Fic: The pros and cons of saving Pete Wentz (Hey kid, you’ll never live this down ) [1/8]
Title: ‘The pros and cons of saving Pete Wentz (Hey kid, you’ll never live this down )’ [1/8]
Author: jen_jm
Pairing: Pete/Patrick, Jon/Spencer, Brendon/Ryan, Tom/William, Gabe/William. Mention of others.
Rating: NC-17 overall
Word count: 50,000 total words
Warnings: High School AU, language
POV: third
Disclaimer: Completely not true. I really don’t mean to offend anyone and nothing of what I wrote in this story is to be considered real, it’s all fiction.
Author’s Notes: I messed up with the ages, but who cares, it’s an AU. LOL Also, parents’ names aren’t real, I made them up. Title from Fall Out Boy’s “The pros and cons of breathing” (kinda) and “A little less sixteen candles…”
As ever, feel free to report any mistake. Constructive criticism is welcome, feedback makes me happy!
Summary: “Pete Wentz wasn’t a nice guy. Everybody knew it. He was an arrogant, rich, spoiled, bragging, often obnoxious bully who spent his time with a bunch of adoring ass kissers he called friends. Exactly the kind of person Patrick didn’t want to have around under any circumstance.” - Still, when Pete gets in a car accident and Patrick saves him from burning alive, things start to get a little more complicated.
Crossposted
~~
August 19th
Pete Wentz wasn’t a nice guy. Everybody knew it. He was an arrogant, rich, spoiled, bragging, often obnoxious bully who spent his time with a bunch of adoring ass kissers he called friends. Exactly the kind of person Patrick didn’t want to have around under any circumstance. Only, they went to the same high school, and ignoring the very loud Pete Wentz was kind of impossible, even for a very quiet Patrick and his slightly nerdy friends, Ryan and Spencer.
So when Patrick saw two cars drive past him, going way too fast for the narrow uneven street he was walking on, he knew it was Pete and his friends. He knew it because everyone in town knew that the shiny new black SUV with the personalized plate wntzrlz was Pete’s parents’ gift for his birthday.
Patrick stopped briefly, his eyes fixed on the two cars apparently engaged in some kind of race. He shook his head and resumed walking, raising the volume of his iPod.
Then suddenly the other car, a green Chevrolet, steered to avoid a big hole on the ground and hit Pete’s car on the side. The SUV flailed for a second, then drove off the road, heading straight towards a big oak.
Patrick watched in horror as the car hit the tree with a loud crash, while Pete’s friends stopped theirs. Three seconds later he saw the green Chevrolet being started again and resume its path down the road at full speed. Without thinking about it, he ran towards the SUV as fast as he could, trying to get his phone from his pocket.
“Shit,” Patrick whispered to himself when he reached the car and saw smoke rise from the destroyed hood. He looked inside at the driver seat and saw the air bag had gone off. “Hey, can you hear me?” Patrick took another step towards the door and saw Pete’s head resting against the seat, covered in blood.
“Joe?” Pete muttered, not opening his eyes but trying to turn his head to the side. Patrick was about to reply that no, he wasn’t Joe or Andy or any of his shitty friends who had just run after causing a possibly lethal accident, but something caught his attention.
“Shit, we gotta get you out.” Patrick tried to open the driver door, failing. He looked around, trying to find something he could use to open it, while the smell of gasoline got stronger. “Hey, can you move your hands?”
Pete didn’t reply and Patrick looked at him again. Great, a passed out Pete Wentz locked inside a car, just minutes from being cooked alive. The dream of so many people at their school. “Shit, shit, shit.”
Patrick took a deep breath and closed both his hands on the handle, pinning his foot on the car and pulling as hard as he could. It took him three attempts, but finally the door gave in and Patrick fell backwards. He got on his feet again and reached the car; he moved the air bag aside and unlocked Pete’s seat belt, trying to wake him.
Pete opened his eyes and looked at him, confused. “Who the hell--” he started to ask, but shut up when Patrick started to pull him out of the car.
“Just move your ass and get out.” Patrick knew better than moving someone after a car accident, but he didn’t have much choice. “C’mon, Wentz.”
Pete let himself be dragged out of the car and felt his feet touch the ground. He tried to stay upright but everything started to spin and he collapsed against Patrick. “My head--”
Patrick almost lost his balance, but managed to stay upright and keep Pete up too. He put one of the boy’s arms around his shoulders and started to walk towards the street. After a few feet Patrick had to stop to get a better grip on Pete, but there was a loud blast behind them and they both fell on the grass.
“Holy fuck,” Pete muttered, turning on his back and watching as his car burned in front of him.
“Yeah, something like that.” Patrick watched too, breathing heavily and reaching for his phone. When he managed to get it out and call 911, Pete passed out again, his head resting next to Patrick’s leg.
As he waited for the ambulance and the police, Patrick looked down at the unconscious boy, and the realization hit him as hard as a slap. He’d just saved Pete dickhead Wentz’ life.
Great.
I’m so getting killed for this.
~~
“You saw the accident?” the policeman asked with a frown as Patrick sat in the hospital corridor. The paramedics had insisted that he went with them, despite the boy’s objections. “What happened?”
“I just saw the car drive off the road and hit the tree.” Patrick shrugged, feeling a tight knot in his throat. No, he wasn’t going to lie to cover Wentz’ ass. “There was another car, a green Chevrolet, I think. I didn’t see anything else.”
“Pete told us who the car belongs to.” the police officer confirmed and Patrick frowned a bit, surprised Pete had turned in his friends. “You risked your life back there, boy.”
Patrick nodded and showed a little smile, knowing the man was congratulating him for his guts. When the policeman finally decided he was done with Patrick, the boy turned to leave, but a well-dressed woman walked fast in his direction. Pete’s mother.
“Is it you?” She stopped in front of him, her expression halfway between relieved and desperate and something told Patrick that it wasn’t the first time she’d feared for Pete’s life. “You saved my son?”
Yeah, ma’am, so sorry about that. “Yeah, Mrs. Wentz, I guess it’s me.” Patrick wasn’t sure if he was supposed to smile or cry or what, but then the woman hugged him so tightly he stopped breathing for a couple of seconds.
“Thank you so much, boy,” Mrs. Wentz whispered, her voice truly grateful. “What’s your name?”
“Patrick,” he hesitated, then realized the woman was waiting for his last name. “Patrick Stump, ma’am.”
Mrs. Wentz was about to say something else, but the doctor walked out of Pete’s room, and she excused herself. Patrick watched her nod slowly at the doctor’s words and throw worried glances inside; he was surprised by how kind and warm she had been, and realized that despite he had seen the woman thousands times, he’d never talked to her. And yeah, Pete had definitely taken after his father, then.
When the woman walked in the room, Patrick stopped the doctor. “Is he gonna be okay?”
“Yeah, he’s lucky someone dragged him out of the car.”
Patrick nodded and thanked the doctor quietly, then walked towards the exit, seeing no reason to stay there any longer.
~
“Patrick! Thank God!” Patrick’s mother, Helen, was standing in the little porch of their house. “Are you okay?”
“Mom, I’m fine.” Patrick raised an eyebrow, then saw the phone in her hands. “The police called?”
“Five minutes ago,” she confirmed, worried. “They said you were involved in an accident!”
“I wasn’t involved.” Patrick showed a little smile. “I just saw it and helped the guy to get out of the car,” he explained with a little shrug. “I’m fine.”
“Thank God,” Helen repeated, hugging the boy. “Let’s call your dad and tell him you’re okay, he’s closing the store to come to the hospital.”
“Right, the store.” Patrick sighed, closing his eyes. “I totally forgot I had to go there.”
“Don’t worry about that, let’s get inside.” Helen put an arm around her son’s shoulders and kept him close as they walked towards the door.
~~
One day later
“I wish I had a shotgun right now.” Ryan rested his left hip against the counter of the music store, then crossed his arms and glared at Patrick.
“You heard about it.” Patrick looked at him and hunched his shoulders, letting his forehead rest on the wooden surface with a soft thud. He knew Ryan hated Pete with passion, even if the boy had never told him what had happened between him and Wentz; Spencer knew for sure, but never once gave him a hint or anything, and Patrick simply respected it.
“Half the town is talking about it.” Ryan kept glaring as Spencer reached him and arched an eyebrow. “Were you possessed?” Ryan asked, and Patrick looked up. “Did some kind of talking wolf or some other batshit crazy talking animal tell you to help Wentz or are you just insane?”
“Oh, quit it,” Patrick snorted, glaring back at his friend. “Drama queen.” He turned towards Spencer and sighed. “And what’s with the bitchface?”
