Don't Blame Me for Being Me

Chapter 66
Let's go, don't wait, this night's almost over, let's make this night last forever. Forever and ever

But those TAI’s “some minutes” turned into much more time. So first people I greeted on my porch was Bob with his girlfriend Nicole and Ray with a box of Tuborg Black. I stole one bottle and after a little talk they went inside. Next arrived guests were Beckett and Co, finally. Bill and me hugged each other tightly.
“You look beautiful”, he said.
“Thank you. I’m so glad to see you again”, I replied pulling away from him and greeting the rest of the guys.
They brought some alcohol, too. I didn’t even need to leave the front door porch as I was quickly approached by Frank and slowly walking behind him Gerard. So it was evident Frank was pretty eager to be here as he grabbed me in an embrace squeezing the breath out of me.
“Oh, Frank, it was just a week apart”, I teased him.
“It felt so much longer”, he stepped away from me with a grin on his slightly unshaven face.
“You, actually, could call me, man. I kinda expected that”, I replied frowning my eyebrows.
“Sorry, we had a crazy schedule those last days. Really”, he said.
“Yeah, he’s right”, Gerard added. “We barely had time to eat or sleep normally”.
“No complaining, guys. Just go and have fun. And EAT normally”, I smiled letting them two in finally.
After them I met another bunch of my favorite boys – Spence, Jon and Joe Trohman. How this last one can not be xD? As Spence, Jon and me had agreed before, they both will stay at me for some time.
“Do you not mind if Mischa will stay for a night here too?” Spence asked.
And I finally saw a nice tall girl behind them all. She wore grey skinnies, white tee, grey vest and a beautiful smile. And she was Spence’s girlfriend.
“Sure, I don’t. There’s enough room”, I replied first and then we were introduced properly.
“I’ve heard so much about you from Spence”, she let out a little laugh.
“Oh, I even don’t doubt it. Me and my friend are fav Spencer’s stars”, I said with a kind sort of an irony.
Then I told Jon and Spence to bring their stuffs into a bedroom upstairs and feel themselves like at home.
“Was I just forgotten?” Joe asked coming up to me and spreading his arms for a hug.
I silently let him envelope me in a tight embrace and assured him he’ll never be forgotten by me.
“Be sure we’re gonna have a couple of drinks tonight”, he said before leaving me at the porch.
And with those words I realized that we were nothing just friends. And I liked Joe-friend more than anything in him.
Notwithstanding we had many arguments in the past, either me or Andy were glad to see each other. Or may be he was glad that Pete and Dasha were no longer together. Anyway, he was in a good mood and he was with his fiancée, Lexie. She has a good sense of humor, I must say. Unlike Andy in some moments xD.
The last guests were Gabe Saporta, Pete (with a girl named Christie!!!), Patrick and their surprise – Travis Barker and Mark Hoppus. I looked as stunned as I felt in that moment. Somehow I managed to smile politely when those two had turns in shaking my hand. After I welcomed them all to go inside the house, I stopped Pete and Pat from walking away from me.
“Are you crazy, guys?” I asked them. “How did you even convince them?”
“Ira, don’t worry about it. They’re our friends and they liked the idea”, Pat assured me.
“Besides, that’s not all we have for you”, Pete smiled with his Wentz’s mischievous smile.
“Oh, you probably have brought Madonna here?” I asked ironically.
“We’ll play here tonight. With Blink-182. At your backyard”, Pete replied with the same grin.
“Have you just heard yourself? It is crazy as it sounds”, I said frowning my brows.
They both snickered.
“It sounds good, Ira”, Pat said and patted my shoulder.
I gave up and smiled.
“You’re awesome, guys”, I confessed before giving them a big hug.
“Sure”, they both smiled back.
“Then I’ll go tell guys to unload truck with the equipment into your garage, right?” Pete asked.
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The house full of people is an astounding thing. Though I had no actual rest. I was talking with one group of guests, then walking to talk with another one, then drinking with Gabe, then drinking and talking with Pete. Then I had some shots with Lena who was sharing with me all her emotions about the going party. Then Joe stole me and we were sitting and rocking lightly in a swing at my backyard. We had a plate with snacks on our knees and our glasses with vodka. But soon we were discovered by Frank and I had to move at Joe’s lap ‘cause Frank was quite bold in taking a seat next to us in the swing xD. I barely had some silent moments ‘cause these two guys always can make me laugh.
“Oh, you know, I think Gerard has a thing to you”, Frank said while I was still giggling from his previous phrase.
But those words sobered me in a second.
“What?” I managed to ask.
“I think Gerard has feelings to you”, Frank repeated.
The most annoying thing in boys is that they don’t tell anything in details. Just stating a fact. And you have to ask a huge amount of questions to find out what they meant telling you that “anything”.
“Why do you think so, Frank?” I asked when understood he wasn’t gonna say anything more.
“Because he was jealous about you”, Frank replied.
“Pfft. When, tell me, please?” I smirked.
“Many times, Ira. I don’t know why you haven’t been noticing. When he walked in and you and me were making out, for example”, Frank said.
“What making-out? You kinda were madly in love with me during the tour” Joe asked.
“Shut up, Joe. I was angry at you then. And couldn’t stop kissing Frank”, I grinned.
“He was super-jealous that time”, Frank went on telling me Gerard’s secrets. “Actually, I thought it was because of me. ‘Cause anytime you and me were close to each other by some way, he was acting like a total jerk. He even told me once that he didn’t want you to be with me”.
