Overcoming Fears

“Wakey wakey girlies!”

Niambh jerked into consciousness to find Frank poking her in the side of my head, face exceptionally close to her.

“Ahh!” Her hand flew out and smacked Frank in the cheek.

“Ow. I’m guessing that’s a no on borrowing your Freddie Mercury book, then?” Frank asked.

“Jeez, Frank. You could have at least waited until I was awake to ask,” Niambh replied.

“Okay, sorry... Now can I borrow your Freddie Mercury book?”
I sat there laughing at Niambh's expression on her face. She didn't look impressed.
Suddenly Frank’s face disappeared from Niambh's line of vision, and she sat up halfway to see Gerard yanking Frank away by the ear. By this point, I was on the floor in hysterics. Niambh looked at me and said “Morning you tramo, what time is it?”

“About seven o’clock,” I replied.

“Oh my god, it's too early.” she sighed, watching Frank stand dejectedly by Gerard’s side. “Here you go, Frankie,” Niambh said, handing him Freddie Mercury's autobiography. His eyes immediately lit up and he bounded off to the front of the bus.

As Bob, Niambh and I followed at a more, sane pace, I asked Bob, “Where are we going?”

“We’re staying the night in Belleville, so everyone can visit their families. Except my family, since they’re in Chicago,”

“Then where are we staying?” I asked.

This time Brian replied from where he was watching TV. “You, Niambh and Bob will be staying at the Ways’. Did Donna agree, Mikey?”

“Huh? Yeah, she said....” Mikey trailed off, staring into the television screen.

“She said it would be fine,” Gerard finished, coming in from the kitchenette with a steaming mug in his hands.

“Is that coffee?” I questioned. At his nod, me and Niambh looked at eachother and eagerly went into the kitchenette and poured ourselves a cup each. I downed half of it before I looked up to find them all staring at me. I blushed red under their gaze. Niambh just sat there and laughed at me.

“Wow,” Frank breathed.

“Sorry. I’m sort of a coffee addict,”

“Oh, you and Gee will probably get along well then,” Ray said.

“Unless you drink all my coffee, in which case I will be forced to kill you and take your body to the dark side.” Gerard joked from his seat beside Mikey.

“Got it,” I said, sitting down.

An hour later we pulled up to a group of red brick buildings, having already dropped off Ray and Frank. Mikey, Gerard, Bob, Niambh and I headed toward a short staircase as Brian drove off. Mikey had just raised his hand to knock on the brown door at the bottom of the staircase when it flew open and his lanky self was enveloped in the arms of a smiling blonde woman. “Oh, Mikey, you look so different!” She cried, pulling back to stare into his face and then hugging him again. “Gerard! You look wonderful, honey!” She hugged him and then drew back to press her hands against his cheeks. “Hi, Mom,” he mumbled, lips squished together. I couldn’t suppress a giggle at this, and he looked at me and Niambh sideways and blushed, face still in his mother’s eyes. A tall, bald man appeared in the doorway and greeted the brothers more calmly, gesturing for us all to come inside. “Bob, honey, how are you doing?” She turned to greet him and then noticed us.“And who are thses lovely young ladies?”

“Mum, this is Niambh and this is Sammie.They're travelling with us for Warped Tour,”

“Well it’s wonderful to meet you both. I hope you don’t think too badly of my boys. They don’t always smell this bad,” She winked at us.

“Mu-um!” Mikey wailed. Gerard didn’t appear to be as embarrassed as Mikey. Instead he blatantly raised his arm and sniffed himself.

“It’s not that bad,” he protested.

“Oh, just go wash for dinner, boys,” she turned to me and Niambh, rolling her eyes. “I honestly don’t know where I went wrong. Now, how about lasagna for dinner girls?”

“That would be great, Mrs. Way,” We replied at the same time.

“ Please, call me Donna,” She said, directing Bob, Niambh and I to sit in the living room. “Donald, talk to them while I get dinner ready,”

“Been doing well, Bob?” He inquried, sitting across from us. When Bob answered positively, he turned to me, “And how are you, Niambh and Sammie? I’m Donald Way. You’re very brave to be travelling with those five, let me tell you—“ He was cut off by Donna calling all of us into the dining room. I took my seat next to Naimbh and Bob just as Gerard and Mikey entered.

“I hope you haven’t been telling them horror stories about us, Dad,” Gerard said, sitting across from me.

“True stories, though, boys,” He laughed, looking at me, then looking at Niambh, “The things they did as kids—it was hazardous to walk around here with all the pranks they laid. And I’ve heard they’re just as bad on tour!”

“We’ll have to keep an eye out then, I guess,” Niambh replied, laughing. For the rest of the dinner, Donna and Donald kept us in stitches with their tales of Gerard and Mikey’s childhood, and before we knew it Donna was leading me and Niambh upstairs into the small room where we would be sleeping. I changed into an old t-shirt and PJ trousers whilst Niambh did the same and we both got into bed, both in the big double bed that took up half the room, still feeling wide awake.

I was overwhelmed with the events of the previous day. Leaving my home in Hertfordshire, going to Chicago, meeting my favorite band, and now sleeping in Gerard and Mikey Ways’ home - I could hardly believe it was true. The rush and excitement had kept me distracted throughout the day and it made it better that Niambh was with me, but now in the dark quiet of the room, my mind refused to be silent. I thought in dismay of the way I had looked when I got off the plane. What a mess.