"-Mom, he isn't trying to be me, okay?" Patton froze, not wanting to interrupt the conversation. He was currently at Roman's for a sleepover and he went to go get a drink.

"Patton is a family friend, you know you don't have to act like this to him, right?" Roman's mom asked. "You can just be friendly in the hallways. That's all you have to do."

"Mom I get it, okay? It's just without me, he would be only hanging with Virgil and Logan, who are sorry cases on their own. So he would get bullied. And he is so emotional. It wouldn't be pretty." the two chuckled, "but if you want I'll just slowly drift further away from him. I can also get him out of the drama and off the cheer team."

Patton didn't listen to the rest of the conversation as he raced back upstairs. He wanted to cry but couldn't. He wanted to prove Roman wrong. He wasn't emotional. He sat back on the bathroom floor, staring at his hands. The door creaked open and he jumped up, trying to go to the sink to pretend that he was just washing his hands.

"Patton? What are you doing in here?" Virgil asked groggily. Patton froze realizing he hadn't made it to the sink in time so he looked really suspicious.

"O-oh nothing. I w-was just uh er really warm in the room and came in here to uh cool down." Patton lied, looking past Virgil's eyes, smiling. Virgil raised his eyebrows and tried to meet Patton's gaze but couldn't because Patton kept moving his eyes.

"Pat, what are you lying about? What were you actually doing in here?"Virgil asked, grabbing Patton's fidgeting hands, "what's wrong?"

Patton looked in Virgil's eyes for a split second before turning away and wiping the tears that had escaped. He tried to get around Virgil, then, walking for the door, but Virgil was quick to close the door. "Virgil." his voice cracked but was still stern. "Move, now."

Virgil was taken aback, Patton never sounded so mad before. He let go of the door and let Patton out, following him once he left. Patton went into the room they were sleeping in and packed his stuff up, completely leaving Roman's blanket alone. Roman looked up from his phone to what Patton was doing and looked at Virgil, silently asking what was wrong. Virgil just shrugged, his frown deepening. "Bye Virgil, tell Logan I said bye too."

"Wait why are you leaving, Patton?" Roman asked, shifting so he was fully sitting up.

"Family calls." was all Patton said before he left. They heard the door slam, Virgil and Roman looking at each other.

---at school---

Patton walked into school, his head down, and his hands in his pockets. Instead of going towards his friend group, he went to the courtyard. No one was there because it was winter so it was colder than normal and no one wants to be cold. He sat on the bench where roman and he first became what he thought was true friends. They found so much in common, they were so happy. He wished that never had to end.. but hey, that's how life is and he just has to accept it. He heard the door open and he wiped the few tears that fell off his face and turned to see half of the cheer squad making their way over to him, Virgil and Logan following.

He smiled and waved at them. Zoe, the cheerleader, sat next to him. "Hey, Pat! Are you okay? It looks like you've been crying..?" Zoe asks sadly, putting her hand on his knee.

"Oh, I'm good! perfectly fine! I was just yawning... I didn't get a good sleep last night." he said, smiling as wide as he can to try to make it believable.

"What happened last night?" Logan asked, looking at Patton from where he was. "I had been sleeping and no one informed me why you left."

Patton stiffened and shrugged, saying the same thing he said yesterday. Virgil could tell he was lying while they were talking, and so could some of the cheerleaders. Rose, Zoe, Emily, and Virgil all asked Patton to stay back so they could talk about "boys".

"Patton. Tell me what actually happened last night? Please?" Virgil asked, scooting closer to Patton. Patton rolled his eyes but when Virgil gave his famous puppy eyes.

"Fine... well... I was getting a drink and I overheard Roman and his mom talking.. basically, I'm only friends with him out of pity. He was saying how without him I'd be bullied and like he is even going to try to get me off the team, and out of drama.. he was also insulting you and Logan.. and I have to prove that I'm not emotional.." Patton trailed off, looking up.

"Don't listen to him, Patton!" Rose butted in, her hands on her hips, "he is stupid and you'll never be off the team unless you choose to be!"

"Yeah!" Emily added, "he was a bad friend anyways! You needed to get away from him!"

"Thanks, guys. I love you all."