Categories > Celebrities > Fall Out Boy > A Stranger in the Mirror
If any of you guys are on facebook, add me here! http://tinyurl.com/pm3jolz
"What's up with him?" Pete asked Addison, as they watched Patrick pacing around the back yard through the window an hour later. Addison had allowed Riley to go out for lunch with Matthew, she was so excited to see her father after so long, that she couldn't have said no to her. Matthew had strict instructions to take her home with two hours. Patrick hadn't said a word for an hour, after Riley had left he had sat on the back doorstep for a half hour, ignoring Danielle and Josh complaining that they wanted him to help finish make their cupcakes.
"Riley's dad came to the door." Addison explained.
"Your ex husband?" Pete questioned. Addison nodded.
"And now Patrick's in a bad mood," Pete said, turning back to the window. "I thought you guys had ended amicably?"
"We did. But I didn't see him for a long time. He was working abroad."
"Oh, okay. So why does Patrick have that look on his face?"
"I think it's a pride thing." Addison replied.
"No, it's a Patrick thing." Pete said. "Go out and tell him to stop being a baby."
"Pete! I can't do that. He must be upset."
"I'll do it then," Pete said, opening the back door despite Addison's protests.
"Hey, buddy." Pete approached Patrick, who stopped pacing.
"Hey," Patrick greeted him. "I can hear you through the window, you know."
Pete looked around at the house and saw that the kitchen window was open slightly. Cursing himself, he shrugged in bravado.
"Well, then it saves me saying it twice. You're being a baby."
"I am not!"
"Are too!"
"Am not!"
"Really? We're gonna do this?" Pete asked, one eyebrow raised. "Get over it. You got the girl! You win!"
"It's not just that," Patrick started, then stopped. "It's..."
"It's because he's tall and gorgeous and looks like he's just come from a photoshoot at Abercrombie and Fitch, right?"
"Thanks for that."
"And now you're wallowing in self pity thinking 'why would Addison settle for me?'"
"Are you like, reading my mind right now?" Patrick said, managing a smile.
"No, I just know how stupid you can be," Pete replied. "You're married to her, you imbecile. Now stop sulking and being a baby because we have Princess cupcakes to decorate," he said in a mocking tone.
"Seriously though, did you see the pecs on him?" Pete said as they walked into the house. Patrick shoved him into the doorframe and shut the door in his face while Pete rubbed his shoulder. Opening the door, Pete called after him.
"I was kidding!"
**
"The playground? Patrick, you always say we're too old to go here without kids," Pete told him a few hours later as they walked through the park. It was late afternoon and despite the sudden snow shower they had had last week, it had soon cleared up to make way for the spring sunshine. The park was quiet asides from some elderly couples sitting on benches far away from them and two mothers with their children pushing them in strollers down the path.
"You didn't speak to me for an hour last week because I wouldn't go down the slide with you!" Patrick argued, stuffing his hands in his pockets. His hands were sweating, he felt as though he was about to throw his lunch up, but he had convinced Pete to go for a walk with him, leaving Addison at home with the kids. He needed the distraction of leaving the house, pushing all the questions he wanted to ask Addison later to the back of his mind, but there was something else that was bothering him.
"Well, you shouldn't get my hopes up!" Pete replied, hopping over the small fence that surrounded the playground.
"Duly noted," Patrick said, dully, stepping over it himself. He put his hand up to his eye and shielded the sun from his eyes, looking around the vast space of the park, his feet kicking up dust while he followed Pete.
"Remember all those years ago before we started playing gigs and we would sit here in the summer and talk nearly all night?"
"Yeah," Patrick nodded. The nostalgia was building up in his chest and he smiled at the memories. There were a lot of memories in this park, Patrick could remember when he and Pete had first become best friends when he was 17, he had spent numerous hours trying to coax Pete down from the dangerously high trees he was always adamant on climbing and lecturing him when he climbed too far and was too scared to jump down. They had spent a lot of time in the summer sitting on the swings after dark, sitting at the foot of a large oak tree while the sun set and talking about their life goals. Anything and everything seemed possible to them then, and Patrick suddenly found himself wondering when that hope had vanished. It almost seemed like it had disappeared overnight, and he had an overwhelming sense of desire to go back in time and experience that time when they had both felt like they could take on the world and win.
"Do you ever miss being a kid, Pete?" Patrick asked.
"Sure I do. Doesn't everyone?" Pete called. Patrick had turned away for a second and by the time he turned back he was faced with Pete balancing himself at the top of the climbing frame.
"I guess so. But why?"
"I dunno," Pete replied, sitting down and dangling his legs. "Maybe it's 'cause everything seemed possible then."
"That's what I was thinking." Patrick agreed.
"The funny thing is, the older you get, more things are possible. When you're a kid, you can only dream that everything is possible... but by the time you grow up and can actually do them, you stop believing in yourself."
Patrick stayed silent, looking up at Pete.
"I guess life just catches up with you," he finished.
"Yeah, it sure does."
