I was outside laying in the bright green dew dropped grass. The sun was warm against my skin. It was so relaxing. My eyes were closed. I was contemplating this time about how long would it be until Pete might ask me to go. I think about a lot of things normally, but all I could think about was Pete. I heard him say, "Why are you laying here?"

I looked at him walking towards me. He sat beside me. I said, "I don't know I just felt like this patch of grass was calling me to lay on it."

He smiled down at me, "Funny how that's normally the patch of grass I lay on. I just felt as if it was calling my name."

I stared up at the birds whistling. The sky was filled with various oranges and pinks. The sun was setting soon, but I wish it wouldn't. Today was a perfect day. I didn't want time to pass and go into tomorrow. Who knows what tomorrow was filled with. It was a mystery, an enigma.

I sat up and accidentally set my hand on Pete's. I quickly pulled away, setting my hand on my lap. Pete reached over and attached our hands together. I stared down at them with our fingers weaved between each other. Then I looked up at those glossy brown gems of Pete's. He was already staring at me. He smiled, "Do you mind if I hold your hand?"

Surprisingly I replied with, "No, I don't mind at all."

He asked, "What would you like for dinner?"

We laid back down in unison. Our hands still were held together. Why was he holding my hand? His hands were soft and my hands fit perfectly in them. I said, "I don't really care what we eat."

He chuckled, "Well you're no help."

I shrugged, "What did you have in mind?"

"I don't know. Maybe a frozen pizza from the freezer?"

I nodded, "That'd be good."

He smiled, "Alright pizza and a movie it is. I'll make the pizza and you pick the movie."

He tugged me to stand up so I did. I followed him inside where he showed me a little closet that was filled with movies, CDs, and vinyls. He had quite the collection. My finger slid across the movies as I scanned them. There wasn't many that intrigued me.

I walked into the kitchen and whined, "Pete, I can't find anything."

He laughed, "Let me go look at them."

He slid the pizza pan in the oven and walked towards the closet and I. In approximately five seconds he pulled off the shelf the movie Finding Nemo. I was about to say something, but he said, "This movie is great. It has this amazing lesson in it that not many people see. The movie itself shows much realism. Life isn't all peaches and cream. Things have to fall apart for them to be put back together."

Wow I really liked this Pete. He was talking about a children's movie in the most optimistic way. This is exactly the kind of thing I look for in a guy. To think deeply about something
that seems of little or no importance to most people.

We sat on the couch together. The leather was peeling a bit. It was a worn couch. He put in the movie then sat back down. His legs ended up extending on to my lap as he laid down. He asked, "Do you mind if I do this?"

I shook my head.

He could do anything to me and I wouldn't mind. I didn't mind his company or his physical contact with me.

It was just the beginning of the movie. We both knew what was coming. The mother was about to die. Pete said, "What a way to start a movie. With a tragedy."

"It gets the audience interested."

He nodded, "Patrick, please tell me what the climax is to this story?"

I watched the screen. What was the climax? So many huge things happened in it, so what the hell was the climax?

I shrugged, "Maybe since climaxes happen towards the ending it'd be when Dory was stuck in the net?"

"But the biggest and highest point in the story happened at the beginning. When Nemo was captured."

"That is very true. This can be a difficult movie to decipher."

He nodded and smiled, "Do you see why I love it now?"

I smiled, "I like the way you think, Pete."

"Great minds think alike and you indeed have a great mind."

I rested my head on his legs while we watched the movie. Our positions with each other seemed as if we've been best friends for years. Right now he was my only friend. He might as well be my best friend.

I never really had all that many friends so Pete was like a blessing to me. People didn't like me because of how I thought. They didn't like my opinions because they believed nothing of what I said mattered.

I could be orally presenting a project on how greatly cancer has affected society and they still wouldn't give two shits. Just because I wrote it. That was my entire high school career.

