Author's Note: Story is mine, characters, unfortunately are not.

Peppermint Patty banged her head back against the ancient tree trunk, taking satisfaction from the mellow stinging current erupting from the place on her chestnut head. Self-inflicted pain was better than that caused by others, mainly stupid boys who were too stupid to see how perfect you were together. Stupid boys with stupid names who were so stupid they couldn't even play stupid baseball properly. Well, at one point they hadn't anyway. He was still stupid for that though! Patty huffed, her arms crossed tightly as she tried to restrain herself from running back to the park where the stupid boy was with his equally stupid girlfriend hanging out with his stupid sister and stupid sister's boyfriend.

'Life is stupid,' she internally grumbled, directing her gaze to the clear sky. Even the sky was stupid. Why couldn't it be cloudy to reflect her inner angst? No, it had to be sunny and cherry, perfect for that stupid, stupid Charlie Brown.

'I never should have liked him in the first place. It was all a dumb mistake thanks to my childhood fantasies and teenage hormones.' Patty sighed wearily, swallowing a thick layer of tears. She hated crying. It was such a useless, girly thing to do. It wasn't what girls like Patty did. Not unless they busted up their leg due to something sports related. Then again, girls like Patty weren't supposed to waste their time with stupid boys when they should have been focusing on getting into college and other important things.

But no, Patty had fallen, dare she say it, in lovewith Charlie Brown and when she tried to tell him, he rejected her. Nicely of course, in his Charlie Brown way, but it still stung.

"Patty, I really do like you, honest, but Lucy and I . . . we've been seeing each other for a little while now. It's serious. I really like her and I don't want to mess it up. You understand, right?" Of course she had understood. How could she not? Lucy was gorgeous, popular, and intelligent. She could get into any school she wanted without even trying. Patty wasn't surprised that someone as popular as Chuck (baseball had skyrocketed him to high school fame) would fall for a girl like Lucy van Pelt. He would never choose Patty over her.

Yet she had dared to dream that he could love her. She had gone against everything her gut told her and pursued him with all she had. And now she was left with her shattered heart lying before her and tears streaming down her face because she had put love above her dreams and goals.

'I even dressed up for him. I pretended to be something I'm not.' Patty was disgusted with herself. How had she managed to convince herself that skinny jeans and a low cut tank top would sway Chuck? He didn't like that stuff anyway (Lucy always wore sensible, if not current, clothing). She just wanted him to notice her. She played baseball with him and she was in most of his classes. Why couldn't he have paid attention to her? Was it so hard to remember that she was a girl too, not "one of the guys"?

Patty glanced at her footwear and angrily grabbed one of the chunky heels and tossed it as far as she could. It made her feel a little better. The eighteen year old ripped out her hoop earrings and stuffed them in her pocket. She freed her hair from the constraints of a ponytail and let it run wild over her shoulders. There, better, much better. She felt a little more like Peppermint Patty and not like the boy obsessed version.

Suddenly, she spotted someone walked over towards the oak tree. He appeared to be slightly taller than her with black hair that didn't go past his ears and a blue windbreaker to keep the spring chill at bay. She noticed he was carrying her high heel in his hand.

"Is this yours by any chance?" He inquired with a slight smile on his face because with her one bare foot, it was pretty obvious it was.

Patty didn't stare at him too long. He was a pretty boy, a guy who got by on looks alone. She didn't like the type, didn't trust them either.

"So what if it is? If I threw it that means I don't want it. Keep it," she replied dryly, not interested in conversation. Patty absentmindedly wiped her cheeks, wanting to get rid of the evidence of tears. She guessed he had spotted them, for there was a brief flicker of compassion in his dark eyes.

"I don't think the prince in Cinderella kept the slipper. I'll just leave it here, that way when you wear it I can recognize you." Was this guy for real? Patty thought he must have just walked out of some fairy tale and was wondering where the book was so she could stuff him back in there. She didn't need pretty princes like him that day, or any day for that matter.

When she didn't reply, the man placed the shoe beside her, but instead of leaving he sat beside her. Patty tried her best to ignore him, but he wouldn't let himself be ignored.

"My name is Shermy by the way. What's yours?"

"Why do you want to know my name?" She questioned. This Shermy fellow chuckled.

"Well, that's usually how people start conversations. I could be wrong though. It's been a while since I've been in civilization." Patty had to admit, he was intriguing.

"The name's Patty, but people call me Peppermint Patty a lot. So where did you live before coming here?"