“He didn’t get to see the love of his life today.” Ryan flashed a grin at Spencer and the other boy flipped him off, annoyed. “We skipped breakfast to come here and yell at you.”
“First, it’s eleven-thirty am, so breakfast wasn’t exactly an option anyway; second, and thank God for this, you aren’t yelling.”
“That’s ‘cause we’ve got dignity left and we don’t go around yelling. Or pulling jerks out of crashed cars,” Spencer replied, showing a sarcastic smirk.
“Will you ever let me live this down?” Patrick shook his head, amused. “Jeez, I just saved a guy from burning alive.”
“That’s exactly the point.” Spencer leaned against the counter as well, shrugging. “But don’t worry, we forgive you for not being able to let Wentz have a horrible, painful death.”
“You guys are creepy.” Patrick’s eyebrows shot up and Spencer grinned.
“We’re just angry, frustrated outsiders who transfer their repressed hatred and rage on the most obnoxious person around.” Ryan shrugged, gaining a glare from Patrick.
“Besides, we’re back to school in a week, and you’ll be Stump the hero. That’s enough of a punishment.” Spencer grinned wider and Patrick rested his head on the counter again, banging it a few times against the hard wood.
Hell, it was going to be the shittiest year of his short, quiet life.
~~
One week later
The week ended way too fast for Patrick’s liking and the moment he stepped in his Biology class, everyone shut up and glanced at him. Spencer arched an eyebrow, a little smirk tugging at his lips, and Patrick silently thanked every divinity he could think of that Ryan had English class and wasn’t there to remind him what kind of horrible person he was, for saving Pete.
Patrick tried to ignore the looks he was receiving -wary, angry, incredulous, even happy- and headed for his seat. He was surprised to notice a guy sitting next to it, looking confused by the sudden interest in Patrick.
“Hey,” the guy said as soon as Patrick and Spencer sat down. “I’m Brendon, I’m new,” he introduced himself with a wide smile and held out his hand.
Patrick shook it, a little surprised, and looked at him a bit more carefully; dark eyes behind red square-framed glasses and black messy hair. He was wearing black tight jeans and a red t-shirt with what Patrick thought was the name of a band. “I’m Patrick, this is Spencer.”
“So, are you two celebrities around here or what?” Brendon asked, but the tone showed curiosity and not a trace of malice.
“I was asking myself the same question,” Spencer muttered, not taking his eyes off Brendon. “Are you from around here?”
“Nope, I moved here to stay with my aunt, I’m from Las Vegas.” There was a trace of pride in his voice and Patrick saw Spencer frown a bit.
“Spence’s from there too.” Patrick smirked when his friend glared at him.
“Really?” Brendon’s smile lit up even more at that.
“Moved here with my family when I was a kid.” Spencer nodded and relaxed a bit, the ghost of a smirk stretching his lips.
“Patrick.” Ryan quickly walked in the class, making sure the teacher wasn’t in the hallway. “I hope you’re aware there’s no fucking way we’re eating at the cafeteria from now on,” he informed with a threatening whisper as soon as he was standing in front of his friend.
“I agree with that.” Spencer shrugged, faking indifference.
“Of course you do.” Ryan rolled his eyes while Patrick laughed, then his gaze stopped on Brendon, who was still leaning towards Patrick, looking like he was supposed to be part of the conversation. “And you are?”
“Brendon,” the boy immediately said, holding out his hand. Ryan looked at it with a frown for a few seconds, then shook it. “And you?”
“Ryan,” Spencer replied before Ryan could. “And he should be in another class right now.”
“I’m going.” Ryan raised his hands in surrender and reached the door. “See you at lunch.”
“He’s--” Brendon started, but Patrick shook his head and stopped him.
“Don’t say cute.” Spencer grinned as Brendon frowned in surprise. “Not in front of him, at least, or he’ll bite your head off.”
“Uh, okay.” Brendon nodded, a little taken aback. “I was going to say bossy, anyway.”
“If you don’t have plans, you could have lunch with us later,” Patrick proposed with a wide smile. “There’s a nice place not far from here, a little diner.”
“Sure.” Brendon’s face lit up again and Spencer smiled too. He was about to add something, but Miss Asher, their Biology teacher, walked in and they all shut up.
~~
Jacob’s, the diner Patrick had mentioned, was just five minutes far from their school. As soon as Patrick, Spencer and Brendon walked thought the main door, the boy behind the counter, Jon, looked up and smiled widely at them. Jon wasn’t much older than them, he’d graduated two years before and had joined his father at the diner. As far as Patrick remembered, Spencer had had a crush on him since the first day Jon had started working there full time.
“Hey, Jon.” Patrick looked around at the almost empty place and frowned. “Where’s everyone?”
“I thought you knew it, Wentz’s father offered free lunch to all the students today to promote the opening of his new fast-food.” Jon rested his elbow on the counter as he talked, his eyes immediately finding Spencer. “He’s planning to open it in December, right down the street.”
“That bastard.” Patrick shook his head, incredulous.
“He tried to convince me and my dad to sell this place.” Jon laughed, genuinely amused. “My dad yelled so hard Wentz’ lawyer wanted to call the cops.”
“Are you gonna be in trouble when it opens?” Spencer frowned, worried and uncertain.
“Probably.” Jon sighed and turned to look at him again with a little smile. “But I’ll still have my favorite customers, right?”
“Of course,” Patrick replied as Spencer looked away, trying to hide his embarrassment at the obvious flirting.
“So, are you just a lurker, or what?” Jon turned to look at Brendon, curious.
“I’m Brendon, I’m new.” Brendon held out his hand and Jon shook it with a frown.
“He’s okay.” Spencer grinned, while Patrick nodded slowly.
“If Spence approves you, then I do too.” Jon smirked and Brendon’s smile widened. “Go have a seat, I’ll be there in a sec,” he added as he turned to walk in the kitchen behind him.
They walked to the table in the corner, next to the window. Brendon excused himself to the bathroom and Patrick and Spencer sat down in the booth.
“He’s not bad.” Spencer shrugged, a little surprised. “Ryan might even accept his existence without too much of a fuss.”
“Don’t be too optimistic.” Patrick grinned, opening the menu he knew by heart. “Ryan might like him.”
“Don’t be too pessimistic.” Spencer glared a bit and took a menu as well.
Right in that moment Ryan walked in and reached the table, sitting in the free booth. “Why isn’t the new guy here?”
“He’s washing his hands like the well-mannered boy he is.” Patrick grinned again and addressed Spencer an eloquent glance.
“Have you seen his fucking lips?” Ryan kept looking at the restroom door as he talked.
“Don’t be a hormonal teenager.” Spencer rolled his eyes and glared back at Patrick.
“Spence, I am a hormonal teenager.” Ryan bit on his lower lip, thoughtful. “And he’s so fucking hot. I bet Bill will be on his ass in no time.”
“Bill has enough trouble on his hands, right now,” William said from the booth behind him and Ryan froze on the spot. “But I have to admit his ass is some fine work.”
“I saw him first,” Ryan hissed, turning his head enough to look at the other boy. “Back off.”
“He’s all yours, Ross.” William laughed and Ryan noticed Hayley, the captain of the cheerleaders team, coming in their direction.
“And not a word,” Ryan added with a whisper as he turned back towards Patrick and Spencer.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be busy with my life.” William snickered just as Hayley reached the booths.
“Hi, guys.” Hayley waved at the three of them with a smile; they waved back and she sat down in front of William.
“Oh, by the way, he’s Mormon.” At those words Ryan turned his head so fast Patrick almost wanted to laugh. William grinned slyly, then gave his back to him.
Ryan was about to say something, but Spencer kicked him under the table and the boy turned just in time to Brendon walk out of the restroom. As soon as he reached the table he sat down with a smile.
“Do they have salads here?” Brendon asked as he reached for a menu.
“Vegetarian?” Patrick frowned, a little surprised.
“Yep.” Brendon smiled widely at him and looked down at the list of sandwiches.
“Mormon?” Spencer asked with a shrug, surprising both Brendon and Patrick, while Ryan just glared at him. “Oh, don’t look at me like that, you were dying to ask him.”
“I, uh, kind of was.” Brendon looked embarrassed at the question and Ryan bit on his lip.
“Was?” Spencer arched an eyebrow, saying what both Ryan and Patrick were thinking.
“Was,” Brendon confirmed with a little smile. “My parents didn’t take it well and that’s why I live with my aunt now.”
“Oh.” Ryan pursed his lips, unsure. “Ouch.”
“Yeah, well, Chicago suburbs are… nice.” Brendon kept his eyes on the menu and Spencer kicked Ryan again.
