FicWad

Haley's POV
A Month Later

We had been home from the tour for almost a week now, and everyone was enjoying their time off. I had a couple of more weeks until school started, and the guys didn't really have any plans for a little while. Pete and I worked out some of the problems we had been having and were the happiest we'd been in a while. Although, he was still being protective, he had gotten better.

That particular day we were all over at Pete's house just hanging out. Currently we were sprawled out on various couches in the middle of a movie marathon. Pete was in the kitchen getting more popcorn when his Sidekick rang.

"Can someone get that?" he yelled.

No one made a movement to get it, and since I was the closest one, I reached over to the table where it was, falling off the couch in the process. Everyone seemed to find it funny, as I glared at them as I pressed the talk button.

"Hello?

"Hey Haley, is Pete there?" I heard Mark ask.

"Yeah, hang on a second." I got off the floor and walked to the kitchen, hanging it to Pete. "It's Mark."

Mark was the band's manager. As I was getting something to drink, I was halfway listening to their conversation. But then I heard Pete protesting, "But we just got home..."

I spun around to give Pete a confused look. Whatever it was, it didn't sound good. I dropped my drink into the sink and ran out of the room. As I ran through the living room, the others looked up startled, but I ignored them. I ran into Pete's room, slamming the door behind me, and threw myself on the bed.

That's when the tears started to fall. I wasn't sure I could handle Pete leaving again. This summer was the longest time we'd spent together in the last two years. I had gotten used to Pete being a part of my everyday life again. He couldn't be leaving when things were going so well. I knew that I was being selfish, but I couldn't help it. A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door.

"Go away," I yelled.

"Haley, let me in," Pete's voice came in through the door. "Talk to me."

"I don't want to talk."

"Please. You can't lock me out of my own room."

"I can and I did. Now leave me alone."

It went quiet, but I knew Pete was still outside the door. I made him wait a few more minutes before I went to open the door, trying to compose myself. He walked in and sat on the bed next to me. After a few awkward moments, Pete broke the silence.

"Here's the deal. Mark wants us to go on this European promotional tour thing. Plus, there's this award show he wants us to go to."

"When?" I whispered.

Pete looked down, "Tomorrow night."

The tears started to fall again. "How? It's such short notice."

"They want us to do some radio shows and a couple of secret shows."

I sat there silent for a moment, and then the whole situation dawned on me and I snapped.

"But you just got home! What about us? I miss you when you're gone."

"God, Haley stop acting like you're the only one this affects," Pete yelled back. "You don't think I miss you when we're gone. You think I want to be gone another month when I just got home?"

"Then tell Mark no."

"It doesn't work like that and you know it." I did know that, but I didn't care and was just expressing my frustrations. "And I know our relationship suffers when I'm gone, but I try the best I can."

"Oh yeah," I scoffed. "Andy calls his girlfriend more than you call me. You act like you're too busy for me when you're on tour."

"Oh grow up already. Stop being so childish. You know perfectly well what it's like on tour. We don't have a lot of free time. So stop acting like I can change things."

"Childish?" I asked, as I walked to the door. "Sorry I want to spend time with the person I love and want to spend the rest of my life with and have his children. But know what? I'm not doing this right now."

I slammed the door shut. I gook a deep breath and exhaled and angrily wiped the tears off my face. I needed to get out of this house, away from Pete. I walked down the stairs and saw everyone still sitting there pretending they hadn't heard anything. My face flushed as I walked to the front door and mumbled an apology. Unfortunately I didn't have my car, so I was forced to walk home. After a few minutes, I began to regret my decision. One: I still had like two miles to get home and 2: it was starting to get dark, and although I was in a nice neighborhood, it was still creepy. Another couple of minutes passed, and a car began to slow down next to me. Panicking, I began to walk faster until I heard a voice call out, "Haley!"

I stopped and turned to see Patrick looking at me, concern in his eyes.

"Get in." I climbed in. "You okay?"

I nodded. We drove to my apartment silently, and Patrick followed me in when we got there.

"Talk to me," he said, sitting on the couch next to me.

"What's there to talk about?" I asked bitterly. "Pete's leaving again. And I'm going to be here home alone, again. It's that simple."

"It's not and you know it. I know you don't want Pete to go, but I also know Pete doesn't want to go."

"I know," I sighed, feeling some of my anger beginning to drain away. "I just thought that Pete and I would get to have some time together, like a normal couple. I should have known it was too good to be true."

"I know it seems pretty hopeless right now, but give it a few days and it'll seem better. You and Pete are too close to let this ruin your relationship. Things will work out." Patrick wrapped his arm around me and pulled me close.

"I don't know, Patrick. It was a bad argument. We said a lot of hurtful things. I'm pretty sure Pete won't talk to me for a while. I doubt I'll talk to him before you all leave."

"Just give him time. By the end of the three weeks, things will be back to normal."

"I hope so. Why did you come after me anyway?"

"I was worried. Plus Pete freaked out when he found out you were gone."

I smiled slightly at the thought: leave it to Pete when he's mad at me to still worry about me.

We sat in silence, both lost in our thoughts. Not long after, my eyes became heavy and I drifted off to sleep, using Patrick as a pillow.