Like Two Starcrossed Lovers

“I’m… not …okay, I’m… not… okay-ya-ay-ay.” Mikey hummed under his breath as
We drove back to my house. We just came back from a movie and I wanted him to finally
Meet my parents, so as he usually does when he’s anxious, he was chanting his lyrics in a whisper.
“What if they don’t like me?” he asked as he started biting his nails, “They will because I do.” I assured him taking his hand away from his mouth, “I don’t think they’ll buy that we’re just friends.” he said turning into my driveway, “don’t worry, I bribed Zac into helping us, so if things don’t flow then we’ll have backup.” I said getting out, “Now stop before you make me nervous.”

I opened the door, and right on cue, my father was on his case. “Dad, this is my friend Mike.” I said to him, “Hi, I’m Andy, this is my wife, Lisa, you may call us Mr. and Mrs. Tyler.” he declared as he shook Mikey’s hand, then mom appeared behind dad, “hello, um, Lauren tells us you’re a bit older than she is, how old exactly? See we have this rule for our children with the whole dating thing…” she began, a little flustered by his appearance, “Only by two ye-” Mikey tried but could barely make out “Ummm… you see ma, he doesn’t like girls.” Zac whispered to her, jumping to our rescue from the parental force, “Oh really? Well, then hello! I’m Laurens’ mother- you know… If you need anything. Drinks? Snacks, whatever, I’ll be in the kitchen.” she frenetically said “May I be of any help Mrs. Tyler?” he asked very convincing, “No, that’s quite alright, I wouldn’t want to keep you.” Then she disappeared to her over- compulsive -disorder-y clean kitchen. “We’ll be out on the porch if you need us.” I told my father before we escaped to outside. When we got there we both split open into laughter, “Now I have to act all prissy, in front of your ‘rents.” he winced gasping for air, “Yeah, gee thanks Zac.” I mocked, “May I be of any help, ma‘am?” I repeated the way Mikey had. “Well what else was I supposed to say?” he said finally controlling himself. “Well, being gay isn’t wrong.” I stated, “You’re right, I’m sorry.” he settled as he sat down on the porch swing.

“So now that you’ve met my parents… how ‘bout my friends?” I asked, facing the May sunset, the clouds were making an array of orange and pink, so romantic. “Sure, when?” he said looking at it too. “Um, tomorrow for lunch?” I said hesitantly to finish, “At the country club.” I could sense him tensing up, a long time ago, the owners made a big fuss, and said that they didn’t want weirdoes inhabiting their club, which really hurt him, and he hasn’t gone back since. “That’s fine. What time should I be there?” He asked, I was taken aback, “Okay, then…I’ll call you to tell you when.” I said. He sat down beside me on the porch steps, and interlocked his ankle with mine. “I’m glad you spilt that tea on me last month.” he said looking down at the sidewalk. “I’m glad I did, too.” I said looking at him, I always thought he had a nice profile with a short forehead, a straight nose, and pointed lips, he’s perfect, but his brother… “Mikey! Do you want to be obliterated by my father?!” I scolded, seconds after he attempted to kiss me, thankfully I jumped away before he did. He smiled, “I couldn’t help it, I had to at least try… I’m helpless around you.” my heart broke in two, and I felt a little guilty for thinking about Gerard while spending time with him. I smiled, for his sake. “I hope he wasn’t watching, or he’d shoot your zipper bass off.” I said pointing to the house, he pretended to gulp. “This,” he said pointing to his southern regions, “is property of Justin Timberlake, woman.” “You are so wrong!” I said as I playfully pushed him.

The next morning, I woke up to, once again, Zac sitting on my bed. “What now?!” I demanded, covering my camisole, “I think you should tell mom and dad the truth, they almost saw you two make-out, that’s what!” he said looking around, “Jeez, you clean like mom.” “Get out, before I tell them you keep a stash of dad’s magazines in your mattress.” I threatened. “Fine, but I think they’d like that gothic vampire better than him.” he warned, I seethed, “First off, Gerard is NOT gothic,” I jumped at him, “he’s emotive, and second, you metal head, you have the same obsession only with hard core.” I yelled at him. “Wow, are you p.m.s.-ing!” he said then took off out the door before I could murder him for saying that. “Oh yeah, stay away from my friends, you reek like a poser.” he said popping his head in and out, but his circle earring snagged a door splinter. “Good, I hope it rips off!” I said as he left.