“Hey, stop it.” Ryan kicked back, annoyed. “You asked the nosy questions.”
Jon reached the table in that moment and Spencer focused all his attention on him. “So, what can I bring you?”
After the boy took their order and walked back to the kitchen, Brendon looked at them, curious. “So, who’s this Wentz guy?”
“Kingston Wentz?” Spencer arched an eyebrow perplexed. “He owns a chain of fast-food restaurants, he’s all over the state and still growing.”
Ryan looked at him at those words. “You should hate Patrick too, Spence.” Brendon frowned at that, while Patrick rolled his eyes. “Thanks to him, Wentz is gonna make Jon close.”
“Thanks to him?” Brendon looked at Ryan first, then at Patrick.
“Patrick saved Kingston Wentz’ son, Pete, from his car after an accident,” Spencer explained as he glanced at the counter where Jon was serving coffee to Miss Asher. “He pulled him out of the car just in time before it blew up.”
“Whoa, that’s why everyone was looking at you this morning.” Brendon’s eyes widened. “It was brave.”
“It was stupid,” Ryan objected, looking at the menu he was still holding. “Pete Wentz is an asshole.”
“He can’t be terrible enough to deserve that kind of death.” Brendon let out a soft laughter, but when Spencer shook his head and gestured him to stop, he shut up, a bit confused.
“I doubt it,” Ryan admitted, not meeting Spencer’s eyes. “Can we not talk about that asshole, please?”
“Sure,” Patrick said just as his phone rang in the bag; he took it and found a text from an unknown number. “Uh, not to be an asshole myself, but Wentz just texted me.”
“What?” Spencer leaned closer and tried to read. “What did he write?”
“Come outside, need to talk,” Patrick read with an arched an eyebrow, then he raised his gaze and saw Pete standing on the opposite sidewalk. “Great.”
Patrick typed something quickly and Ryan bit on his lower lip, while Brendon looked out of the window as well.
“What did you tell him?” Spencer glanced distractedly at Brendon, then looked at the phone again.
“I said no.” Patrick shrugged, putting his phone in the bag.
“Uh, Patrick.” Brendon turned to look at him, his expression unsure and a bit worried. “He’s coming here.”
“Oh, shit.” Patrick looked up in time to see Pete entering the diner quickly.
“Stump,” Pete said as soon as he reached the table. “We need to talk.”
“No, we don’t.” Patrick saw William turn to watch the scene with a smirk while Hayley just shook her head. “I have nothing to tell you.”
“But I do.” Pete frowned, somehow surprised Patrick was so cold with him.
“Deal with it,” Patrick just said, not looking at Pete.
“Dude, what’s wrong with you?” Pete looked at him wide-eyed and baffled, then he glanced at Ryan and his expression changed. “Look, I just wanna talk, I swear.”
“If I listen, are you gonna leave me the fuck alone?” Patrick rolled his eyes, annoyed.
When Pete nodded, Patrick gestured Spencer to scoot over to let him out of the booth. Once he was standing in front of Pete, the boy nodded towards an empty booth on the other side of the room. Patrick followed him and sat down, waiting.
“Look, I--” Pete started, then shook his head and shut up.
“Well?” Patrick frowned, confused and surprised at the same time. Pete looked like he didn’t know what to do and it was quite unusual to see him like that.
“Why?” Pete just said after a few seconds; when Patrick didn’t say anything, he looked at him. “Why did you pull me out of the car?”
“Because I’m an idiot,” Patrick muttered, moving his glance to the table between them.
“No, hey, really.” Pete reached out to tilt Patrick’s chin up, but the boy moved back instinctively. “Whoa, dude, I’m not gonna punch you.”
“Listen, you wanna know why I helped you? Because I don’t usually let people burn alive if I can avoid it.” Patrick took a deep breath, looking at him in the eye. “Now can we end this and never talk to each other ever again?”
“Fine.” Pete’s expression hardened and Patrick almost regretted his words. “I was just trying to thank you.”
“Yeah, well, you’re welcome. Goodbye.” Patrick started to stand and Pete gripped his wrist.
“Maybe I could--” Pete started to say, but when he saw the angry and alarmed look in Patrick’s eyes, he immediately let him go. “Thank you.”
Patrick nodded at that, then quickly walked back to his table, while Pete stood and headed for the door.
~
William watched as Patrick reached the table and sat down again, then turned to look at Hayley.
“I have to go.” William looked at the clock on the wall and stretched his neck. “I have some warming up to take care of.”
“Uh.” Hayley raised an eyebrow at that, perplexed. “I thought Tom was mad at you.”
“He’s always mad at me, until I make him forget about it.” William shrugged and took a sip of hisDiet Coke. “And I’m pretty good at that.”
“You’re gonna lose him one day.” Hayley half-glared as she talked, but the boy just smirked.
“No, honey, if he dumps me, then he loses me.” William finished his drink and sighed. “My ego isn’t too easy to bruise.”
“Your ego scares me to death,” Hayley admitted with a brief laughter.
“That’s one of my best qualities.” William grinned and stood from his seat. “See you at class, sweetie,” he added as he leaned down to place a kiss on the girl’s cheek.
“It’s okay, I’ll pay for you.” Hayley shook her head and laughed as William reached the door.
It took him five minutes to get back to school and five more to get to the locker room without anyone noticing. As soon as he entered he locked the door and looked around. The place was empty, but he checked anyway. Not a minute later someone else entered from the other door and locked it.
“I hate all this fucking hiding,” William snorted when he saw Tom standing in front of the first row of lockers.
“No, you don’t.” Tom just reached him and pushed him against the wall. “You love knowing they could catch us,” he added as he lowered his head to kiss William’s neck.
“I’m starting to think you know me too well,” William admitted as he closed his eyes and trailed both his hand in Tom’s hair. The other boy grinded his hips against William’s and sucked at his pulse. “Fuck, Tommy, stop teasing if you’re not going to fuck me.”
“You know I can’t,” Tom muttered, then bit down on the pale skin hard enough to mark it. “Not before practice, not anymore.”
“Fuck practice, it’s always like this.” William pushed him back and glared, furious. “What the fuck is your problem?”
“Oh, c’mon, Bill, not again.” Tom rolled his eyes and sighed, which annoyed William even more. “You know that I’d rather fuck you right here against the wall, but I don’t want Coach Suarez to throw me out of the team ‘cause I’m late again.”
“Yeah, well, I might throw you out of this team.” William kept his gaze locked with Tom’s and his jaw tightened.
“Don’t be a bitch.” Tom took a step towards him and raised a hand to pull the boy close again, but William slapped it away. “Look, I’m sorry, okay?” Tom showed a little smile and gestured William to get closer. “We could go out Saturday night.”
“And fuck in the car?” William raised an eyebrow, perplexed. “No thanks, last time I almost broke a wrist.”
“No, I mean, like, go out and do something. Together.” Tom shrugged and stepped closer again. “Movies, or the Freaky.”
“Really?” William looked surprised by that offer. “You and me without your friends?”
“I swear, just you and me,” Tom confirmed with a grin and finally pulled William closer again. “And then you better tell your parents you’re sleeping at my place, ‘cause my dad will be out of town until Monday and we have the house to ourselves.”
“So maybe I won’t throw you out of this team for now.” William circled his boyfriend’s neck with his arms and pulled him in a kiss, grinding his crotch against Tom’s. “But I’m gonna suck you off before you get out there, and there’s no fucking thing you can say to make me change my mind,” he added as he pushed Tom against the wall, then slowly sank to his knees.
“Oh God.” Tom let his eyes close and banged his head against the wall once as William did a quick job of his zip and took him in his mouth a few seconds later.
~~
One day later
The following day everything went smooth in class. Patrick kept turning heads, but Ryan was starting to get used to it and bitched a lot less. They had just finished their Spanish class together and they were supposed to go meet Spencer and Brendon at the diner in half an hour. They reached the football field and sat on the highest row, determined to stay away from the practice going on a few meters below.
“So, Brendon,” Patrick said with casual tone, waiting for Ryan to say something in return.
“He’s hot.” Ryan looked at his friend and shrugged. “But man, he’s so…”
“Naïve? Innocent? Completely corruptible?” Patrick offered with a smirk.
“Genuine,” Ryan corrected him with a sigh.
“That’s not necessarily a bad thing.” Patrick shrugged and watched as the coach Suarez talked to the quarterback, Tom Conrad.
“I don’t know,” Ryan admitted, looking at his friend. “I’m too fucked up for someone like him.”
“You’re not fucked up, you’re just complicated.” Patrick arched an eyebrow, meeting Ryan’s gaze.
“You sound like Spence now.” Ryan laughed and lied down on the bench. “I don’t know, he’s probably straight as an arrow.”