I had two friends. Legitimately only two. Their names were Andy and Joe. The only reason why our friendship worked was because none of us really talked. We just reacted to things. I gave them my opinion once about a movie we went to see. Andy stared me straight in the eye and said, "That is the most ridiculous assumption about the easiest plot ever written."

It hurt. A lot.

It wasn't just my opinions people hated. It was my contemplative speaking. I stopped giving my opinions or any thoughts out loud. Until Pete told me he liked the way I think.

He was the first.

That's why I thought I'd give him a chance. I was over-thinking things again, as always. I hadn't even noticed Pete had gotten up and walked into the kitchen. He called, "Pizza is done!"

I was about to stand up, but he brought the food into the living room with drinks. Orange soda for me and a beer for him. I had a feeling that might be a new tradition.

He sat down beside me. It wasn't like before where he was at least a foot away, sitting on the opposite end of the couch with the middle seat empty. No this time he was right beside me. His thigh was touching mine.

He of course asked, "Do you mind if I sit here?"

I shook my head. No Pete I really don't mind at all... Of course I never said that to him. How could I without him knowing I had a crush on him?

We began eating while the movie played on. We were at the part of the sharks. If you have seen Finding Nemo you would know the saying "Fish are friends, not food." If you haven't seen it yet, you now know something new. Anyways the main shark, Bruce started chasing Dory and Marlin.

I'd be lying if I said this part didn't scare me when I first saw it.

Pete shook his head, "Bruce deceived them. See how they can even bring a hint of reality to this movie of talking sea creatures. I really appreciate this movie."

I laughed, "I really appreciate you."

He smiled, "Not as much as I appreciate you."

Oh he was so perfect. He knew exactly what to say with the most perfect answer possible.

When we finished eating I rested my head on his shoulder. Then he rested his on top of mine. My eyes became heavy and dreary. Soon they just couldn't take it anymore. I fell asleep, hard.
*****

When I woke up I heard birds chirping. It was morning? The way Pete and I were laying on the couch was now in a spooning position. His arm wrapped around my waist.

I loved the way our bodies touched. I could lay like this for forever. I was surprised I had slept for so long. I never sleep for very long. Normally I am nocturnal or much like an insomniac.

Sleep wasn't a favorite of mine. I was always tired and I never could fall asleep. I often would write songs and play them in the middle of the night. My undiagnosed insomnia has never been as bad as it has been since I moved to the big city. The clamorous streets had made it even harder to fall asleep.

No matter how hard I tried I couldn't fall asleep. But being in Pete's arms in this quiet, relaxing house has changed all of that. I probably fell asleep around six last night. I've never slept for this long. I looked at my watch. The time was 10:27 am. I had slept for approximately sixteen hours. That's more than I have slept in the longest time.

I think I could really really get used to this. I didn't want to leave his arms, but I wasn't sure how long I could stay there. Although, I could stay there forever. I gently slid away from his warm safe tattoo filled arms. I replaced where I laid with a pillow.

I went into the bathroom and began stripping my clothes. I hopped into the shower. I couldn't stop thinking about him... I wasn't sure if it was healthy, but that's all I ever thought about...was him.

The warm water hit my skin. I closed my eyes, wondering what it'd be like if he was in here with me. The way the water would be running down his golden muscular body. How he would wash me and I would wash him. As I washed my hair and body that was all I thought about. What if it was him doing this...

I rinsed off the soap and turned off the water. I reached for the towel on the hook for me to wrap it around my waist. I stepped out of the shower. I jumped back to see Pete standing at the sink. He was searching through the medicine cabinet. I was startled. I asked, "Pete?"

He looked at me through the reflection in the mirror. He held something in his hand. He was hiding it from me. I asked, "How long have you been in here?"

He smiled, "Just a few minutes. Let me go get you some clean clothes."

I nodded and followed him into his room. He handed me a Nirvana band t-shirt and black shorts.

I went into my room to change. I dropped the towel from my body onto the floor just so Pete could walk in saying, "I forgot to give you boxers."

