Tyler was in the driver's seat, driving, of course, and Josh and Patrick were sitting in the back seat with the younger laying his head in his older brother's lap.

"Hey, Patrick?" Tyler piped up. "You sleepin'?"

"No," he mumbled.

"Okay, good. Wait until we get to my house to sleep, my mom'll fix you up."

"I don't wanna be a burden," the youngest replied.

"You never are," Tyler replied, making Josh smile widely. "Can I tell you something?"

"I guess."

"I can guarantee you that any size is perfect. I would know with all the girls I've–"

"Tyler..." Josh warned.

"–with all the girls I've seen who are beautiful no matter their weight."

"But I'm not a girl," Josh laughed slightly at Patrick's response.

"That's not the point of this," Josh could hear the smile behind Tyler's voice. "The point is that you're beautiful, Patrick. Inside and out. You're kind, funny, and one of the strongest people I know, your brother being the other. Don't let some mean kids who're bored get to you, they just feel bad about themselves."

"But they also make me feel bad about myself," Patrick whispered back.

"And they shouldn't. Their opinion doesn't matter. Hell, mine doesn't even matter and neither does Josh's or your parents'. The only opinion that matters is your own."

"Well my opinion is that I'm just as fat as they said I am."

"Patrick," Josh piped up. "You're not fat. You're perfect to me."

"I love you."

"I love you too, Trick."

"Tyler?"

"Yeah, Patrick?" Tyler answered as he pulled into his driveway.

"I love you."

"I love you too, buddy," Tyler turned around and smiled sadly at Josh's brother. "We're gonna go inside now, okay? The only people home are my mom and Jay. Josh and I are gonna help you get situated and then we gotta go back to school, 'k?"

"Okay," Patrick nodded shakily and slowly sat up. Josh got out of the car and motioned for his little brother to just slide out his side. The three walked up and Tyler opened the door, letting them in.

When he entered the house, Josh noticed Tyler's mom sitting on the couch, but she wasn't alone. There was a man next to her looking down at a piece of paper.

"Mom?" Tyler asked, shutting the door behind him.

Kelly looked up, startled. "Tyler? Josh? Patrick? What're you guys doing here? You all should be at school."

"Patrick got pushed down at recess and hit his head. The school sent him home. Josh's parents are at work and he can't be alone. Since you're a nurse I assumed you could look after him. I sent you a text. Who's this?"

"I'm Doctor Thomas," the man offered, smiling.

"Andrew was just looking over patient files with me," she told them. "My phone is in the kitchen, charging, I'm sorry, I didn't see it honey."

"It alright," Josh watched Tyler sigh. "Can you take care of him while we're at school?"

"Of course," she smiled at the youngest.

"I'll take this as my cue to leave," Andrew piped up, beginning to stand.

"Are you sure?" Kelly asked.

"Yeah, I gotta get going anyway. I'll see you tomorrow at work, Kelly."

"Bye, Andrew," Kelly waved. The doctor walked over to door and Tyler opened it for him, letting him walk through. "Now, let's get you fixed up, Patrick."

---

"Tomorrow is Ditch Day," Brendon said, grinning. "It's our self given 'senior gift' or whatever. Some kids in second period were talking about it. None of the seniors are coming tomorrow."

Brendon, Dallon, Hayley, Tyler, and Josh were all sitting together at lunch today. They've all grown closer and the two decided to abandon their old lunch table that consisted of just them and join Tyler and his friends.

"We should all hang out!" Hayley decided.

"Yeah, cause Brendon's parents would totally allow him off of house arrest," Dallon laughed.

"Okay, it's not my fault they caught me smoking." Brendon rolled his eyes playfully.

"It kind of is," Tyler replied with a snicker.

"Oh fuck you," he threw a Goldfish at him which he caught in his mouth with a grin. "Besides, the point of Ditch Day is to not let your parents find out."

"I thought the point was to ditch," Tyler added.

"Joseph, I swear to God!" Brendon laughed.

"I don't know..." Josh sighed. "About ditching."

"Well," Hayley began. "Everyone in my classes have been talking about it all day and as far as I know nobody is coming. It would be embarrassing to be the only one to show up."

"Dallon would come," Josh said.

"No, I wouldn't," Dallon replied.

"What?"

"I would love to miss school."

"But I wouldn't," Josh reminded. "I hate my house," he mumbled.

"You can hang out with me all day, never tell your parents that you're skipping school. They're not gonna call all the parents and say the whole grade ditched."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive," Tyler smiled. "We can goof off all day."

"God, you two are so gay," Hayley laughed, making Dallon and Brendon laugh too. Josh blushed and Tyler's smile turned into a frown.

"Shut up," the brunette glared at his friend.

"I surrender," she put her hands up as the mood drastically changed.

Brendon coughed slightly. "Well, if you two are gonna hang out, Dallon and I are gonna hang out."

"We are?" he asked.

"We are," Brendon nodded.

"Alright," Dallon shrugged. "I'm up for it."

"What am I gonna do?" Hayley scoffed in disbelief. "You can't ditch me that's not why they call it Ditch Day."

"You can..." Brendon thought for a minute. "Go to the college and take an art class, I don't know."

"That's actually not a bad idea, Urie," Hayley pondered.

---

Josh watched Tyler open the door to his house for the second time that day, except with Madison now in tow.

When they stepped inside, they saw Patrick sitting on the floor with Jay, reading a book. "I do not like green eggs and ham. I do not like them Sam I Am," he recited to Tyler's little brother, making him giggle.

"This book rhymes a lot," Jay pointed out.

"That's what Dr. Seuss did best," Patrick replied, turning the page. "The book with the fox in socks is tough. My brother can't even read it without getting mixed up."

"I thought you had more faith in me," Josh said, making Patrick look up.

"Joshie!" he stood up and ran over to him.

"Are you feeling better?" Josh asked as he bent down to hug his brother.

"Yeah," he nodded. "Ms. Joseph gave me some Tylenol and let me lay on the couch while I watched Spongebob. It's a such a good show, I wish we had cable so I could watch it everyday."

"I know," Josh smiled sadly.

"Hi, Madison!" Patrick became cheerful when he saw his friend.

"Hey, Patrick!" she walked over to him. "Did you hear what happened to Pete?"

"I saw him in the office after he punched those kids. What did the principal do?"

"He doesn't get to go on the field trip to the aquarium in Friday."

"Oh," Patrick looked down. "Neither do I."

"Why not?" she asked.

"Um, the nurse doesn't want me to go just in case my head starts hurting again," he replied. Josh knew he was lying. He had watched his little brother ask their parents to sign the permission slip a few a weeks ago. The just responded with a laugh and ripped it up.

"I'm sorry," she frowned. "I'm bringing my mom's camera and I'll make sure to take lots of pictures for you guys."

"Thanks, Madison," Patrick smiled.

Josh sighed sadly and he felt a hand grab his. "Sometimes physical contact helps," he heard Tyler say.

"What?"

"You said sometimes physical contact helps. You look upset."

Josh let the words sink in before smiling. "Thanks, Ty."

"Anytime."