"I reckon the world would be a lot more fun if you could just live in the moment like when you were a kid. When you think that you can be an astronaut or a doctor or even a fish."
Patrick laughed.
"Things like heartbreak and money and jobs just don't matter. That's why being a kid is so great. It's innocent. The worst things in life when you're a kid are what time you have to be home or if you have to eat your vegetables."
"Or whose gonna chase the monsters away." Patrick said, thinking of Danielle.
"Exactly!" Pete called. "You can do anything when you're young. You simply don't give a damn about life and it's realities."
Patrick nodded in agreement.
"That's why I try to keep a little bit of that 'anything is possible' mentality in my life." Pete explained.
"I suppose you that explains why you can be 31 and climb a damn climbing frame without worrying if you're too old for it."
"Hey! You're never too old for the park. Why do you think I still play on the play ground?"
"Pete, we all know you've always wanted to be Peter Pan. But that doesn't mean you're gonna fly!" Patrick said, sarcastically.
"Bullshit." Pete laughed, jumping off the frame and landing neatly on his feet next to Patrick.
"Now, see, if I'd tried that, I'd probably be in a heap on the ground with my foot on backwards." Patrick stated.
"It takes practice, kid." Pete winked. "I remember you tried once and never again."
"You know what I remember? When you almost castrated yourself on that see saw." Patrick laughed.
"Oh God, don't remind me," Pete said, shuddering at the memory. "I bet I'd be much more skilled nowadays."
"I wouldn't count on it," Patrick said, watching him navigate his way through the maze of climbing frames and swings.
"Come on!" Pete pouted as he neared the see saw.
"Why? I'm 27!" Patrick replied. "You realize we look like creeps? I think after a certain age it's only acceptable to hang around the play ground if you have a kid."
"You used to be fun. Anyway, you were the one who suggested we come here and now you don't wanna do anything." Pete said, giving him an affectionate shove. Patrick stumbled and caught his balance just in time, causing Pete to guffaw with laughter.
"I always used to imagine when I'd take my kids here." Pete said after he stopped laughing. A sad smile spread over his face as he ran his finger along the bench. Patrick sat down next to him, discreetly checking his watch. His heart stopped for a slight second when he looked up. Pete was still looking in the other direction towards the swings. Patrick was certain the nostalgia was eating him up, too.
"Well, maybe you don't have to imagine anymore," Patrick said, nudging Pete to get his attention. Pete looked around to face him and as he followed Patrick's line of sight, his heart jumped into his mouth. He stood up so quickly he almost lost his balance.
"Rachel..."
"What's up with him?" Pete asked Addison, as they watched Patrick pacing around the back yard through the window an hour later. Addison had allowed Riley to go out for lunch with Matthew, she was so excited to see her father after so long, that she couldn't have said no to her. Matthew had strict instructions to take her home with two hours. Patrick hadn't said a word for an hour, after Riley had left he had sat on the back doorstep for a half hour, ignoring Danielle and Josh complaining that they wanted him to help finish make their cupcakes.
"Riley's dad came to the door." Addison explained.
"Your ex husband?" Pete questioned. Addison nodded.
"And now Patrick's in a bad mood," Pete said, turning back to the window. "I thought you guys had ended amicably?"
"We did. But I didn't see him for a long time. He was working abroad."
"Oh, okay. So why does Patrick have that look on his face?"
"I think it's a pride thing." Addison replied.
"No, it's a Patrick thing." Pete said. "Go out and tell him to stop being a baby."
"Pete! I can't do that. He must be upset."
"I'll do it then," Pete said, opening the back door despite Addison's protests.
"Hey, buddy." Pete approached Patrick, who stopped pacing.
"Hey," Patrick greeted him. "I can hear you through the window, you know."
Pete looked around at the house and saw that the kitchen window was open slightly. Cursing himself, he shrugged in bravado.
"Well, then it saves me saying it twice. You're being a baby."
"I am not!"
"Are too!"
"Am not!"
"Really? We're gonna do this?" Pete asked, one eyebrow raised. "Get over it. You got the girl! You win!"
"It's not just that," Patrick started, then stopped. "It's..."
"It's because he's tall and gorgeous and looks like he's just come from a photoshoot at Abercrombie and Fitch, right?"
"Thanks for that."
"And now you're wallowing in self pity thinking 'why would Addison settle for me?'"
"Are you like, reading my mind right now?" Patrick said, managing a smile.
"No, I just know how stupid you can be," Pete replied. "You're married to her, you imbecile. Now stop sulking and being a baby because we have Princess cupcakes to decorate," he said in a mocking tone.
"Seriously though, did you see the pecs on him?" Pete said as they walked into the house. Patrick shoved him into the doorframe and shut the door in his face while Pete rubbed his shoulder. Opening the door, Pete called after him.
"I was kidding!"
