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I threw up.

Well, not on Patrick, but I ran to the employ bathroom and spewed my guts /everywhere/. You see, when I get scared of the truth, or don't know what to say, I usually throw up. It's not like I was avoiding the answer, it's just I didn't know how to answer it.

So I ran and threw up.

Like I always used to.

Patrick came in a while later and rubbed my back, but I knew it wasn't over. He apologized a million times, but each time I just smiled and went back to work.

Arriving back home to Pete's house, I avoided diner and walked straight up to the guest room where I continued packing the rest of my belongings. But I kept feeling this sickening feeling rising in my mind, heart and stomach. The door creaked open and I slowed down while it clicked closed.

"Hey," Pete whispered. I gulped and didn't turn around.

"Hi," I replied in the same, short tone I used with my sister. Except without the hate.

"Is everything ok?" he asked and I felt his presence behind me. I licked my lips slightly and sighed, putting things down and turning around.

"I'm just..." I winced and shook my head, looking back to the things and shuffling them so I could sit down on the bed. Pete sat next to me and stretched his legs out on the ground in front of him.

"Sick?" he asked and took my hand, rubbing his fingers over my knuckles. "Patrick called me, you know," he said, his head low and eyes glancing over my hands. I nodded.

"He did, did he?" I asked and Pete shifted slightly before lifting his head.

"Did he ask you anything important?" he asked and I bit my lip.

"Pete, please don't do this," I pleaded softly and Pete looked away, defeated. He stayed silent for a moment before looking back down at his hands curled around one of my own. He sighed.

"Do you..." he gulped. "Like me? Even a little?" he asked in a low voice and I blinked, looking down at my feet.

"Pete, for god's sake," I closed my eyes tightly and bit my lip.

"Evie..." he persisted and I felt my stomach churn.

"I...I honestly..." he didn't let me finish before he parted his lips.

"I love you," he blurted and I snapped open my eyes, ripping my hand from his grip and raising it to my mouth before standing and running towards the conjoining bathroom where I threw up.

It burned my throat and my heart at the same time.

I felt a hands curling around my neck, holding my hair back while they rubbed my back. I paused with my hand to my lips and eyes closed and took a deep breath.

"I...I'm so sorry..." I heard Pete whisper.

I chocked and dipped my head again emptying until there was nothing left. I wanted Pete to go away, I wanted him to just leave me there, but he didn't leave until I pushed him away and rested my body against the bathroom counter next to the toilet.

I felt disgusting but didn't care.

I heard Pete get up and walk away. I closed my eyes and sighed pathetically. It didn't end there. I ended up throwing up again before I decided to lean against the bathtub and closing my eyes.

I was asleep in a matter of minutes.

----------

I didn't want to open my eyes when I felt arms around me as I drifted back into conscious.

It was because I knew who it was going to be.

I felt the fingertips brush against my forehead, pushing my bangs away before the warmth of lips kissing me there. But something told me not to hide from things.

I opened my eyes and observed Pete leaning against the headboard while I rested in his lap, my back against the wall nearest to the bed, with pillows there. I blinked slowly due to weakness and gave up.

I wasn't going to fight his affections.

"Are you feeling any better?" he asked and I groaned lightly, leaning my head against his shoulder again.

The back of his fingers lightly brushed over my cheek and I slightly opened my eyes to find him in deep thought, overlooking my face and staring behind me. I sighed and brought my hand up to curl around his abdomen.

"I'm sorry..." he cut me off.

"Don't," he said shortly and softly. I let my eyes lower and swallowed the dry feeling in my throat.

"Pete," I whispered and his eyes drifted back to mine.

"What?" he asked softly and I blinked slowly.

"I didn't mean to throw up...but...I do that when I don't know what to say," I mumbled and Pete nodded.

"It's ok," he said and I shook my head, raising my hand to rest against his cheek.

"No. It's not...Pete...I didn't want this," Pete closed his eyes as his hand left my cheek and went to my hand on his.

