I Don't Care (Peterick/side Trohley)

9

Novocaine
+
n i n e

Numb. That's a good word to describe me right now. You know that feeling when you were a kid and you had to get novocaine when you had a cavity? It made everything numb, and you laughed a lot. That's how I am. Minus the laughing.

I just feel like a fucking idiot. I told him I was in love with him two months ago. I haven't seen or heard from Patrick the whole time. The band kind of took a break, I guess.

I told them I needed time to figure things out, and Patrick said he needed to spend more time with Elisa. Fucking Elisa. I don't know if that was supposed to make me jealous, but it did. Very much so.

And to make things worse, Patrick dyed his hair. And holy fucking shit does it make him look so much hotter? It does, I'll tell you that. It's dark red now, and he wears hats less often.

We graduate in less than two months, and I'm scared. No doubt Andy's moving to Los Angeles to go to UCLA, and Joe's going to be heartbroken. Patrick and Elisa are probably going to go to the same college just to rub it in my face, but I've gotten some scholarship offers from a few schools.

Not the one I want, but I guess it's okay. I want to go to UCLA or maybe Berkeley (because they smoke weed there, but it's also close to Andy) Andy's been my best friend for as long as I can remember, and I don't think I can last without him. I mean, he's my role model.

I know what you're thinking: 'But, Pete, he's the same age as you.' Well, guess the fuck what. I don't care. He's an amazing guy with an amazing life, and he loves his boyfriend to death.

Boyfriend. It's funny, really. If you told Andy six months ago that he'd have a new boyfriend, he'd have beat your ass.

But that's the thing. Andy deserves it because Andy is a good person. Andy never drinks or eats meat, and other than being gay, he hardly does anything to upset people.

That pissed me off. It's the fucking twenty-first century. We are four months into 2015, and some people like the same gender. Get the fuck over it, assholes.

"Pete, Pete, Pete!" Andy comes running in my house without knocking.

"You're so polite, Andrew," I say, rolling my eyes.

"Pete, I could care the fuck less right now, alright? I've got something to tell you if you'd shut the fuck up," Andy says, hitting my head.

"Suck my dick," I say, walking towards the refrigerator. "What the hell is so important?"

"We got signed, Pete," He says, grinning wildly. Wait, what? When I don't react like he wants me to, he repeats it. "Signed, Pete, by a fucking record deal!" He pronounces every word careful with excitement lacing his voice.

"You're fucking joking!" I yell, hugging him. "Hurley, we made it!"

"I know, Pete!"

"We have to tell Joe and Patrick!" I say suddenly, and Andy pulls away.

"I've already told Joe, and he's fucking pumped. You wanna tell Patrick?" He asks me. I really respect Andy for that. He wouldn't make me tell Patrick if I didn't want to. Which I really don't, but I figure that I should.

"Uh, sure, but he probably won't answer my phone call," Andy nods, handing me his phone.

"Say no more, Sir Wentz," He bows, and I laugh at him.

"Thank you, Sir Hurley," I bow back before we laugh it off. I hit the contact with the name 'Patrickkkk 😎👍.' "You are so cheesy,"

"I'm taking that as a compliment," He calls as I walk to my room.

"Hey, Andy," Patrick says, and I almost drop the phone. His voice is scratchy, and I haven't heard it in two months.

"Sorry to disappoint, but I'm not Andy," I say, and he clears his throat.

"Pete?" He whispers lowly, and I can guess that he's around Elisa.

"Yeah, 'Rick, it's me," I say softly. If she can hear him, she can hear me.

"Give me a minute," He says, and I hear his voice and a higher one.

"Okay, I'm back," And he's not whispering anymore.

"Patrick, we got signed," I say excitedly.

"Holy smokes! That's insane!" He yells, and I laugh.

"I know! We have to meet with the record guy tomorrow, and Andy wanted me to call you," I tell him. We don't talk, and it's kind of an uncomfortable silence, but neither of us dares to hang up.

"Uh, Pete, sorry, but I kind of have to go," I shake out of whatever trance I'm in and nod my head.

"Oh, yeah, sure. Bye, Patrick," He says bye to me and hangs up.

What the hell just happened?

--

"And that's all he said?" Andy asks me when I walk out and tell him hat he answered and didn't immediately hang up after realising it was me.

"Yeah. It's like he was on edge or something," I say, and truthfully, it was.

"Wanna watch a movie? Joe's coming over soon," He says. I shake my head.

"Nah, I'm okay. I don't want to ruin you guys' date," He makes the 'Really, Pete?' face, and I laugh. "It's okay, Andy, I'm good,"

"Okay, Pete," Andy walks me to the door. "I love you, Peter,"

"I love you too, Andrew," He hugs me before I leave, and I wave to Joe as I walk back to my house.

I need to be alone to think anyways. What am I supposed to say to Patrick tomorrow? It'll be the first time I've seen him since I told him I was in love with him.

I am so screwed.