Guilty Conscience

Chapter 7

Patrick spent a lot of time trying to figure out what his feelings were for Mike. In the end he didn't have a definite answer, so he decided to just keep acting as he had been to spite his confusion and hope to figure it out.

When he went to school on Monday he opened his locker to find a note.

"It looked like you were having fun at the park." He had no time to even freak out though because once again, like he was summoned, Mikey steps up next to Patrick's locker. Patrick quickly crumpled the note, shoving it back into his locker and grabbed his book as Mikey greeted "hey, so i was thinking Saturday was fun, we should do that again."

Patrick nodded, forcing a smile. "Uh huh"

Mikey's expression morphed to concern. "Is everything okay? Did I do something wrong?"

Patrick shook his head vigorously, saying a bit too loud "No!" he stopped to force himself to continue quieter. "No, not at all. You're fine."

He was saved from further explanation by the sound of the bell ringing. He slammed his locker shut and hurried off to class.

After taking his seat, he quickly felt eyes on him. Looking around he noticed Pete a couple seats away, staring daggers at him. There was likely his explanation for that note. He should really try to talk to Pete. It didn't look like this situation was going to resolve itself otherwise.

Pete did a good job of seemingly avoiding him between classes and always sat far enough away in classes to not be able to talk without causing a commotion. When lunch rolled around, Patrick refused Mikey's invitation to eat with him in hopes of finally being able to speak with his best friend. He had no such luck though and didn't see Pete at all for the rest of the day either. so he just walked home with Mikey.

He would keep unsuccessfully trying to talk to Pete for the next couple days.

Mikey had noticed that he just seemed off that week but hadn't wanted to push it. By Wednesday, on their walk home that day Patrick had finally let that fake smile slip away. "Are you sure nothing's wrong?" Mikey questioned, unable to leave it alone anymore.

Patrick was shaken from his thoughts, giving Mikey an almost deer in headlights expression. Mikey's look of concern pushed him to be honest. "Well" he started "I've been trying to talk to Pete, to make up, y'know..." He paused.

"And?" Mikey prompted.

"I think he's avoiding me." Patrick responded glumly.

"Oh." Mikey frowned unsure what to say to that, so they walked in silence until they split off waving goodbye.

The next day Mikey enlisted Ray and Atticus' help in tracking Pete's movements throughout the school day.

During lunch Friday Patrick followed after Mikey, confused they weren't heading to their usual spot. They went into one of the back seldom used stairways and his eyes went wide as he saw Pete sitting there on the steps eating his lunch.

Pete froze, sandwich halfway to his mouth, blinking in shock as Mikey just stated "I think you guys need to talk." then stepped back outside the door and closed it.

Pete grabbed his lunch bag and shoved his food back in it as he stood to run away yet again.

Patrick grabbed his arm. "Pete, wait. Please."

Pete sank back down to the step, head down so he didn't have to look at Patrick.

"I've missed you. I'm sorry." Patrick tried.

Pete's head snapped up to glare at him. "Oh I'm sure you have." he scoffed. "I bet you've hardly even noticed with all the time you've been spending with Mikey." His accusatory words hurt Patrick. He pressed his lips in a tight frown taking a heavy breath before responding sternly "I don't understand why it's such a bad thing for me to be friends with both of you! What gives you the right to decide I can't?!"

Pete continued to glare.

"I care about both of you. You're my best friend and I think I might really like like Mikey okay?" His voice broke as he realized what he was saying even as the words left his mouth. His eyes welled up with tears as he saw the new expression of shock on his friend's face. He turned to run out of the stairway without even waiting for a response. He didn't need one he knew he had just ruined any chance at Pete forgiving him.

Patrick ran down the hallway and into the nearest bathroom, which was mercifully empty. He leaned on his hands against the counter, trying to take deep breaths as tears fell into the sink.

Mikey had been waiting in the hallway, a bit further down to give them some privacy. When he saw Patrick run by he called after him then followed when he didn't stop. He opened the bathroom door to see Patrick crying there and quickly stepped over to him silently wrapping him in a hug. He wouldn't ask what happened. He felt it wasn't really any of his business & anyways, he could assume it wasn't good.

Patrick clung to him, burying his face against the taller boy's shirt and let the tears fall heavy. He let out a sob and Mikey hugged him tighter to his chest, rocking a bit. It took quite a few minutes for him to calm down.

Mikey leaned away enough to look at Patrick. "Why don't we leave early and go play some games at my place or something, okay? Take your mind off things."

Patrick sniffled and nodded, wiping his face on his sweater sleeve.

"Okay" Mikey said quietly and hugged him again before letting go and leading him to the lockers to get their thing.

They left campus together and went back to Mikey's house. No one else was there so they were able to take up the living room, getting absorbed in playing some game until they got too hungry and ordered a pizza. Gerard and Frank had shown up by the time it arrived, making some suggestive comments speculating what the other two had been doing alone in the house. After much uncomfortable blushing from Patrick and Mikey turning the speculation back on the other two, they called a truce and all decided to just have their pizza while watching a movie.

One movie turned into another and another and before he knew it Patrick was feeling quite tired. He may have drifted off during one of the movies because he didn't really remember much of what happened. As the credits rolled and Gerard and Mikey debated which movie to start next, he glanced out the window and realized it had gotten dark. He sat up in a panic, promptly halting the discussion going on around him.

"Mornin' sunshine." Frank laughed, thinking he had just gotten startled out of a dream.

"What's wrong" Mikey questioned as Patrick scrambled over to put his shoes back on.

"It's late!" Patrick half yelled.

Gerard and Frank were still looking at him confused, but Mikey understood & provided the explanation. "He needs to get home, so he doesn't get in trouble."

"Oh." Gerard said flatly then also started toward the door. "Well let's go. We'll drive him back."

They all piled into the car and were at his house within a few minutes. Mikey gave him a hug and after hushing the calls, coming from the car, of "just kiss him already" with a glare and an annoyed "shut up", they agreed to try to hang out again over the weekend.

Patrick however was not as lucky as the last time and his mom was awake and waiting for him when he walked in. Before she even said a word he launched into the explanation. "I'm sorry, mom. I was watching movies at Mikey's and just lost track of time."

"Patrick" she cut him off. "You know you need to let me know if you're going to be out late. I think I'm pretty lenient with you but I know you got home late last weekend too and I don't want this to turn into a habit. You can't go out this weekend."

He hung his head and accepted his fate, heading to his room.