Just Friends

3 weeks later

“Come on, Peyton. Open up.” Patrick sighed, banging on my, or his front door. I stood behind it, rolling my eyes.

This has been going on for around 2 weeks. Erica called my parents to tell them that I was freaking out and wanted to come home, so they cancelled all of my credit cards, making it nearly impossible for me to get a flight out.

So I went to the next best thing of leaving him, ignoring him.

“Peyton. I know you can hear me. Please, let’s talk. This is my condo…remember?” He begged. I sighed, and opened the door. I couldn’t ignore him forever, no matter how hard I tried, it was his condo after all.

I opened up the door and walked to my previous position on the couch, "What do you want?"

"I need to talk to you. The club was a mistake. You know, I was drunk. I wouldn’t have ever done that if I was sober. It was a stupid mistake and I'll probably regret if for the rest of my life." he said as he made his way over to the couch to sit next to me.

"You promised you'd never hurt me." I whispered, refusing to make eye contact.

“Pey, please just give me another chance. I’ll do anything.” He pleaded. I raised my eyebrow.

“Anything?”

He nodded.

I smiled and got up. I headed into my bathroom and grabbed a fresh bar of soap. I walked into the kitchen, and his eyes widened when he saw the small green box.

"Soap?" He asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

I smirked and nodded, "Soap." popping the 'p', "You kissed the dirty girl. Want me back? Let me wash your mouth out."

"You're insane." he said, shooting up from the couch, "The kiss was weeks ago."

I shrugged, "It's your choice."

He sighed and walked to the sink. I smiled triumphantly and followed him there with the soap. He closed his eyes as I shoved the bar of soap in his mouth, I had to bite my tongue to stop myself from laughing.

"That was hell!" He cried as he quickly took a glass and filled it with water, rinsing out his mouth, "Do you believe I love you now? I could be with anyone who wouldn't even think of putting a bar of soap down my throat, but i still choose you!"

"I couldn't kiss you when that dirty girl was still on your mouth." I giggled.

"I'm going to do whatever it takes to make it up to you." He said as he cupped my face and kissed me.

"Ugh gross it's like making out with a bar of soap!" I laughed, covering my mouth so he couldn't kiss me again.

Patrick laughed, "Pay back!" he said before tickling me and kissing me some more.

"You're gross!" I screeched, wiggling out of his grip and dramatically wiping my mouth.

"I have practice, but dinner date later to make it up to you?" He smiled as he leaned in for a goodbye kiss.

I smiled and kissed him on the cheek again, "Maybe by then you won't taste like soap and I could actually kiss you."

________________

"You are such a tease Ms. Peyton." Erica smirked as we got ready for our double date.

Her and Jon talked like they were in a relationship, acted like it, went out like it, but tonight was the first time Erica finally admitted that it was a date.

"Am not." I defended

"Are too. Pats sooooo whipped. I can't believe he let you wash his mouth out, when our mom tried to do that-"

"He ran down the block in just his boxers." I giggled, "I remember cause he ran to my house and my mom hid him."

"You're both equally insane." Erica shook her head.

"And you're not? Poor Jon, at least you finally agreed to going on a date with the guy."

" double date, which everyone knows double dates aren't serious." Erica countered.

I rolled my eyes, "Why can't you admit you like him? He's the longest guy you've ever chased around, and the longest guy that you let stick around after he kissed you. Why not just date?"

"Why do we have to label it? I don't want to be anyones anything. Relationships are messy and people's feelings get hurt." Erica said stubbornly.

I sighed, knowing I wasn't gonna win this argument tonight, "I just want to make sure you're not the one getting hurt."

Erica chuckled, but I could hear the nervous undertone, "As if. Come on, I'm starrvvvinnnggggggg."

_____

"I would so not do something as crazy as shove soap down his throat!" Erica laughed over dinner, defending herself.

"Told you you were crazy." Pat nudged my side.

"You're the one in love with a crazy girl." I smirked and kissed his cheek.

"Wait so he just willingly let you stick soap down his throat?" Jon asked, clearly amused.

I nodded as Patrick shook his head, "The whole time she was ignoring me she thought of this plan."

