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

the thomas milbourne chapter

The first thing Patrick does when the two of you land back in Seattle and collect your luggage from the airport... is smoke.
You smack him upside the head, all feelings of affection and the night you slept together flying out of your head as soon as you see the puff of smoke exhaling from his lungs.

"Oh, come on!" he protests, "I couldn't do it the whole time we were at my family's - they wouldn't approve!"
"I wonder why!" you protest back, and take the cig and crush it under the heel of your sneaker. Patrick pouts childishly until you reach into the secret pocket in your backpack and give him a blunt for the two of you to share.

He looks at you in surprise. "You had that the whole time we were in Milwaukee? How did you not get stopped by anyone?"
He gestures to the secure airport you just came out of, and you shrug as you use his lighter to light the paper.
"My secret weapon is not giving a shit."

As the two of you drop off your things at your place, which was closer to the school, you feel more confident about the whole Thomas Milbourne situation. Because of Patrick. Not that you were actually together or anything: you didn't have to discuss it to know that both of you were still best friends; you just occasionally might sleep together or go out if there's nobody else when you feel like it; and you know that if either of you got partners, the other would be their biggest shipper. You didn't need to be lovers - just best friends.

No, you're not more confident because of Patrick in that way - it was because you had finally spoken to somebody about Thomas Milbourne, and they had listened, and understood, and reassured you that you were stronger than you were and able to brave him being back in the same school.

You both stride through the hallways the next morning like you own the place, kids dodging your paths awkwardly, until you arrive outside your Drama class. You had both unspokenly decided for him to take you to class - you blink as you realise how much of a couple you two are like. Even though you're not. Though you would be okay with that if you were. It's weird, okay?

Patrick smiles at you brightly before walking to his class and lighting a cigarette once his blunt is finished, and you tut noncommittally and turn into the classroom.

"Ah! y/n!" your Drama teacher, your favourite adult here besides Perky, calls out as she clasps her hands and tells you that you've got the main part in the new Spring production which has all the local production company agents going to it. You clasp your own hands in a moment of raw glee and anticipation, excited as hell for what's to come... until the teacher says:

"Oh, and everybody! Our new student's coming in today! He was here quite a while ago, so not many of you will remember him, but anyway, make him feel welcome!"

The door opens. A pair of brand new sneakers walk in, attached to a very tall person. And that person, of course, because who else would it have been...

Thomas Milbourne.

Oh, Jesus Fucking Christ.

Thomas Milbourne flashes a cool smile at everyone - except you, whom he straight up ignores. Despite everything you went through with him and how much you despise him, you still feel a twinge of hurt at that denial of very existence. Perhaps that's just the ghosts of the emotional manipulation you suffered.

"Hey," he says, completely chilled out as stark contrast to your alert shock, which in itself is a stark contrast of how you usually are; your blunt falls to the floor from your limp hand, completely singed out.

Before he came in, you felt ready to take him on - ready to let go of the past and begin to grow into a less scary-seeming person, ready to become more vulnerable.