Status: This story is a work in progress
One Step Behind
Youth
After school that day Patrick and Megan met Brook in the parking lot with a plan. Brook was actually surprised that she wanted to help but after Megan explained, it made sense. Their freshmen year they had been best friends until Megan got a senior boyfriend, that was until Marnie stole him from her. She might of had to wait three years but she wanted to help get her back any way she could.
Brook was thankful she had a mini team on her side but when Patrick told her she had to ask to spend the night she felt unsure. Not because she didn't trust Patrick but because she never thought her parents would agree to it. And Brook was right, for the most part.
"I don't know about that you two. Patrick we're grateful Brook has a good friend like you but spending the night together is kind of a big deal," her Mother said as she walked around the kitchen putting things away.
Megan stepped forward to explain the situation. "Mrs. Withers, I'm sure you know how important the show tomorrow night is for Brook and Patrick. They've been working really hard getting their song just right. Only one issue, another girl stole the song they were going to play before they had a chance to tell Mr. Water's their choice. Thing is, it wasn't an accident either, she did this on purpose," Megan explained.
Mrs. Wither's looked at the young girl and frowned. "That.... Brook, has that girl been bulling you? What have we talked about? You're suppose to be telling us if you're having problems again," she said.
"Mom, that isn't the point right now. Plus this time is different. I've got Patrick and even Megan. I've got friends this time and she thinks she's better than everyone. It's a real mean girl situation. The only thing we're going to do tonight is learn a whole new song and hope we can pull it off in just one night. No funny business, seriously," she begged looking at her worriedly.
"I promise Mrs. Wither's. Brook means a lot to me, I would never do anything to mess up our friendship. We just really want to show Marnie up at the show tomorrow. We have a guest room she can sleep in and everything," Patrick finally said, stepping forward. "Your daughter is an amazing singer and I really want to help her with this."
The kids stood there for a long minute before Brook's Mother finally spoke. "Let me talk to your father," she said before moving towards the door. It felt like hours while they waited while it was only just a few minutes. "Alright, you can go. But do us a favor. Kick this girls butt alright?"
Brook smiled widely and hugged her Mother tightly. "Thank you, thank you!" She said before running off to pack a bag.
-----------------
They didn't warn me
when i was running wild
the dragons breathing fire
in the backyard at night
---------------
That night Patrick and Brook played her second choice over and over until Patrick's fingers hurt. This time Patrick had had some say in the song, it was actually the first song he had put on the mix he had given Brook. It was one of his favorites and he was glad she was singing it. He thought it was powerful and suited her well. Her voice was beautiful and he felt lucky to get to listen to it.
"I think we need to take a break. You need to drink some water and I need to rest my fingers," he said. "I bet dinner is even ready if you're hungry." Patrick nodded towards the door as he put the guitar back on it's stand before stretching a bit.
"Yeah, dinner would probably be good. I'm just so worried. I love this song but we worked so hard on the other one. What if he doesn't like it as much as he likes what she did?" Brook asked looking over at Patrick.
"He's going to love it. Remember that you got a solo before he even thought of giving her one okay? He saw something in you and I do too," he said before resting his hands on her shoulders. "Everything is going to be great. You're going to shine."
Smiling Patrick pushed Brook's bangs behind her ear before getting that look she had seen once before. The air in the room had changed again but this time when Patrick leaned in, all he did was wrap his arms around her in a hug. She wasn't disappointed but she still felt confused. That didn't stop her from hugging him back tightly.
"You are the best thing to happen to me," she said softly, pulling back. "I know it's corny but it's true."
Patrick smiled, his cheeks red. "I'm just a good guy Brook. I don't get why people couldn't see how awesome you are," he said. "Now come on, lets go eat."
----------------
we live in circles
and its so hard to breath
maybe the same old fears what have we here
don't bring me down with you
---------------
After dinner Brook and Patrick decided to take a break which meant Brook had decided to take up residence on Patrick's bed. She laid there, legs crossed, arms behind her head, while Patrick put on some music she had never heard before. He had really been teaching her a lot about the oldies and even new things she never would of found on her own. Brook liked to think she knew a lot about music but Patrick was the king of knowledge.
