Chapter 157 - My Ride Or Die.

Lance.

"Where were you last night. I called you a bunch of times?'' I ask Jack.

He looks away from me with a suspicious expression plastered on his face "We slept in early." He tells me as he walks into the door. I watch him as he sits down on the couch "Where is Eren. I thought you said we were breaking him out of that hell hole?''

I sigh because I don't even know how we are going to pull this off. Eren is supposed to be getting his cousin to help us. Mr. Max said I am allowed to visit Ford. So maybe when I go to visit him, we can get him out.

I haven't told Ford my plan. I just don't want to get his hopes up because he has been disappointed a lot recently. I mean his uncle was supposed to get him out of that hospital. He was supposed to help him.

"He should be on his way. I haven't heard from him all morning,'' I tell him.

He nods "So, you want to do this even though his grand-uncle told you to give him a week. I mean, would it be so bad if he stays there for a week? It has just been a couple of days.''

Jack doesn't understand. No one really understands what he has to go through in there. They are pumping medicine into his body. Not giving him the opportunity to be his own self. His father is not doing this to help him. He only wants to hide him from the world. Ford will always be his embarrassment. When he found out that we are together, he couldn't handle it and that is why he locked him up.

"Can you not try to convince me not to do this? I have already made up my mind." I attack him because he is getting to that point of pissing me off.

He raises his hands in surrender "sorry man, I just don't want us to do something that will end up pissing John off."

I don't give a fuck about John. The only person I care about is Ford. He is the only one that matters. The only one I want to be with. Is it too much to ask for? Can't I just get the chance to be with him?

"Look, you are either in this with me or not. Right now, that is all that matters,'' I warn him.

He sighs and I walk over to the couch, sitting beside him. He sighs loudly before saying "You know I am always on your side,'' he reminds me, it is not like I have forgotten. I know he is the one person I can count on. He is my ride or die, guy. He reaches for me and I let him hold me in his arms. It is not weird to get a hug from Jack. He is like a brother to me—fuck, he is my brother. He is the one person that I can always count on. He is the only one that would always take my side, even when I am wrong.

After a couple of seconds, he breathes out "Okay, while we wait for Eren, I have to tell you something."

I pull away from him and there is a serious expression on his face "Is something wrong?''

He shakes his head "it is not a big deal. I don't want to take the spotlight from you right now but I just need to talk to someone about this.''

Instantly, I know it is about him and Patrick, before I left his apartment, they were fighting a lot. Whatever he has to say must have something to do with their fighting. Something must have happened.

"You know I don't care about that. If you have something going on. I will like to know,'' I assure him.

He smiles "Patrick seems to think that he killed his father and his mother has been blackmailing for money."

Okay.

That is a lot and it seems a lot more serious than what I am going through with Ford.

"Do you think he killed him?''

He explains everything and I listen attentively. Unsure of what I could possibly do to make this better. This is a lot to take in. He seems to want to wait, till Patrick's mother calls the cops. He thinks they are both lying. They are trying to outsmart their son but what if the man is really dead. What if Patrick really killed him that day, if they call the cops. They will just end up arresting him. He will go to jail because he kept quiet about the whole thing.

I don't know the best answer for this because I don't want to suggest something that would end up being the wrong thing.

"What are you thinking?'' he asks me.

"Uh…''

He sighs "just tell me what is on your mind. Even if you don't agree with me. I won't be mad, I promise,'' he assures me but this is not about him being mad. This is about saying the wrong things.

I don't really know what could have happened but Patrick seems to be going through a lot. He seems to be dealing with demons that are stronger than I could imagine. He left his father, bleeding, with the hopes that he died. I know that feeling; I have prayed that jack's dad would die so many times. The man is a monster, so many times, I would see him in his own vomit and wish he would choke on it. the way he hurt his son—he doesn't deserve to be alive. I completely understand Patrick and that moment he was stuck in. I understand why he would do that. If I was in his shoes, I would do the same thing.

"Do you think he killed him?'' he asks. Jack has always been able to read me. he knows what I am thinking and he must be thinking the same things too. He might not want to admit it but I mean, the thoughts are there.

"No, I don't think he did but there is a possibility that he did.''

He nods "Yeah, I know but it is a stretch. It just makes no sense that his mother wouldn't know where he is. He said he didn't hide the body. She should have seen him at the house. If he really is dead, there should be a body."

"Are you sure he didn't hide the body?''

I am not saying I don't trust Patrick but I just want to know all the facts. I need to know so that I can help my friends.

"Yes, I completely trust him.''

I love that he can say that about him. Their relationship seems so strong in such a short amount of time. It makes me happy that they are at this point.

I stand up from the couch "I have an idea,'' I smile.

"What is it, what about you and Ford." He breathes out suddenly reminding me that we are waiting for Eren. Today is supposed to be about getting Ford out of that hospital and yes, I plan on doing that. That is my number one priority but my best friend needs me right now and I don't want to leave this town without making sure he and Patrick are happy and okay. The fact that he is so sure that Patrick didn't kill the man makes this even easier.

We have to find out the truth.

I plan on helping him all the way through.

"There is enough time to do both,'' I wink at him and he smiles. If the tables were turned, Jack will drop everything for me. I mean, look at now for example. He is here with me when he really should be with Patrick. He needs him but I also need him and here he is trying to juggle both.

"Lemme just call Eren and we will head out,'' I tell him.

I dial my other friends' number and he answers "Yo, give me about a couple of hours. Thanks to you, I have to run some errands for Manuel,'' his explanation is good enough because this gives me enough time to sort out Jack and Patrick's problems.

"What do you have in mind. Patrick doesn't want us involving too much in them because they are very manipulative." He tells me, completely forgetting that manipulating people is my forte. This is what I live for.

"Let me convince him. Patrick is my friend too…. remember?'' I remind him. He seems to have forgotten that just a month ago, he hated him and thought he wanted to steal me away from Ford.

He rolls his eyes because he knows what I am thinking about "He might be upset that I told you.''

"He knew you would tell me. we tell each other everything, besides it is too late. I am involved now." I pause "Do you have his mother's number?''

I have to help.