Another Hospital Stay
Chapter 18
“Wow, the look on his face was priceless! I can’t believe I was onstage, playing guitar next to Frank Iero! Pinch me, I must be dreaming! Oww…I was just kidding about the pinching part,” Leena says, glaring at me and rubbing her arm. “This is the best day ever. Thank you, Alexia!” She pulls me into a tight hug.
“Don’t thank me. Thank him,” I reply, pointing out Gerard who was standing near the edge of the stage, signing a few things for people. The show had ended a few minutes ago and the guys were still onstage, messing around.
I poke my head out and notice that the crowd had started to disperse and only a few people remained. I step out onstage and walk over to Gerard. He looks at me, an eyebrow arched. Without a word, I pull him into a hug and whisper into his ear, “Thank you. For letting her play with you guys. That meant a lot to her.” Pulling back, I see Gerard grinning.
“It was no biggie. I liked the way she played earlier and actually wanted her to go up with us. Now, go talk to your boyfriend. He’s glaring at me.”
It took a moment for the words to sink in and when they did, I playfully punched him in the arm. “He’s not my boyfriend…”
“Yet. You talking about Raymundo over there?” Frank had just decided to grace us with his presence.
“Frank, shut the fuck up.” I reply, glaring at him.
He lifts his hands up and glances at Gerard in amusement before looking back at me. “Whoa. Sorry, Alex. My bad. Don’t get all defensive on my ass. So, Gerard, we gonna go now?”
“Yeah, Ray, we’re leaving. Where’s Bob,” Gerard yells out to Ray, who was standing on the other side of the stage.
“He went outside, muttering something about going to take a smoke,” Ray yelled back, even though he had moved to where he was standing right next to me.
Rubbing my ear, and noticing Gerard do the same thing,, I say, “Ray, was it necessary to yell? I mean, you are standing right next to us.”
“Oh, sorry. My ears are still ringing from the show. So, are we leaving now?” Gerard nods and a big grin appears on Ray’s face. “Let’s go out to eat then, I’m starving.”
“Ask everyone else if they wanna go then. And where they want to go,” Gerard replies, heading towards the side stage.
***
“Braum’s! Yay! I want ice cream! No, wait, I want fries! Wait no, I don’t. Gimme a second.” Leena yells, throwing open the door and getting out, running around in circles.
Sighing, I turn to look at Val and ask, “Is she always like this when she gets near a restaurant?”
“Unfortunately, yes. That’s why, I always ordered food from the drive-thru and I went by myself. Cause then she’ll want everything.” Val explains, grinning.
I finally get out of the van, wait patiently for Leena to run by me and grab her,, “Leena, calm down. It’s just Braum’s. Chill,” I say, trying not to get hit by her.
“All of you have your beanies or hats or whatever to make sure you’re not noticeable?” I hear Gerard ask the guys from inside the van. I hear the guys muttering inside and a few seconds later, they all climb out.
“Ray, why are you wearing sunglasses? It’s the middle of the night. I know you’re trying to stay unnoticed, but dahling, you’re gonna be getting attention by wearing sunglasses at this time of night,” I point out, walking over to Ray and slipping my arm through his.
“Good point. Then what am I going to do? My hair is all over the place as well.” He replies, walking in step beside me.
I think about it for a minute before getting an idea. Unzipping the hoodie I was wearing, one that belonged to Leena and also happened to be a band hoodie, of their band to be exact, and pulling it off, I hand it to him. “Put that on and pull the hood over your head,” I instruct him, stopping to give him the chance to pull it on.
He looks at me for a minute before shrugging it on. “Okay, this is weird. If people actually recognize me, don’t you think that they’ll think I’m a bit on the conceited side? Since I will be wearing a band hoodie that advertises the band I happen to be a part of.” He asks, grabbing my hand and pulling me alongside him.
“Well, make sure that they don’t recognize you then,” I reply, slipping my arm through his again. The wind was starting to blow and was a bit on the chilly side. Not being able to stand it anymore, I slip my arm around his waist, moving closer to him so I wouldn’t be as cold.
“Alexia, are you cold now?” he asks, turning to look over at me, my cheeks red from the wind.
“No, why would you ask that?” I reply, trying to keep my teeth from chattering.
