Define ***ed-Up

Having monthly meetings with the teachers in school wasn’t exactly the best way to spend a Saturday morning. Gerard rather spend a Saturday night trying to finish correcting 87 grade 6 students’ test papers with a TV showing Angela’s favourite episode of Family Guy repeatedly and a stereo blaring out Mikey’s favourite punk rock selection plus with Angela and Mikey annoying him to no end on both sides than to sit right here at this moment.

He tried to think of as many wonderful things he could do on a Saturday morning as humanly possible. He could sleep through the whole day, he could sit on his couch eating what ever he was able to find in his fridge or cabinet while watching sitcom with his lovable brother Mikey sitting beside him, he could waste his whole morning lying on the sweet green grass in his backyard (as if he had one) in his recumbent tan post, wait, that didn’t come out right. Where the hell did the word ‘recumbent tan post’ come out of his mind? Was it…was it Angela? That kid wouldn’t possibly know the word ‘recumbent’…so where the hell did she learn that? Was it FamGuy again? God, I have to tell Frank to band her from watching that kind of junk.

Does that mean I have a new reason to talk to Frank?

Awesome!

The school vice principal hit the long table with a huge bang, making Gerard jump in stupefaction and the pen he was currently spinning fell off so he had to risk being yelled at by the vice principal to lean across the table to prevent it from falling off as it was rolling across in quite a speed. But seems that Gerard wasn’t the one who was in trouble, in fact, he was nowhere near the one being in trouble. The young teacher, Mr. Watkins (Ian’s awesome! I bet he’d do something like that so I’ve decided to use him), had dropped his PSP on the floor. He glanced at his electronic device then at Mrs. Perkins, the school vice principal, and finally decided to completely ignore the fact that he had just dropped his time killing baby and glance at Mrs. Perkins in a why-are-you-looking-at-me-like-that-is-there-something-wrong manner. The vice principal huffed and resumed her speech on something Gerard had classified as ‘nothing in particular’.

Ian caught Gerard staring at him and blew him a kiss, eyeing Gerard with a cocky smirk after picking up his PSP. Gerard rose up his left hand and grabbed onto nothing particular, like he was grabbing the kiss Ian had just blew him in the air. Gerard mirrored Ian’s expression and they both shared a small laugh, making the other teachers stare at them curiously. When Ian returned his attention back to his PSP, Gerard also glanced back at the PowerPoint Mrs. Perkins had been talking about for the past forty-five minutes.

Boring was an understatement, really.

Ian was wise to bring something like a PSP to the meeting, the other teachers, too. A few of them had brought magazines and even fictions in. In fact, Gerard seemed to be the only one who was ‘unprepared’. He just held a little too much respect to these kinds for teachers’ meetings.

Just when Gerard was blaming himself for not being smart enough to bring something to the meeting to distract himself from the fact that he was wasting his time completely, he caught the principal’s gaze. The school principal, good old Jack, seemed to be the only one who was aware of the young teacher’s frustrated form and had pity on him.

Jack nodded sympathetically when he noticed Gerard glancing back. Gerard threw him a ‘God-save-me’ look, but the principal just shrugged and shook his head, gesturing the youth to turn his attention back to the screen.

*
Gerard turned the doorknob and stumbled into the apartment which he shared with his brother. He stepped into the kitchen and poured himself a cup of ice water. The refreshing feeling of icy liquid flowing down his throat made his current state (shit) 10 times better. But the piece of information his brother, Mikey was about to announce was like a total mood killer.

“Frank called.” Mikey appeared at the kitchen door.

“And?”

“He said he can’t go out with you next Friday.”

Gerard set down his cup and sighed. It was disappointing, really. But it’s not like he never thought Frank would freak out and cancel the date. He was getting more and more use to disappointments, all thanks to Frank Anthony Iero.

“But he invited you over for dinner, I mean, Friday night.” Mikey examined his nails and glanced at his brother casually.

“And you might also wanna know, I invited myself over as well.”