“Maybe his parents kicked him out because he goes fishing in both rivers,” Patrick suggested with a shrug. “It wouldn’t be the first time.”
“Patrick, there’s a reason I’m the one who makes up new metaphors.” Ryan lifted his head enough to look at him. “Also, you’re not bi, so your situation doesn’t count as an example of ‘fishing in both rivers’.”
“How d’you know? I might be.” Patrick punched Ryan’s leg, offended.
“Dude, you’re the gayest guy on the planet, you’re just very good at hiding it.” Ryan laughed, trying to kick his friend.
“Then maybe he’s the second gayest guy on the planet.” Patrick gripped both Ryan’s ankles and kept them still.
“We’ll see.” Ryan yawned, bored. “Besides, it won’t take long before he hears about the homo-group.”
“I don’t think they’re calling us like that anymore.” Patrick grinned and Ryan glared a bit.
“I like that nickname.” Ryan managed to get his ankles free and rested them in Patrick’s lap. “It’s better than anything else Wentz and his friends made up in the past four years and it doesn’t include the word fag.”
“Thank God for small mercies, uh?” Patrick laughed, sincerely amused.
Ryan was about to reply, but he heard quick footsteps approaching and turned his head in time to see Hayley walk in their direction. She looked halfway between worried and annoyed, and for a second Ryan had the instinct to cover his delicate parts in case she was pissed at them. She wasn’t mean or anything, but a couple of boys in the football team had experienced just how hard she was able to kick when annoyed by unwanted attention.
Hayley was the exact opposite of the teenage movies cheerleader stereotype, and for that, Patrick was deeply grateful. She was only a couple of inches taller than Patrick, she had bright red straight hair and wide hazel eyes. She was a classic rock fan and spent most of her spare time singing with a band instead of going shopping with the other girls in the team; she usually walked around with her best friend, William Beckett, so both Ryan and Patrick were surprised to see her alone.
“You should come see something,” Hayley said as her eyes moved from Ryan to the other boy.
“What’s going on?” Ryan sat up quicker then the girl had expected and she arched an eyebrow.
“Someone destroyed Joe Trohman’s car in the school parking,” Hayley informed with an incredulous grin. “Principal Bryar called Pete in his office ten minutes ago.”
“Really?” Ryan smirked at the girl, delighted. “Did someone see him?”
“Nope, not that I know.” Hayley shrugged and glanced in the parking’s direction. “Wanna come see it?”
“I wouldn’t miss it.” Ryan stood and gestured Patrick to do the same.
Five minutes later they were standing in the parking and Patrick recognized the car that had drove Pete’s SUV off the road. A shiver ran down his spine as the images of that afternoon came back to his mind.
The green 1972 Chevrolet Chevelle had all four wheels cut and the windows smashed; the hood looked like a pack of bulls had danced the flamenco on it and the front windshield was crossed by thick cracks all over.
“One guy could never do this kind of damage quickly enough to run away without getting caught.” Ryan shook his head, disappointed.
“D’you really think Pete would do this himself?” William asked as he reached them with a grin.
“Shut that fucking wide mouth of yours, Beckett.” Pete’s voice came right from behind them and they turned to face him.
“So he’s right.” Hayley looked amused and unbelieving at the same time.
“I’m not saying that.” Pete shrugged and glanced at Patrick.
“But you’re not denying either,” Ryan added with a cold glare in his direction.
“Let’s just say we’re even for the whole destroyed car part.” Pete flashed a grin in their direction and Ryan’s eyes moved away.
“Very mature.” Patrick shook his head and walked past Pete, immediately followed by his friend. William and Hayley watched as Pete’s eyes widened in surprise and they both snickered.
~~
During lunch, Brendon and Spencer asked about the car and how Pete hadn’t gotten thrown out. As Hayley and William took the table next to theirs just like the previous day, they informed the group that Pete had been in his English class when it had happened, so the principal had to let him go.
After they had finished their lunch, Jon reached their table with a tray and put four slices of cake on the table. “On the house.”
“Shouldn’t you be saving money to survive?” Spencer asked with a little grin, but took the slice anyway.
“I baked it myself with all my love.” Jon looked proud of this and Spencer’s smirk turned into a surprised smile. “You know, I have many hidden talents.”
“And I bet there’s someone at the table who would love to uncover whatever you keep hidden,” William commented as he stood, his gaze moving from a flushed Spencer to a laughing Jon. “Isn’t it?”
“Oh, shut up.” Hayley slapped him on the arm and addressed the guys an apologetic smile.
“You’d better hurry up, Bill, or you’re gonna be late for the football team practice,” Jon said with a smug glance, making Patrick, Spencer and Ryan smirk, while Brendon looked around, confused. William flipped him off but kept grinning as he and Hayley walked towards the door.
“Trust me, you don’t wanna know,” Patrick told the new boy, shaking his head.
“The quarterback,” Ryan added with a laughter. Brendon’s eyes widened and Spencer nodded in confirmation.
“And you are three gossipy bitches.” Jon shook his head and walked back to the counter.
“We’d better move, or we’ll be late for real.” Patrick started to eat the cake, looking out of the window.
“I don’t have class now, I’ll just stay here.” Spencer shrugged, pointedly not looking at Ryan. “It’s quiet enough to read and there’s coffee always at hand.”
“Mom’s gonna kick you if you come home hyper on coffee again.” Ryan arched an eyebrow and Brendon frowned, surprised.
“Yeah, well, at least it’s not pot.” Spencer addressed Ryan an eloquent glare and the boy sighed.
“It was just once,” Ryan said, then pouted, while Patrick watched the scene with a trace of amusement on his face. “And dad caught me only because you started acting like an idiot.”
“You were fucking singing Jingle Bells in the hall at 4 am.” Spencer smirked as Brendon’s eyes widened. “I just tried to convince them we were drunk, not high.”
“You’re brothers?” Brendon looked at Ryan first, then at Spencer.
“Step brothers,” Ryan confirmed with a nod.
“Which one of you was adopted?” Brendon looked thrilled by that and Patrick laughed.
“Neither, his mother married my father when we were seven.” Spencer’s answer seemed to surprise the boy even more and Ryan smiled too. “That’s when we moved here.”
“Do your parents know about your crush on Jon?” Brendon’s question caught Spencer completely off guard and he almost dropped his fork.
“What crush?” Spencer kept his voice even, while Patrick and Ryan burst out laughing.
“Oh, is it one of those things I should just acknowledge but never mention?” Brendon’s eyes were wide and sincere, not a trace of mocking, and Patrick felt the need to hug him. Spencer moved the plate aside and rested his forehead on the table, groaning.
“Yes, Spence, it’s that obvious,” Ryan confirmed before his brother had the time to ask. “And no, our parents don’t know about Jon.”
“But they know you’re-- I mean--” Brendon saw the perplexed look on Ryan’s face and shut up.
“Gay is not a swear word or anything, you know?” Ryan grinned and saw the relief fill Brendon’s eyes.
“It used to be, in my family,” Brendon admitted as he resumed eating his cake.
“Not at this table, don’t worry.” Patrick laughed, looking at a still blushing Spencer.
“So all of you--” Brendon’s eyes widened again at that, and Ryan bit on his lip, worried. “No, no, no, hey, it’s okay with me, I mean-- I’m just surprised.”
“That’s why we’re the exact opposite of popular here, and it was fine like that.” Ryan looked directly at Patrick as he talked. “Most part of the school ignored us until a week ago.”
“And they’ll go back to ignoring us again before Christmas.” Patrick rolled his eyes, annoyed.
“And your parents?” Brendon looked at Spencer, then at Ryan again.
“They’re not gay,” Ryan replied, his voice and face both serious.
Spencer glared as his brother laughed at Brendon’s confused face. “They know about me, but not about Ryan.”
Brendon slapped Ryan on the arm and pouted, turning to look at Patrick. “And you?”
“I told my parents when I was fifteen.” Patrick smiled a little and put his fork down. “I had to live with Ry and Spence for a few months, but they got over it. Eventually.”
“What about you, Brendon?” Ryan asked as he idly played with his fork.
“I, uh-- I’m experimenting, I guess.” Brendon shrugged and looked at his dish, unsure. Ryan’s expression changed at that and he did his best to hide the smirk that was tugging at his lips.
“Don’t worry, you’re sitting at the right table.” Spencer’s sentence reassured the boy, who didn’t notice the way Ryan’s eyes stopped on his mouth for a few seconds longer than acceptable.
This is gonna be a long, long year, Patrick thought as he kicked Ryan under the table, distracting him from his fantasies.
