Two Quarters and a Heart Down

Chapter 5 - Why Don't You Show Me

(AN: Thanks for 113 views! Now, an update since it's been forever :3 )

Patrick's POV

School's out for the day, and I seemed to survive. I met a gorgeous boy named Pete Wentz, and I think I made a few friends.

I head out the school entrance, closely following Pete as we're going over to his house right now. I text my mom on the way there, letting her know I'll be home late. Pete and I walk side by side, letting the surrounding city noises fill our silence. I keep one hand on the strap of my backpack and the other dangles loose by my side. As we walk, I feel Pete's hand lightly brush my own. Coincidental or purposeful, I don't know. I try not to make any sudden movements, but Pete notices my reaction and quickly grabs his own hand with his other.

"Oh, sorry. I tend to walk into people when walking." He mutters. I smile a little then shrug it off. We continue walking, back down Gerard Way, then near the beginning of the street, a few blocks away from my own house, we reach his. It's very similar to mine, but a little different paint job and overall look. We get inside and the basic layout is also similar to my house, just set up a whole lot different. It's interesting to see what other people can do with the same setting that you have.

"Mom, I'm home." Pete calls out. A woman looks up from the couch in the living room, pausing her TV show and standing to come greet Pete.

"Hey hunny. Who's this?" She asks, hugging Pete and then gesturing towards me.

"This is Patrick." Pete introduces. I reach my hand out and shake her hand, my hand trembling in the process.

"Nice to meet you Patrick." She replies. I nod, then Pete and I head upstairs to his room. The upstairs is laid out differently than my house, so it's interesting to observe. He turns a corner and heads past a bathroom and into a room which I'm assuming is his, then he just sits down on his bed and gestures for me to join him. I plop down next to him, slightly awkward, then we just sit in silence.

I observe the posters on his wall, then glance around his room. I notice a bass guitar sitting on a stand in the corner next to a desk, which has music sheets and lined paper, each having at least a small amount of writing, others completely filled in. "So, you play bass?" I ask, gesturing to the instrument.

"Oh, yeah that. Yeah, I play. Not that good though." Pete shrugs.

"Could you play something for me?" I ask nervously. Pete lets of an awkward laugh but then retrieves the instrument.

"Uh, what do you like? I can play a little bit of Green Day, Guns 'N Roses, then also some softer stuff..."

"Pick something random."

He positions his hand, glancing from the guitar to me and then back at his hands. He tests a string, then adjusts the volume on the amp, tests the string again, positions his pick, then begins to strum out a tune.

It's something I don't recognize, and if I knew it, I would recognize it in an instance. This is new, maybe an artist I don't listen to perhaps. It's an amazing tune really, super catchy but also filled with heart and emotion and pop-punk vibes. I sit there, letting the sounds fill me to the brim, and I can't imagine why Pete thinks he's "not that good" because dang, he's amazing.

Eventually he stops, then puts his bass back and comes back to sitting next to me on the bed. He plops down, making the mattress jump and making me nearly fly off the edge of the bed, so as he lays down on his back, he quickly wraps his arms around my stomach and brings me down too. Probably just to help me not fall off. I blush when his hands touch me, so I try to cover my face with my hands, pretending to wipe something from my mouth.

"So, was that okay?" He asks after a few seconds of quiet. For a moment, I don't know what he's talking about as my head is in such a flurry (AN: more song puns whoops), but then I remember the little bit of music he just played.

"Oh, yeah that. That was great! Don't say you're "not that good" because you're actually really amazing." I reassure him. Since we're both laying down, I can't see his facial expression, but I get vibes that he's smiling.

"Really?"

"Of course!"

"Wow. Thanks." He mutters in shock.

"Sure thing. So what was that anyway?" I ask, still curious about the unknown tune I had just witnessed live.

"Oh, nothing really. Just something I sorta pulled together." He mumbles. My eyes grow wide and I sit up really quick.

"WHAT?! Wait, you literally wrote that yourself?" I ask, astonished.

"Yeah, it's no big deal."

"What, 'no big deal'? That was seriously so great. I thought it was a professional song that I'd just never heard before. I didn't know you write tunes! I write lyrics, but I haven't gotten around to fitting them to music. That's so cool."

"Oh cool, I write lyrics here and there."

"Really? This is so great! We should write something together!" I burst out with excitement. Pete doesn't seem so excited, but when I mention "together", his face lightens a little.

"Okay, that sounds interesting. Do you play anything?" He asks, his energy picking up a little.

"Yeah, I play guitar and drums." I reply. "I'd love to hear some of your lyrics if you wouldn't mind." I add. Pete's face drops so I quickly change the subject. "But, it's okay too. Lyrics are very personal. I would know." He relaxes a little, and I lay back on the bed, this time on my stomach so I can look down at him while he continues laying on his back. We lay there for a few seconds with no exchange in conversation, just awkwardly looking at each other or staring off into the distance.

"So." He says blankly.

"So...?" I question.

"So, it's only your first day at this school, so I don't know if you know, but this weekend Hayley's hosting a little dance party thing at some building she and her friends rented out. It's on Saturday, starts at 6." Pete replies.

"Oh, okay. I usually sit out dances, and I don't really know anyone yet. Plus, who's Hayley?" I ask, already feeling my palms start to sweat at the thought of going to a public get-together outside of school.

"Oh duh, you probably barely know anyone. Hayley's the girl kinda near the front of the class. Red hair, beanie, always getting hit on by Lynn." Pete describes. I instantly remember the energetic red-haired girl I was watching in the beginning of class, associating her with the name Hayley. The other girl with the brown hair must be Lynn. I nod in understanding, processing the names to faces. "But anyway, just thought I'd mention it. There's probably going to be a lot of people there, since literally everyone knows Hayley, or at least a lot do and then the rest all know Taylor and the other kids in the "in crowd". It's what the popular kids call themselves and I personally think the name is hilarious. I think I'm going, then I get to hang out with Gerard and Brendon and such." Pete explains. My brain races as I try to process everything, reconnecting names to the people I met earlier at lunch. I know who Brendon is, he's one of the kids that wears eyeliner and is super good friends with Pete. Then Gerard is the kid I saw silently scribbling in a notebook. I don't know who Taylor is, but I'll probably find out eventually.

"Oh. Okay. I'll think about it." I say with a slight smile. If Pete is going, then maybe it won't be so bad. Pete smiles at my reply, then playfully knocks me over so I'm laying next to him again.

"I think you'll have a good time." He reassures me.

"Okay." My thoughts start racing again, and the tune he played me comes back into my head. I mentally incorporate lyrics with the tune, a little bit I just came up with on the spot.

'Me and Pete, in the wake of Saturday.'