"I can't help it, Ev," he whispered and I but my lip.

"I don't know what feelings I have for you, Pete," I whispered back. Pete opened his eyes slowly and nodded.

"I can wait...Evie," I looked away.

"I...I don't know," I said and dropped my hand back to my stomach where it rested before. Pete titled my head back.

"Don't do anything stupid, ok?" he said and I nodded.

He shifted me up slightly and out of his lap before he lied me down and covered me up. He rubbed my cheek again and I watched him intently as his eyes searched my face for something I couldn't put my finger on.

"Pete," I spoke and he shook his head.

"Shhhh," he simply said and leaned foreword before kissing my forehead and cheek softly and slowly.

I closed my eyes and felt him take his hand away. I didn't open my eyes until I heard the door close. I sighed and reached for my phone as it rang.

"Hello?" I croaked and heard a voice I was missing and yet dreading at the same time.

"Hey Ev," I smiled.

"Hi Andy," I replied and shifted so my back was to the door.

"You wanna come over? I'm kinda bored and stuff and...you know, it's Valentines Day," I smiled. "That reminds me, did you get the roses?" I sighed.

"Yes, yes I did," I coughed a little. "Andy, I'm really sick," I whispered and I heard him sigh.

"Do you want me to come over?" he asked and I gulped before looking down at the sheets and tangling my hand up in it.

"Um...I don't think it's a good idea...I don't want you getting sick," I heard him sigh.

"Baby...I want to take care of you," I wanted to cry.

"I'm sorry," I whispered and coughed more, peeling the phone away from my ear so I could roll over onto my stomach.

"Ev?" Andy asked and I hummed.

"Yea?" I asked and I heard shuffling before I closed my eyes.

"I love you,"

----------

I was half asleep as I rested my head against the counter. I heard somebody in front of me and sighed.

"Evie. You need coffee," I blinked hard and stared up at Joe as he held a giant cup of coffee for me. I took it and drank it slowly before closing my eyes and sighing.

"I needed this, Joe," I whispered before shifting in the barstool. The coffee shop was empty and I sighed. "It's like nobody comes here anymore," Joe nodded.

"Izzy had off tonight," he mumbled and I nodded as he went back to mess with the register. "Hey look, Patrick," I turned slightly to see Patrick walking up next to me.

"I'm a dumbass," Joe smirked.

"You just realized that?" Patrick pouted and I leaned against him.

"What happened, Patrick?" I asked and Patrick sighed, resting his hands on the counter top.

"Izzy asked if she wanted to hang out, like alone. Just us, and...made it sound all, romantic and shit and..." he paused, closing his eyes tight. "I shot her down, I told her I had plans," Patrick groaned and shifted to smack his head against the counter. "Oww," he whined. I rubbed his back.

"Patrick, what did she think of the necklace?" I asked and Patrick huffed.

"I got so nervous I ended up not giving it to her. It's under my bed in a big box labeled: Just In Case Izzy Loves Me," I frowned and glared at Joe as he stifled a laugh. Joe play frowned. I bit my lip.

"Why did you shoot her down?" I asked and Patrick sighed, still hunched over so I couldn't see his face. His forehead was against the countertop and his hat was askew due to the position.

"Because I'm a nervous fuck-up and...I don't deserve somebody that perfect...I made her so upset, she didn't show it, but I knew," I sighed again and rested my head on his shoulder.

"Patrick baby, just...calm down and wait it out...another time will come around," Patrick leaned back up and looked at me as I titled my head.

"Yeah, I've been waiting, Ev..." he shook his head and gathered himself up again, taking his coffee to go. "I'm out of here," he mumbled. I sighed. Joe shook his head.

"He is one big desperado," he mumbled and I bit my lip.

"I don't know why he acts this way," Joe cleared his throat, leaning against the counter.

