That's A Lie

Gerard didn’t tell him what was happening though. Of course, Mikey wasn’t stupid. He knew what Donna thought. He knew what Gerard had to do but that didn’t ease the pain one bit.

Gerard was his best friend. Well so was Emira and Frank but he had only known Emira for a year and Frank was in a Catholic boarding school on the other side of town. He was he only one that Gerard trusts. He was his brother’s secret keeper. In his bedroom, supposedly doing his homework, he strained his listening skills to catch every word spoken downstairs.

“… You have to set a good example…”

“…he doesn’t hate who I am!”

“…just stay away from him…” Burning holes into his Maths notebook,, Mikey willed himself not to cry. He had to be strong. He cannot let such a trivial matter get to him.

“ Trivial matter my ass,” he muttered out loud. He heard the slamming of doors. Gerard must have left to get drunk or stoned or laid or whatever. No one knocked on his door for a whole hour. Failing miserably in trying to solve algebraic expressions he made a note to himself to flatter Emira so he could copy her work..

His room door flew open. Bending down as low as he could so he could have a chance to wipe at his eyes, he muttered.

“ What do you want?” It was Donald. He came in dressed in sweats, smelling of herbal body shampoo, hair slicked back. The older man walked over to his son and placed a comforting hand on the adolescent boy’s shoulder.

“ Michael,” Donald always called him by his full name when he was being serious or comforting, “ Dinner will be ready in about an hour. Gerard won’t be eating with us. You wanna invite your friend over?” Shaking his head, Mikey defied his father’s request. It warmed him that Donald try to bring some sort of normality into this eventful day but for them to send Gerard off, it made no sense in his eyes. They didn’t trust their son.

“ Nah. Frank’s in boarding school and Emmy needs to eat dinner with her family,” Donald nodded blankly. He left the room after a few beats knowing he was not needed. Mikey was giving him the cold shoulder.

Dinner was a soundless affair. Except for the chewing and clanking of metal cutleries on china plates, everyone was lost in their own thoughts. Donna was thinking of what their sons might have been doing when she left them alone. Donald was thinking about how his boss will react when he come to work tomorrow. Mikey was worrying for Gerard. Gerard was in a bar miles away, piss drunk, thinking of nothing except for the amber liquid he was nursing. After setting his plate in the dishwasher, Mikey packed his bag for tomorrow and lay in his bed. He fell asleep soon after.

Ring! His alarm clock woke him up like any other day. He did his necessary morning ritual before going downstairs expecting his usual breakfast. Instead there was just plain bread, butter and jam set out for him to prepare for himself.

Rather than risking going near the toaster, he took down some plain cereal, strawberries and milk and had himself breakfast while Donna just fumed around him in her bathrobe. Halfway through, the doorbell rang and Donna lunged it open snarling at an unsuspecting Emira. A short girl, around five feet five, she had tanned skin, big almond-shaped eyes and natural black shoulder length hair. She was not thin but she was not fat either. She was curvy with plump cheeks that made you want to squeeze it till it turned red.

“ Hey there Mrs. Way. You look…tired,” she chirped out as a greeting. Donna just gave a ‘hmph!’ in response and called for Mikey. He appeared at the doorway in a flash and made it a point to kiss Emira on the cheek as a hello. They left the house arm in arm, much to the displeasure of Donna who was so sure that Mikey and Gerard were up to no good. The two waited till they turned the corner before letting go of each other’s waist.

“ Mikey, your mom looked like shit,” the girl stated while staring at the sidewalk and the pebbles that littered it.

“ That isn’t so bad considering…” He didn’t have to complete his sentence. Emira knew enough to guess it was Gerard. She let out a sigh as though to say “ What did he do know?”

“ He came out of the closet. Mom thinks me and him…are …ya know,” The short girl stopped walking and stood frozen, mouth agape. Mikey grabbed her by the hand and pulled her in the direction of the school. She finally got her voice.

“Dude, your mom needs some sort of medication Or electric shock maybe.” She muttered out at the school entrance. Mikey was silent till they reached his locker.

“ I know but now I think she’s figured out that you’re not really my girlfriend,” Emira gave out a low whistle. She couldn’t answer him.

The bell rang. Classes have begun!