“YOU INVITED WHAT?!” Gerard stared at Mikey like he was about to choke him to death in the next few minutes.

“You having a hearing problem or something?”

“No, it’s a way of expression one’s feeling. You see, we teachers don’t teach you that in school because we assume you’ll all acknowledge that soon enough through your parents’ sarcastic way of thinking. Jackass.”

“Anyways, you and I are going to Frank’s next Friday.”

“Oh, blow me.” Gerard threw his hands up in the air in frustration.

“I would, Gerard. I would. But only when provided that you weren’t my brother and Frank wasn’t the only one who’s allowed in your mind.”

Mikey grinned idiotically and winked at his brother before running out of the kitchen.

*
“Hey Frankie, Frankie. I’m not going to put this aluminium can into the recycling bin.” Angela dumped the Coke can into the regular rubbish bin and disappeared into the corridor.

Frank stood up from his chair and picked up the can from the regular rubbish bin without so much of a hesitant.

“Ha! You’re earth’s bitch!” Angela appeared back at the kitchen door and pointed at her brother excitedly.

“Is this some crap from Family Guy again, because if it is, I swear to god I’m gonna beat the shit out of you.” Frank spat in a monotone.

“Shut up Frankie! Even though it’s not original, it’s still funny! Admit it!” Angela pouted and stumped the floor in a childish manner.

“Are you a monkey or something?”

“Are you a critic jackass?”

“Yes.”

“Ok, then. I’m a monkey.”

“Well, you – ”

The sound of the doorbell cut off Frank’s reply to Angela’s admittance of being a monkey. Just in time to stop a potentially heated argument. Angela plastered a huge grin over her face and zoomed out of the kitchen, screaming:

“Mr. Way!!!”

Frank stood in front of the front door and sighed, his feelings being a total contrast to his sister’s. Angela stared at the wooden door with extreme excitement, like there’s a live chocolate made Santa Claus behind it.

“Remind me, in ten words or less, why did I let you talk me into this one?” Frank pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes.

“Because Mr. Way is awesome and you know you like it.”

“That’s more than ten.”

“You counting ‘Mr. Way’ in two?”

“You’re just useless.”

Frank pushed his sister aside and opened the door. Revealing a grinning Mikey standing right in front of him.

“Mikey? I assume?” Frank cocked his brow when Mikey’s grin grew even wider.

“Yep. And you must be Frank.” Mikey held out his hand, Frank took it soon after.

Frank glanced pass Mikey’s shoulders and saw Gerard slowly walking towards them, trying to push his car keys back into his pocket.

“My god, you definitely beat Julian on the looks.” Mikey blurted out, still sporting his idiotic grin.

Frank blushed and looked away, making Gerard, who had just made it to the porch give Mikey a questioning look. The younger Way shrugged and stepped into the house, “Going in.”

Angela stared at Mikey and grimaced in disgust. She wasn’t used to people, except for her class teacher, praising her brother in that kind of way. It’s not like Mr. Way had ever praised her brother in front of her so that she can get used to it. She just didn’t like it.

“I brought some take away from the China town near by, hope you guys don’t mind, cause Mikey said he just needed to eat Chinese today.” Gerard held both of his hands up, revealing two white plastic bags he had been holding.

“Not at all. Come ‘on in.” Frank stepped aside.

Mikey hopped onto the couch and turned on the television without so much of a thought of asking the ‘host’ first. Which pissed Angela, who didn’t have a good first impression of Mikey in the first place, off greatly.

“Hey, who told you you can sit here?” Angela crossed her arms and blocked Mikey’s view by standing right in front of him.

“I told myself I can sit here.” Mikey smirked and pushed Angela away from his view.

“No you can’t!”

“Well, I don’t see a sign that says ‘don’t sit’ nor I see your brother having any problem with it. Don’t you think you’re a little too bossy?”

“Frankie!” Angela yelled when she found herself not wanting to talk to this douchebag in front of her anymore.

“Mikey, just suit yourself. I’m gonna go prepare the food. And Angela,” Frank stopped on his path to the kitchen and turned to face his sister.

