Sequel: You Could Be Happy ›
Wilted and Faded
beautiful garbage, beautiful dresses
The next morning I shuffled downstairs to find the living room empty, hearing Gerard’s voice in the kitchen I headed through.
I opened my mouth to say hello when I noticed there was no one in the room. Frowning I saw the back door was open, sticking my head out I noticed Gerard sitting on the bottom step, his cellphone pressed to his ear.
“Look I’m sorry I didn’t call Eliza, we’ve been busy. Things have been kinda hectic around here I - ”
I bit my lip and moved back inside, knowing the hecticness was pretty much down to me. Turning on the coffee machine I couldn’t help but overhear Gerard’s side of the strained conversation.
He sighed, “I know you’re busy too and your career is just as important as mine. Oh, you have to go? Okay. Um, I guess I’ll speak to you later then. I love you too.”
I made myself busy pouring two cups of coffee when I heard him come into the kitchen.
“Ruby, hi,” he sounded kind of surprised.
“Hi,” I smiled shyly, handing him a cup.
“Thanks. So I guess you heard that huh?”
“Um kind of, but I didn’t mean to. I mean I didn’t know you were there and I wasn’t eavesdropping or anything like that. There was no one in the living room and I heard your voice so I figured you were just getting coffee or something, and now I’m rambling so I’ll stop,” I said, blushing into my cup as I took a gulp of coffee.
Gerard chuckled, “Don’t worry about it.”
“Was that your girlfriend?”
“Yeah, Eliza. She’s a hairstylist in L.A. we’ve not been able to see each other lately. Work and stuff, you know?”
I nodded then shook my head, “I’m not much for relationships.”
“Really? I kind of assumed you’d had your share of boyfriends, a girl like you.”
I must have looked a little offended because he quickly said, “I didn’t mean that the way it sounded. It’s just, you know, you hear stories about Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan and other girls like that that have a different guy every other week and I just…”
“Don’t worry about, I fit the stereotype in every other way,” I waved my hand to dismiss his unnecessary apology, “It was just always me and Chris so I didn’t need a boyfriend. Didn’t want one, too much hassle.”
“I’m beginning to agree with you,” Gerard sighed, taking a drink of his coffee.
“Really, why?”
He shrugged, “We never see each other, I speak to her voicemail more than her. Then when we do get a hold of each other all we do is fight.”
“When was the last time you guys saw each other in person?”
“Uh, like three weeks ago or something. Which doesn’t sound much but considering she’s just up in L.A. its kind of a long time.”
I nodded, “Why don’t you invite her down here or something?”
“Invite who down here?” Johnny asked as he and Brian appeared from the hallway.
“Eliza,” I replied.
“Just for a couple of days?” Gerard asked hopefully.
Brian wandered over to me and stole my cup of coffee, taking a sip, “Sure, I don’t see why not. We could use a little break before we get right back into recording again.”
I scratched the back of my neck, knowing that my sudden arrival must have messed around with their recording sessions.
“So I can call Eliza and see if she can get time off work?” Gerard asked, a grin stretched across his pale face.
“Sure, tell the rest of the guys too,” Brian shrugged.
“Yes!”
I laughed as Gerard high-fived me before running out of the room, I presume to tell the other guys that they could invite their girlfriends to stay.
Refilling my coffee cup that Brian had emptied I tried to ignore the butterflies in my stomach at the thought of meeting five new girls.
There was a reason I was close to guys, girls just don’t seem to like me all that much.
I opened my mouth to say hello when I noticed there was no one in the room. Frowning I saw the back door was open, sticking my head out I noticed Gerard sitting on the bottom step, his cellphone pressed to his ear.
“Look I’m sorry I didn’t call Eliza, we’ve been busy. Things have been kinda hectic around here I - ”
I bit my lip and moved back inside, knowing the hecticness was pretty much down to me. Turning on the coffee machine I couldn’t help but overhear Gerard’s side of the strained conversation.
He sighed, “I know you’re busy too and your career is just as important as mine. Oh, you have to go? Okay. Um, I guess I’ll speak to you later then. I love you too.”
I made myself busy pouring two cups of coffee when I heard him come into the kitchen.
“Ruby, hi,” he sounded kind of surprised.
“Hi,” I smiled shyly, handing him a cup.
“Thanks. So I guess you heard that huh?”
“Um kind of, but I didn’t mean to. I mean I didn’t know you were there and I wasn’t eavesdropping or anything like that. There was no one in the living room and I heard your voice so I figured you were just getting coffee or something, and now I’m rambling so I’ll stop,” I said, blushing into my cup as I took a gulp of coffee.
Gerard chuckled, “Don’t worry about it.”
“Was that your girlfriend?”
“Yeah, Eliza. She’s a hairstylist in L.A. we’ve not been able to see each other lately. Work and stuff, you know?”
I nodded then shook my head, “I’m not much for relationships.”
“Really? I kind of assumed you’d had your share of boyfriends, a girl like you.”
I must have looked a little offended because he quickly said, “I didn’t mean that the way it sounded. It’s just, you know, you hear stories about Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan and other girls like that that have a different guy every other week and I just…”
“Don’t worry about, I fit the stereotype in every other way,” I waved my hand to dismiss his unnecessary apology, “It was just always me and Chris so I didn’t need a boyfriend. Didn’t want one, too much hassle.”
“I’m beginning to agree with you,” Gerard sighed, taking a drink of his coffee.
“Really, why?”
He shrugged, “We never see each other, I speak to her voicemail more than her. Then when we do get a hold of each other all we do is fight.”
“When was the last time you guys saw each other in person?”
“Uh, like three weeks ago or something. Which doesn’t sound much but considering she’s just up in L.A. its kind of a long time.”
I nodded, “Why don’t you invite her down here or something?”
“Invite who down here?” Johnny asked as he and Brian appeared from the hallway.
“Eliza,” I replied.
“Just for a couple of days?” Gerard asked hopefully.
Brian wandered over to me and stole my cup of coffee, taking a sip, “Sure, I don’t see why not. We could use a little break before we get right back into recording again.”
I scratched the back of my neck, knowing that my sudden arrival must have messed around with their recording sessions.
“So I can call Eliza and see if she can get time off work?” Gerard asked, a grin stretched across his pale face.
“Sure, tell the rest of the guys too,” Brian shrugged.
“Yes!”
I laughed as Gerard high-fived me before running out of the room, I presume to tell the other guys that they could invite their girlfriends to stay.
Refilling my coffee cup that Brian had emptied I tried to ignore the butterflies in my stomach at the thought of meeting five new girls.
There was a reason I was close to guys, girls just don’t seem to like me all that much.