FicWad

Andy and Sam jump over the bench and start rushing away from the mob in one direction while Joe and Chad divert from the group in another. Patrick takes my hand and we start running to the east end exit. The horde of anxious fans takes to each route like a pack of ravenous hyenas.

"We have to lose them." I say out of breath to Patrick. The aficionados gaining ground behind us.

"Turn here."

We duck behind a life-size Gap Poster of none other than Pete Wentz and wait for the crowd to go past.

"God, that was close." Patrick whispers peering from behind the cardboard cut-out.

"Well, for you maybe. It's not like they were after me."

"They will be. Soon enough."

A smile spreads across my face. "I hope so." I murmur softly.

Patrick brushes my side-swept bangs from my eyes. "I know so." He leans in cautiously. I edge in closer to his face, the heat of his breath lingering on the surface of my lips.

"Hey, there's Patrick!"

A lone posse of twelve spots us. The moment passes and we are off and running again. We advance through the crowd of mall-goers with speedy hastiness. Finally Patrick and I race through the revolving exit doors. Lucky for us, a taxi cab was driving by. Patrick flags him down and we hop in. Patrick gives an address and we drive away.

I lay back against the car seat and close my eyes, letting my heart beat flutter back to normal. Patrick slightly lifts his brown 504 Plan hat and wipes the sweat from his forehead before setting it comfortably back down.

I lazily open my eyes. "So, where are we going? Back to the hotel?"

"No. It's probably not such a good idea to go back there so soon. You never know, they could be waiting for us there."

"I guess you're right." I shift my body towards Patrick. "So, then...where are we going?"

"My house."

Patrick pays the cab driver and lends me his hand as I get out of the car. His chivalry is so refreshing. I wonder if that chivalry applies to the bed room. Oh god. Why am I thinking this way? I may have a pure heart, but damn, do I have a dirty mind...

"Well, are you coming in?" Patrick points to the open front door.

"Yeah. I'm coming." I reply back shaking the explicit images from my thoughts.

"Your house is absolutely amazing." I say after looking quickly around.

Patrick begins up the carpeted stairs. "If by amazing you mean dull as shit, then yeah it is."

"Uh-huh...that's what I meant Patrick." I laugh.I make my way to his position at the top of the stairs. "I feel like I should have a camera on my shoulder, filming for MTV's Cribs."

Patrick just shrugs. "Nah, there's not much to see. Wouldn't be much of an episode."

"It's alright. That just means I get to see everything 'unsuitable for public television'." I mock using quotation fingers.

"Like?"

"Hmmm...haven't thought of it yet. But I will." I say sweetly. "Where's your room?" I utter nonchalantly as I reapply my lip gloss.

He leads me down the hall until we pause in front of a small mahogany door. "I'm warning you now. It's really lame." He pronounces turning the door knob.

He pushes the door open revealing his uncluttered bed room. I instantly dive onto the king-size bed and let out a shriek of joy. "This is so awesome."

"Uh, yeah. Not much to it though. I don't really spend much time at home. I'm always either at the studio, at other people's houses, hotels, the tour bus...basically everywhere but here." He shifts some papers off a beige loveseat opposite me and sits down. He scratches the back of his neck and stares at me as I dangle my legs over the bed.

"What?" I stare back, one eyebrow cocked.

"...It's just that...in the mall...I didn't-"

"It's okay. Really. Don't freak out about it...I'm just sorry we were interrupted." I reply looking down at my shoes.

Patrick moves from the sofa and sits next to me on the bed.

"Well, we won't be interrupted here." He tells me quietly, tilting my chin up with his finger.

"You always seem to know just what to say Patrick." I smile at him gazing into his kind eyes.

"Well, not all the time, but I try." He smiles back.

"At least we don't have to worry about an excessive amount of pina coladas ruining it this time." He laughs quietly.

"Wait. What? What are you talking about?" I asked confused.

"You don't remember do you?" Patrick questions sympathetically at my puzzled expression.

"If you mean the party then no, I don't. But Emily told me nothing happened...unless..."
I throw my hands over my face and let out a long aggravated sigh.

"Oh my god. I'm so gonna fucking kill Emily." I mutter behind my fingers.

"It wasn't her fault, Denise. If you're going to murder anyone it should probably be Sam."

I slam my hands down onto the comforter. "I should have known. 'Peace offering,' my ass."

"It's not as bad as you think. Really. You just really knew what you wanted. Let's just say you were 'aggressively sexy.'

"Oh god."

"Sorry. This isn't helping, is it?"

I shake my head. Patrick scoots closer to me and puts his arm around my shoulder.

"So, why didn't you tell me about this earlier?" I ask poignantly.

"Honestly, I didn't want to upset you."

"I understand, but I just can't believe no one told me! Everyone just went along with it and let me make a fool of myself."

A solitary tears trickles down my cheek. I quickly wipe it away with my index finger hoping Patrick didn't notice.

"I'm surprised you still even want to talk to me after the way I acted in the club." I smile weakly.

"No, in a way, it was refreshing, seeing you out of your element. I can't wait to see you on stage." He proclaims, trying to cheer me up.

"I can't wait either..."

From the corner of my eye I see Patrick lower himself down on the mattress. He lets out a yawn and cradles the back of his head with his hands. Following suit, I rest back on the bed, letting the blank ceiling make up my entire perspective.

"Do you think we can start over? You know, forget about last night?"

I stare into the swirling ceiling fan, waiting for his reply. Nothing. I look over to my side at him.

"Patrick?"

I guess the mall escapade really took a lot out of him. He was fast asleep. I delicately reach over and take off his black-framed glasses from his eyes. Making as little movement as possible I set them gently down onto the nightstand beside his sleeping figure. I lean down after I do so and lightly graze my lips on his cheek.

"'Night, Patrick." I whisper settling into my position on the bed again. I drop my heavy eye lids and instantly drift off to sleep.