Shermy smiled, taking victory from getting her to talk, and began to explain.

"Well I used to live here when I was a kid, but my father got a job in a new city so we moved. Then, after that job went south, we moved again, but to a wildlife park where my parents became forest rangers. I've lived in a forest for the past nine and a half years."

She smiled half-heartedly. His life sounded nice. Patty wondered why in the world he would come back here after so many years from it, so she asked him.

Shermy chuckled. "Well, I'm starting college in the fall a few towns away, but before moving there I wanted to check out the old stomping grounds. I've got a few friends to see and places to remember."

"Who are you visiting?" Patty interjected.

"Well I used to be friends with a few of the girls called Violet, Lucy, and Patty. A different Patty, not you. And then there's Schroeder and Charlie Brown . . ." he was about to continue when he noticed her wince.

He looked at her with concern. "Are you okay?" Patty turned her head away from him, feeling a tight pang in her chest.

"Yeah, fine. Why?" She spoke in choppy sentences, constraining the cracking in her voice.

Unfortunately, Shermy wasn't easily fooled. "Because you look like you're going to cry when I mention Charlie Brown. Do you know him?"

Patty barked out a laugh, but it had no real heart or pleasure it in. "Know him? I fell in love with him and he chose Lucy over me!" She exclaimed, a tear streaming down her cheek. The girl caught herself quickly, shaking her head over and over again while she avoided his pitiful glances. She heard his jacket rub against the bark as he moved closer to her. His heat pierced through her thin jeans and caused her to shudder.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Shermy asked quietly. Patty sniffed in reply. Why was a stranger taking such an interest in her? These things didn't usually happen to her, and she didn't trust it, not one bit.

"N-No. No, I don't. There's nothing to talk about. Chuck chose the perfect girl for him and I'm happy he's happy." Did she honestly believe that?

"But you're sad too, because you don't want to be lonely anymore, or treated like one of the guys, right?" How did he know that? Patty glanced at him with a watery gaze and wondered if he had talked to Charlie Brown beforehand.

Shermy smiled briefly. "I do remember you, you know. I think we faced you in baseball once. I remember how confident and outgoing you were. And your style. I think I liked that best. It was unique."

Patty smirked slightly, sniffling pitifully. "Yeah, I kind of lost that when I started liking Chuck. I just wanted to be a part of something special, you know? Like, maybe if he saw worth in me, other people would too. I just want to be liked." Her bottom lip quivered but she held back, not wanting to outright sob in front of him. That would be horribly embarrassing.

He didn't seem to care much though. The young man wrapped an arm around her bare shoulders and gently guided her closer until she was curled up to his side. It was awkward at first, she couldn't deny that, but it was nice too. Shermy was warm, so completely warm, and he was sweet too. He wasn't trying to put the moves on her either, which she appreciated. He was just being there in case she needed him. And although she hadn't known who he was ten minutes ago, she did need him there. After all, he was better than nothing.

"You don't need any guy to define your worth. From what I remember, you were a great athlete. You could be famous one day." He was being too kind, honestly, but Patty appreciated it nonetheless. She wrapped an arm snuggly around his waist, pressing her damp cheek against his windbreaker.

It was odd that this stranger (although he really wasn't a stranger she supposed) could comfort her better than anyone. Well, anyone except her father that is. Which reminded her, she needed to get home and make dinner for him. Patty pulled back briefly and flashed Shermy a grin.

"Thanks Sherm, you're a cool guy. Wanna come to my place and have dinner? It's just my dad and I and we always make too much."

Shermy chuckled. "Sure, why not. I've got lots of time to see the old gang." The young man pulled himself up first then helped Patty to her feet, even though she insisted she didn't need it.

"Where are you staying anyway?" She inquired while grabbing her heel and pulling off the other one (she'd rather walk barefoot than in those things).

"Well I've got an aunt here but I haven't checked yet. Why?"

Patty shrugged. "We've got a guest bedroom if you want to use it for tonight. Dad works the late shift on weekends so he'll come home for dinner then go off to work for the night."

At first he protested. "I don't want to impose." But finally he caved and it was decided that for at least one night, Shermy would be the guest of Peppermint Patty.

While leading him to her house with her high heels in one hand, she felt the warmth of Shermy's hand enclose around hers. He was lightly gripping her hand and God help her if she didn't feel like the luckiest girl in the entire world.

Perhaps boys weren't entirely stupid after all.

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