~~
A/N:I’m back. Again. LOL With longer chapters for this one. Happy? y/n
There’s not much I can say for now, let me know what you think. :P
JM <3
Author: jen_jm
Pairing: Pete/Patrick, Jon/Spencer, Brendon/Ryan, Tom/William, Gabe/William. Mention of others.
Rating: NC-17 overall
Word count: 50,000 total words
Warnings: High School AU, language
POV: third
Disclaimer: Completely not true. I really don’t mean to offend anyone and nothing of what I wrote in this story is to be considered real, it’s all fiction.
Author’s Notes: I messed up with the ages, but who cares, it’s an AU. LOL Also, parents’ names aren’t real, I made them up. Title from Fall Out Boy’s “The pros and cons of breathing” (kinda) and “A little less sixteen candles…”
As ever, feel free to report any mistake. Constructive criticism is welcome, feedback makes me happy!
Summary: “Pete Wentz wasn’t a nice guy. Everybody knew it. He was an arrogant, rich, spoiled, bragging, often obnoxious bully who spent his time with a bunch of adoring ass kissers he called friends. Exactly the kind of person Patrick didn’t want to have around under any circumstance.” - Still, when Pete gets in a car accident and Patrick saves him from burning alive, things start to get a little more complicated.
Crossposted
~~
August 19th
Pete Wentz wasn’t a nice guy. Everybody knew it. He was an arrogant, rich, spoiled, bragging, often obnoxious bully who spent his time with a bunch of adoring ass kissers he called friends. Exactly the kind of person Patrick didn’t want to have around under any circumstance. Only, they went to the same high school, and ignoring the very loud Pete Wentz was kind of impossible, even for a very quiet Patrick and his slightly nerdy friends, Ryan and Spencer.
So when Patrick saw two cars drive past him, going way too fast for the narrow uneven street he was walking on, he knew it was Pete and his friends. He knew it because everyone in town knew that the shiny new black SUV with the personalized plate wntzrlz was Pete’s parents’ gift for his birthday.
Patrick stopped briefly, his eyes fixed on the two cars apparently engaged in some kind of race. He shook his head and resumed walking, raising the volume of his iPod.
Then suddenly the other car, a green Chevrolet, steered to avoid a big hole on the ground and hit Pete’s car on the side. The SUV flailed for a second, then drove off the road, heading straight towards a big oak.
Patrick watched in horror as the car hit the tree with a loud crash, while Pete’s friends stopped theirs. Three seconds later he saw the green Chevrolet being started again and resume its path down the road at full speed. Without thinking about it, he ran towards the SUV as fast as he could, trying to get his phone from his pocket.
“Shit,” Patrick whispered to himself when he reached the car and saw smoke rise from the destroyed hood. He looked inside at the driver seat and saw the air bag had gone off. “Hey, can you hear me?” Patrick took another step towards the door and saw Pete’s head resting against the seat, covered in blood.
“Joe?” Pete muttered, not opening his eyes but trying to turn his head to the side. Patrick was about to reply that no, he wasn’t Joe or Andy or any of his shitty friends who had just run after causing a possibly lethal accident, but something caught his attention.
“Shit, we gotta get you out.” Patrick tried to open the driver door, failing. He looked around, trying to find something he could use to open it, while the smell of gasoline got stronger. “Hey, can you move your hands?”
Pete didn’t reply and Patrick looked at him again. Great, a passed out Pete Wentz locked inside a car, just minutes from being cooked alive. The dream of so many people at their school. “Shit, shit, shit.”
Patrick took a deep breath and closed both his hands on the handle, pinning his foot on the car and pulling as hard as he could. It took him three attempts, but finally the door gave in and Patrick fell backwards. He got on his feet again and reached the car; he moved the air bag aside and unlocked Pete’s seat belt, trying to wake him.
Pete opened his eyes and looked at him, confused. “Who the hell--” he started to ask, but shut up when Patrick started to pull him out of the car.
“Just move your ass and get out.” Patrick knew better than moving someone after a car accident, but he didn’t have much choice. “C’mon, Wentz.”
Pete let himself be dragged out of the car and felt his feet touch the ground. He tried to stay upright but everything started to spin and he collapsed against Patrick. “My head--”
Patrick almost lost his balance, but managed to stay upright and keep Pete up too. He put one of the boy’s arms around his shoulders and started to walk towards the street. After a few feet Patrick had to stop to get a better grip on Pete, but there was a loud blast behind them and they both fell on the grass.
“Holy fuck,” Pete muttered, turning on his back and watching as his car burned in front of him.
“Yeah, something like that.” Patrick watched too, breathing heavily and reaching for his phone. When he managed to get it out and call 911, Pete passed out again, his head resting next to Patrick’s leg.
As he waited for the ambulance and the police, Patrick looked down at the unconscious boy, and the realization hit him as hard as a slap. He’d just saved Pete dickhead Wentz’ life.
Great.
I’m so getting killed for this.
~~
“You saw the accident?” the policeman asked with a frown as Patrick sat in the hospital corridor. The paramedics had insisted that he went with them, despite the boy’s objections. “What happened?”
“I just saw the car drive off the road and hit the tree.” Patrick shrugged, feeling a tight knot in his throat. No, he wasn’t going to lie to cover Wentz’ ass. “There was another car, a green Chevrolet, I think. I didn’t see anything else.”
“Pete told us who the car belongs to.” the police officer confirmed and Patrick frowned a bit, surprised Pete had turned in his friends. “You risked your life back there, boy.”
Patrick nodded and showed a little smile, knowing the man was congratulating him for his guts. When the policeman finally decided he was done with Patrick, the boy turned to leave, but a well-dressed woman walked fast in his direction. Pete’s mother.
“Is it you?” She stopped in front of him, her expression halfway between relieved and desperate and something told Patrick that it wasn’t the first time she’d feared for Pete’s life. “You saved my son?”
Yeah, ma’am, so sorry about that. “Yeah, Mrs. Wentz, I guess it’s me.” Patrick wasn’t sure if he was supposed to smile or cry or what, but then the woman hugged him so tightly he stopped breathing for a couple of seconds.
“Thank you so much, boy,” Mrs. Wentz whispered, her voice truly grateful. “What’s your name?”
“Patrick,” he hesitated, then realized the woman was waiting for his last name. “Patrick Stump, ma’am.”
Mrs. Wentz was about to say something else, but the doctor walked out of Pete’s room, and she excused herself. Patrick watched her nod slowly at the doctor’s words and throw worried glances inside; he was surprised by how kind and warm she had been, and realized that despite he had seen the woman thousands times, he’d never talked to her. And yeah, Pete had definitely taken after his father, then.
When the woman walked in the room, Patrick stopped the doctor. “Is he gonna be okay?”
“Yeah, he’s lucky someone dragged him out of the car.”
Patrick nodded and thanked the doctor quietly, then walked towards the exit, seeing no reason to stay there any longer.
~
“Patrick! Thank God!” Patrick’s mother, Helen, was standing in the little porch of their house. “Are you okay?”
“Mom, I’m fine.” Patrick raised an eyebrow, then saw the phone in her hands. “The police called?”
“Five minutes ago,” she confirmed, worried. “They said you were involved in an accident!”
“I wasn’t involved.” Patrick showed a little smile. “I just saw it and helped the guy to get out of the car,” he explained with a little shrug. “I’m fine.”
“Thank God,” Helen repeated, hugging the boy. “Let’s call your dad and tell him you’re okay, he’s closing the store to come to the hospital.”
“Right, the store.” Patrick sighed, closing his eyes. “I totally forgot I had to go there.”
“Don’t worry about that, let’s get inside.” Helen put an arm around her son’s shoulders and kept him close as they walked towards the door.
~~
One day later
“I wish I had a shotgun right now.” Ryan rested his left hip against the counter of the music store, then crossed his arms and glared at Patrick.
“You heard about it.” Patrick looked at him and hunched his shoulders, letting his forehead rest on the wooden surface with a soft thud. He knew Ryan hated Pete with passion, even if the boy had never told him what had happened between him and Wentz; Spencer knew for sure, but never once gave him a hint or anything, and Patrick simply respected it.
“Half the town is talking about it.” Ryan kept glaring as Spencer reached him and arched an eyebrow. “Were you possessed?” Ryan asked, and Patrick looked up. “Did some kind of talking wolf or some other batshit crazy talking animal tell you to help Wentz or are you just insane?”
“Oh, quit it,” Patrick snorted, glaring back at his friend. “Drama queen.” He turned towards Spencer and sighed. “And what’s with the bitchface?”
“He didn’t get to see the love of his life today.” Ryan flashed a grin at Spencer and the other boy flipped him off, annoyed. “We skipped breakfast to come here and yell at you.”
