Firstly, I'd just like to apologise to all my readers for taking so long to return to this story. I think I just didn't know where I wanted this story to go and then forgot about writing. Since I haven't written in so long I'm sorry if anything in the following chapter is out of place or doesn't sound like the rest of it but please let me know if you notice anything like that. Thank you to everyone who is still reading especially if you were with me from Chapter 1.

Chapter 21

Jo's POV

I woke up just as my phone began to blare out my alarm making me realise that it's yet another day and I have to drag myself out of bed. Sometimes in the evenings when I'm lying in bed and watching TV I can imagine that there is nothing outside the walls of my room. When it works I don't feel as unhappy as I do when I have to leave the solace of my own isolation. Being out there makes me think of the memories we have in all the places I pass. It makes me think about the fact that only a few days ago I was with him and I could hold his hand in mine. But I know that memories won't bring him back to me.

Patrick's POV

It's been over a week since Jo and I broke things off. A long, exhausting week. It was almost too difficult for me to avoid her at school but somehow I managed. Sometimes all I could think of when seeing her in the hall was pulling her into me and telling her it'll all be okay. Kissing her and running my hands through her soft, blonde hair. And yet every time I thought of it, it only reminded me of what happened that night. It made me think of Jo but it also made me think of Nick. Nick. Good, old Nick who she always told me not to worry about. Nick stepped out of his shell and look what happened. And then I think about Brad. That night really messed everything up. I couldn't help but think back to the conversation that took place between us. It wasn't anything I expected.

*that night*

"Maybe you should just hear what he has to say." Jo said as she put her hand on my shoulder. As much as I wanted to stay with her I knew that Brad wouldn't be here if there wasn't a good reason for it.

"Alright fine. Let's go find somewhere quiet." I said to Brad, turning to leave Jo with the rest of the dancing couples.

We walked upstairs where there weren't as many people and after a few attempts managed to find a room which wasn't occupied by two teenagers making out.

I took a seat on the bed as Brad sat on the chair tucked under the desk. He turned to me, a frown across his face. Silence filled the room as the noise of the party going on outside the room seemed to fade out and we were left completely alone.

Funny how not long ago this is all I would have wished for. Before Jo, Brad was my everything. He seemed to understand me but it was only after his dad found out about us that I finally realised that he didn't. He didn't understand that I needed him just as much as he needed me and he wasn't the only one who was confused. My dad and Sam's mom may have been more accepting than his parents but that didn't mean I didn't struggle with some of the things he did at first.

Finally, I decided to break the silence, "Why are you here Brad?"

"I wasn't sure whether I should come at first. I wasn't sure if you'd ever want to speak to me again after you were beaten up in the cafeteria-" I interrupted.

"I wasn't beaten up. You and your little gang of cronies did it. You did that, to protect your reputation or what? I'm a little confused as to how you can tell someone tell them you love them, someone who was there for you when no one else was because they understood better than anyone else, and you could do that to them. I didn't turn your back on you when you needed me the night your father went crazy and could have killed you. But you still turned your back on me and let those clowns continue to hit me."

Until that moment I didn't realise I had kept all of this pent up inside of me. I thought I had moved on after I started growing feelings for Jo but I guess since I didn't get the closure that I never knew I needed, I was still angry.

"Patrick I know what I did was wrong. You think I don't think about it every day? It's the worst thing I could ever do and it will haunt me for the rest of my life. But I can't be what I am. You need to understand that. I can't be who I am when I'm with you. They would never accept me."

"What good are they if they don't accept you for who you truly are? How can you call them your friends and your family if they don't love you for who you are?" I argued.

"Because they're my family!"

He stood up and sighed in frustration. I watched him pacing the room, thinking about how difficult the situation he's in is.

"This isn't what I came to talk to you about Patrick."

"Well then what is it?"

"I'm leaving town." He said quickly.

"What?"

"My father's sending me away to military school. He thinks it will 'straighten me out'. Can you believe it? Straighten me out. Those are actually the words he used. Do you understand now how different it is for me than it was for you?"

"Military school? That must be some sort of joke he can't really think it will change who you are!"

"It doesn't matter what he thinks it will or won't do. The point is it's happening and there's nothing I can do about it." He said defeated.

"You could leave! You could go anywhere, stay with some family elsewhere until you can find some place and start supporting yourself."

"And what will I do? I don't even have any qualifications!"

"Start with some small jobs and work your way up. Lots of people do it that way." I argued back.

He suddenly looked at me and took a seat next to me on the bed.

"Then come with me Patrick."

"Wait what?" I suddenly became so confused.

