And I know it sounds so old
But cupid got me in a chokehold
And I'm afraid I might give in
Towels on the mat my white flag is waving
We even got a secret handshake
And she loves the music that my band makes
I know I'm young but if I had to choose her or the sun
I'd be one nocturnal son of a gun

She's got a smile that would make the most senile
Annoying old man bite his tongue
I'm not done
She's got eyes comparable to sunrise
And it doesn't stop there
Man I swear
She's got porcelain skin of course she's a ten
And now she's even got her own song
But moving on
She's got the cutest laugh I ever heard
And we can be on the phone for three hours
Not saying one word
And I would still cherish every moment
And when I start to build my future she's the main component
Call it dumb call it luck call it love or whatever you call it but
Everywhere I go I keep her picture in my wallet like here
Take a look at my girlfriend
She's the only one I got
But not much of a girlfriend
I never seem to get a lot

[chapter thirteen

I was released from the hospital two days later, with practically every doctor in there shouting "be careful" warnings at me. I walked out of the hospital myself, didn't need anyone holding me up...well...Patrick was holding my hand, but that was a whole different matter all together. He'd come to visit me after school every day I was stuck here, and he was there to walk me to my mom's car once I got out. I was truly blessed to have him around. We went home, and I wanted Patrick to come inside.

"Sorry Sugar I can't. We've got practice."

"Aww then I wanna go."

"No, no I want you to get some rest. I don't want you getting hurt anymore."

"I don't think I can get hurt at band practice." I said, bouncing on my toes.

"Sugar please? I want you to get better..."

"I AM better. They wouldn't have checked me out of the hospital if I wasn't..."

"I know I know but still, I want you all healed up for me okay?"

"Ugh. Fine. I'll call Parker and see if she wants to come over." he smiled.

"Okay that's good. And tell you what, I'll come by tomorrow night and we can watch a movie?" I nodded.

"Sounds good." I said. He smiled and kissed me once. "See you tomorrow."

"Bye..." I said, watching him walk across my lawn and knock on Pete's door. I walked back into my house and picked up the phone.

"Hello?" that definitely wasn't Parker.

"Um...Hi can I speak to...Parker please?"

"Yeah um...who should I say is calling?"

"...Heather Matheson."

"Oh...hi...hold on." I heard her put down the phone and call. "PARKER."

"YEAH?"

"PHONE."

"WHO IS IT?"

"HEATHER."

"OKAY THANKS." I heard footsteps.

"Hey Heather."

"Hey."

"Well, it seems like both our boyfriends have found something they love more than us."

"Rehearsal."

"Seems like it. So what's up?"
"Ah I don't know. I'm really bored. Wanna come over or something?"

"Yeah sure. Ten minutes."

"Kay."

"See ya." click. That was awkward. I didn't expect Paris to pick up the phone. Why did she sound so strange?

Parker came over with a pint of ice cream, a bag of chips, and a bottle of soda. Since Parker was over at my house so much, she often compensated by bringing the snacks...not that either one of us wanted to be at her house with Paris there. We went up to my room and started talking and drawing. Turns out Parker likes to sketch too. We sometimes just sat there for hours, just drawing away. We drew each other, the house across the street, bands, furniture from my house, flowers, everything. We kept everything in a drawer in my desk, but it was already starting to overflow with paper coming out of the top. After about three hours of silent sketching, I realized something.
"Parker...why didn't Paris scream at me slash hang up on me when I called you?" I asked. Silence.

"Um...maybe she realized you aren't so bad and...wants to be bestest buddies with you again?" she suggested. I raised my eyebrow. "Well I tried." she took a deep breath. "Paris...knows about what Scott did to you...everyone does." she whispered her last two words. My stomach dropped.

"Seriously? How?"

"Well naturally when I was at the hospital with you all night, Paris wanted to know where I was...and I figured I was better off giving her the shitty truth than telling her what she wanted to hear. She's ready to murder Scott, and the whole school fucking hates him. He doesn't even stay all day. He comes in for morning attendance and then leaves by like...fourth period."

"I'm scared though. You heard what he said..."

"About burying Patrick? Killing us all? Yeah, he threatened me too in case you didn't notice. That's just the Italian Stallion in him getting a excited and waning to take us down mafia style. Pete's worried too, but he's just blowing smoke...what can he honestly do...oh." I stood up and walked over to my mirror. I lifted up my shirt and examined my torso for the billionth time. I was purple and black from my hips to my chest, barely a spot on me that was the same color as the rest of my skin. My eyes watered just thinking of it. Parker rushed up behind me and pulled my shirt back down, turning me away from the mirror. "Hey...hey it's alright." she cooed, as I started to cry. She sat me down on my bed and sat down next to me, hugging me. "You're okay now. Scott's not gonna hurt you anymore. And he's not gonna hurt me, or Pete, or Andy, or Joe, or Patrick." I smiled at his name. "Aww that's cute." she said.

"What?" I asked, wiping my face.

"How happy you get when you think about him."

"Think about who?"

"Your boooyyyyfrieeeennnd." she drew out the word.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I said, laughing.

"Oh come on Heather. Tell me, do you loooooooveeee him?" she asked, leaning against me as she asked. We both laughed.
"Ye-...well...I...but I...I don't...I don't know." I stuttered. Did I love Patrick?

"Well, what have you been telling him all this time?"

"That I liked him the way he liked me."

"Well then I guess you must love him, because he's over the motherfucking moon for you." said Parker, like it was some big history making deal.

"Well then I guess I do." I said, the slightest smile crossing my lips.

"That is so...freaking...cute." said Parker, staring at me like she knew all along.

"You're one to talk, future Mrs. Andy Hurley." I said, mocking her right back.

"Oh shut up." she rolled her eyes at me. "We haven't even kissed yet..."

"You haven't?" I asked, shocked. She nodded.

"The moment just...hasn't happened yet. I mean, he asked me to be his girlfriend, and I said yes, and we go out all the time...but it just hasn't happened yet. But...it will right?"

"It totally will." I said, nodding really fast. "He just wants it to be romantic." she nodded too. She looked at my clock.

"I'm gonna go home. It's late, and you have to get ready to go back to school tomorrow." I rolled my eyes.

"I don't want toooo." I moaned.

"Do any of us?" asked Parker.

"Guess not."

"I'll see you on the bus tomorrow?"

"Yeah, later." I said. She gave me a hug, and then left. At times like this, I was really glad I had Patrick. I mean, had they really not kissed yet?