“Because you’re huddled next to me, your arm around my waist, trying to keep warm and you’re shivering,” he says, smiling. “Come here,” he adds, putting his arm around me and pulling me closer.
“Don’t thank me. Thank him,” I reply, pointing out Gerard who was standing near the edge of the stage, signing a few things for people. The show had ended a few minutes ago and the guys were still onstage, messing around.
I poke my head out and notice that the crowd had started to disperse and only a few people remained. I step out onstage and walk over to Gerard. He looks at me, an eyebrow arched. Without a word, I pull him into a hug and whisper into his ear, “Thank you. For letting her play with you guys. That meant a lot to her.” Pulling back, I see Gerard grinning.
“It was no biggie. I liked the way she played earlier and actually wanted her to go up with us. Now, go talk to your boyfriend. He’s glaring at me.”
It took a moment for the words to sink in and when they did, I playfully punched him in the arm. “He’s not my boyfriend…”
“Yet. You talking about Raymundo over there?” Frank had just decided to grace us with his presence.
“Frank, shut the fuck up.” I reply, glaring at him.
He lifts his hands up and glances at Gerard in amusement before looking back at me. “Whoa. Sorry, Alex. My bad. Don’t get all defensive on my ass. So, Gerard, we gonna go now?”
“Yeah, Ray, we’re leaving. Where’s Bob,” Gerard yells out to Ray, who was standing on the other side of the stage.
“He went outside, muttering something about going to take a smoke,” Ray yelled back, even though he had moved to where he was standing right next to me.
Rubbing my ear, and noticing Gerard do the same thing,, I say, “Ray, was it necessary to yell? I mean, you are standing right next to us.”
“Oh, sorry. My ears are still ringing from the show. So, are we leaving now?” Gerard nods and a big grin appears on Ray’s face. “Let’s go out to eat then, I’m starving.”
“Ask everyone else if they wanna go then. And where they want to go,” Gerard replies, heading towards the side stage.
***
“Braum’s! Yay! I want ice cream! No, wait, I want fries! Wait no, I don’t. Gimme a second.” Leena yells, throwing open the door and getting out, running around in circles.
Sighing, I turn to look at Val and ask, “Is she always like this when she gets near a restaurant?”
“Unfortunately, yes. That’s why, I always ordered food from the drive-thru and I went by myself. Cause then she’ll want everything.” Val explains, grinning.
I finally get out of the van, wait patiently for Leena to run by me and grab her,, “Leena, calm down. It’s just Braum’s. Chill,” I say, trying not to get hit by her.
“All of you have your beanies or hats or whatever to make sure you’re not noticeable?” I hear Gerard ask the guys from inside the van. I hear the guys muttering inside and a few seconds later, they all climb out.
“Ray, why are you wearing sunglasses? It’s the middle of the night. I know you’re trying to stay unnoticed, but dahling, you’re gonna be getting attention by wearing sunglasses at this time of night,” I point out, walking over to Ray and slipping my arm through his.
“Good point. Then what am I going to do? My hair is all over the place as well.” He replies, walking in step beside me.
I think about it for a minute before getting an idea. Unzipping the hoodie I was wearing, one that belonged to Leena and also happened to be a band hoodie, of their band to be exact, and pulling it off, I hand it to him. “Put that on and pull the hood over your head,” I instruct him, stopping to give him the chance to pull it on.
He looks at me for a minute before shrugging it on. “Okay, this is weird. If people actually recognize me, don’t you think that they’ll think I’m a bit on the conceited side? Since I will be wearing a band hoodie that advertises the band I happen to be a part of.” He asks, grabbing my hand and pulling me alongside him.
“Well, make sure that they don’t recognize you then,” I reply, slipping my arm through his again. The wind was starting to blow and was a bit on the chilly side. Not being able to stand it anymore, I slip my arm around his waist, moving closer to him so I wouldn’t be as cold.
“Alexia, are you cold now?” he asks, turning to look over at me, my cheeks red from the wind.
“No, why would you ask that?” I reply, trying to keep my teeth from chattering.
“Because you’re huddled next to me, your arm around my waist, trying to keep warm and you’re shivering,” he says, smiling. “Come here,” he adds, putting his arm around me and pulling me closer.