“First, it’s eleven-thirty am, so breakfast wasn’t exactly an option anyway; second, and thank God for this, you aren’t yelling.”
“That’s ‘cause we’ve got dignity left and we don’t go around yelling. Or pulling jerks out of crashed cars,” Spencer replied, showing a sarcastic smirk.
“Will you ever let me live this down?” Patrick shook his head, amused. “Jeez, I just saved a guy from burning alive.”
“That’s exactly the point.” Spencer leaned against the counter as well, shrugging. “But don’t worry, we forgive you for not being able to let Wentz have a horrible, painful death.”
“You guys are creepy.” Patrick’s eyebrows shot up and Spencer grinned.
“We’re just angry, frustrated outsiders who transfer their repressed hatred and rage on the most obnoxious person around.” Ryan shrugged, gaining a glare from Patrick.
“Besides, we’re back to school in a week, and you’ll be Stump the hero. That’s enough of a punishment.” Spencer grinned wider and Patrick rested his head on the counter again, banging it a few times against the hard wood.
Hell, it was going to be the shittiest year of his short, quiet life.
~~
One week later
The week ended way too fast for Patrick’s liking and the moment he stepped in his Biology class, everyone shut up and glanced at him. Spencer arched an eyebrow, a little smirk tugging at his lips, and Patrick silently thanked every divinity he could think of that Ryan had English class and wasn’t there to remind him what kind of horrible person he was, for saving Pete.
Patrick tried to ignore the looks he was receiving -wary, angry, incredulous, even happy- and headed for his seat. He was surprised to notice a guy sitting next to it, looking confused by the sudden interest in Patrick.
“Hey,” the guy said as soon as Patrick and Spencer sat down. “I’m Brendon, I’m new,” he introduced himself with a wide smile and held out his hand.
Patrick shook it, a little surprised, and looked at him a bit more carefully; dark eyes behind red square-framed glasses and black messy hair. He was wearing black tight jeans and a red t-shirt with what Patrick thought was the name of a band. “I’m Patrick, this is Spencer.”
“So, are you two celebrities around here or what?” Brendon asked, but the tone showed curiosity and not a trace of malice.
“I was asking myself the same question,” Spencer muttered, not taking his eyes off Brendon. “Are you from around here?”
“Nope, I moved here to stay with my aunt, I’m from Las Vegas.” There was a trace of pride in his voice and Patrick saw Spencer frown a bit.
“Spence’s from there too.” Patrick smirked when his friend glared at him.
“Really?” Brendon’s smile lit up even more at that.
“Moved here with my family when I was a kid.” Spencer nodded and relaxed a bit, the ghost of a smirk stretching his lips.
“Patrick.” Ryan quickly walked in the class, making sure the teacher wasn’t in the hallway. “I hope you’re aware there’s no fucking way we’re eating at the cafeteria from now on,” he informed with a threatening whisper as soon as he was standing in front of his friend.
“I agree with that.” Spencer shrugged, faking indifference.
“Of course you do.” Ryan rolled his eyes while Patrick laughed, then his gaze stopped on Brendon, who was still leaning towards Patrick, looking like he was supposed to be part of the conversation. “And you are?”
“Brendon,” the boy immediately said, holding out his hand. Ryan looked at it with a frown for a few seconds, then shook it. “And you?”
“Ryan,” Spencer replied before Ryan could. “And he should be in another class right now.”
“I’m going.” Ryan raised his hands in surrender and reached the door. “See you at lunch.”
“He’s--” Brendon started, but Patrick shook his head and stopped him.
“Don’t say cute.” Spencer grinned as Brendon frowned in surprise. “Not in front of him, at least, or he’ll bite your head off.”
“Uh, okay.” Brendon nodded, a little taken aback. “I was going to say bossy, anyway.”
“If you don’t have plans, you could have lunch with us later,” Patrick proposed with a wide smile. “There’s a nice place not far from here, a little diner.”
“Sure.” Brendon’s face lit up again and Spencer smiled too. He was about to add something, but Miss Asher, their Biology teacher, walked in and they all shut up.
~~
Jacob’s, the diner Patrick had mentioned, was just five minutes far from their school. As soon as Patrick, Spencer and Brendon walked thought the main door, the boy behind the counter, Jon, looked up and smiled widely at them. Jon wasn’t much older than them, he’d graduated two years before and had joined his father at the diner. As far as Patrick remembered, Spencer had had a crush on him since the first day Jon had started working there full time.
“Hey, Jon.” Patrick looked around at the almost empty place and frowned. “Where’s everyone?”
“I thought you knew it, Wentz’s father offered free lunch to all the students today to promote the opening of his new fast-food.” Jon rested his elbow on the counter as he talked, his eyes immediately finding Spencer. “He’s planning to open it in December, right down the street.”
“That bastard.” Patrick shook his head, incredulous.
“He tried to convince me and my dad to sell this place.” Jon laughed, genuinely amused. “My dad yelled so hard Wentz’ lawyer wanted to call the cops.”
“Are you gonna be in trouble when it opens?” Spencer frowned, worried and uncertain.
“Probably.” Jon sighed and turned to look at him again with a little smile. “But I’ll still have my favorite customers, right?”
“Of course,” Patrick replied as Spencer looked away, trying to hide his embarrassment at the obvious flirting.
“So, are you just a lurker, or what?” Jon turned to look at Brendon, curious.
“I’m Brendon, I’m new.” Brendon held out his hand and Jon shook it with a frown.
“He’s okay.” Spencer grinned, while Patrick nodded slowly.
“If Spence approves you, then I do too.” Jon smirked and Brendon’s smile widened. “Go have a seat, I’ll be there in a sec,” he added as he turned to walk in the kitchen behind him.
They walked to the table in the corner, next to the window. Brendon excused himself to the bathroom and Patrick and Spencer sat down in the booth.
“He’s not bad.” Spencer shrugged, a little surprised. “Ryan might even accept his existence without too much of a fuss.”
“Don’t be too optimistic.” Patrick grinned, opening the menu he knew by heart. “Ryan might like him.”
“Don’t be too pessimistic.” Spencer glared a bit and took a menu as well.
Right in that moment Ryan walked in and reached the table, sitting in the free booth. “Why isn’t the new guy here?”
“He’s washing his hands like the well-mannered boy he is.” Patrick grinned again and addressed Spencer an eloquent glance.
“Have you seen his fucking lips?” Ryan kept looking at the restroom door as he talked.
“Don’t be a hormonal teenager.” Spencer rolled his eyes and glared back at Patrick.
“Spence, I am a hormonal teenager.” Ryan bit on his lower lip, thoughtful. “And he’s so fucking hot. I bet Bill will be on his ass in no time.”
“Bill has enough trouble on his hands, right now,” William said from the booth behind him and Ryan froze on the spot. “But I have to admit his ass is some fine work.”
“I saw him first,” Ryan hissed, turning his head enough to look at the other boy. “Back off.”
“He’s all yours, Ross.” William laughed and Ryan noticed Hayley, the captain of the cheerleaders team, coming in their direction.
“And not a word,” Ryan added with a whisper as he turned back towards Patrick and Spencer.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be busy with my life.” William snickered just as Hayley reached the booths.
“Hi, guys.” Hayley waved at the three of them with a smile; they waved back and she sat down in front of William.
“Oh, by the way, he’s Mormon.” At those words Ryan turned his head so fast Patrick almost wanted to laugh. William grinned slyly, then gave his back to him.
Ryan was about to say something, but Spencer kicked him under the table and the boy turned just in time to Brendon walk out of the restroom. As soon as he reached the table he sat down with a smile.
“Do they have salads here?” Brendon asked as he reached for a menu.
“Vegetarian?” Patrick frowned, a little surprised.
“Yep.” Brendon smiled widely at him and looked down at the list of sandwiches.
“Mormon?” Spencer asked with a shrug, surprising both Brendon and Patrick, while Ryan just glared at him. “Oh, don’t look at me like that, you were dying to ask him.”
“I, uh, kind of was.” Brendon looked embarrassed at the question and Ryan bit on his lip.
“Was?” Spencer arched an eyebrow, saying what both Ryan and Patrick were thinking.
“Was,” Brendon confirmed with a little smile. “My parents didn’t take it well and that’s why I live with my aunt now.”
“Oh.” Ryan pursed his lips, unsure. “Ouch.”
“Yeah, well, Chicago suburbs are… nice.” Brendon kept his eyes on the menu and Spencer kicked Ryan again.
“Hey, stop it.” Ryan kicked back, annoyed. “You asked the nosy questions.”
Jon reached the table in that moment and Spencer focused all his attention on him. “So, what can I bring you?”
