FicWad

PETE'S POV

I looked into the living room while I was standing at the stove and was lost in thoughts. How did Adia know I wrote that about somebody? Could she possibly even know?

No. I'd told no one about it, not even Pat or my own mother.

But then again... no, she couldn't know. There was no possible way.

Or was there?

I slapped myself on the forehead and opened the refridgerator, looking for some milk to make a bowl of cereal. And just luck, there was none.

"Hey Dee, would you mind going to the store to get a gallon of milk?" I called, my voice a little hoarse.

"Sure. I'll get you some lozenges too, you sound a little sick."

"Yeah, thanks." I got out a cup of yogurt and peeled away the cover, then got a spoon and went to the living room.

"Dude, you'll never believe it," Joe said in a tone next to a whisper.

"Huh."

"She feels the same way." He sounded significantly happier than he had the day before- but then again, when someone like that called, who could manage to be happy?

"Oh, I know," I replied. She had told all of us before the whole Kaliam incident, and everytime we asked her thereafter we got the same answer.

It got quiet for a few minutes, and the only sound was of my silver spoon hitting the side of the plastic yogurt cup. Adia came in soon after, carrying a plastic bag in one hand.

"Okie dokie," she said, throwing the box of throat drops at me as she sat down next to Joe and pulled off her sweater. Her shirt came up above her navel, exposing a tattoo on her side of a bleeding rose.

A tattoo?!

"How long have you had that on your side?" I casually asked.

She yanked down the bottom hem past her belt loops and then whispered, "Not a word to Pat!"

Joe and I both gave her the thumbs up. "Ah, I promise... I guess."

"Petey!" she squealed, throwing a pillow at me. I caught it and threw it back, hitting her in the face. She laughed hysterically, got up and jumped on me, then began beating me with it. I gently slapped back, overcome with laughter.

why can you read me like no one else?
I hide behind these words
but I'm coming out

She had left her glasses off today, so the only thing I had to worry about was if something got caught in one of her piercings. She was wearing her hair a little different, with the parting over to the side, and was wearing dark grey eyeliner and black mascara. She had a close fitting tee shirt on with a tombstone printed on it and the words "Stories from the grave" and black pinstripe pants, and her nails were blood red. She grabbed the pillow again and was wacking me on the head with it.

"Truce, truce!" I laughed, pushing her hands away. She fell over to the arm of the couch and smiled over at me.

I swear, that girl could read me like a book.


3 years previous

PETE'S POV

"Hey, Sandra, wait!"

I stood right by the speaker, the music blaring in my ears, but I didn't really care. All the other kids from the school were running around us, but she and I paid no mind- we were in a sort of a dispute, I suppose you could say.

"What?!" she muttered through gritted teeth. She spun on her heel and glared at me, he short cocolate-covered-cherry hair falling in her face. She was wearing black armwarmers, a white and red tank top with paint splatters and stars in the lower corner, plaid capries with chains and studs, and hight top converse. Her angry, tearful eyes were a deep green, and she wore a thick layer of black eyeliner and red eyeshadow around them.

"How could you go with him?"

"Because I want to, that's why!" she screamed. "Why does it matter to you?"

"Because he's not a good person!" I replied, trying to keep my voice down.

"The pain only lasts so long, and Petey, I can change him," she said, her volume decreasing slightly. "He does't seem decent, but deep down he is."

How could I get it through her head? "Sweetie, in the end it's going to hurt you... bad. Maybe even fatally."

"Oh my fucking God, why do you always have to be so... so... histrionic?!" she said, her voice rising again. "Just... stop worrying. It's not you who's being hurt anyway!"

"But..." I sighed and looked deep into her eyes. "It hurts me to see you hurt."

"Pssh." She swept her hair out of her face. "I love Brant, can't you see that?" she whispered.

"And I love you." I stayed in my spot under the camera posted outside the gymnasium door.

"Look... just... I gotta go," she said, going through the double-doors and walking towards a parked car in the lot. "I might call you later or something."

I thought of running after her, but changed my mind. It was Brant she wanted to see anyway, not me. I sighed and walked back inside, trying my hardest not to cry.

But of course, I did anyway.

PAT'S POV

I walked up to Pete as soon as I saw him enter the lobby area of the gym building.

"Dude, where is she?" I asked. "Did she-"

"Yeah, she went with Brant," he muttered, sitting down on one of the plastic chairs in the corner. "I tried to stop her, but I couldn't."

Man... poor Pete. "She'll come back to you eventually, man. She'll see he's harmful."

"Maybe." He looked down, his hair in his face.

Yup. Big ol' maybe.

~~the next morning~~

"Pete, dear?"

Mom stood over me with the phone and shook me awake. I took it and groggily muttered, "H'lo?"

"Yes, is this Pete?"

"Yeah."

"Well... I'm sorry to be the one to tell you, but..."

Then I stirred awake as everything hit me full force, like a freight train... how she and Brant had gotten into a huge argument; how he was drunk; how she had died almost instantly when he took a sharp turn and sent the vehicle rolling down a hill- with many trees and rocks, might I add.

'So many kids here but I only see you... I only see you...'

I remained speechless for many moments, until Mrs. Kealey said, "Pete?"

"Um... yes ma'am?"

"There's some things I think she would have wanted you to have... do you want to come get them?"

I rubbed my face- all of a sudden everything ached, it was a burded to even open my eyes. It was like someone had ripped my heart from my chest, and I was filled with sorrow and regret...

'I'm not the way you think I am, girl...'

"Yes, I'll be over sometime this afternoon."

"Thank you, Pete," she sighed. "She spoke very highly of you in the past. We thought you should be the first to know."

"Okay..." I muttered. I began to say 'thank you, bye' but changed my mind and asked, "May I ask one more question?"

"Of course, dear."

There was a huge lump in my throat but I ignored it. "Did anything happen to Brant?"

She was quiet for several moments, then replied, "No. All he got was some scratches and bruises."

I felt the anger well up inside of me. "Okay. Goodbye, Mrs. Kealey."

"Bye, Pete."

I pressed the talk buttpn and handed it back to my mother. She smiled sadly at me and said, "I'm sorry, Pete."

'The pain only lasts so long, and Petey, I can change him...'

I slammed back down on my bed and sobbed into my pillows. My mom rubbed my back and crooned to me, but it didn't help. Nothing could erase her memory... nothing...

And to think I could have went after her. I could have stopped her from ever going with him.

But could I have?

But nothing could change the fact she was gone, leaving nothing but notes, mix cd's, and memories behind...