“I heard that accidently”, I confessed.
“But then in Indianapolis you walked out from that hotel room with Jack Barakat and I saw him… Ira, I swear, it can’t be nothing, if he worries so much”, Frank said.
“I always thought he hated me”, I told pensively.
“I doubt it”, Frank replied.
Jealousy can mean something. But Gerard definitely has to figure out himself what he feels towards me. Jealousy can also mean ANYTHING. So for that night I shrugged it off and kept enjoying the party. I left guys to make sure the rest of the people was enjoying it as well. The girls were dancing in a center of the living room. The male part of guests were mostly talking with each other with red mugs in their hands. I checked on a quantity of alcohol and if it was enough. Butcher got me to play with him on the PS. After that I finally did what I intended to from the start - pick up my camera and take as many photos as I can xD. Soon I saw Pete and almost-the-whole-Blink-182 were installing drum set in my backyard and their guitars were already there as well. I walked to help bringing Spence with me. But we were told to stay away ‘cause I’m a girl and Spence was drunk enough. So Spence drag me to the “dance floor”. My eyes caught Gabe and Lena sitting closely on a couch, talking and laughing much. Probably, there was a good understanding between them.
***********Soundtrack - We All Rock Along by The Maine*******
I, for sure, didn’t hear a sound of a doorbell, but somebody did and let unexpected guests in. It was Brendon with a friend. They both stood in a doorway to the living room, his look wandering around the room. Like in some cliché teen movie. Except we weren’t teenagers and we were over quarrels and fighting. I waved my hand at him and gestured to follow me into the kitchen. I walked to a fridge and took two bottles of beer. And as they came in, I handed them beer each, smiling politely.
“Hey”, Brendon said.
I bit my lower lip and glanced at his buddy – a nice guy with quite long messy hair and pierced upper lip.
“This is Shane, a friend”, Brendon introduced him.
“Nice to meet you, Shane. I’m Ira”, I replied as we shook our hands.
“Sorry for - “, Brendon started.
“It’s okay. It’s me who should be sorry. I’m a pig not to invite you. It’s childish”, I cut him off.
He smiled.
“I’ll probably go. I saw Jon here”, Shane excused himself and walked away.
“Does it still feel weird speaking with each other?” he asked.
I laughed lightly and nodded.
“And for you?” I asked him back.
“I was worrying all my way here”, he confessed.
“We’re such fools, Bren”, I said.
“We were, we are and we will be”, he sighed.
I took a bottle of beer for myself and sat on a table gesturing Brendon to come over. He hopped on the table taking a seat next to me and we laced our hands.
“Like old times”, I chuckled and sipped my beer.
“I didn’t see you for so long. Even on the tour it was so rare to see you”, he said.
“Yeah. And those rare times you saw me I was a total evil”, I added for him. “Sorry”.
“We’re apologizing too much for such short time”, Brendon put arm around my shoulder.
“Are you dating someone?” I asked nonchalantly.
“No”, he answered. “And you?”
“It’d be hard to explain, so I just will say “no”, I smiled at him. “Plus, tonight Frank Iero said Gerard Way has feelings to me which I find pretty ridiculous but sweet”.
Brendon chuckled.
“Poor guy to fall in love with you”, he said.
We laughed.
“Sorry for interrupting, I just wanna take some more mugs”, we heard Gerard’s voice and saw him in the kitchen.
“Sure, they’re on some shelves in a cabinet”, I pointed in a necessary direction.
“Did he hear?” Brendon mouthed while Gerard was taking the mugs.
I shrugged my shoulders but couldn’t shrug this thought Brendon gave me. I looked at Gerard apprehensively as he walked away leaving no signs of overhearing our conversation. Brendon and me finally joined the rest of the people at the backyard. Pete, Pat, Mark and Travis attracted everybody’s attention by even just a little soundcheck xD. Sam, Andie and me brought some tables with food and drinks outside. Our rock stars were soon eventually ready and the fun got started. Patrick was replacing Tom. Pete couldn’t just sit aside and was playing the second bass. They played First Date, Adam’s Song, What’s My Age Again, Don’t Leave Me, Stockholm Syndrome and The Rock Show as a final song.
“Ira, you’re making my dreams come true”, Lena said during What’s My Age Again. “The band I used to listen being a teenager is now playing live in front of me”.
“Thanks to Pete Wentz”, I replied
“Yeah”, she sighed. “Are you planning to be only here or go somewhere after the party ends?”
“I don’t know”, I shrugged my shoulders. “Any ideas?”
“Gabe has”, she smiled.
“For only you two?” I asked. “Oh, I understand you, this man is hot as a heated oven, but it’s not a reason to lose your head”.
Lena laughed and I felt someone snaked his arm around my waist from behind.
“Am I actually this hot?” I heard Gabe’s voice.
“You know you are”, I replied without any shame.
“I’m gathering people to go to clubs after. Are you with us?” he asked.
“We’ll see”, I replied.
I had responsibilities as a host, so I didn’t know how it would work with me leaving for a night club (and not one).
After the guys played and were met with a loud applause, the night went on. I understood that the people would get sober only to the next afternoon or later. Drunken Twister was going very funny and … well, very drunk. I kinda took part, but it didn’t work with my dress so Bob took me away.
I can say I caught Gerard’s glances on me a couple of times. But it was Butcher who was obviously flirting to me xD. I had to hide from him and my shielder was Mark Hoppus whom with I had a very good conversation, by the way. Well, to say short, I was glad it was only 9 p.m. and the fun would last long enough.