"Patrick, he's relationship challenged. I mean, I'd love for him to be happy, it's just," he paused. "He feels sorry for himself and thinks everybody is going to hate him even for the good things he does," I blinked. "No matter how much you tell him he's perfect, he won't believe it until he hears it from Izzy," I nodded.

"But it's not going to happen anytime soon, huh?" I asked and Joe nodded.

"Not at all," Joe whispered. He smirked. "Speak of the devil," I turned to see a confused looking Izzy walking in.

"Is Patrick ok? He seemed like he was in a rush," I cleared my throat.

"He has to work the late shift, and I'm sick," I mumbled. Izzy sat next to me.

"It seemed like he was avoiding me," she whispered and I nodded at Joe before he disappeared.

"I don't know what's wrong with him, Iz," Izzy gulped.

"I think it's because I asked him out on...a date," I blinked.

"You did?" I asked. Izzy nodded slowly, her eyes distant.

"Kinda, I...I just wanted to see what it'd be like to see a different side of Patrick," I bit my lip.

"How so?" I asked and Izzy sighed, closing her eyes.

"I want to be close to him, but..." she opened her eyes and looked back down at her hands. "I don't think he wants that," Joe came out and placed a hot cup of coffee in front of her.

"This will make you feel better for now," Izzy smiled up at him.

"Thanks, Joe," she mumbled and took a long sip. I sighed.

"Izzy, just..." I sighed. "Patrick's in a rough spot and..." Izzy nodded.

"I understand," she said and swallowed. "I just wish he would be open to his friends, you know...he's like my brother," I blinked.

That's all I had to hear before I could picture Patrick's heart breaking.

I sighed.

"Yeah, I thought so," Izzy shook her head.

"But...sometimes he's not. I mean...I want to be close to him, but then...I don't know," Joe interrupted.

"Maybe friends with benefits," he suggested and I smacked him. Izzy sighed.

"I couldn't do that to somebody like Patrick," I blinked at her.

"Who's somebody like Patrick?" I asked and Izzy bit her lip.

"Somebody who doesn't expect anything out of people. He's so vulnerable to the world...I love him too much," I cut her off.

"You love him?" I asked and Izzy shook her head.

"Not like that," she whispered and I stared at her intently, searching her eyes.

She was lying.

She looked away and picked up her coffee.

"Thanks, Joe," she whispered and stood up with her purse. "Bye Evie," she said and I watched her go. Joe shook his head slowly.

"We have some emotionally fucked up friends, you know," I looked up at him.

"Well I'm one of them," I whispered. Joe looked down at me.

"What do you mean?" he asked and I shook my head.

"It's a long story that I don't feel like explaining," Joe walked away again.

"Then don't bring it up," I sighed as my phone rang. I answered it.

"Hello?" I asked and listened.

"Hey," I bit my lip.

"Andy," I acknowledged. I head him sigh.

"Yea. Just calling, you know," I closed my eyes.

"Yea, I get it...what's up?" I asked and sipped my coffee slowly.

"I just miss you...do you think you can come over tomorrow? We'll have an us day," I smiled lightly and opened my eyes.

"Id' love that, Andy," I whispered and heard a relieved sigh.

"You made me feel ten times better, Ev," I smiled.

"Too bad I'm still sick," I heard his voice drop.

"Wait...what?" he asked and I blinked.

"I meant, I'd feel better, but I can't. I'm still coming over," I heard another sigh.

"Oh god, you had me worried," I laughed lightly. "Can I pick you up tomorrow morning?" he asked and I sighed.

"I'll actually be there around 10, ok?" I asked and heard some shuffling.

"Sounds great. I gotta jet because it's almost work time, but I'll see you tomorrow," I smiled.

"Alright," I paused. "I love you, Andy," I bit my lip because I wasn't used to saying it first.

There was a pause.

"I love you too. And for you saying first, I love you more," I closed my eyes again.

"I feel better now," I whispered and sighed. "Bye," As I pulled my phone away I heard him say bye. Joe shook his head.

"You have it /bad/," I glared at him.

"Shut it Jew boy,"