FicWad

Chapter Four
__________________


"I want to know what he's doing." Pete exclaimed while stomping into his kitchen and throwing his phone haphazardly on the counter. "Yesterday was the fifth night in a row that he hasn't been home."

"Why don't you just leave him alone, he was probably with that chick you saw him with." Andrew replied while chewing a mouthful of cereal.

Pete glared at his brother who simply shrugged before taking another bite.
"He says that they're just friends."

"Maybe they are." Andrew brought the bowl to his lips in order to drink the leftover milk.

"No, you don't spend five days in a row with a chick if you don't want something out of it."

"Patrick isn't as sleazy as you Pete." The boy shrugged before shuffling towards the sink, he ran the water to fill up the empty bowl, burping as he did so. "Why do you care anyways?"

"I just want to meet her. I mean, I never liked Kelly and look what happened there, I just want to make sure he's going to be ok." Pete sighed while picking up his phone dialing the speed number extension and holding the device up to his ear.

"Someone better be dead for the amount of times you have called me in the past hour." Patrick responded groggily and annoyed.

"Patrick, what are you doing? Wanna come out with me tonight? A whole bunch of us are going - "

"I already have plans." Patrick cut him off with a yawn.

Pete sighed as he pushed the phone to his ear trying to listen for any background noise.
Nothing.

"What is going on with you man?" Pete questioned hastily.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Hey listen, I've got to go. I have to get a few more hours of sleep. I'll talk to you later, bye."

Pete heard the click and took the phone away from his ear screaming angrily as he did so.

"You need to cut the cord man, Patrick is fine. You don't care what he's doing normally you only care when he isn't paying attention to you." Andrew replied with a shrug before popping the top on a soda.

Pete let out a string of the foulest curse words directed at his brother while exiting the kitchen and stomping angrily up the stairs.

Andrew shrugged and took a long sip from his soda.

"Andrew get dressed, like now." Pete's voice echoed down the stairs.

"Why?"

"Because I've gotten the sudden urge to go art shopping."

...

"You are out of your fucking mind. I'm kind of embarrassed to be related to you." Andrew replied while walking out of the second art studio the two had visited that day.

"Well we saw them over there. It has to be on this block and there's" Pete ignored his brother as he once again looked down at the brochure that displayed all of downtown Chicago's art studios, "one more on this block."

Pete jogged down the block studying all of the windows as Andrew drug his feet behind him. Pete finally stopped in front of the last art studio on the block, he looked behind him for his brother but when he noticed that Andrew was still far behind he entered the art studio without him. Pete was beyond surprised when The Used and My Chemical Romance's rendition of 'Under Pressure' was blasting rather loudly from overhead speakers in the studio.

"Hi, welcome to 'Nameless Art Studios.' I'm Cheryl is there anything I can help you with today Mr. Wentz?" A tall blond questioned with a smile.

"I uhm," Pete smiled, "Did you guys have an art show last week?"

"Why yes we did. Is there any specific reason you ask?" The blond smiled while involuntarily fidgeting with her short hair.

"Ok ok this is weird but," Pete paused when the bell above the door rang signaling his brothers entrance, "ignore him that's my brother."

"Thanks Ass." Andrew huffed but was ignored as his brother went on trying to explain.

"But there was a girl that came, that was here. She was wearing a white dress and she has red hair."

"Oh, you're talking about Samantha. Mr. Stump gave you a reference I'm sure, he's been in my shop twice this week to see her." Cheryl smiled and nodded.

Pete hesitated but then nodded agreeing.
"Yes, of course Patrick told me so many things, good things, about her - about Samantha."

Andrew laughed at his brother before being silenced by a foot crunching down on his shoe. Cheryl glanced in confusion at the brothers before smiling politely once more.

"Well that's understandable she's one of my most promising new talents. If you would like to wait a minute I can go get her she just in the back."

"I would love to wait." Pete's smile mirrored Cheryl's.

The second Cheryl disappeared into the back room Andrew busted out laughing.
"Ok, what are you going to do when she comes out here smart one? You can't very well tell her that you're Patrick's Mommy just making sure your baby's fine."

Pete shoved his brother in gesture, urging him to shut up. He really had no idea what he was going to say but before he could even come up with a decent plan the backroom door opened and a confused redhead walked out into the showroom. Immediately Pete's defenses went up.
What was a girl like that doing talking to Patrick?
There had to be a hidden agenda.
She was intimidating and it surprised him that Patrick had even talked to her, it wasn't until she tripped on her shoelaces that Pete began to understand that this girl was not at all what she seemed.

