February

Patrick's POV

"Pete it's 3am." I rub my eyes and yawn, staring blearily at the wall in front of me.

"Yeah but you still answered." I roll my eyes. "Only because you're incredibly persistent!"

Pete laughs. "You love me really." I hum. "Ok, if you don't believe me then go on a date with me later." God he's desperate. We've known each other a month and he's either always texting me or calling at random times in the morning. "I'm going to say yes but only because if I don't you will constantly call until I agree." Silence from his side. "Pete?"

"So it's a yes?" I mentally face palm. "Yes it's a yes." I frown. "Wait what?" Pete asks. I giggle. "I'm just as confused as you are."

"So what do you want to talk about?"

"I don't know, how about actually going the fuck to sleep!" I yell. "Woah sorry hard man." Pete's sarcasm practically drips from his tone. "Yeah well I'm tired so either say something boring and random or hang up and let me fall asleep on my own. You choose or I will."

"Well because I love your cute sleepy voice I'm going to say random shit." Pete tells me. "OK." I yawn again and close my eyes, snuggling down into the pillows. "Christmas was scary. I went round to my parents and my dad got really drunk. He started doing karaoke and I swear if I could have melted into the chair, I would've." He keeps going on about how embarrassing it was and how much he wished he could dissapear or whatever. Sleep takes me by the hand,  walking us down a road made of Pete's fading voice.

Pete's POV

Patrick fell asleep last night so I hung up before he started snoring. Hopefully he'll start to trust me soon and I can move this along. This is going to go by quickly, the closer we get in this relationship, the closer we get to Ryan. Maybe if we stick around long enough we can get the rest of them too.

Red flashing digits read 9:00 so with a groan I heave myself out of bed. I need to shower, get dressed, and then go pick up Patrick. I'll call Brendon afterwards. Ooh what to wear, what to wear? I settle on skinny jeans, a T-shirt and a jacket. Nothing fancy. I don't care enough to look good.

Hemingway yaps and sits in front of the door, head cocked to the side. With a flick of my wrist, he take the hint and scampers of elsewhere.

Me: be there in five x

Patrick🤢: ok! xx

Mikes💖💕: Good luck today, report back to Dallon's at 6pm

Me: ok, see you 😘

Mikes💖💕: x

Ouch, I guess he's still annoyed. It was Brendon's idea, not mine. Why couldn't Dallon do it? Oh yeah, 'cause of Breezy. I have a life too but clearly no one cares about it. Sometimes I wish Brendon hadn't dragged us into this. It's all because he couldn't keep his dick out of Ryan, well he can go shove his dick in m-

Incoming call from: Patrick🤢

Pe: hello?

Pa: hi um...I just wondered where we're going.

Pe: where's the fun in telling you?

Pa: well um...I...I just wondered.

Pe: just wear something casual

Pa: so you won't tell me?

Pe: no.

Pa: ok, see you soon!

Pe: yeah, see you.

God he's so annoying but it's kind of cute that he was nervous. I used to be like that with Mikey, I used to stutter and ramble and talk about random shit, then I got drunk and forgot what I was talking about so it was a win win! Mainly because we ended up fucking in the back of yellow checkerd cars that either Frank or Bert stole. Fun times, good memories.

I suppose I better go get it- I mean him. I make sure Hemingway isn't starving and then lock up, climbing into the car and blasting music with my windows down. Wind blows through my hair, wooshing in my ears. Eventually I pull up outside Patrick's house and beep the horn. I'm too lazy to actually go up there.

The door opens and a fedora pokes out from inside. Patrick's face and the rest of his body hastily follow it, locking the door and hurrying down to me. "Hey!"

"Hi." Patrick clambers in beside me and I set off. He chatters to me the whole way, chewing my ear off about what he did at the weekend. "...and Ryan was wasted too. I had to drag him away from some other drunk brunette." I hit the brakes. "Jesus Pete are you trying to kill us?" Patrick clutches his chest and breathes heavily. "Sorry, I thought I saw a squirrel. What were you saying about Ryan?"

