at all.

"The park!" He exclaimed as he came around the other side of the car to meet me. "How could I forget our park dates?"

We used to come here almost every day and walk around just because we got bored with being cooped up all day, but we stopped coming in the months leading up to Patty's move, and when he did finally go, I stopped going altogether.

"This is my first time here since you moved," I said as I intertwined my fingers with his, walking down the path. "It's our place, I can't go here without you."

He looked down at me with a smile through his sunglasses.

"I never forgot how much time we spent here," he said as we walked over to the swings. "We were here even if it rained."

I sat down on one, holding onto the chains as he pushed me.

"I had to bring you back here while I still had the chance," I laughed as I swung my legs in rhythm with the swings. "Hey, Patty?"

"Yeah?" He asked as he slowly stopped pushing me, coming around to stand in front of me.

"A few days ago while I was at the merch tent," I said as I watched him take off his sunglasses. "Ronnie...told me some things."

His eyes grew slightly wide as he bit down on his lip, leaning against the pole.

"What did he say?"

"He said that he heard us kissing the other day," I said as I watched him. "And he also said that you would always talk about me and how you wished you could've saved me from Josh, and-"

I looked up at him as he looked away from me, breaking eye contact.

"What's wrong?" I asked as I stood up, going to grab his hand as he pulled it away. "Patty..."

"I always used to blame myself," he said as he stood there with his back towards me. "Whenever you told me about him. I never knew how bad it was until we met up again recently."

I pulled on his arm, making him turn back around.

"It's not your fault, or mine, Patty," I said as I brought his head down, making him look at me. "Josh is a horrible, toxic person. Nobody knew that he was going to turn out the way he did, okay? It's not your fault."

"I guess when you told me you first got together with him," he said as he put his sunglasses on. "I was jealous. I wanted it to be me that held you every night, that kissed you, did things for you, made you laugh and smile...but when you started telling me about all the abusive stuff, I wanted to move back home and protect you," he said as his voice cracked.

He put a finger under his glasses to wipe his eye.

"Now that you're here with me all summer, I'm gonna do my best to make sure you're happy, and protect you," he said as he took my hands. "And give you all the love you deserve, when you're ready."

Seeing him cry made me tear up. I wiped my eyes before taking his face in my hands, standing up on my tippy toes and kissing him gently, stroking his cheek with my thumbs.

"You are the purest soul to ever walk this earth, Patrick Thomas Walters," I said with a smile. "I'm at a loss for words with how you make me feel. But it's a good feeling."

He placed his hands on top of mine as he smiled, blushing at his full name.

"Only the best for you, Avery," he said as he kissed my forehead. "My love, my light."

"Patty?" I asked, biting down on my lip, scared of my next question. "Will you be my boyfriend?"

His smile grew wider as he moved my hands off of his cheeks, placing his on my neck as he pulled me closer, kissing me a bit roughly.

"I thought you'd never ask."