"This is one of my favorites," he said putting on one of his Bowie albums. "It was one of the first vinyls that my dad let me have when I was younger. Mostly because I'd sneak into his office and put it on when he wasn't home and he'd always catch me." Laughing he moved over to his bed and looked down at Brook. "Comfy? Can I join you?"
"It's your bed," She said smiling up at him before scooting over to make room.
Laying down next to Brook, Patrick smiled to himself. She was so sweet to him, boosting his ego when he knew his head was plenty big enough already. While she was down on herself a lot, Patrick saw past that. When she smiled he knew it was real, there was just something about it that made it shine. He was still trying to think of ways to show her what he saw but he knew it wasn't going to be easy.
"You know, I used to have a crush on Bowie," she said softly. "My dad is a big 80's movie buff and I'd watch them with him growing up. Of course my favorites were movies by Jim Henson. I used to ask for the goblin king to come take me away when the kids would pick on me. Obviously he never came and I figured it was better that way, he probably would of turned me into a goblin."
Shifting she rested her hands on her stomach and looked over at Patrick. Smiling softly before looking back up at the fan spinning above them. It was probably a silly thing to admit to him but it was just another one of her small confessions he got from her.
"I love that movie, I would of had a crush on him too if I liked guys," he said with a laugh. "So I really don't blame you. But I doubt he would of made you a Goblin. He would of kept you all to himself. But he probably didn't come because he didn't want to have another girl change her mind like Sara."
Patrick turned his head to look at Brook, reaching his hand over and took hers in his. Biting his bottom lip gently he just watched her for her reaction. His heart skipping a beat when he felt her lace her fingers with his and the corner of her mouth lift into a smile. His blue eyes looking into her brown ones when she turned to look at him again.
"You remind me of the babe," He said with a grin.
"What babe?" She replied with a giggle.
"The babe with the power," he said before leaning in, finally kissing her.
--------------------
now I'm just chasing time
with a thousand dreams I'm holding heavy
and as we cross the line these fading beats have all been severed
don't tell me our youth is running out
Its only just begun
--------------------
Brook was thankful she had a mini team on her side but when Patrick told her she had to ask to spend the night she felt unsure. Not because she didn't trust Patrick but because she never thought her parents would agree to it. And Brook was right, for the most part.
"I don't know about that you two. Patrick we're grateful Brook has a good friend like you but spending the night together is kind of a big deal," her Mother said as she walked around the kitchen putting things away.
Megan stepped forward to explain the situation. "Mrs. Withers, I'm sure you know how important the show tomorrow night is for Brook and Patrick. They've been working really hard getting their song just right. Only one issue, another girl stole the song they were going to play before they had a chance to tell Mr. Water's their choice. Thing is, it wasn't an accident either, she did this on purpose," Megan explained.
Mrs. Wither's looked at the young girl and frowned. "That.... Brook, has that girl been bulling you? What have we talked about? You're suppose to be telling us if you're having problems again," she said.
"Mom, that isn't the point right now. Plus this time is different. I've got Patrick and even Megan. I've got friends this time and she thinks she's better than everyone. It's a real mean girl situation. The only thing we're going to do tonight is learn a whole new song and hope we can pull it off in just one night. No funny business, seriously," she begged looking at her worriedly.
"I promise Mrs. Wither's. Brook means a lot to me, I would never do anything to mess up our friendship. We just really want to show Marnie up at the show tomorrow. We have a guest room she can sleep in and everything," Patrick finally said, stepping forward. "Your daughter is an amazing singer and I really want to help her with this."
The kids stood there for a long minute before Brook's Mother finally spoke. "Let me talk to your father," she said before moving towards the door. It felt like hours while they waited while it was only just a few minutes. "Alright, you can go. But do us a favor. Kick this girls butt alright?"
Brook smiled widely and hugged her Mother tightly. "Thank you, thank you!" She said before running off to pack a bag.
