The Last Good Thing About This Part of Town

Patrick felt sober in an instant. He wasn't, but neither was he drunk enough to handle that question and the curious, if slightly irritated, gorgeous brown eyes awaiting his response. He dropped his hands from her body as if she had suddenly become a burning flame and took a step back. Julianna's brow furrowed and he saw the slight beating of her pulse in the hollow of her throat. He knew his silence was very telling, and he cursed himself for anything he may or may not have done that either hurt her, made her doubt herself, or pushed her into Joe's arms. But it was too late for the truth; that he was a coward and deserved so much better.

"I don't know," Patrick shrugged, looking down at his feet.

It would have hurt less if he had just punched her in the face.

"You don't know?!" Julianna spat back. "You're a coward, Patrick Stumph! I gave you every indication of how I felt about you. Hell, I let you into my space, shared my fears and dreams, things not even Joe knows, and you don't know?! It doesn't matter how great a musician you are if you can't take a chance or let people love you. You may get what you want in life, Patrick, but you're gonna walk off stage some night and realize you're alone because you're high on yourself!" She turned on her heel and stomped off to where Joe was now casually leaning against the DJ booth, sipping a beer and talking to Chris.

"Dear god, what did you say to her, Trick?"

Patrick whipped around to see Pete standing behind him in the middle of the crowded living room, holding out another cup full of beer. Patrick shook his head so Pete just shrugged and took a swig of the alcohol, licking a frothy mustache from his upper lip. Patrick opened and closed his mouth like he was trying to say something, but he just ended up looking like a goldfish searching for food. Pete knew that wrecked look on his young friend's face and did not miss Patrick wiping at his cheeks as he hung his head again. Lately, it seemed like every party involved some sort of Patrick/Julianna - and by default, Joe - drama, and Pete would spend half the night cleaning up the mess, usually talking Patrick down from his ledge. He just wanted one night, one amazing New Years Eve party, free of this shit, but obviously tonight was not the night.

"Look, I'm sorry, Pete, go have fun. It's almost midnight, find a girl to kiss, I'll be fine," Patrick toed his beat-up black Converse into the floor. As much as Pete really wanted to do just that, he knew he wouldn't be able to enjoy himself knowing Patrick was sulking alone somewhere.

"Not a chance, little dude, you're gonna tell me what the hell happened, then we're both gonna find girls to kiss," Pete grabbed the sleeve of Patrick's denim jacket and dragged him up the stairs, pushing the teenager into his childhood bedroom. The hall at the top of the stairs and, most likely, every other bedroom had couples making out, but house rules were that Pete's bedroom was off limits to any sort of debauchery. Pete may have shoved a little harder than intended because Patrick stumbled over his feet into the room and grumbled, "Fuck, Pete!" The guy needed a little roughing up, though, if it would make him realize what a true idiot he is.

"Sit," Pete flipped the light on and pointed to the bed, his voice coming out sounding scarily like his mother's, and Patrick turned his head to glare over his shoulder but he obeyed like a petulant child. "What happened, Trick? What did you say that made her so pissed?"

Patrick remained silent for several moments, his chin tucked to his chest as his fingers picked at the skin around his nails. Finally he sighed and raised his head, "It's more about what I didn't say."

"Ok, so tell me," Pete continued to prod, and Patrick recounted the events of the past half hour from his own perspective. "God, Trick, good thing you're cute and I love you because you are an idiot."

"Pete, that's not helping," Patrick grit out, annoyed but well aware that what his older friend said was true.

"Sorry, man, look, you missed your first chance, obviously, but you're still young, too. It's not like Joe and Julianna are going to get married, so either wait it out and don't screw up your second chance or you'll eventually forget about her and move on."

"I can't, Pete," Patrick choked out, unsure of whether he was more sad or angry. "She's just as much a part of this group as any of us now, and she's always around. I see her at school, making out with Joe in my basement, sitting on his lap at the bowling alley. I need to, like, find new friends or something. But she's still my friend, too."

"First of all, no, Trick, you don't need different friends, you just need less adolescent hormones," Pete ducked as a pillow grazed his head and hit the wall behind him. "Second, reign in that impulsive anger a little bit. I'm supposed to be the moody, belligerent one here."

Patrick huffed and rearranged the hat on his head, pulling the gray wool cap lower over his forehead, his blonde bangs brushing his eyes. But he smirked too, if only slightly, "I think we should put the band back together. A creative or emotional outlet would help. Even if we don't go anywhere but my basement, I think you, Joe and I need it, you know?"

"We will, though, man, we will get out of the basement."

When Julianna walked - or rather, stalked - away from Patrick, she had made a beeline for Joe and grabbed his shirt to pull him in for a vigorous, tongue-heavy kiss. It vaguely registered that he had been talking to Chris and Andy was there too, but she didn't care about manners or public displays of affection - not when the alcohol was doing nothing to curb the rage and hurt constricting her throat. She was absolutely not going to cry in front of all these people, least of all Patrick. So she sank into the kiss, into Joe's warmth and strength. He tasted like beer and something sweet. After the initial shock of being all but attacked by his girlfriend's mouth, Joe's hands went to her shoulders then slid up through her hair to hold the back of her head as he slanted his lips over hers while her tongue delved into his mouth.

"It's still an hour until midnight," Joe smirked, his bright blue eyes half-lidded but his brow creased with confusion, when she finally broke away for both of them to catch their breaths. "I mean, I'm not complaining but...."

"Shut up," Julianna pressed her index finger to his moving lips and her other hand tugged at his shirt. "I'm ready, Joe. I want you. I'm ready."

"What? I don't...." he shook his head slightly, gaze searching her face for the answer he maybe already knew but was not going to assume, especially with her in an inebriated state.

Julianna let her hand smooth down his cheek to rest at the juncture of his neck and shoulder, her thumb gently rubbing circles on his thin cotton shirt, "Let's go to my house. My family is gone. I want you. I'm ready."

"JT, no, you're drunk, I can't--,"

"Joe," she firmly interrupted and pressed her body up against her boyfriend. She heard the negative words coming out of his mouth, but his body told her he wanted it as much as she did. God, this guy was a saint! She was practically laying herself out for him, and he was still thinking more about her feelings than his own. But right now she wanted - needed - horny, spontaneous teenager Joe. She needed to let him know how much he actually meant to her, and if some of this Patrick-induced anger would subside, well, then that was a bonus.

"Babe, I want this, too. More than you know," Joe reached out to smooth his thumb across the tense lines in her forehead, "but you're drunk and emotional. It's not right this way."

"Please, Joe," it came out more whiny than she intended, but if it would help convince him, then screw her dignity right now. "I'm fine. You want it, I want it, I don't see the problem. Let's go." Her hand still fisted into the chest of his shirt continued to tug. He looked down into her glazed eyes - with lust or alcohol, he couldn't tell - and yes, he did want this. He wanted her and whatever part of herself she was willing to offer him. Even when they opened up to each other about personal things and feelings, he still got the impression that there were parts of herself she kept hidden from him and everyone else who loved her. And he did love her; he was sure of it even if they had never said the words to each other. He wanted to know all of her, and if this was going to bring intimacy to their relationship, then he was all in.

"Come here," Joe pressed his lips sweetly to her forehead and grabbed her hand.