Where Is Your Boy Tonight

It was New Year's eve and Maddie and the guys were all hanging out at her house, lounging around the living room. Her parents had gone to a party in the city and were staying overnight at a hotel. They had told her the guys could stay the night, so long as they all slept in the living room. Maddie had invited Sarah over, but her parents had made her come home earlier in the evening. Maddie was glad the guys seemed to like her. As much as she liked hanging out with the guys she still enjoyed having a girl friend around sometimes too.

"What time is it?" Patrick asked with a yawn.

"Eleven twenty six" Andy answered, "you guys are light weights."

"Excuse me mister I-work-overnight" Joe said back.

Maddie laughed at their exchange and excused herself to change into pajamas. She threw on a tank top and sweat pants before she heard a knock on her bedroom door. She called out for them to come in and Pete entered.

"Hey, what's up?" she asked him. He had been in a great mood for the last few weeks, since he and Jeanie broke up "for good." But tonight he seemed quiet and reserved.

"Nothing, I just wanted to talk to you", he said sitting on her bed. Maddie went over and sat sideways facing him.

"Is everything ok?"

Pete shook his head, "Jeanie has been calling me again." Maddie resisted the urge to roll her eyes, "tell her to go screw herself."

Pete laughed, "you sound like my mom. But seriously, I don't know what to do. She swears this time will be different." Maddie didn't know what to say. She didn't want to tell Pete what to do with his life, but she was one hundred percent sure Pete was better off without her.

"What should I do?" he asked when she didn't answer.

"Forget her", Maddie said simply. Hey, he asked. "She's not worth all of the stress and pain she causes. You can find someone much better for you, Pete. I'm serious."

Pete stared and her for a moment before saying, "you're right." Maddie smiled and he hugged her. "Let's go watch the ball drop, Princess." She laughed at the nickname and stood, pulling Pete up by his arm.

They walked into the living room as the countdown was at 10. "Everyone remember to make your New Years wish!" Patrick said.

"I don't think that's a thing..." Joe started as the countdown hit one. Everyone yelled Happy New Year drowning him out. Maddie didn't think it was a thing either but she decided it couldn't hurt. As Pete kissed her cheek she wished that Jeanie would disappear.

The next morning Maddie woke up to the smell of coffee brewing. Confused, she untangled herself from the pile of blankets, pillows and limbs to go see if her parents were home. Not long after midnight they had set up a blanket and pillow fort on the floor to watch a movie and all passed out. Maddie walked into the kitchen to see Pete sitting on a barstool drinking a cup of coffee.

"You're up early", she said, grabbing a cup for herself.

"I don't sleep very well", he said. "You're up early too."

"The coffee smell woke me up" she replied, taking the stool next to him and sipping her drink. "Why don't you sleep? Patrick told me the same thing the morning we went out for breakfast."

Pete paused for a moment, like he was struggling to decide if he should tell her something but instead said, "it's just how I've always been." Maddie nodded and they sat in silence drinking their coffee. When she finished hers she excused herself to go take a shower. She was meeting Sarah later to go shopping, something she hadn't done since she left North Carolina. She was pretty excited to do something girly and decided to go all out. She finished her shower and got dressed in a dark blue pair of skinny jeans and a form fitting sweater. She was skinny, without many features to accentuate so it wasn't often she wore form fitting clothes. She felt pretty though. Pete came in while she was doing her makeup.

"You're lucky I was dressed", she told him when he entered without knocking.

"Or unlucky, depending on how you look at it", he said with a smirk. Maddie's eyes widened and her cheeks tinged pink at the comment. Pete didn't seem to notice and sat on the bench seat beside her at her makeup table. "What's this?" he asked, picking up a small jar and unscrewing the lid.

"Lip gloss", Maddie answered, applying her eyeliner.

"What's that?" he asked, pointing at her eye liner.

"Eye liner", she said turning to face him, "wanna try?"

Pete laughed, "sure."

"Ok, open your eyes wide and sit very still", Maddie instructed. She put one hand on his cheek to steady him and began running the pencil along the bottom of his eye. "All done."

Pete looked at himself in the mirror and laughed, "I actually kind of like it."

"It's different, that's for sure", Maddie said, finishing her own makeup and standing.

"Where are you going anyway?" Pete asked, following her down the stairs.

"Shopping with Sarah."

Joe let out a whistle when they walked into the living room, " damn, Mad! You look hot!"

Maddie blushed and thanked him. Patrick told her she looked pretty and Andy agreed. "You guys are making me thing I look like crap normally!"

"No, you never look like crap. You're always pretty, now you've just accentuated it" Patrick said. Maddie laughed and started helping them fold up blankets and put away pillows.

"Do you think Sarah would mind if we went to breakfast with you guys?" Pete asked, "I'm starving." Maddie didn't think she would mind, but called Sarah to check anyway. Soon they were sitting in the diner again, having pancakes. This time Maddie did get the regular ones and enjoyed them more than the vegan pancakes.

After they ate and the guys had left she and Sarah went the mall.

"So, are you dating one of the guys?" Sarah asked casually as they searched a clearance rack.

"Nope", Maddie answered. She was getting used to this question. Apparently most people assumed she was dating one of them.

"Sorry", Sarah said looking at her, "I just assumed you were."

"It's OK. I get that a lot, actually."

"Honestly, the way Pete looks at you could throw anyone off."

Maddie was glad they had gone into the fitting rooms and Sarah couldn't see the blush come across her cheeks, "I don't think so. He's in a weird, complicated relationship."

"Oh, sorry, I must have misinterpreted it", Sarah said coming out of her fitting room. "That dress is really cute, you should get it!"

Maddie was glad she dropped the topic at that. "I do like it! It'll be great for spring."

After shopping and lunch Maddie invited Sarah over to check out band practice. She didn't think the guys would mind.

"You ok, Joe?" Maddie asked as she and Sarah sat on the couch. "You seem, off."

Joe shook his head before Maddie realized what was going on, he had a crush on Sarah. Patrick gave her a look that confirmed her suspicions.

"you know", Sarah leaned over and whispered in Maddie's ear "you and Patrick have this weird vibe, connection, thing. You guys have been 'talking' with a look almost the entire practice."

"We're best friends", Maddie whispered back.

"I know, it's just weird. I've never seen it before. I've read about it, but mostly in, like, twins and stuff."

"Maybe me and Patrick were twins in a past life."

"I also noticed you and Pete have a way of talking with your looks, but it's not the same as with Patrick."

Maddie rolled her eyes at Sarah as if to say, "this again?"

Sarah smirked at her, "Pete says it with love."

"Stop it" Maddie said as the guys finished the song they were playing.

"You know, Sarah, if you keep distracting our manager we're not going to let you come watch anymore", Andy joked from behind his drums.

"Manager?" Maddie asked.

"Yeah, well you might as well be", Patrick added. "You book our shows, you watch us and tell us when we're messing up, you get us stuff when we ask..."

Maddie laughed, "I'm being a good friend!"

"So, do you guys have a name?" Sarah asked.

"Yeah, we agreed on Fall Out Boy" Joe said, looking at Sarah for the first time since they arrived. He realized he was staring and quickly diverted his gaze. Maddie smirked, she had it confirmed now, Joe had a crush.

The guys began packing up their stuff and Maddie stood to take Sarah home. Before she left Pete stopped her.

"Can you come over after you drop Sarah off?"

Maddie nodded, "Is everything ok?"

"Yeah, I just don't want to be alone."

Maddie nodded again and promised she would come back over once she took Sarah home. She decided she was going to get to the bottom of Pete's weird moods today. She needed to understand him if he wanted to be her best friend.