"I'm Samantha, can I help you with something?" Sam smiled and extended a hand before noticing that her hands were covered in dried paint. Immediately she retraced her hand placing both of them in her back pockets as Pete openly examined her.

"Andrew." The younger boy interjected while stepping forward, "This is my brother Pete, we were just interested in your painting and wanted to meet the artist."

"Oh well, here I am." Samantha replied awkwardly as she gave them a shy smile. The Pete guy looked familiar but the way he was staring at her made her nervous and uncomfortable - she just wanted to go back into the back room.

"So you're an artist?" Pete finally spoke.

"Uhm yup." She nodded while raising her eyebrows, was this guy retarded?

"Like a starving artist?"

"No I eat on a regular basis." Samantha responded with a laugh before looking at Andrew as if to ask 'is this a joke?' Andrew shook his head in embarrassment debating whether or not to inform Patrick of his brother's visit with the redheaded girl.

"Well this has been lovely but I think we're going to leave now because Pete needs to take his medication. It was great meeting you Samantha - "

"No, no I'm not done yet." Pete cut off his brother and looked at a less than amused Samantha. "So," He began while wrapping an arm around her. Andrew's eyes widened in surprise and Samantha stared expressionless at the arm now wrapped around her shoulder. "Come here often?" Pete's attempt to be suave was lost.

"Seeing as how I work here," She paused to lower her shoulder causing his arm to slide off of her, "yeah, I'm here a lot."

"Excuse us please." Andrew smiled apologetically as he grabbed his brother by the hood and drug his across the room.
"Uhm, hello, what are you doing?"

"I want to see if she's a gold digging whore." Pete whispered harshly while rolling his eyes.

"You are completely unbalanced! She has no idea who you are and you are doing a horrible job of wooing her or whatever." Andrew explained softly while waving his hands in the air out of frustration. "And news flash if she finds out that you are Patrick's friend she very well may tell him about this little incident and I don't want to be around when Patrick comes after you."

"Pshhh." Pete faked a laugh before coming to the realization that Patrick may not be to fond of him heckling and hitting on his 'girlfriend.' "Well, I'll just, I'll just explain that I was looking out for his best interest and - "

"Oh my God. Hide." Andrew whispered harshly while grabbing his brother's head and hiding it inside of his jacket, ignoring Pete's shoving and whining as he did so. He then realized suddenly that though Pete was secure in his jacket that he was still out in the open, so quickly he turned to face the wall just as the bell above the door dinged.

"Hey, you're early." Samantha smiled at the man who had just entered the studio.

"I know, but after my friend woke me up for like the 10th time I just figured I'd head over." Patrick responded with a shrug.

"Aw poor baby didn't get his recommended 8 hours of sleep last night." She laughed and he shoved her playfully while stifling a laugh.

"Oh myf Goh they ... sex!" Pete's voice was muffled as Andrew pushed his brother's face further into his chest. Doing his best to maneuver himself and his brother out the door without being spotted by Patrick was one of the hardest things he had to do in his life.

"Thank you, bye bye." Andrew yelled a few octaves higher than usual with his hand over his mouth in an attempt to hide his voice as he pushed Pete and then himself out of the door before taking off in a sprint down the sidewalk.

Patrick turned slightly to see the two dark haired boys run down the sidewalk.
"What was that about?" He gestured out the window with a frown.

"I have no idea." She confessed, "They were so weird, well not both of them just the one in the girl pants."

"Oh, well, that explains a lot." Patrick smiled while wandering over to her painting. He felt like an idiot because for the first time he read her signature at the bottom right of the canvas immediately realizing that he hadn't of known her last name until that moment.
"Your name is Samantha Adams, like Sam Adams, like the beer?" He laughed while turning to face her.

She rolled her eyes in reflex,
"Like the American leader, politician, writer and philosopher." Samantha corrected with a nod.

"So Sam Adams, like the beer?" Patrick smiled as she groaned.

"For the love of God, yes like the beer. My parents thought they were SO funny. But I got lucky 'cause my brother's name is Alaster. I mean at least my name is identifiable by spell check."

"Hmm yes, at least that." He teased while she shook her head in astonishment choosing to ignore him.

"Cheryl, those guys left so I'm just going to head out." Samantha yelled into the backroom. Cheryl responded but what she said wasn't auditable from Patrick's position by the door.

...

"I am never doing that again you crazy fuck - next time I'm going to let you get caught." Andrew replied breathlessly once he was sure that they were far enough away from the studio.

"Oh my God that was so close." Pete replied while giving the infamous Pete Wentz 'I just got away with something' laugh.