"I can't do this by myself. And you know that I care about you."

"Do you?"

"Patrick I could apologise to you about what happened every day for the rest of my life and it still wouldn't be enough. Come with me. We can start again together. We can go anywhere."

With his last sentence he began to lean in and before I could stop it we were kissing.

And just as he kissed me the door opened. It was Jo.

*end of flashback*

My thoughts went back and forth between my conversation with Brad and what happened with Nick and Jo. Which didn't help when the person who had just come out from behind a corner and was walking my way was no one else but Nick.

I started to feel so angry when I started to think about the fact that Jo is no longer mine. Because of him. Of course, it wasn't all his fault but I still felt that I was allowed to put the majority of the blame on him.

I continued walking towards him while sending an obvious glare in his direction. It was too clear to go unnoticed. His eyes seemed apologetic but there was an underlying confidence to the look he was giving me. Or maybe I just wanted it to see that so that I could have some sort of excuse for what I was about to do. I couldn't help it. All I could see when I looked at him was my beautiful Jo, his arms around her, her mouth on his. It made me full of rage. One I hadn't felt since the time I went off at the hospital.

Without another thought I could feel my fist flying through the cold air before colliding with his jaw. Or maybe it was his nose. I understood now what people meant when they said they were blinded with rage. But how could he expect me to just walk past him like nothing happened.

Nick was already recovering quickly. "What the hell, man?" he breathed out.

Before I had a chance to register the consequence of my action I was being pushed back against a wall with Nick's hands wrapped around my neck. With his breath on my cheek I finally managed to gasp out, "She's too good for you, stay the hell away from her."

"You're the one who pushed her away and she came running to me so how well do you think that's gonna work out." He said back.

I gathered my strength and shoved him back giving myself some space before I ran at him and shoved him so that he fell on the floor with me crouching on top of him.

"Listen, you arrogant prick. As far as I'm concerned you were just the first person she came across after what happened. And I'd bet that it wasn't a coincidence. But don't think that just because something happened between the two of you that she's suddenly gonna run into your arms."

"If she hasn't got you to run to anymore, who do you think will be the obvious choice?" He gave a small smile.

I grabbed him by his collar and shoved him into the wall. There was now a larger crowd, in the car park, forming around us. I could see Mary Elizabeth and Bob somewhere in the back as they struggled to see what was happening.

"Okay, Patrick stop. This obviously isn't how I wanted things to go!" he shouted, pushing me away from him.

"Oh yeah? And what exactly is it that you were hoping for? Befriend her so that the moment something is wrong you can swoop in like some knight in shining armour?! Because I think that's exactly what happened so well done to your genius plan!" I shouted throwing my arms above my hand in frustration.

"I didn't want to be the reason for you two breaking up! I like Jo but I don't to be the reason she's unhappy! And do you think I didn't feel guilty the next morning?! I barely remember what happened that night!"

"You wanna know what happened that night? You took advantage of the fact that I messed up and she was upset! I don't care how drunk you said you were!"

"Look Patrick I'm sorry, you have every right to be upset but don't out all the blame on me and Jo when we weren't the only ones in the wrong that night."

"You can take your sorry and shove it where the sun don't shine. As for who's in the wrong, you need to mind your own damn business." I said pointing a finger at him in an accusatory manner.

He picked up his bag and said, "I'm just saying maybe you revaluate what happened and see that you're not the only one who's angry in this situation.", before he turned to walk away and out of the parking lot.

"Stay away from my girlfriend asshole!" I yelled hysterically.

"She's not your girlfriend anymore, and you made sure of that." He said calmly.

Something inside me switched and I started to run at full speed towards him. I threw him to the ground and hit him with all the force I could. He pushed me up and kicked my chest so that I was no longer on top of him. He then threw a punch my way as I tried and failed to block and avoid it. I was the one on the ground now trying to push his face away from me.

After some struggle he fell off me and I was again on top of him my hands frantically slapping and hitting his face.

"Patrick stop!" a female voice shouted.

"Stop, this isn't right, get off him!" it continued but I didn't listen.

I was suddenly being lifted and dragged away from Nick who began to stand up, after finding a balance.

I finally turned to the female voice who turned out to be Sam who got Charlie and Bob to drag me off Nick's body. I wiped my cracked, bleeding lip with my sleeve and breathed heavily.

Sam inspected my state before she decided to speak.

"Patrick there's something you need to know."

A small note: If anything in the conversation between Brad and Patrick is in any way inappropriate or offensive please let me know so I can correct it as it's not my intention for it to offend anyone. Thank you.