FicWad

"Patrick Stump?"

A tiny blonde in a cafe interrupted our conversation, with three of her friends close behind her.

Patrick winced, turned around, and smiled. "Yes... hi."

I shoved my hands in my jean pockets and smiled politely at the girls. They had guts, I wasn't gonna be a bitch tonight.
The four girls were shaking as they took out their cell phone to get in with Patrick and snap a quick photo. I sat back and observed, laughing as Patrick glanced at me every so often. The first girl finished with the human tourist attraction and she moved towards me. She smiled at me, said hi. She told me her name was Amy. Like I care. She was nice, but not an honest type of nice, an annoying type of nice... the kind of nice that actually makes you want to punch the 'nice' person in the face. Listen teen, we're not gonna be best friends, we're not gonna have a sleepover and do eachothers hair, you're not getting 'in' with Patrick Stump.

/Wait a minute/. I mentally beat myself up for being territorial, for even considering myself having an 'in' with Patrick Stump. He was just doing me a favor, just showing me around the city. These teens probably know more about this man than I do. I put on my best smile and politely answered all of Amy's questions.

I folded my arms and heard Patrick's voice in the midst of the girls "Alright, there you guy. You girls have a great night."

He walked towards me with his head down, blushing a little. I smiled at him "Happens often, I'm guessing?"

He shrugged his shoulders and smiled, not wanting to tell me the real answer out of embarrassment. I giggled and stayed close to him after realizing the many stares in the cafe and jumble of people talking. Patrick whispered to me "Let's get out of here." I giggled, once again, and nodded. He took my hand and led me pass the line of people waiting for service, most of them staring and smiling at him.

I had no idea this many people knew who Patrick was. It was amazing to me. What was even more amazing to me was my own reaction to the situation. I held onto Patrick's hand and giggled like a school girl. Did I actually like the attention, being with Mr. Patrick Stump? I told myself I was annoyed and convinced my mind that I was frusterated with the lack of privacy we got in the cafe. I knew though, in the back of my mind, it was not true. I liked the attention and I liked being with Patrick.

I will admit, I was relieved when we went somewhere where we had our own privacy, our own time to talk. We walked through Lincoln Park in the dark and no one was paying attention to me or Pat in the hat. "Well so much for getting away from band stuff for a while." I laughed, still thinking about the giddy girls in the cafe.

Patrick shook his head. "Nah, you'll never be able to get away from that stuff. It's nice and everything, and those are the people that make it all happen -- the fans, but I don't exactly like being looked at by young girls and taking pictures. It's more of Pete's thing. I love the fans and I'm grateful, I just am not much of a people person I guess."

I smiled and looked at him. "You don't have to explain yourself to me. I don't blame you and I understand what you mean. You seem like the kind of person who could go without the photo shoots and the interviews. I could tell - I saw it today. Your passion is music and thats what you do and you do it well. You just gotta suck it up and take everything else that goes with it."

He looked over at me and flashed me a slight grin. "Yeah, you're right. It's just nice to be with someone who could care less about your band for a change."

I laughed "So you're telling me that you weren't the least bit offended when I didn't know who Fall Out Boy were?"

He shook his head quickly "What? No way! I was shocked, I'll admit... but offened, no. It was -- refreshing." He flashed me a smile, and not the ones you see of him in magazines. A real, genuine smile, like the one when he gave me after letting me know his name was Patrick, not Pete.

"Wow Patrick, let me tell you, you're nothing like what I expected Patrick Stump to be. But of course, maybe I was just stereotyping. Pete... he's who I thought the lead singer of Fall Out Boy would act like."

He laughed. "Yeah well Pete compensates for the whole band."

"You guys compliment eachother. No offense to him or anything, but I'd rather hang out with you. I'm glad we're actually getting time to talk."

He didn't say anything, just smiled and nodded. Even under the dim streetlamp, I could tell he was blushing a little.

I stopped dead in my tracks and turned to him. "Patrick -" I believe the sterness in my voice caught him by surprise because he also stopped dead in his tracks and just stared at me. I went on "- Never, ever stop doing what you're doing. You are so lucky to be doing something you love for a living and you do it so damn well. If anything ever happens with your band, don't stop Patrick, please."

I think he might have been taken back by my comment and the seriousness of it. "Wow, you seem all about it now, when a few days ago you could have cared less about Fall Out Boy."

I started to walk again "Oh... I could still care less about Fall Out Boy. I just think you're too fucking talented to give in to giving up. And I know that it's not gonna happen anytime soon, I just want you to know how I feel."

I couldn't stop talking. It was one of those cases where you sound like an idiot and you know it, but you just keep going on and on and on to try to redeem yourself but it just makes it worse.

Patrick just laughed at me. "Well - thank you for that. But, I don't think you need to worry about it."

"No Patrick, I didn't mean to pry or anything. Its just - I saw you." I stopped walking again. "I saw you in that room playing guitar and singing. You have a passion for it, anyone can see that. You're amazing."

Once again, Patrick was blushing and I was kicking myself for saying something without thinking. The last thing I wanted was for him to think I was flirting with him... especially if it was over his talent.

He changed the subject. "So tell me about your boyfriend." Ah, not exactly what I would've liked the conversation to change to, but hey - at least it changed.

"Well, his name is Mitch."

A long pause, then Patrick's giggle. "Thats it? Thats all I get?"

"Well what do you want to know? We've been dating for 4 years and I've never been with anyone else. I think he's the one and only for me, I really do."

Patrick laughed a short, sarcastic laugh. "Yeah - I just got out of one of those not too long ago. That's what we thought to. The only regret I have is letting it go on and live a lie when we both knew it wasn't right anymore. We should have stopped it right away... I don't know, it's just still too painfull I guess."

I didn't say anything, I just thought. I was happy that it wasn't like that for me, and it never will be. But who knows? Maybe Patrick and his girlfriend thought that once a while ago too, they must have. Mitch and I would never be like that, he's the one for me.

I didn't want to talk anymore... I didn't want to think either. Not about relationships or being a rockstar. I wanted to have a normal conversation about odd hobbies and favorite movies.

Nothing was said and we walked in silence for a good 15 minutes. "Hey, maybe we should head back to Pete's."

Well there went being 'in' with Patrick Stump... the rockstar in the hat who thinks I'm obnoxious and totally nerdy.

I just smiled "Alright, let's go."