Once I was alone, I remembered that I had to go out to lunch at twelve with the girls and Mike. How long had I slept in? I looked at the clock, it was already eleven! “CRAP!!!!!” I bellowed as I leapt out of bed, I threw on a tee-shirt, ran downstairs , and did my Saturday chores. I went out with Mikey yesterday because we got out of school early but there‘s never a vacation for house work. Any ways, by the time I had vacuumed, swept, walked my Great Dane, and got ready, it was 11:58 and Mikey had just pulled up. “Oh thank God you’re here, I’m so sorry, I forgot to call and…” but when he got out, I had lost my train of thought. He had his light brown, shaggy hair straightened in the front so it laid loosely over his brow, he was wearing ,a gray ,long sleeve shirt ,that was rolled up to his elbows, black jeans, contacts, and he smelt like Axe “Wow.” I said through an exhale.

He had washed, waxed, and vacuumed his car too, and all for me, I felt like the luckiest girl. “Hello to you, too.” he said, smiling. I felt kind of bad that I hadn’t made an effort like he did, I mean, all I was wearing was a black, low shoulder cut, quarter sleeve shirt, a bun, that made pieces of my hair fall into my face, and the jeans that Mikey had shredded, because they were the only thing clean. I had gotten so used to dressing like that in front of him that it was a habit “I don’t mean to hurt your feelings but, are you really wearing that to the country club?” he asked wincing, “Crap! I forgot that too!” I cried, “I thought you would” he smiled again as he held up a dress bag that said Vera Wang. “Oh my gosh!” He got me a coral- colored, hundred dollar, designer sundress! “We’re going to be late, come on.” He said, and then we left.
But once we were at the first stoplight on the road, I turned and gave his waist a squeeze. I know, why a hug when he deserved a kiss? Because I didn’t think a lip lock is what people want to see while they’re in traffic. We pulled into the country club’s lot a few minutes late, so what? I looked over at Mikey, I could tell he was distraught as he turned off the ignition, “hey, if you want to leave at any time, just let me know.” I said turning to him, “Alright.” he said then we entered the front doors. We had to make a stop though, for me to change so maybe a little more then a few minutes late. I doubt that they all would drop dead for my bad punctuation.

I spotted my crew at a poolside table, “Hey everyone!” I said leading Mikey over to them, “Hey Lauren,” everyone said, they noticed I was late, “Mikey these are my friends,” I said turning him to face them all, “this is… Chelsea…” I directed to Chelsea, a strawberry blond, who loves art and karma more than a yoga instructor, “she’s the one I’ve known the longest…Megan…” I said smiling at Megan, who is a brunette that has a never ending amount of boyfriends, “she’s the one to go to if you have fashion problems… Riley…” I said turning to Megan’s’ current victim, who is a brainless football player, but he won’t hear that until Megan is through with him leaving his jockstraps around her bed room, “…and Danny.” I said pointing to the only guy who I know well enough to call “the brother I never had.” There’s a lot to Danny once you get to know him, it just really understanding him is the problem. “So, the famous Mikey, nice to meet you in the flesh.” said Chelsea. “Hi.” he said, his voice cracking. “So, Lauren tells us that you’re a bad boy…” Megan added, “I like that.” Riley didn’t even notice. “So, Mikey, watch ya want to eat?” Danny asked as we found a seat. “Um, where do we order?” he asked looking around; “We have menus here.” Danny corrected, “Oh.” Mikey blushed. I didn’t really pay attention to my friends’ conversations, what I was focusing on though was the hand that lay on my thigh. Also all they were talking about was clothes and money. “What’s up with you Laura Lies-a-lot?” Megan asked once she noticed I wasn’t gossiping too, “I thought we ditched the nick-names?” I asked cringing at what she called me. “Oh well Sorry.” she mumbled, “I didn’t know they had brainwashed you too.” she said cutting a glance around the table, “what do you mean brainwashed me?” I asked choking on the comment she made, “well they took your style, you obviously have crossed the dividing differences that lie between the two types, and now they have apparently brainwashed you into a black wearing, studded belt owning, depressed vampiress…” she explained through her bratty way of cutting you down and still making it sound like a joke. “I know they‘ve done something to me, but I’m just lucky to have walked away with my soul. I just don’t want to talk about whose ass has gotten fatter or which shoes are in style. So what if my boyfriend is weird, I‘ve gotten used to it.” I joked along patting Mikey on his arm. I looked over at Mikey, he had his face turned away from the group, and had a look of antagonism. “Mikey?” I asked softly, turning my body to him, he didn’t answer me, and then I realized I had made a huge mistake. “Mikey, I’m sorry for this…we can go if-” he looked at me skeptically, “I thought you were bigger than that.” he said then he left.