-----------------
They didn't warn me
when i was running wild
the dragons breathing fire
in the backyard at night
---------------
That night Patrick and Brook played her second choice over and over until Patrick's fingers hurt. This time Patrick had had some say in the song, it was actually the first song he had put on the mix he had given Brook. It was one of his favorites and he was glad she was singing it. He thought it was powerful and suited her well. Her voice was beautiful and he felt lucky to get to listen to it.
"I think we need to take a break. You need to drink some water and I need to rest my fingers," he said. "I bet dinner is even ready if you're hungry." Patrick nodded towards the door as he put the guitar back on it's stand before stretching a bit.
"Yeah, dinner would probably be good. I'm just so worried. I love this song but we worked so hard on the other one. What if he doesn't like it as much as he likes what she did?" Brook asked looking over at Patrick.
"He's going to love it. Remember that you got a solo before he even thought of giving her one okay? He saw something in you and I do too," he said before resting his hands on her shoulders. "Everything is going to be great. You're going to shine."
Smiling Patrick pushed Brook's bangs behind her ear before getting that look she had seen once before. The air in the room had changed again but this time when Patrick leaned in, all he did was wrap his arms around her in a hug. She wasn't disappointed but she still felt confused. That didn't stop her from hugging him back tightly.
"You are the best thing to happen to me," she said softly, pulling back. "I know it's corny but it's true."
Patrick smiled, his cheeks red. "I'm just a good guy Brook. I don't get why people couldn't see how awesome you are," he said. "Now come on, lets go eat."
----------------
we live in circles
and its so hard to breath
maybe the same old fears what have we here
don't bring me down with you
---------------
After dinner Brook and Patrick decided to take a break which meant Brook had decided to take up residence on Patrick's bed. She laid there, legs crossed, arms behind her head, while Patrick put on some music she had never heard before. He had really been teaching her a lot about the oldies and even new things she never would of found on her own. Brook liked to think she knew a lot about music but Patrick was the king of knowledge.
"This is one of my favorites," he said putting on one of his Bowie albums. "It was one of the first vinyls that my dad let me have when I was younger. Mostly because I'd sneak into his office and put it on when he wasn't home and he'd always catch me." Laughing he moved over to his bed and looked down at Brook. "Comfy? Can I join you?"
"It's your bed," She said smiling up at him before scooting over to make room.
Laying down next to Brook, Patrick smiled to himself. She was so sweet to him, boosting his ego when he knew his head was plenty big enough already. While she was down on herself a lot, Patrick saw past that. When she smiled he knew it was real, there was just something about it that made it shine. He was still trying to think of ways to show her what he saw but he knew it wasn't going to be easy.
"You know, I used to have a crush on Bowie," she said softly. "My dad is a big 80's movie buff and I'd watch them with him growing up. Of course my favorites were movies by Jim Henson. I used to ask for the goblin king to come take me away when the kids would pick on me. Obviously he never came and I figured it was better that way, he probably would of turned me into a goblin."
Shifting she rested her hands on her stomach and looked over at Patrick. Smiling softly before looking back up at the fan spinning above them. It was probably a silly thing to admit to him but it was just another one of her small confessions he got from her.
"I love that movie, I would of had a crush on him too if I liked guys," he said with a laugh. "So I really don't blame you. But I doubt he would of made you a Goblin. He would of kept you all to himself. But he probably didn't come because he didn't want to have another girl change her mind like Sara."
Patrick turned his head to look at Brook, reaching his hand over and took hers in his. Biting his bottom lip gently he just watched her for her reaction. His heart skipping a beat when he felt her lace her fingers with his and the corner of her mouth lift into a smile. His blue eyes looking into her brown ones when she turned to look at him again.
"You remind me of the babe," He said with a grin.
"What babe?" She replied with a giggle.
"The babe with the power," he said before leaning in, finally kissing her.
--------------------
now I'm just chasing time
with a thousand dreams I'm holding heavy
and as we cross the line these fading beats have all been severed
don't tell me our youth is running out
Its only just begun
--------------------
♠ ♠ ♠
Another build up to the big day! I know I did a bit of a POV change there at the end but that part sounded best in Patrick's POV.The song is Youth by Foxes. Check out the acoustic version, it's amazing. I hope you all enjoy. Next chapter soon!