Listen (Patrick Stump / Fall Out Boy Fanfic)

Chapter 3 - I'm Every Cliché but I Simply do it Best

            Four days after meeting Aria and Meagan in the bookstore, I found myself standing in front of my mirror in the bathroom with my fedora in my hands. I stared at myself with a frown and ran my fingers through my hair, trying to part it the way I liked and sweep my fringe off to the side. I finally placed the hat on my head, adjusting it until I was sure it looked halfway decent. I looked at myself once more, my heart racing with anticipation. I hadn't dressed too nicely, but pretty much like I usually dressed. I had a white dress shirt and black skinny jeans with a black cardigan, a nice pair of shoes, and my fedora. I looked presentable at least, and I had even opted to wear my glasses today.

Pete stuck his head in the door with an impatient grimace, and sighed. "Patrick, you look fine," he groaned, "Let's go, before we're late." I glared at him through the mirror and then he was gone, jogging across the house to wait for me by the front door like a petulant child. I rolled my eyes and glanced at myself one last time, then sighed and finally left the bathroom.

As predicted, I found Pete by the front door, impatiently shifting from one foot to the other while he jingled his keys in his hand. "Okay, okay," I said, "Let's go."

"Finally," Pete groaned, opening the door and flying out to his car. I took my time walking out to get into the passenger's side, nervously pulling at the sleeves of my cardigan as I sat down. Pete started the car and glanced over at me, a mischievous smirk on his lips. "Calm down," he chuckled, "You've already talked to her, it's not like it's the first time." I ignored him and stared straight ahead, still worrying at the fabric of my sweater. "Patrick," Pete said, beginning to pull out of the driveway, "Chill out. Look at it this way, if you say something stupid–"

"Don't," I snapped, turning to glare at him as we hit the road. He still smirked at me, because he knew that I knew the horribly off-taste joke he was about to make.

"Sorry," Pete mumbled, "I'm really not trying to be an asshole, Patrick, it's just...this is insane. You know that, right?" He pulled up to a stop sign and glanced at me, but I only continued to glare at him, refusing him an answer. I looked forward again as we started moving, resigned to sit in silence for the rest of the ride to the restaurant.

Pete had been picking on me the last few days, ever since I first told him about Aria. He honestly doesn't think this will work out, but even if he's right, I don't care. It was worth a shot, wasn't it? I wasn't about to pass this up just because she was deaf. Pete even went as far as telling the rest of the band, and even Joe called to laugh about my horribly ironic luck. Andy called and congratulated me, so he was the only one on my good side right now.

Despite all of the teasing and joking about it, I was still more nervous than I'd ever been going to meet this woman for our first date. Meagan and Pete would be there, at least, but I couldn't help but wonder how this whole double date thing would work out. Certainly, Meagan wouldn't be able to translate for us the entire time, or else she would never get to know Pete at all, thus, ruining the point of it being a double date. I was a little nervous to have to talk to Aria on my own, but at least I'd come prepared. I had a small notebook in my pocket, along with a pen, so that we wouldn't have to use napkins again, if it came down to that.

A short drive later, Pete pulled into the parking lot of Himalayan, one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago. Looking at it now, I wondered if an Indian restaurant was a good choice for a first date after all. What if she didn't like spicy food? What if Meagan didn't like spicy food? "Patrick," Pete stated, making me forget my worries and look over at him. "Stop it." I swallowed hard and nodded at him. He could always tell when I was freaking out, even if I thought I was hiding it well enough.