I turned and looked at everyone; they all seemed unfazed by this. “Well, what the hell was his deal?, what did we do to him?” Danny had asked as if it was a joke, “You all just don’t get it.” I said then went after him. I found him standing just outside of the front doors; he was frantically tearing open a box of Marlborough Lights. “Oh Mikey…” I pleaded under my breath, “What do you want?” he said with his chin down, he faced me with a cigarette in his mouth and his eyes were red. “I didn’t mean it, really…God, I’m sorry. Please… I’m so sorry.” I pleaded again only a little louder. He turned away again while he blew out his smoke, “These things are fuh- I mean freaking awful.” he commented as two older women passed. “I know how you feel, I was wrong, forget them…you don’t have to like them…but I like you and I didn’t mean what I said, and you know what? I wouldn’t waste a bullet on any of them and what they think because they aren’t the ones in this relationship.” “I forgive you.” he interrupted, “thank you.” I said, he finished his cigarette and then we left without looking back. I’m sure that there will be Hell to pay the next time I see them, but I don’t care.

He pulled up at my house and dropped me off, “See you tomorrow, after work. Although, you know what? Why don’t you meet me at work and we can grab some coffee at the café?” he said,” Where do you work?” I asked him reaching for my clothes, “go down the road that takes you to the shopping center, then fallow the road that leads you to Radical’s bike store, only make a left and go straight.” he said then he kissed e on the cheek and drove away. “Okay.” I thought aloud.

The next afternoon, I threw on some jeans and the hoodie Gerard had given me the other morning. It felt heavy and warm; it had a distinct feeling though, like the one you get when you hear the crickets chirping at dusk. It smelt of clean laundry detergent, but it had a faint whiff of spicy aftershave and dirt; it was the perfect piece of clothing to own but mainly because it was Gerard’s. I left the house at four with Zac and followed the directions Mikey had given me. Surprisingly, he works at a Barnes and Noble book store. Zac dropped me off at the front doors, and then I found Mikey in the music department, “Hey.” he said looking up from a case of Cds, “Hey yourself.” I replied making my way over to him, “Mmmm…” he said after gave his shoulder a squeeze
“Umm, hold on a minute…” he said turning around to face the other shelf, “Ger-, I’m going to jet, write me out will ya?” he called. Gerard was here?! In my presence?!!!!!!!!!!! I felt my legs go jelly for some reason, it’s not like I liked him or anything…
“Yeah sure, man.” he said without looking up from a stack of books, “Hey! Mikey! Take a look at these.” he said gesturing for him to come over. “What is it?” he asked his gaze falling to the book Gerard was holding, “Hey, you know that would make a great band name.” he said pointing to a sentence, “just put a ‘my’ on that and we’re set.” he said excitedly, “Oh! Yeah! I never thought of that, Mikey you are a genius!” he said agreeing. I looked over Gerard’s shoulder to see what it was they were so enthused by, “Lauren, wouldn’t ‘My Chemical Romance’ be a good name for our band?” Gerard asked me with a twinkle in his eye, my heart skipped a beat, “Yeah, of course.” I said, as my breath abandoned my lungs.

I always thought that I couldn’t really see the good in a book, to me reading was just a skill I didn’t seem to catch on too, but when Gerard told me that his favorite book was on sale I thought it couldn’t hurt to start. So I went through the pages as we sat over frappachinos and scones. “So…um…what’s up?” Mikey asked me trying to read the title of the book sideways. “Not really anything, but the sky.” I replied looking at him, he was fidgeting I could tell he was beating around the bush at something, “You know, there’s a Slayer reunion concert this Friday for the festival of metal. And I thought you might like to come along with me, Gerard, and Cody, the others have plans and bailed, but that‘s not why I want you to come though…yeah, so…would you?” he asked all twitchy, “Sure, I’d love to!” I said slamming my book down, but, who was Slayer?. “Oh… great, that‘s great! It’s at five.” he said relaxing in his chair. “Cool.” he added to himself, I smiled at him and then he went totally weak again.

