The Art Of Reputation (Patrick Verona X Reader) [COMPLETED]

the epilogue

After a rehearsal of Alice In Wonderland set to premiere in Vegas for its first night, you've changed out of your Queen of Hearts wig and shoes but not dress when your phone beeps. You bend down to check your messages, and your face lights up when your friend's contact comes onscreen:

Joey Dickhead Donner is tryna make me take out this girl.

You raise an eyebrow, wondering why Joey would try to go anywhere near Patrick when everyone is scared half to death of your Aussie bestie, and text back:

You mean he managed to get near you without passing out from your permanent cloud of smoke? Seriously dude, just smoke weed - you're hurting yourself.

Shut up MOM. He's giving me money to do it.

While you do laugh at the MOM joke, you feel intrigued by what Donner is trying to do here. He's not the type of guy to not have an ulterior motive.

Why does he want you to take this girl out?

It's Katarina Stratford and he wants to date Bianca for some reason, even though she's younger than him (gross, this guy does NOT know when to quit) and remember their really strict dad? He's made this rule that nobody dates Bianca unless somebody dates Kat, so by process of deduction, Sherlock...

He thinks you're the only person wild enough to match her wild? Dude, if you get her, go all in, she's a really cool person below all that teenage angst.

Really? You're not mad?

I mean, I can't say I wouldn't murder someone who went out with me just for money, but I have a feeling you two are somewhat perfect for each other. I say go for it - just don't tell her about the money thing.

Giving me advice on how to date a girl without letting her know I'm being paid for them? Sneaky girl,    l/n - I'm gonna bump you up to intermediate instead of beginner's.

I don't even know what the fuck that means, dude, but good luck! Oh, by the way, later dates for Alice in Wonderland are in Washington, I'll give you the areas when I know them, 'kay?

Gotcha. And who knows, maybe by then I'll bring my own date. Gotta dash, Woodshop now. Talk later, love you!

Love you too, Patty Cakes.

You switch off your phone, a refreshing breath settling over you. You're doing well in the production company and in speech therapy, Patrick's doing reportedly well in school and is thinking of dating Kat Stratford (it might be a bloodbath when she finds out he was paid, but you think they'd be a cute couple nonetheless), and at Christmas his family let you into their arms again before you and Patty Cakes relive the glory days as well as... ahem... some other things.

The reputations you've built have become an art, a skilled weave through the fabric of your lives. It keeps the two of you together, connected in any way you decide it to be - which currently was long-distance best friends who occasionally fucked - and takes you both on journeys you never would've dreamed of.

You guess there is a certain art of reputation after all.