After the boy took their order and walked back to the kitchen, Brendon looked at them, curious. “So, who’s this Wentz guy?”
“Kingston Wentz?” Spencer arched an eyebrow perplexed. “He owns a chain of fast-food restaurants, he’s all over the state and still growing.”
Ryan looked at him at those words. “You should hate Patrick too, Spence.” Brendon frowned at that, while Patrick rolled his eyes. “Thanks to him, Wentz is gonna make Jon close.”
“Thanks to him?” Brendon looked at Ryan first, then at Patrick.
“Patrick saved Kingston Wentz’ son, Pete, from his car after an accident,” Spencer explained as he glanced at the counter where Jon was serving coffee to Miss Asher. “He pulled him out of the car just in time before it blew up.”
“Whoa, that’s why everyone was looking at you this morning.” Brendon’s eyes widened. “It was brave.”
“It was stupid,” Ryan objected, looking at the menu he was still holding. “Pete Wentz is an asshole.”
“He can’t be terrible enough to deserve that kind of death.” Brendon let out a soft laughter, but when Spencer shook his head and gestured him to stop, he shut up, a bit confused.
“I doubt it,” Ryan admitted, not meeting Spencer’s eyes. “Can we not talk about that asshole, please?”
“Sure,” Patrick said just as his phone rang in the bag; he took it and found a text from an unknown number. “Uh, not to be an asshole myself, but Wentz just texted me.”
“What?” Spencer leaned closer and tried to read. “What did he write?”
“Come outside, need to talk,” Patrick read with an arched an eyebrow, then he raised his gaze and saw Pete standing on the opposite sidewalk. “Great.”
Patrick typed something quickly and Ryan bit on his lower lip, while Brendon looked out of the window as well.
“What did you tell him?” Spencer glanced distractedly at Brendon, then looked at the phone again.
“I said no.” Patrick shrugged, putting his phone in the bag.
“Uh, Patrick.” Brendon turned to look at him, his expression unsure and a bit worried. “He’s coming here.”
“Oh, shit.” Patrick looked up in time to see Pete entering the diner quickly.
“Stump,” Pete said as soon as he reached the table. “We need to talk.”
“No, we don’t.” Patrick saw William turn to watch the scene with a smirk while Hayley just shook her head. “I have nothing to tell you.”
“But I do.” Pete frowned, somehow surprised Patrick was so cold with him.
“Deal with it,” Patrick just said, not looking at Pete.
“Dude, what’s wrong with you?” Pete looked at him wide-eyed and baffled, then he glanced at Ryan and his expression changed. “Look, I just wanna talk, I swear.”
“If I listen, are you gonna leave me the fuck alone?” Patrick rolled his eyes, annoyed.
When Pete nodded, Patrick gestured Spencer to scoot over to let him out of the booth. Once he was standing in front of Pete, the boy nodded towards an empty booth on the other side of the room. Patrick followed him and sat down, waiting.
“Look, I--” Pete started, then shook his head and shut up.
“Well?” Patrick frowned, confused and surprised at the same time. Pete looked like he didn’t know what to do and it was quite unusual to see him like that.
“Why?” Pete just said after a few seconds; when Patrick didn’t say anything, he looked at him. “Why did you pull me out of the car?”
“Because I’m an idiot,” Patrick muttered, moving his glance to the table between them.
“No, hey, really.” Pete reached out to tilt Patrick’s chin up, but the boy moved back instinctively. “Whoa, dude, I’m not gonna punch you.”
“Listen, you wanna know why I helped you? Because I don’t usually let people burn alive if I can avoid it.” Patrick took a deep breath, looking at him in the eye. “Now can we end this and never talk to each other ever again?”
“Fine.” Pete’s expression hardened and Patrick almost regretted his words. “I was just trying to thank you.”
“Yeah, well, you’re welcome. Goodbye.” Patrick started to stand and Pete gripped his wrist.
“Maybe I could--” Pete started to say, but when he saw the angry and alarmed look in Patrick’s eyes, he immediately let him go. “Thank you.”
Patrick nodded at that, then quickly walked back to his table, while Pete stood and headed for the door.
~
William watched as Patrick reached the table and sat down again, then turned to look at Hayley.
“I have to go.” William looked at the clock on the wall and stretched his neck. “I have some warming up to take care of.”
“Uh.” Hayley raised an eyebrow at that, perplexed. “I thought Tom was mad at you.”
“He’s always mad at me, until I make him forget about it.” William shrugged and took a sip of hisDiet Coke. “And I’m pretty good at that.”
“You’re gonna lose him one day.” Hayley half-glared as she talked, but the boy just smirked.
“No, honey, if he dumps me, then he loses me.” William finished his drink and sighed. “My ego isn’t too easy to bruise.”
“Your ego scares me to death,” Hayley admitted with a brief laughter.
“That’s one of my best qualities.” William grinned and stood from his seat. “See you at class, sweetie,” he added as he leaned down to place a kiss on the girl’s cheek.
“It’s okay, I’ll pay for you.” Hayley shook her head and laughed as William reached the door.
It took him five minutes to get back to school and five more to get to the locker room without anyone noticing. As soon as he entered he locked the door and looked around. The place was empty, but he checked anyway. Not a minute later someone else entered from the other door and locked it.
“I hate all this fucking hiding,” William snorted when he saw Tom standing in front of the first row of lockers.
“No, you don’t.” Tom just reached him and pushed him against the wall. “You love knowing they could catch us,” he added as he lowered his head to kiss William’s neck.
“I’m starting to think you know me too well,” William admitted as he closed his eyes and trailed both his hand in Tom’s hair. The other boy grinded his hips against William’s and sucked at his pulse. “Fuck, Tommy, stop teasing if you’re not going to fuck me.”
“You know I can’t,” Tom muttered, then bit down on the pale skin hard enough to mark it. “Not before practice, not anymore.”
“Fuck practice, it’s always like this.” William pushed him back and glared, furious. “What the fuck is your problem?”
“Oh, c’mon, Bill, not again.” Tom rolled his eyes and sighed, which annoyed William even more. “You know that I’d rather fuck you right here against the wall, but I don’t want Coach Suarez to throw me out of the team ‘cause I’m late again.”
“Yeah, well, I might throw you out of this team.” William kept his gaze locked with Tom’s and his jaw tightened.
“Don’t be a bitch.” Tom took a step towards him and raised a hand to pull the boy close again, but William slapped it away. “Look, I’m sorry, okay?” Tom showed a little smile and gestured William to get closer. “We could go out Saturday night.”
“And fuck in the car?” William raised an eyebrow, perplexed. “No thanks, last time I almost broke a wrist.”
“No, I mean, like, go out and do something. Together.” Tom shrugged and stepped closer again. “Movies, or the Freaky.”
“Really?” William looked surprised by that offer. “You and me without your friends?”
“I swear, just you and me,” Tom confirmed with a grin and finally pulled William closer again. “And then you better tell your parents you’re sleeping at my place, ‘cause my dad will be out of town until Monday and we have the house to ourselves.”
“So maybe I won’t throw you out of this team for now.” William circled his boyfriend’s neck with his arms and pulled him in a kiss, grinding his crotch against Tom’s. “But I’m gonna suck you off before you get out there, and there’s no fucking thing you can say to make me change my mind,” he added as he pushed Tom against the wall, then slowly sank to his knees.
“Oh God.” Tom let his eyes close and banged his head against the wall once as William did a quick job of his zip and took him in his mouth a few seconds later.
~~
One day later
The following day everything went smooth in class. Patrick kept turning heads, but Ryan was starting to get used to it and bitched a lot less. They had just finished their Spanish class together and they were supposed to go meet Spencer and Brendon at the diner in half an hour. They reached the football field and sat on the highest row, determined to stay away from the practice going on a few meters below.
“So, Brendon,” Patrick said with casual tone, waiting for Ryan to say something in return.
“He’s hot.” Ryan looked at his friend and shrugged. “But man, he’s so…”
“Naïve? Innocent? Completely corruptible?” Patrick offered with a smirk.
“Genuine,” Ryan corrected him with a sigh.
“That’s not necessarily a bad thing.” Patrick shrugged and watched as the coach Suarez talked to the quarterback, Tom Conrad.
“I don’t know,” Ryan admitted, looking at his friend. “I’m too fucked up for someone like him.”
“You’re not fucked up, you’re just complicated.” Patrick arched an eyebrow, meeting Ryan’s gaze.
“You sound like Spence now.” Ryan laughed and lied down on the bench. “I don’t know, he’s probably straight as an arrow.”
“Maybe his parents kicked him out because he goes fishing in both rivers,” Patrick suggested with a shrug. “It wouldn’t be the first time.”