"Seriously?" Jon asked.

"No not seriously dip shit." Erica giggled.

"No but he told me he'd do anything to get me back so I figured why not." I shrugged.

"When do you guys have to leave? You should just move here." Jon said, more to Erica then me.

I felt Patrick tense at my side.

"Todays Monday so…..Friday." Erica said, widening her eyes as realization sunk in.

"Lets not be negative now, we still have today and tomorrow and we're not gonna waste it sulking." I smiled as I dug into my chocolate cheesecake, "Worry about today, right?"

_______

"Close your eyes, I have a surprise." Pat said as I sat on his bed, watching tv.

I stared at him nervously, "A surprise? Should I be nervous? Am I gonna open my eyes to a bar of soap in my mouth?"

"Just close them, I'll be right back." he chuckled.

I heard his footsteps leave the bedroom and to the front room. I hesitantly decided to obey and closed my eyes.

A wistful smile played across his lips as his fingers carefully removed the delicate gold chain. “It’s not much, but…I don’t know…something about it made me think about you. It's not a clover but it kinda looks line one."

"SLOW POKE COME ON, WE'RE ON A MISSION!" I yelled to a panting Patrick who was trailing behind me.

"Peyton, I don't think we're gonna find one, we've looked everywhere." he panted.

"Stop being so negative!" I hissed, "We're not going home until I find one!"

"What's the big deal?" I turned around to see him scrunching his small face in confusion.

"The big deal is I want one. Find me one and I'll tell you!" I ordered as I continued to crawl across the neighbors garden.

"My mom said not to snoop in the neighbors yard, only ours. We might get in trouble."

I rolled my eyes, "Stop being such a scaredy cat or go home."

"I found it-"

"Parker? Parker, I think there's dogs in the garden again!"

"RUN YOU IDIOT RUN!" I screamed at Patrick as I heard the old ladies voice nearing us.

We got to my back yard safe and sound, and as far as we knew, the old witch still thought it was only dogs in her garden.

"Look." I smiled as I shoved the crumpled up clover in my hand towards Patrick.

"This is what we spent 4 hours looking for?" He asked sarcastically, "When I said you could be my best friend I didn't know you were crazy."

I shrugged, "Too late you're stuck with me forever."

"What are you gonna do with the stupid leaf now?"

"You're gonna keep it forever because its yours." I smiled as I took his hand and opened his palm, placing the little leaf in his hands.

"Why?"

"Because. It's a symbol of our best friendship. A best friend is like a four-leaf clover, hard to find and lucky to have." I smiled.

"I think I'm gonna be lucky to have you as my best friend…..forever. Thanks Peyton, I won't lose it. But can we eat now? I'm starving." Patrick smiled and hugged me.

"Race ya!" I giggled as I made my way into my house. My mom already set out turkey sandwiches for us.

“It’s perfect.” I smiled as realization of why he got me a clover necklace sunk in.

“It gets even better,” he replied, his grin growing wider as he took the chain from me and unfastened the clasp. “You’re supposed to make a wish before you put it on.”

Although my initial response was to roll her eyes, I still squeezed my eyes shut, making my own private wish before I pulled my hair back and let Pat fasten the chain around my neck.

“There,” he said as his touch trailed down the nape of her neck. “Did you make a wish?”

When I glanced back at him, the corner of his lip curved upward in a half-smile. “Mhm,” I replied with a nod.

“Well…what did you wish for?”

“Like I’d ever tell you,” I scoffed. “Then it wouldn’t come true.”

“Okay, okay,” he sighed as he wrapped his arms around me.

Pushing hair out of my face, I leaned in to kiss him, holding his face in my hands as I took control of the kiss.

As the kiss deepened, one hand reached for the hem of his t-shirt, twisting the soft cotton in my grasp as I engulfed him. I could feel him come apart at the seams, his breaths becoming more labored, his kisses greedier.

“You’re beautiful,” he blurted out of the blue, “You know that, right?”

“I guess you could say I’ve heard it a few times,” I teased as I stretched out alongside him, tracing patterns against his chest.