**
"The playground? Patrick, you always say we're too old to go here without kids," Pete told him a few hours later as they walked through the park. It was late afternoon and despite the sudden snow shower they had had last week, it had soon cleared up to make way for the spring sunshine. The park was quiet asides from some elderly couples sitting on benches far away from them and two mothers with their children pushing them in strollers down the path.
"You didn't speak to me for an hour last week because I wouldn't go down the slide with you!" Patrick argued, stuffing his hands in his pockets. His hands were sweating, he felt as though he was about to throw his lunch up, but he had convinced Pete to go for a walk with him, leaving Addison at home with the kids. He needed the distraction of leaving the house, pushing all the questions he wanted to ask Addison later to the back of his mind, but there was something else that was bothering him.
"Well, you shouldn't get my hopes up!" Pete replied, hopping over the small fence that surrounded the playground.
"Duly noted," Patrick said, dully, stepping over it himself. He put his hand up to his eye and shielded the sun from his eyes, looking around the vast space of the park, his feet kicking up dust while he followed Pete.
"Remember all those years ago before we started playing gigs and we would sit here in the summer and talk nearly all night?"
"Yeah," Patrick nodded. The nostalgia was building up in his chest and he smiled at the memories. There were a lot of memories in this park, Patrick could remember when he and Pete had first become best friends when he was 17, he had spent numerous hours trying to coax Pete down from the dangerously high trees he was always adamant on climbing and lecturing him when he climbed too far and was too scared to jump down. They had spent a lot of time in the summer sitting on the swings after dark, sitting at the foot of a large oak tree while the sun set and talking about their life goals. Anything and everything seemed possible to them then, and Patrick suddenly found himself wondering when that hope had vanished. It almost seemed like it had disappeared overnight, and he had an overwhelming sense of desire to go back in time and experience that time when they had both felt like they could take on the world and win.
"Do you ever miss being a kid, Pete?" Patrick asked.
"Sure I do. Doesn't everyone?" Pete called. Patrick had turned away for a second and by the time he turned back he was faced with Pete balancing himself at the top of the climbing frame.
"I guess so. But why?"
"I dunno," Pete replied, sitting down and dangling his legs. "Maybe it's 'cause everything seemed possible then."
"That's what I was thinking." Patrick agreed.
"The funny thing is, the older you get, more things are possible. When you're a kid, you can only dream that everything is possible... but by the time you grow up and can actually do them, you stop believing in yourself."
Patrick stayed silent, looking up at Pete.
"I guess life just catches up with you," he finished.
"Yeah, it sure does."
"I reckon the world would be a lot more fun if you could just live in the moment like when you were a kid. When you think that you can be an astronaut or a doctor or even a fish."
Patrick laughed.
"Things like heartbreak and money and jobs just don't matter. That's why being a kid is so great. It's innocent. The worst things in life when you're a kid are what time you have to be home or if you have to eat your vegetables."
"Or whose gonna chase the monsters away." Patrick said, thinking of Danielle.
"Exactly!" Pete called. "You can do anything when you're young. You simply don't give a damn about life and it's realities."
Patrick nodded in agreement.
"That's why I try to keep a little bit of that 'anything is possible' mentality in my life." Pete explained.
"I suppose you that explains why you can be 31 and climb a damn climbing frame without worrying if you're too old for it."
"Hey! You're never too old for the park. Why do you think I still play on the play ground?"
"Pete, we all know you've always wanted to be Peter Pan. But that doesn't mean you're gonna fly!" Patrick said, sarcastically.
"Bullshit." Pete laughed, jumping off the frame and landing neatly on his feet next to Patrick.
"Now, see, if I'd tried that, I'd probably be in a heap on the ground with my foot on backwards." Patrick stated.
"It takes practice, kid." Pete winked. "I remember you tried once and never again."
"You know what I remember? When you almost castrated yourself on that see saw." Patrick laughed.
"Oh God, don't remind me," Pete said, shuddering at the memory. "I bet I'd be much more skilled nowadays."
"I wouldn't count on it," Patrick said, watching him navigate his way through the maze of climbing frames and swings.
"Come on!" Pete pouted as he neared the see saw.
"Why? I'm 27!" Patrick replied. "You realize we look like creeps? I think after a certain age it's only acceptable to hang around the play ground if you have a kid."
"You used to be fun. Anyway, you were the one who suggested we come here and now you don't wanna do anything." Pete said, giving him an affectionate shove. Patrick stumbled and caught his balance just in time, causing Pete to guffaw with laughter.
"I always used to imagine when I'd take my kids here." Pete said after he stopped laughing. A sad smile spread over his face as he ran his finger along the bench. Patrick sat down next to him, discreetly checking his watch. His heart stopped for a slight second when he looked up. Pete was still looking in the other direction towards the swings. Patrick was certain the nostalgia was eating him up, too.
"Well, maybe you don't have to imagine anymore," Patrick said, nudging Pete to get his attention. Pete looked around to face him and as he followed Patrick's line of sight, his heart jumped into his mouth. He stood up so quickly he almost lost his balance.
"Rachel..."
Sign up to rate and review this story