“Patrick, there’s a reason I’m the one who makes up new metaphors.” Ryan lifted his head enough to look at him. “Also, you’re not bi, so your situation doesn’t count as an example of ‘fishing in both rivers’.”
“How d’you know? I might be.” Patrick punched Ryan’s leg, offended.
“Dude, you’re the gayest guy on the planet, you’re just very good at hiding it.” Ryan laughed, trying to kick his friend.
“Then maybe he’s the second gayest guy on the planet.” Patrick gripped both Ryan’s ankles and kept them still.
“We’ll see.” Ryan yawned, bored. “Besides, it won’t take long before he hears about the homo-group.”
“I don’t think they’re calling us like that anymore.” Patrick grinned and Ryan glared a bit.
“I like that nickname.” Ryan managed to get his ankles free and rested them in Patrick’s lap. “It’s better than anything else Wentz and his friends made up in the past four years and it doesn’t include the word fag.”
“Thank God for small mercies, uh?” Patrick laughed, sincerely amused.
Ryan was about to reply, but he heard quick footsteps approaching and turned his head in time to see Hayley walk in their direction. She looked halfway between worried and annoyed, and for a second Ryan had the instinct to cover his delicate parts in case she was pissed at them. She wasn’t mean or anything, but a couple of boys in the football team had experienced just how hard she was able to kick when annoyed by unwanted attention.
Hayley was the exact opposite of the teenage movies cheerleader stereotype, and for that, Patrick was deeply grateful. She was only a couple of inches taller than Patrick, she had bright red straight hair and wide hazel eyes. She was a classic rock fan and spent most of her spare time singing with a band instead of going shopping with the other girls in the team; she usually walked around with her best friend, William Beckett, so both Ryan and Patrick were surprised to see her alone.
“You should come see something,” Hayley said as her eyes moved from Ryan to the other boy.
“What’s going on?” Ryan sat up quicker then the girl had expected and she arched an eyebrow.
“Someone destroyed Joe Trohman’s car in the school parking,” Hayley informed with an incredulous grin. “Principal Bryar called Pete in his office ten minutes ago.”
“Really?” Ryan smirked at the girl, delighted. “Did someone see him?”
“Nope, not that I know.” Hayley shrugged and glanced in the parking’s direction. “Wanna come see it?”
“I wouldn’t miss it.” Ryan stood and gestured Patrick to do the same.
Five minutes later they were standing in the parking and Patrick recognized the car that had drove Pete’s SUV off the road. A shiver ran down his spine as the images of that afternoon came back to his mind.
The green 1972 Chevrolet Chevelle had all four wheels cut and the windows smashed; the hood looked like a pack of bulls had danced the flamenco on it and the front windshield was crossed by thick cracks all over.
“One guy could never do this kind of damage quickly enough to run away without getting caught.” Ryan shook his head, disappointed.
“D’you really think Pete would do this himself?” William asked as he reached them with a grin.
“Shut that fucking wide mouth of yours, Beckett.” Pete’s voice came right from behind them and they turned to face him.
“So he’s right.” Hayley looked amused and unbelieving at the same time.
“I’m not saying that.” Pete shrugged and glanced at Patrick.
“But you’re not denying either,” Ryan added with a cold glare in his direction.
“Let’s just say we’re even for the whole destroyed car part.” Pete flashed a grin in their direction and Ryan’s eyes moved away.
“Very mature.” Patrick shook his head and walked past Pete, immediately followed by his friend. William and Hayley watched as Pete’s eyes widened in surprise and they both snickered.
~~
During lunch, Brendon and Spencer asked about the car and how Pete hadn’t gotten thrown out. As Hayley and William took the table next to theirs just like the previous day, they informed the group that Pete had been in his English class when it had happened, so the principal had to let him go.
After they had finished their lunch, Jon reached their table with a tray and put four slices of cake on the table. “On the house.”
“Shouldn’t you be saving money to survive?” Spencer asked with a little grin, but took the slice anyway.
“I baked it myself with all my love.” Jon looked proud of this and Spencer’s smirk turned into a surprised smile. “You know, I have many hidden talents.”
“And I bet there’s someone at the table who would love to uncover whatever you keep hidden,” William commented as he stood, his gaze moving from a flushed Spencer to a laughing Jon. “Isn’t it?”
“Oh, shut up.” Hayley slapped him on the arm and addressed the guys an apologetic smile.
“You’d better hurry up, Bill, or you’re gonna be late for the football team practice,” Jon said with a smug glance, making Patrick, Spencer and Ryan smirk, while Brendon looked around, confused. William flipped him off but kept grinning as he and Hayley walked towards the door.
“Trust me, you don’t wanna know,” Patrick told the new boy, shaking his head.
“The quarterback,” Ryan added with a laughter. Brendon’s eyes widened and Spencer nodded in confirmation.
“And you are three gossipy bitches.” Jon shook his head and walked back to the counter.
“We’d better move, or we’ll be late for real.” Patrick started to eat the cake, looking out of the window.
“I don’t have class now, I’ll just stay here.” Spencer shrugged, pointedly not looking at Ryan. “It’s quiet enough to read and there’s coffee always at hand.”
“Mom’s gonna kick you if you come home hyper on coffee again.” Ryan arched an eyebrow and Brendon frowned, surprised.
“Yeah, well, at least it’s not pot.” Spencer addressed Ryan an eloquent glare and the boy sighed.
“It was just once,” Ryan said, then pouted, while Patrick watched the scene with a trace of amusement on his face. “And dad caught me only because you started acting like an idiot.”
“You were fucking singing Jingle Bells in the hall at 4 am.” Spencer smirked as Brendon’s eyes widened. “I just tried to convince them we were drunk, not high.”
“You’re brothers?” Brendon looked at Ryan first, then at Spencer.
“Step brothers,” Ryan confirmed with a nod.
“Which one of you was adopted?” Brendon looked thrilled by that and Patrick laughed.
“Neither, his mother married my father when we were seven.” Spencer’s answer seemed to surprise the boy even more and Ryan smiled too. “That’s when we moved here.”
“Do your parents know about your crush on Jon?” Brendon’s question caught Spencer completely off guard and he almost dropped his fork.
“What crush?” Spencer kept his voice even, while Patrick and Ryan burst out laughing.
“Oh, is it one of those things I should just acknowledge but never mention?” Brendon’s eyes were wide and sincere, not a trace of mocking, and Patrick felt the need to hug him. Spencer moved the plate aside and rested his forehead on the table, groaning.
“Yes, Spence, it’s that obvious,” Ryan confirmed before his brother had the time to ask. “And no, our parents don’t know about Jon.”
“But they know you’re-- I mean--” Brendon saw the perplexed look on Ryan’s face and shut up.
“Gay is not a swear word or anything, you know?” Ryan grinned and saw the relief fill Brendon’s eyes.
“It used to be, in my family,” Brendon admitted as he resumed eating his cake.
“Not at this table, don’t worry.” Patrick laughed, looking at a still blushing Spencer.
“So all of you--” Brendon’s eyes widened again at that, and Ryan bit on his lip, worried. “No, no, no, hey, it’s okay with me, I mean-- I’m just surprised.”
“That’s why we’re the exact opposite of popular here, and it was fine like that.” Ryan looked directly at Patrick as he talked. “Most part of the school ignored us until a week ago.”
“And they’ll go back to ignoring us again before Christmas.” Patrick rolled his eyes, annoyed.
“And your parents?” Brendon looked at Spencer, then at Ryan again.
“They’re not gay,” Ryan replied, his voice and face both serious.
Spencer glared as his brother laughed at Brendon’s confused face. “They know about me, but not about Ryan.”
Brendon slapped Ryan on the arm and pouted, turning to look at Patrick. “And you?”
“I told my parents when I was fifteen.” Patrick smiled a little and put his fork down. “I had to live with Ry and Spence for a few months, but they got over it. Eventually.”
“What about you, Brendon?” Ryan asked as he idly played with his fork.
“I, uh-- I’m experimenting, I guess.” Brendon shrugged and looked at his dish, unsure. Ryan’s expression changed at that and he did his best to hide the smirk that was tugging at his lips.
“Don’t worry, you’re sitting at the right table.” Spencer’s sentence reassured the boy, who didn’t notice the way Ryan’s eyes stopped on his mouth for a few seconds longer than acceptable.
This is gonna be a long, long year, Patrick thought as he kicked Ryan under the table, distracting him from his fantasies.
~~
A/N:I’m back. Again. LOL With longer chapters for this one. Happy? y/n
There’s not much I can say for now, let me know what you think. :P
JM <3