Mikey drove me home, when we got there, there was a pickup truck in our drive-way, with about three teenage guys in it. Odd. I saw Zac sneak around the house and get in, he slammed the door and the truck sped off, weird, Zac never goes out with his buddies. “So Friday?” I asked Mikey still unsure of the scene that had just played before us, “Yep, see you then.” he said then was gone.

"Hey Lauren!" Danny and Chelsea called from down the corrider as I was coming out of Spanish, "Yeah?" I replied as the neared me, "What are you doing this saturday?" Danny asked as Chelsea distractedly followed one of the football players, "Um, going with Mikey somewhere." I said smiling to myself. "Oh, so you're still with that little emo freak." He rolloed his eyes, I grabbed his shoulder "He's not a freak, Daniel, in fact you to may have alot in common." I argued, "You know Lauren, no, I think we would not. Call me when your over your little identitiy crisis, ok?" he said nodding then walked away.

Megan came over to me with Riley in tow just as I was recovering from Danny's jab. "Hey girl!" she smiled, "You gonna try out for cheer squad this year again?" she beamed, "Me and Chels are." Riley sighed, "Um, Meg, I'm sorry but I'm not gonna have time, I've got Art every day after school and now that I'm with Mikey, we're trying to get his band off the ground, not to mention I wanna get all A's this semester and....." she stopped me "Oh so angelic, Laur, have a little fun once in a while, you're so stuck up." she mused and with a flick of her hair she was gone. I seethed. N one get's me at all, it's not like I'm trying to ditch them or anything, I just don't feel like being a cheer and losing out on school work. Ugh....

"Mikey!" I sqeauled smiling wide as he came over and gave me a quick hug in Algerbra. "What's up princess?" He smiled putting his nose to my neck. I glowed, "Getting ready to murder my friends." He smirked at that.

The week flew by fast and it was soon Friday, I was totally nervous about how I should dress so I asked Zac for help. “Since when do you need my fashion advice?” he asked all snotty as he looked up from a magazine,“Because I’m going to a Slayer show at the music festival tonight.” I asked as calm as possible, trying so hard not to slay him. “How did you get tix to see Slayer?!” he demanded, “Mikey invited me along with a few other people, now would you just help me get dressed?” I said, “Sure.” he chirped, as if I had suddenly become a rock god.

“Let’s take a peek in your closet…” he said throwing the doors open, “wow, I wasn’t expecting that.” he said as he saw the clothes Mikey had bought me, “Ummm…” he said as he dug through my closet, “this will work.” he said pulling out the cargo mini and tank top I liked, “Oh good choice!” I squealed, “Get dressed then meet me in the bathroom, oh and wear these.” he said giving me the spikes off of his wrists and handing me the handcuff bracelets, I did what he told me. “Now for your make up.” he said, “It’s over there” I said pointing to some baskets, “Oh no, no, no, sister, we are not using your Tinker bell fairy dust, they will eat you alive. Instead we will use mine.” he said bringing in a handful of products. “Just don’t make me look dead.” I told him, “no, not dead, dying.” Oh great.
When it was over, it actually looked pretty good, black eyeliner- but not too black, dark lips- but not too dark, and silver diamonds under my bottom lip, he said they were called ‘snake bites’ . I looked pretty good although my face was that of Amy Lees’ from Evanescence. “My God, you’re my first masterpiece!” he clapped, these are the times when I think my brother is bipolar.

Minutes later there was a car door slam, “They’re here!” I gasped, “”Stay right where you are.” he told me as he pointed a finger at me, then he bolted for the stairs. I hopped off the sink, peeled off the ’snake bites’ and held my chest to stop my heart from jumping out of my throat, when I heard Gerard’s voice.
“She’s right here.” Zac said, that was my cue to emerge. I struggled down the steps to the landing, where I met the eyes of Mikey and Gerard, both were wearing black pants, only different colored shirts with the band‘s name on them, and Cody was decked out in chains just like Zac and apparently he noticed. They exchanged smiles. Oh weird. “Hey, nice outfit.” Gerard said taking a look at me. “Yeah you’re totally fab in that.” Mikey added glancing over at my parents with a smirk, I giggled under my breath. “Well, you ready?” he asked, “uh huh.” I replied starting to tremble. I don’t know what made me more nervous, the fact that this was my first concert, or that I got to sit in the back with Gerard.