Me With(out) You

"You know you can go back to jail, Ms. Jameson? You wouldn't last long, a scrawny thing like you." Judge mason sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, then continued without waiting for my answer, "You've had very unfortunate life, it seems. Bounced from foster home to foster home until finally ending up back with your mother. The records here in front of me show that you have been in juvenile detention several times on accounts that were dropped by your mother. Supposedly, you beat up your mother but photos show that you were the worse for wear. What do you say to that, Ms. Jameson?"

"My family knows the police well from old ties; it's not my fault that they would believe her over me." Everything in the reports was lies. My mother would tell me every single time I tried to fight back that no one would believe a little shit like me over her. So far, my mother was never wrong.

Judge Mason gave me a look of pure pity then boomed, "As of July 31st you became an adult, Ms. Jameson. I'm putting you in the custody, though, of a Mr. Gerard Way until your 21st birthday. He is now your legal guardian; you're going back to New Jersey and will do 80 hours of community service. Good luck, Ms. Jameson." judge Mason said with a bang of her gavel and left the courtroom. I collapsed in my chair and my mind went blank.

X X X

We were heading to Tucson In a black Mazda; my new guardian was there. He couldn't even bother to come to my trial, the asshole. I wonder what he wanted now; he didn't like me twelve years ago so why would he want custody of me when I was worse off than before?

My Chemical Romance was playing at the Rialto tonight and I was going to live with Gerard Way. I think several emos would kill me to be in my place right now. Is it suicide if I sacrifice myself to them? I felt like nothing as the car kept driving down the highway.

I guess all my stuff was in the trunk of the car because I hadn't put it in there. Isaac had had a document by him, and upon reading it I noticed that guardianship of me had already been rewarded to Gerard before my hearing; I guess the whole trial was just for show then. Since I was refereed to by the federal government as an adult and had the right to vote, go into the army, and be punished as an adult, I was still sent to another foster home like I was still a kid.

I had my earphones in and was tuning out Isaac's music; in my opinion, it kinda sucked and was old puck crap from the '90's. He had tried to talk to earlier but soon realized he was being ignored and went back to humming along with the radio. A tap to my shoulder broke my concentration and now were in Tucson. I tried to go back to tuning out the world.

X X X

From boys who used to smoke weed in their parents basement to men who sold out shows, these guys had definitely grown up. Isaac grabbed an elevator and took me to the fourth floor where he led me down an empty hallway to room 403 Knocking three times, we waited. he knocked again. No answer.

"Fuck," was all he said as the phone resumed its natural place against his ear like it had been on the way here. I smirked and sat on the floor while Isaac made a call. "Gee, where you at? We're here. You want her in 404? Yea, three days, man. Quiet, very quiet. 'Kay, see ya in a few." I closed my eyes and counted to five. Not even here; nice, Gerard you take me in and now you can't even be here when I arrive. Ass.

"What's going on?" I asked, watching Isaac fish for something in his pockets. Pulling out a key card, he held in the air and smiled.

"They went out for some things and in the meanwhile I have to put you in 404." Isaac walked to the room right next door and slid the key through the electric latch. Just like magic, my sarcastic mind said. "Home, sweet home for the next two days then all of you go back to Jersey."

"Jersey? Stink hole Jersey?" I asked incredulously as I followed him into the room. The room was pretty big with a four-poster bed against the back wall. Boxes were against another wall with suitcases, I guess, had my clothes. So i was wrong earlier.

"yes, Jersey. Just don't join the mafia or steal shit. It really is a cesspit there. Um, the guys will be here soon so you may want to shower or something. Gerard's room is through that door," Isaac pointed at the one on his left, "and I'll be in there if you need anything. All your stuff is over there. Have fun, Maddie." And then Isaac deserted me.

I grabbed my toiletries and opened a suitcase to find one filled with undies and others filled with random clothes. grabbing blue jeans and a grey t-shirt, with a blue bra and green panties, I wandered into the bathroom; glaring at myself in the mirror, I whispered, "My name is Madison."