"What exactly was the purpose of that?" The younger boy questioned while taking a seat on a near by bench. "I mean she seemed really nice, and the fact that she didn't give you the time of day pretty much made my life."

"Yeah whatever. She's too pretty." Pete scoffed while sitting next to his brother.

"There is no such thing as too pretty, and if there was she wouldn't be it - she's oblivious to the fact that she's pretty - girls who are 'too pretty' or whatever know that they are gorgeous and want everyone else to know it too." Andrew replied while unzipping his jacket and letting it fall from his shoulders.

"What are you talking about? She's up to something. Girls like that don't go for guys like Patrick."

"You are a horrible person with such confidence in your best friend." Andrew laughed in disbelief as Pete shrugged.

"I know Patrick is an amazing person but a lot of girls can't see past, what they see basically." Pete sighed while ruffling his hair, "Patrick gets girls like Kelly, not girls like Samantha. There has to be a hidden agenda, and I'm going to find out what it is."

"Just don't fuck this up for him ok?"

"Fuck what up? They're just friends remember?" Pete replied as a sly smile crept onto his face.

"You are so ridiculous!" Andrew groaned frustrated at his brother.

...

As the two were leaving the art studio Patrick's phone began to ring. Groaning he went to silence it but as soon as he read the caller id he opted to answer it instead, apologizing to Samantha as he did so.

"Hey Gabe what's up?" Patrick sighed into the phone glancing at Samantha from the corner of his eye periodically throughout his conversation. She paid no attention to him as she mindlessly bent down to finally tie her shoe.
"Uhm hold on." He responded while covering up the mouthpiece with his hand and glancing down at her.
"Do you mind swinging by my house for a few minutes and then eating?"

Samantha looked up at him through her lashes making Patrick more nervous then he should have been.

"Or I can go to my house and you can stay here and then I come back. Or uhm I can go home and not come back - " He tried to backtrack, sputtering awkwardly as he did so.

"I don't mind going to your house first, it's no big deal." Samantha laughed while standing up, Patrick sighed in relief while putting the phone back to his ear mouthing a 'thank you' to her before informing Gabe that he would be home in 30 minutes.

...

The radio played softly in the background as the two of them made their way out of the city and into the suburbs. Samantha stared out the window comfortable with the silence that they were sharing as Patrick paid attention to the road a little less comfortable with the lack of discussion.

"How come you moved to Chicago?" He figured that that was a safe place to start off.

"Uhm," She sighed while tossing him a glance, "My Aunt convinced my Mom that it was a good idea."

"Oh." Patrick paused to clear his throat. "Was it?"

"It hasn't been a completely unfortunate experience thus far." Sam smiled at him before nodding to confirm her statement.

"Good to know." He laughed while glancing in the rear view mirror before fixating on her once more, "So you have family here, that had to make the transition easier. I mean you weren't exactly moving down the block."

"Yeah my cousin lives here, and my aunt and uncle well," She paused to roll her eyes, "they travel a lot."

"Ahh," Patrick replied understanding what she was hinting at, "And your cousin?"

"Well, honestly?" Samantha questioned while looking at him for a gesture to go on, he nodded and she sighed, "We aren't really close, like at all. Not that she's not nice or whatever but I don't know. The last time I talked to her she rambled on about her boyfriend Dylan . . . or Devon. I don't know something with a D and I mean, I see her sometimes."

"Ok so basically," He laughed slightly, "you moved to Chicago completely alone."

"Well, I mean technically, yeah pretty much." She put her hand over her mouth to stifle her laugh as he made a goofy face at her.

"You're braver than you let on." Patrick replied with a smile and Samantha turned her face to look out the window in attempt to hide her blush.

"No I'm not." She whispered while placing her head in her hand.

"So," He started once more while checking over his shoulder before switching lanes, "Why am I not supposed to fall in love with you?"

"Why? Have you?" She questioned while not removing her gaze from looking out the window.

"No." He laughed uneasily and glanced in her direction.

"Then don't worry about it." Samantha responded with a sigh as she finally tossed a look over her shoulder towards him. He stared ahead of him his face blank, she could only guess it was because he was driving. Content with his silence she turned back to face the window.

"I'm not worried, just curious. One doesn't usually meet someone and make them promise not to fall in love with them." He cleared his throat nervously, it was obvious that he struck a nerve but it was a viable question, she had to have known that it would come up eventually.

"There's no use falling in love with me, I have nothing to offer. I'm defective." She responded, her voice drained from all emotion as she still stared blankly at the passing scenery.

Patrick looked at her surprised before noticing that he was almost off the road, he quickly swerved to correct clearing his throat as he did so. Samantha however didn't even budge; her head was still propped in her hand as she stared out the window.

