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~Patrick's POV~

It was here. The day I would finally be able to be with Jenna. I had been waiting for this day since the moment I met her. I could barely contain my excitement and nervousness.

The lumbering tour bus slowly pulled up to my house and Isaw Jenna and Jess waiting for us on the curb. My heart leaped at the sight of her and I got the feeling that I hadn't known how much I missed her until this moment. I tried to control my shaking hands as the bus slowed to a stop.

"Dude. You look like you're having a seizure. Calm down."Said Andy, ever so sensitively.

I managed to get down the steps without falling, so Icounted that as a good sign. Jenna and Jess were currently squeezing the lights out of Pete and Joe whose bus had pulled up first. They finally broke away and came running towards Andy and I. I gave Jess a hug and then opened my arms for Jenna. Things are finally perfect.

"Jenna, I-"

She stepped back and put her hand on my arm. "Wait, Patrick. There's something I have to tell you."

"Ok." I nodded. I can hear her news first. I've waited this long, a little more waiting won't kill me.

"I guess you found out by now that I liked you when you guys left."

I nodded. I didn't get where she could possibly be going with this but I wasn't about to interrupt.

"Well, while you guys were gone, I realized that you were with Kara and I needed to move on. In Home Depot one day, Jess and I ran into our friend from High School who just moved to Chicago. His name is James Baker. We went on a date."

Please let it be just one date..."And now I'm his girlfriend." She finished.

I swear my heart stopped beating.



~Normal POV~

I had to tell him. I had to let him know that I had managed to get over him, so I did. First thing when they got back.

I knew something was wrong by the look on his face when Itold him. He kind of... crumpled.

"Patrick?" I said with concern. "Are you ok?" It was only then that I looked around and realized Kara was nowhere in sight. "Patrick, where's Kara?"

He looked at me with sad, sad eyes and said, "I broke up with her."

I had been expecting anything but that. Icontemplated this new bit of information for a moment before a horrible thought struck me. "Why?" I asked cautiously.

"Because she was kissing other guys and because-"

"Because?"

"Because I wanted to be with you." He said quietly.

That sinking feeling I had in the pit of my stomach got stronger. Oh. Shit.

Everything I had been so certain of in the past month crashed down around me. I had thought for sure that Patrick was enjoying his life with Kara and was somewhere in the country wishing that I'd forget about him. I was sure that Patrick wanted me to be over him by the time he got back so he wouldn't have to deal with any more drama. Turns out, that I was very, very wrong.





I didn't know what to say. I couldn't think of anything besides "Oh."

He nodded and turned to walk into the house where everyone else was. "Patrick wait!" I called. It came out sounding a little frantic. He stopped and turned around.

"I'm sorry."

He gave a sad little half-shrug. "It's my fault. I should have told you when it happened rather than waiting, but I wanted to do it in person."

He sounded so incredibly sweet saying that.

"Patrick, what can I do to make this better?"

He attempted a laugh. "Better? What is there to make better?We keep missing each other Jenna. I have a girlfriend and you want me. You have a boyfriend and I want you. Watch. I'll probably convince myself that I need to get over you and ask some girl out days before you break up with what's-his-name."

He could at least call him James. "He has a name you know. James."

I don't think my eyes were playing tricks on me when I saw him wince at the name.

"And what makes you think that I'll break up with him?" I was being defensive. Mean, even. But I was suddenly, inexplicably upset with Patrick.

His eyes looked even more downcast, if that were possible."You love him?"

In spite of his sad eyes and dejected stare, I nodded. "Yes. I do." Someone should slap me right now.

"Oh." He said softly. I swear his eyes looked wet but he turned around before I could get a better look and headed into his house. Ifollowed him and the minute we arrived in the living room, everyone else jumped up. I could tell they had been telling each other the story as well.

"Um, I think Andy, Joe and I should go back to our houses. You know, to get ready for the show tonight. Last show of the tour. Hometown. Woohoo." Pete said unenthusiastically. "Maybe you guys should go too. To let Patrick get ready."

I just nodded and took Jess's arm. "We'll go. I'm glad you're home." I said looking at the three guys before me. Patrick had gone off into some unknown room.

It was quiet in the car until Jess spoke. "I'm sorry."

Where did that come from? I looked at her quizzically. "What did you do?"

"I encouraged you to get together with James. This whole thing is partly my fault."

"Jess, I'm glad you helped get us together. I loveJames." I said, putting more emphasis on the word 'love' than I normally would have.

She shook her head. I wonder why you keep telling yourself that.

I just gripped the steering wheel tighter.