I quickly picked up the towel and covered my area. I was so embarrassed. Pete chuckled a little, "I'm so sorry...um uh here's some boxers."

I shrugged, "It's cool."

I didn't want him feeling bad. He smiled, "Do you mind?"

"I never mind when it comes to you."

He smiled, left the room, and walked into his. I slid on the boxers. Then the rest of the clothing. When I was done I walked out of my room. Pete's room was open a crack. I could see him slowly removing his shirt. I watched him, peeking inside. He was about to remove his pants. He began slowly unbuttoning them and then unzipping.

I moved ever so slightly and then a creaky floorboard gave away my position. I ran out into the kitchen. I didn't want him to know I was watching him so I did everything in a huge haste.

I started pulling out eggs and other fresh vegetables. I was going to make a vegetarian style omelet. Pete walked into the room shirtless. I tried not to stare, but damn...

He stood against the walls with a sly smile, "Hey after breakfast want to go pick up your things?"

I nodded and turned back to the cooking egg. He wrapped his arms around me. I froze up. Why was he doing this to me?

He said, "Do you mind if I do this? You smell really good."

I laughed, "I used your soap."

He nodded, "Exactly. By the way breakfast smells delicious."

I smiled, "Remember I'm your cook."

He squeezed me tighter and then let go. I wished he didn't let go. He said, "I'll be right back. I'm going to shower."

I nodded, "I'll continue cooking."

He replied, "Are you going to peek in again on me?"

My cheeks burned with embarrassment. All I could think was fuck, fuck, fuck, fucking shit. He chuckled, "I don't mind."

I liked being with him. Neither of us cared. The little quirks didn't bother us, just made us closer.

I heard the shower's pitter patter of water droplets from the kitchen. Oh how I wished I was in there with him.

The shower ran a little long. I cooked breakfast and set our little pathetic dining table to dine. He came out in wearing just a towel.

Holy shit.

He sat down across from me and I saw his mouth open to say something. I interrupted, "No I don't mind."

He smiled in between taking his first bite of the omelette. His eyes widened, "Woah this is amazing."

I chuckled, "Thanks, Pete."

After a somewhat silent breakfast we went to go get my things.

We were on our way at the moment. His reckless driving made the car ride entertaining. He pulled up to my apartment building. I felt almost embarrassed to call this my home. Well at least I don't have to anymore.

We walked up the long winding stairs to my apartment. It was so very tiny I hadn't even completely unpack yet because there was nowhere to put my things.

We began the long process of taking my things to the car. We would carry a couple boxes down the stairs and then come back up to repeat. I didn't have that much as it was so it only took about four trips with the two of us together.

Nonetheless it was quite exhausting.

We came back home.

He said, "Hey I'm going to go run an errand. You stay and start unpacking." I nodded and did exactly that. My room was a decent size so everything could have a place and I was grateful for that. I was halfways through and I stared outside.

The sun was shining and it was so warm. That dew dropped patch of grass was so tempting.

I couldn't resist.

I went outside and laid out there. The sun hugged me the way Pete did. It's almost like I could physically feel him touching me. My eyes flew open expecting to see Pete there, but sadly no. Just a bird in an above tree mocking me with its freedom.

I did have freedom, but not in the same sense as it did. I couldn't fly up there where only my imagination could take me. I did like my freedom, but only because of Pete.

I never thought there was anything good about any town I could go to. I never believed there was a point to going to a different location for an escape. There was no escape from life.

I heard a clatter in the kitchen. I stood up and slowly walked to it. It was Pete rearranging things. He had a few buckets of paint.

Oh my god. He was repainting the kitchen grey. I said, "Holy shit you are not doing what I think you are doing."

He laughed, "I don't take any thought you have lightly." This man was the best man I've ever met. He made me like him even more with his charm and wit.

Pete Wentz was definitely the last good thing about this part of town.