Just Friends

"I'm ready to go." I smiled up to Mr. Kane, holding my fishing pole in one hand and the door open with the other.

"No way. No no no." Patrick, my next door neighbor whined, looking up at his dad with pleading eyes.

"Son," his dad smiled politely at me, "We can't leave her behind."

"This is a trip for boys only ." Patrick said sternly, crossing his arms over his chest.

I looked to his dad, "Son I know you don't want her to go but someday you'll change your mind."

Patrick sighed loudly, looking ready to cry, "Take Jimmy, take Tommy, take my best friend Joe. Take anybody that you want as long as she don't go. Take any boy in the world! Please don't take the girl!"

"I'm going home." I mumbled as I threw my fishing pole at the feet of Patrick and his dad and ran to my front steps.

I sat on my front stairs and cried softly into my hands.

"Peyton sorta sounds like a boy name….I guess."

I looked up to see Patrick standing in front of me.

"Where's my pole?" I asked, looking around the boys small body.

"I just complimented you, I'm trying to be nice, you're supposed to say thanks." he said.

I stood up to look if he had my pole, "Where is it?"

"Say thank you." He smirked as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"For what?! You said my name sounded like a boy name!" I said, shocked that this boy expected a thank you.

"I told you you could come with me and my dad! Sheesh girls are stupid." he mumbled the last part.

I reached to pinch his ear, "Take it back, now."

"Ow ow ow!" He cried out, "Fine! I take it back!" I smiled triumphantly and let go of his ear.

"Why'd we have to invite the crazy girl." Patrick mumbled as he led me to his dads truck.

"I'm gonna be your best friend." I said matter-of-factly as I slid into my seat.

"A girl best friend?" he widened his eyes at me, I nodded.

"A girl best friend." I stated, I could hear his dad chuckling from the front seat.

"We'll see." Patrick said, sounding skeptical as he looked out the window.

"You volunteered to be best friends with this whack job? He sounded crazy even as a 6 year old." Jon shook his head as me and Patrick told him the story of how we met.

"He was. But I knew someone had to keep him in line or he'd walk around the neighborhood like he owned the place, and that was my job." I smirked as I glanced at Pat to see him roll his eyes.

"And someone had to keep her in line or soon she would've been a dictator of all the kids in the neighborhood, so that's where I fit in." Erica chimed in as she came walking from the kitchen with a glass of whine and squeezed next to Jon on his chair.

"You sounded like quite the 6 year old." Jonathan laughed, clearly amused.

"I was actually 5, but what can I say." I shrugged.

"And you guys were best friends ever since?" Jon asked.

I nodded and hugged Patrick jokingly, "Ever since."

_______

"Coast clear?" I asked Erica as she peaked around the hallway, she gave me the thumbs up as I quietly followed her.

"How about now?" Erica asked me as I inspected the elevator, I looked around and motioned for her to come.

"Perf-."

"Fuck no, did Patrick see you two going out like this?" Jonathan got in our elevator.

Erica rolled her eyes, "Patricks not my dad."

"You guys said you were doing a 'girls bonding night'." Jonathan said.

I sighed, that is what we told the boys, which wasn't a complete lie. Back home, me and Erica had our monthly girls nights where we would ditch our group of friends and find a new club that we've never been to and go and meet new people.

"We are." I shrugged.

"I can't let you two go out like-"

"Jon, chill. If it makes you feel better you can be our designated driver. Peyt….we just found out her 4 year long boyfriend um..Chris, yeah Chris has been cheating on her, right Pey?"

I nodded, "With Molly who's not even pretty!"

"She needs this, we'll be fine and bring no creepy boys home, promise. But I can't leave Peyt like this, she's heartbroken." Erica glanced at me and I put on my best sad face on, "Please don't tell Pat."

"I'm really sorry Peyt, he's an idiot." Jon said as he hugged me tightly, I widened my eyes to Erica who just shrugged, "Go ahead, just don't forget to call me, ok? I won't tell Pat."

"You're the best!" Erica squealed as she hugged Jonathan just as our elevator dinged on the lobby level.

"Bye Jon, thanks!" I called out as I followed Erica out.

When we were outside we both burst out laughing.

"I'm the worst liar, I can't believe he bought that!"

Erica shook her head as she linked arms with me, "To girls night!"

"To girls night!" I laughed as we made our way downtown.

____________

"Chris my ass." Patricks voice rang through my ears as me and Erica piled into Jonathans car.

"Can you shut up my head hurts." I mumbled as Erica fell asleep on my shoulder.

"You lied Jon." Erica slurred

"What the hell were you two thinking going dressed like that to that kind of club?" Patrick scolded.

"It's girls night." Erica lifted her head to look at her brother.

I rested my head against the car window, feeling like I had a migraine. I could hear Patrick and Jonathan whispering to each other in the front seat but I was too tired to pay attention to what they were actually mumbling.

___

I woke up to see a figure lying next to me.

shit

I rolled over to get a better look at the person.

Patrick.

I'm gonna be sick, I silently thought as I ran to the bathroom. I knelt in front of the toilet and last nights drinks and appetizers left my system. I turned around to see Patrick holding my hair out of my face.

I flushed the toilet and reached for a towel to wipe my mouth, I sighed loudly.

"Please don't look at me like this right now." I mumbled as I continued to sit on the bathroom floor, leaning my head against the wall.

"I've seen you worse." he chuckled quietly.

I opened my eyes quickly, causing a shooting pain, "You're lying."

He didn't fight back, instead just rubbed my shoulders as I continued to sit on the floor. This went on for about an hour, puking in between and him holding my hair. I finally decided I felt a little better and sluggishly made my way back to my bed.

"Did we-?"

"No. You and Erica went for girls night and me and Jon came to pick you up, when we got you guys you were already feeling hungover and Erica was still fully drunk. We couldn't find either of your room keys so we took you back to my place." Patrick explained as relief washed over me.

"Oh, good."