“For god’s sake, don’t kill, tolerance is important for kids like you.”

Angela pouted and made a face when Frank turned back to the kitchen. Gerard glanced between his brother and Frank and decided to follow the latter without really considering.

“I’ll help.” Gerard stopped too, when he thought of something. “Ah, and you two, really, be nice to each other. Frank and I aren’t joking. Especially you, Mikey. She’s just a kid.”

The elder Way jogged back to the kitchen when he got Mikey’s eye roll.

“I hate you.” Angela spat after sitting herself on the very far side of the couch from Mikey.

“Well, then I’m glad to inform you that I hate you more than you think I would.” Mikey retorted smugly.

“Change the effing channel! I hate Gilmore Girls.”

“You do?!”

“Yes.”

“I thought girls your age…”

“I hate it! Thank you very much.”

“Awesome!”

*
“I hope they won’t kill each other.” Gerard smirked and glanced at Frank.

“Yeah, I hope they don’t. It’s just like a Darth Vader action figure and a banana split.”

“Does that make any sense?” Frank bit his lower lip hard to prevent himself from laughing, but it didn’t help with the violent shake of his shoulders.

“Now it doesn’t seemed to have any sense but it did in my mind.”

Frank finally gave up and started laughing uncontrollably, squirming on the floor when his legs fell weak out of laughing too hard. “Help…my stomach hurts…”

“What?” Gerard questioned defensively.

“Nothing…just…ha…” Frank forced himself to take a deep breath and then breathed out.

“Just…hum, just the thought of a banana split holding that glowing sword or whatever you call that, fighting with a Darth Vader action figure crossed my mind, and, hum hum, just can’t stop laughing.”

Gerard stared at Frank, who was now sitting on the tile floor and pouted. “No, I don’t think that’s that amusing.”

“No, no, no. Think of the Darth Vader action figure slicing the banana into pieces and start eating it…hahahaha…oh god…”

Gerard continued staring at Frank, but now enjoying the warm atmosphere around them. Gerard never saw Frank laughing so hard in front of him. Does that mean he already conquered the things they had before? That he finally figured out a way to just be friends with him? He didn’t want to be just friends with Frank.

“Wanna get up now? The food’s getting cold.” Gerard held out his hand.

“Yeah.” Frank smiled and took his hard firmly.

But if this is what they are gonna have from now on, he thinks he can handle it. Either Frank can slowly ease into this relationship, or Gerard can slowly ease out. Both are better off.

“Take out the plates. They’re in the right cupboard.”

But is this really what he wanted? Is this really what both of them wanted? Him easing out of this is better off for both of them. But what if he didn’t want to ease out? He had a chance, and he blew it. He knew it was his fault. But what if he still wanted Frank like nothing else after what he thought was enough time for him to ease out? What if he falls for Frank over and over again? Is that what he can handle?

“I’m sorry I had to cancel the…um, date.” Frank smiled apologetically, looking out of the window at the sink.

“No problem. I kinda knew that was what gonna happen anyways.” Gerard tried to smile.

Frank stopped what he was doing and returned his gaze back to Gerard. Gerard was too caught up in his own thoughts to notice Frank’s bitter smile. Frank felt sorry for Gerard. He never fell out of love with Gerard. It’s just that, his feelings for Gerard have been growing more and more mature. He thinks they both have. That’s why he wasn’t afraid of spending time with Gerard alone anymore.

But then again, it was only what Frank thought.

“Dinner’s ready!” Frank shouted from the kitchen.

Gerard heard two pairs of footsteps running across the living room. And then the pair finally appeared at the kitchen door, but both refusing to let the other one in first. Angela took advance of her smaller figure and slipped past Mikey.

“Hey, that’s cheating!”

“No that’s not, you’re just too fat.” Angela climbed onto her sit and smirked.

“Jackass.”

“Douchebag.”

Both made a face at each other and looked at their own elder brother, expecting for their support. Gerard and Frank glanced at each other and both shrugged.

“Not our business.”

“No opinion.”