"Never mind Ryan! A squirrel? Are you crazy?" I just shrug. "Anyway, how do you know Ryan?"

"Reasons. It's a small world. Just sounds like something Brendon would do. Anyways, we're here now. Come on!" We both exit the car and I lace my fingers through his, rubbing my thumb in small circles over the back of his hand to calm him. "I'm sorry about the squirrel thing." A grin stretches across Patrick's face; he bumps his shoulder against mine. "It's fine, I want ice cream. Come with me." I decided to take him to the beach seeing as though it's the cheesiest, cheapest and easiest thing I could think of.

Together we walk towards the ice cream machine and join the line. Seagulls fly above us, swooping down to steal chips and scare the shit out of kids. Relatable.

The small fedora man tugs on my hand to get my attention. "What are you getting?"

"Chocolate chip. What are you getting?"

"I've already ordered." I reach for my wallet but my date places his hand over mine. "Let me pay." I shake my head. "No, I'm taking you on this date, I'm paying." He looks doubtful but caves. "Don't worry, you can take me on the next one." I grin. We take our flavoured diabetes in frozen form and walk towards the sand. "What makes you think there's going to be a next one?"

I raise my eyebrow. "Seriously? Are you kidding." Taking my hand back from his I gesture to myself. "Who wouldn't want to go on another date with this hot piece of ass?"

Patrick grabs my hand back. "Bit full of yourself aren't you? But sure, I'll take you on another one."

"Wait, I'm taking you on this one so you'll have to ask me on one."

"OK then, Mr Wentz, will you do me the honour of going on a date with me?"

"Yes, Mr Stump, I will." We burst into giggles and finish our ice creams. "Ready for a little swim?" I wiggle my eyebrows at him. Realisation dawns on him, clearly visible on his face, and he violently shakes his head. I scoop him into my arms and carry him bridal style to the edge of the water. Foamy water washes over my feet, my toes sinking into the sand.

"1...2...3." I fling him out into the water and dive in after him. "You're a dick." He whines. "And now we're both wet, what's your point?" He reaches out his arms and splashes wildly, getting it everywhere. "Oh it is on."

After twenty minutes of splashing each other we decide to head back. It's getting late and I still have to meet up with Brendon. "I have some towels in the boot. I came prepared." Unlocking the car I throw him a couple. He smiles at me gratefully and dries off as best as he can. I mimick his actions and clamber into the drivers seat.

"Thank you for today, it's been fun." Patrick looks at me as we pull up outside his house. "No problem, glad you enjoyed it."

"So same time next week?" I nod. "Sure." Patrick leans over the console and kisses me softly and leaves. I had more fun that I thought I would. He's alright, not as good as Mikey but he's close.

Me: goodnight xx

Patrick 💕: goodnight xox

I put my phone away and drive to Dallon's. Brendon made us all promise that at every meeting we would be serious but come on, we all just end up shitfaced at the end. I park near Dallon's and walk up to the door. It opens before I knock and closes as soon as I enter.

"Do you always have to close the door that quickly?" Brendon nods and leads me into the living room where everyone is gathered. "So, how was the 'date'?" Straight to business as usual. "It was really good. I think we were really getting somewhere. We're doing the same thing next week. It was one of the best days, he's actually really nice."

Mikey scoffs and leaves the room. Breezy follows him. Oh shit. "Don't worry about him. He's just annoyed at me. Granted it's not the best idea but you're our best chance, you're gay and Ryan's closest friends are predominantly male." I nod but the sinking feeling still won't leave. Mikey's never going to be OK with this. I just hope it doesn't rip us apart.

Dallon hands me a bottle of beer but I put it down and swap it for the spirits. I'm offered a glass but it's slowly retracted. In one swift motion the lid's off and on the floor, burning liquid pouring down my throat trying to numb the pain caused by the hole in my heart. It's going to be a long night.

This is going downhill and it's only going to get worse. Sorry. Thank you to everyone voting and reading, it gives me that boost that encourages me to update more seeing as though I don't have a schedule. I would make one but we all know I wouldn't stick to it. Oops? Xox