"Shouldn't you let someone else decide that?" He cautiously tried to trek back into the uncomfortable conversation hoping to God that she wasn't through explaining herself.

"They already have." She smiled at him trying to end the discussion. Patrick nodded in understanding but something was telling him to keep prying, he opened his mouth to speak again but she cut him off.
"Just don't ok?"

"Alright." He sighed frustrated while pulling onto his street and then into his driveway that held a bouncing Gabe Saporta.

"Hurry up hurry up, it's in my head it goes 'dun do doobie do' Hurry." Gabe explained frantically while gesturing to the front door.

"Dude just go." Patrick replied with a laugh while tossing his keys in Gabe's direction.

Gabe caught the keys and started for the front door only to stop when he saw Samantha get out of the car. He paused and pointed to the girl unsure of who she was.
"Kelly?" He opted for that name as his first attempt. He didn't know what Kelly looked like and had remembered hearing that name pretty frequently so naturally it was his best bet.

"Samantha." She corrected politely as she reached to shake his hand.

"Samantha?" Gabe repeated while giving Patrick a confused glance, "Then who the hell is Kelly?"

"I really don't know." Samantha replied shyly while tossing a look in Patrick's direction that screamed 'help me out here.'

"Uhm," Patrick started while fidgeting with his hat, "Me and Kelly broke up, we broke up - I thought you knew?" He looked at Gabe who bit his bottom lip apologetically.

"Oh, my bad man." He apologized while looking in between Patrick and Samantha, "Ha ha, awkward." Gabe sang before noticing that he still had a hold of Samantha's hand. Smiling he finally let her go.

"Samantha's just my friend." Patrick felt it was important to throw that in while coughing slightly.

Samantha smiled politely with a nod.
"Yeah totally."

"Cool cool. Well yeah 'dun do doobie do.'" He repeated to himself while running over and unlocking the front door, immediately disappearing inside the house.

"I don't understand." Samantha replied with a laugh as she gestured with her head to the inside of the house.

"Oh," Patrick also laughed, "I'm going to be producing his band's next record and I actually have a studio inside of my house so it kind of works out - he wanted to try something so I had to come let him in."

"So you're a producer too?" She questioned while following him into the house.

"Among other things." He nodded while placing his keys on the counter and turning to face her.

"Who have you produced?" Samantha laughed, that was such an awkward question when asked aloud.

Patrick laughed too,
"Uhm recently I produced the Gym Class Heroes."

"What's a Gym Class Hero?" She questioned while running a finger across the top of a blank frame that was sitting on the table.

Patrick laughed again as he watched her blush in embarrassment because she wasn't up to par with her music.
"It's basically some guy rapping over a rock band." He tried to explain it to her in the simplest of forms.

"Sounds . . . interesting." She smiled as she tried to find the right words to describe it.

"It's different, good different." He confirmed as he watched her touch the empty frame in curiosity.
"It wasn't always empty." Patrick confessed while letting his face fall slightly.

"I figured, but I also didn't ask." Samantha tossed him a cheeky smile while putting the frame face down on the table. "So you've only produced the Gym Class Heroes, and now Gabe's band?"

"No I also did the Hush Sound awhile back."

"Oh?" She questioned while walking down the hallway letting her fingers linger on the wall as she passed through.

"I can't really describe them, you'd have to listen to it." Patrick replied as he followed her down his hallway.

"I'd like to." Samantha replied honestly as she came to the end of the hallway stopping in front of a set of double wooden doors. Her hand lingered above the door handle, she had been bold to even wander this far without an invitation but was she really going to venture into this room? These were the only doors that were shut in the hallway and she already passed an office and a bathroom.

Patrick leaned on the wall next to the doors with a smirk on his face, he had to hand it to her she was ballsy.
"It's messy." His voice broke the silence and she jumped involuntarily as she let her hand drop from the door handle.

"I'm sorry." She smiled as a blush crept onto her cheeks.

"Don't be. You can go in if you want, I don't care, I mean, I already raided your apartment. Fair is fair." Patrick replied with a smile as he brought her hand back to the door handle.

"That's ok." Samantha shot him an uneasy glance trying her best not to notice that his hand was still on top of hers and the feeling that accompanied him touching her.

"Hey! Yo! Dude this beat is so sick!" Gabe's excited voice echoed from the other side of the house. Both Patrick and Samantha sighed in relief.

"Yeah, ok. Let me see." He responded while removing his hand from on top of Sam's and walking back through the hallway.

Once he was gone Samantha let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding in - the feelings that were creeping up into her chest were making her nervous and she scolded herself for letting herself feel this way again.