Hate, Love, and Sex Appeal

[a/n:Sorry it took a while for this chapter, guys. I've been catching up on my Harry Potter. ;] I hadda reread the 6th one cause I forgot what happened and now I'm onto the 7th, which, by the way, if you haven't read it yet, I suggest you do because it's bloody brilliant. Well, anyway, thanks for waiting patiently, here ya go! :] ]

"Guys! Dinner!"

We continued our silent stare-a-thon, despite the call that beckoned us from just below the foot of the stairs. All the while I was staring at him, I got a really close look at him. Our noses were barely inches apart. I really do hate to admit it but he was pretty...extremely good looking. He had short black hair that covered his eyes and fell just below the tip of his ears. His eyes. I never had the chance to look at them so closely before. It wasn't fair to say they were just hazel. They were speckled with light greens and golden honeys swirled in with brown. They were so...intimidating. They didn't look just at the surface. No, they plunged deeper then that. They had cast a mesmerizing enchantment upon me and I couldn't allow myself to look away.

He gradually let an amused smirk devour his pale face as he proceeded to remove himself from the bed and out the door. I sighed as I permitted myself to follow. I gently shut the door and the oozy saucy smell of lasagna inflamed my senses instantly. I looked over at the stairs to find Gerard looking over at me. He nodded his head as if to tell me he was waiting for me. I inhaled deeply as I stepped down the stairs.

"That smells so good." I whispered as I hopped down the last creaky step and turned left to see the feeding frenzy over at the table.
Everyone was juggling their filled paper plates as they continued to pile on bits and pieces of the steamy hot foods.
Gerard strolled over to the corner and grabbed himself a plate and waited one the food line. I went to do the same, however, I felt a tug on the back of my shirt. I turned to see Gerard pull apart his plate with another and handed one to me. I smiled a silent thank you and got behind him as the food conga danced it's way around the food infested table.
A loud crack of thunder burst out suddenly and the lights hesitantly wavered.
"Raining cats and dogs out there, eh?" asked my dad as he placed himself in one of the cushioned chairs. I squeezed my way over and sat next to Frank, who was hastily buttering a piece of bread. Gerard sat on the other side of me after completing the task of completely filling his paper plate to the very edge.

"So Frankie, no go tonight?"
I asked as I reached for a piece of warm Italian bread. Mikey, who had been sitting next to Frank, grabbed a piece of bread and placed it gingerly into my outstretched hand.
"Thanks Mike-n-Ike."
"Sure thing."
"Go where?"

My mom suddenly piped up as she leisurely poured dressing over her Caesar salad.
"The pier over there," answered Frankie as he searched around his plate. I handed him the fork that he had been looking for.
"Thanks."
"Oh no. You can't go in this! Uh-uh, sorry, no pier tonight," said Don as he scooped up a forkful of saucy noodles.
"I guess that answers your question then," replied Frank as he chowed down on a fork ful of hot lasagna.
"That's hot," I warned as he shoved the forkful into his mouth.
He dropped the fork and opened his mouth and started to, somewhat frantically, wave his hands in front of his face.
"Told you so." I smiled as I blew on my forkful of cheesy noodles.

"So I guess now you have to endure a night with us guys, huh, Bri?"
Gerard questioned after we had finished cleaning up. I sighed as I started up the stairs and shook my head. I felt kind of bad, though. Logan was going to be there waiting in the pouring rain. I hope he realized I wouldn't come after about five or ten minutes.
I took short strides into the room. I gripped my guitar case that was calling out to me from the corner. I opened the case and grabbed Ink by the neck and sat on the bed. I gently re-tuned the strings and strummed away at random chords, keeping a steady beat with my livewire green sock-covered foot. Gerard had closed the door and placed himself on the floor and took out his colored pencils and art pad.
"Whatcha drawin' ?"
I started to play 'When I Come Around'.
"Oh not much, really," replied Gerard as he took a vibrant red into his grip.
"Then can I see?"
He looked up for a second, in thought, and then let his gaze drop back down onto the pad.
"Maybe."
"But you said it's not much."
"It isn't," he replied instantly.

I reached the bridge and then when I hit the chorus, I said, "Then why can't I see it?"
"Cause it isn't finished yet."
"When you're--"
"Yes, when I'm done, I'll let you have a look."
I sat up against the wall and grinned at my success. Out nowhere I began to hear a song from The Sound of Music resounding off of the walls in the hallway.
Eh, probably just my imagination.

I continued to head the song, however, and I slowly stole a look over at Gerard, who was peering up at me with confused eyes.
"You hear that, it's not just me?" He questioned after a moment or two.
"Nope, just you."
He continued to glare at me as I finally gave up with a smile.
I nodded and he lifted his head up in triumph. I placed Ink on the bed and opened the door.

"Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings. These are a few of my favorite things."

I cautiously took a step outside of the room to see Frankie twirling around, singing. I absentmindedly smiled over at my swirling best friend.
"Frank, what the hell?" I laughed and shook my head.
"Sing with me. You know the words," replied Frankie, gripping my wrist and pulling me over.
"But you forget my dear friend."
He looked at me with confusion written across his face. I continued, "What it's doing outside."
He flashed a famous Iero grin as we went down the stairs and outside to the backyard to sing and dance in the pouring rain.

"Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes. Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes. Silvery white winters that melt into springs. Theses are a few --"

We were rudely interrupted by a loud rumble of thunder.
"Oh God, shut up!" Shouted Mikey from the porch that was safe away from rain. He was joking, of course. Gerard was standing next to his brother, grinning widely, and shaking his head as he continued to look over at us.
"Of my favorite things," Frankie finished rapidly as he quickly grabbed my hand and we cackled our way into the house.

The Way brothers followed us as he shook the wetness off in the kitchen.
“You guys are nuts,” said Gerard as he handed us both towels.
Frank glanced over at me and we both grinned in appreciation.
“Wanna go downstairs now?” Mikey asked as he held the door to the basement.
“You really wanna hang out there all night Mikey?” I questioned as I dried my hair.
“No, it’s really cool down here, come look,” said Gerard as he followed Mikey down the creaky wooden stairs.
I shrugged my shoulders as I followed as well. Frankie followed close behind.

I reached the bottom stair and it was pitch black. I couldn’t see a even a foot ahead of me. I reached back and grabbed Frank’s hand. I hated basements and I hated not being able to see. I wasn’t so much afraid of the dark, it’s just that I hadn’t really been in the basement and that completely freaked me out.
“It’s alright, don’t worry,” whispered Frankie as he squeezed my hand and stepped down to the stair I was on.
“Where’s freakin’ light switch?”
“Ow!”

Gerard groaned in pain as a loud ca-clunk had previously noted that he had hit something.
“Found it.”
Brilliant light appeared and was showing off the basement.
“Oh too cool!” exclaimed Frank as we finally saw what Mikey and Gerard had been talking about.
“Oh, you okay?” I asked over in Gerard’s direction.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just hit my foot. Stupid box.”

I regret not finding this place earlier. It had couches, a television, an air hockey table that was interchangeable, board games over in the corner, and a greenish rug that laid on the floor.
“Wow. Hey, Gerard, found a whole lot of nothing, huh?” I asked as I remembered what he previously had told me.
He smiled as he glanced up from the couch he was sitting on.
“So, where to start, where to start…” Frankie placed his fingers upon his chin as he pouted in thought.
“Decisions…decisions,” I muttered as I mirrored him looking around.

“Ah-ha!” said Mikey as he pulled a game from the shelf.

“Let the games commence!”