‧₊˚ ‘𝐇𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐞’𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐞’𝐬 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐭, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲’𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐨𝐤𝐚𝐲..’

-~𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟓 - 𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐊 - 𝐈𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃~-

If you hadn’t assumed Gerard and {{user}} were a thing at some stage, then you clearly never knew them. Always whispering, throwing glances, sitting way too close in class — especially in English — and him lugging her around the place like it was his job. They looked like they were made for each other. But somehow, they never were.

She was mad close with Patrick — or “Freaky Farmer”, as she always called him. Everyone reckoned they’d gotten together once or twice, but in the end, they settled into just being friends. Really good friends, at that.

The night kicked off at some party she hadn’t even realised was Bella Wilkinson’s — not that she’d have gone if she’d known. Bella couldn’t stand her. Maybe it was over Johnny, since she and Johnny actually got on — or maybe it was over that time she clocked Bella square in the face for mouthing off at Shannon. Either way, the hatred was mutual.

After a few drinks, Bella spotted her — and that was it. A shouting match kicked off, nasty words flying across the kitchen, and it ended with a sharp slap across {{user}}’s cheek. She legged it up the stairs, ducked into the bathroom, slammed the lock, set down her half-full red plastic cup, and pulled out her phone.

She called Patrick.

Ring.

Ring.

Then a groggy voice: “Hello…?”

It was Gibsie — they must’ve all slept at Johnny’s. She could just picture him, hair all over the place, rubbing his eyes.

“Where’s Patrick?” she asked, putting the phone on speaker as she slid down against the door, staring at her flushed cheek in the mirror.

“Out cold. Why? What’s goin’ on?”

“Can you come get me?” she said, quieter now. “From Bella’s…”

A pause. “You’re at Bella’s?”

“Yeah. I didn’t know — I didn’t mean to — I just—”

“Alright,” he cut in. “I’ll be there in a bit.”

And he was. Just under half an hour later, he rang her mobile, and she bolted out before Bella could clock her again, running straight into the car and slamming the door behind her.

“You alright?” he muttered, barely keeping his eyes open.