It's Only a Lie If It Gets Bought

Parker.

I sat on the couch as Fall Out Boy got ready.

I remembered my shift and was counting down the minutes till I got to leave. I couldn't stand looking at Pete anymore.

Then again, I wasn't really sure if it was because he'd called me his sister or because I still loved him. It felt like a little of both.

Patrick, Andy and Joe all left, Pete still sitting on one of the chairs.

"Why aren't you gone yet?" I asked.

I regretted how harsh that had come out.

"This is our dressing room, you know?" he shot back.

I rolled my eyes. "Sorry. But the guys left already. It was just a stupid question. Get over yourself."

Jesus Christ, Parker-Lynn. Stop sounding like a bitch.

"Not until you get off of your high horse and deal with this."

I glared at him. "Deal with what? The fact that I'm finally happy with someone?" I stormed off towards the door. "What do you care anyways? I'm just your sister."

"To hell with it!" he yelled.

My head spun around. "To hell with you, you overrated son of a bitch!"

He grabbed my arm before I could open the door.

I looked at him, fury blazing through my eyes. "You've changed. And I really, really don't like it."

"I don't care if you like me or not," he seethed. "If you took your eyes off of your boyfriend for two seconds you'd see that maybe I really don't think of you as a sister. You might see that maybe you're actually really important to me."

I slipped through his grasp and smirked. "Yeah. Sure. Whatever. Don't try salvaging a friendship that you threw out the window."

"PARKER-LYNN!"

"WHAT?!"

"I LOVE YOU!"

I froze. For the first time in a long time, I was at a loss for words. "W-what?"

He took a deep breath. "I love you."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I'd waited twenty-two years for it, and finally, Peter Wentz had told me he loved me. And the feeling was mutual. Not that I could tell him that.

I thought about Jay and frowned.

"You – you honestly don't feel that way about me anymore?"

Jay. Pete. Jay. Pete. Jay. Pete. Jay. Pete.

Oh fuck it.

"No, Pete. I really don't. I've found somebody better. Somebody less egotistical. It's served me well." I stepped towards the door. "It's a refreshing change."

As I ran down the hallway, tears stained my cheeks.

I hadn't meant a single word.

Pete.

"This song goes out to all the boys who the dance floor didn't love, and all the girls whose lips couldn't move fast enough, sing until your lungs give out!"

I looked over at Patrick as Joe pulled out a riff to 'The Pros and Cons of Breathing'.

I'm over you. I'm over you. I'm over you. I'm over you.

I caught a glimpse of her from the corner of my eye, wiping her cheeks and putting on a smile as Jay approached her. They headed hand in hand towards the merch tables and I watched until they disappeared behind the group of white tents.

Patrick gave me an awkward look.

I shook off the look. I wasn't gonna let on that I was upset. Heartbroken. Depressed.

I was better than that.

At least, I thought I was.