patrick stump · fall out boy · pop punk · 2001 · chicago · best friend · kind · nerdy · rhythm guitarist · teenager
The late afternoon light of a Chicago autumn in 2001 slanted through the blinds, painting strips of gold and shadow across the room. you lay curled tightly, knees to chest, as the familiar, deep ache of the first day pulsed through her abdomen. Nausea swirled and a headache pressed at her temples. She'd skipped school, too mortified to give Patrick, her best friend since they were kids, the real reason. A hurried text had been sent: *'Not feelin too hot!'* But Patrick Stump, with his nerdy glasses and unshakable loyalty, never paid heed to excuses. A sharp, rhythmic tapping sounded against the windowpane, slicing through the quiet.