My Imagination's Much Worse

After Pete asked me out, the weeks began to go by quickly. Before we knew it, it was already a week before Christmas. Since I was on break, we had started spending almost every waking hour together. We had fallen completely in love. We had gotten so close that I had spent Thanksgiving with his family instead of my own and I was invited to spend Christmas with them since my parents were going on a cruise.

A few days before Christmas, Patrick and I decided to go shopping for Pete. We both were having a hard time trying to decide what to get him; He was so hard to shop for.

"Oh, Patrick! You could get him this," I said, holding up a Morrissey vinyl record.

"Yeah! He'd love that," Patrick said as he took the record from my hands to look over it, "did you figure out what you're getting him?"

"I think I'd just going to give him like a $300 gift certificate to a tattoo shop so he can start his sleeve."

"Damn, girlfriend of the year much?"

"It'll give him something to do while I'm busy at school," I said, continuing to look through the records.

"Pete didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?" I asked, turning to look at Patrick.

"We're going into the studio near the end of January to record a split EP with another band."

"What?! He didn't tell me that."

"Oh.. that's weird."

---

When Pete came over to my place with Chinese takeout later that night, I decided to confront him about not telling me about Fall Out Boy getting studio time.

"Hey, Love," Pete said, kissing my cheek and setting the food down on the table.

"Hi," I said going into the kitchen to grab 2 plates and forks, "when were you going to tell me?"

"Tell you what?" He looked at me confused.

"Patrick told me you got studio time with another band."

"Oh, yeah, about that.. I don't know, I guess I just forgot."

"You just forgot to tell me exciting news like that?"

"It's whatever, just drop it." He snapped.

We ate in silence. Pete had never snapped at me like. He seemed on edge the past few days, but I didn't bother fussing over it because I knew it was just his disorder acting up.

---

Christmas morning I woke up to an empty bed. I touched the side where Pete usually was; It was still warm. I could hear noises in the kitchen and foot steps in the hall a few minutes later. Pete walked into the bedroom holding two mugs and a small smile on his face.

"Merry Christmas, my love," he said placing a mug in my hands, "hot chocolate."

"Thanks," I said taking a sip, "Merry Christmas to you too."

Pete said down next to me and kissed my temple, "wanna go open presents?"

"Yeah," I smiled and got off the bed.

I walked into my living room to see lots of presents under the tree; It hadn't been like that when I went to sleep.

"Pete!" I said suprised and walked over to the tree.

"Holy shit! I guess you've been a good girl this year," Pete laughed, slapping my ass.

I smiled at him and kissed him quickly, "you didn't need to do this."

"But I wanted too."

We spent the next half hour opening each other's gifts. I felt bad because I didn't get him as much as he got me, but then again I wasn't expecting all this. Pete loved what I got him; a $300 gift certficate to a tattoo shop, a Nightmare Before Christmas beanie, a pair of Converse, and a warm black hoodie. Pete went a little overboard on my gifts though; something called an iPod, a new tote for school, a giftcard to Victoria's Secret, a necklace with a small P incrested in diamonds, and a few new outfits. I was amazed at all that he got me.

"Baby, thank you so much," I said, climbing into his lap and kissing him.

"You're welcome, thanks for my stuff too. I can't wait to get new ink now," he said against my neck.

---

After New Years we started spending less time together since I had to go back to school and he was spending most of his time in the studio. We still got to see each other a few times a week. Our weekends were spent driving out of town to play a show in front of 10 kids in the middle of no where.

The Split EP was released in May and the boys immediately started planning for a summer tour. We all decided that since I would be out for the summer and I was majoring in music business, that I would manage and sell merch to help them out.

I don't think any of us knew that this would be the beginning of a long journey.