Every Inch of Sanity

A week later, things were really turning to the better.
My friendship with the guys had evolved dramatically within that lone week.I had gotten to know them much more closely, and in this very short week, we had gotten really close, and I liked the feeling of intimacy.
For once, I felt I had people that would be there when I needed them, people there for me.
Friends.
I sighed happily at the thoughts running through my head as I sat in my Drama class.Something told me this was going to be a very eventful year.

My mind had zoned off, taking me from my previous state of mentally begging the clock hand to move.We were taking Romeo and Juliet, a play we'd already went through back at New York.Busying myself with taking notes about something I already know about wasn't exactly my favorite thing to do.

Leaning back in my chair and tapping my pencil on the desk, I glanced at Bob a couple of seats behind mine, doodling silently in his notebook.
He was in all my classes, and it was nice having someone you know.I smiled softly at his intense expression.

"Mr. Bryar!", Mr. Peterson - our drama teacher's voice boomed, and my eyes snapped to his aged ,swollen face.."I see you are not exactly enjoying our topic.Am I correct?"

Why does he have to use our surnames?, I thought.

Since I had never heard the name 'Bryar' being called out before, I turned to see who the poor boy was.
My eyes scanned the faces , searching for the nervous, guilty looking face, and was astonished when everyone's gazes led me to Bob.

His name is Bob Bryar?

Suddenly, the name sounded terribly familiar to my brain cells.I quickly zero-ed in on Bob, trying to figure out why the name was so familiar.

Bob.Robert Bryar.
Bryar...

I gasped softly, My eyes widening as I realized why that specific name caught my attention.
Bob was struggling for a decent reply to Mr. Peterson's question, being the sweet guy that he is.But to his luck, a shrill ring reverberated through the walls of the school.
The bell had saved him.

Drowned in my thoughts, I started putting away my books when Bob rushed by, very unlike his slow nature.
I ran after him.

"Bob!"

He glanced back and when he saw it was me, he slowed down till I caught up.

"Hey.", I stupidly smiled up at him, earning a weird look from him.

"Hi...", he replied hesitantly, eying me."Um, why are you staring at me like that?"

His tone of irritation made me chuckle.

" 'Cause I missed your bear hugs.", I grinned up at his tall figure.

"Um...What?!.".Bob gave me a look like I was crazy.

"Okay, keep up with me on this, ", I said turning to stand in front of him, grinning still.

I took in a deep breath, and blurted it out.

"Elementary school.Chicago.Best Friends.Kenn-bear.Piggy-back".My grin was wild. "Ring any bells?"

Bob stared at me for a fraction of a second , then he spaced out.Suddenly, his eyes widened, and he squished me into a huge hug.

"Oh my God!! Kenny-bear?", he asked , sounding doubtful.I chuckled into his chest.

'Yup! It's me Bob-tart!"

Finally setting me down, Bob held me at arm's length, looking me straight in the eye.I smiled genuinely back at him.

I had just discovered Bob and I went a long way back.
Back in Chicago, before all the divorce and moving-frenzy started, I had a best friend.He was the closest person to me in the world, we were inseparable.
That best friend was in fact, Robert Bryar. The same one that was smiling wildly at me right now.
When Bob told me he was moving, I had thought that was it, and that It would be the last time we met.
Fortunately, fate intervened.
Unable to help my smile, I sank into Bob's embrace again, recalling our other childhood nicknames for each other.
He sighed contently, moving the hair at the top of my head.Suddenly, he pulled away.

"Come on!", he said, dragging me by the hand."I want to tell the others."

Grinning like a fool on crack, I starting following him outside to the front lawn of the school, before he unexpectedly pulled me on his back.
Laughing, I held on more securely and enjoyed the ride.

As we approached the guys, I noticed they were all staring at us with amazement.Wondering why, I looked down at myself.It struck me that the idea of Bob and I this close never occurred to them.
I internally laughed.

Bob put me down as soon as we were standing next to them, and it was Frank who first broke the silence.

"Um, since when are you guys so close?!"

I looked at Bob and we both exploded into fits of laughter.
Catching his breath, Bob strained to explain.

"Well, we just discovered we've been best friends since like forever.", Bob said between laughter, making me laugh even more.

The expression we got from the guys was priceless.
As they stared at us, cocking their eyebrows and glancing in wonder at one another, Gerard blurted,

"Would either of you care to elaborate , please?"

I laughed one last time and then attempted to stop myself.Standing straight, I started trying to regulate my breathing.

"Okay, here's the deal, ", I said, beginning to explain."I'm originally from Chicago, I lived there till I was about 10, when my parents got the divorce.Then I started moving.Before that, I had a best friend.We'd do everything together and we'd spend everyday messing around.We were literally inseparable!", I finished enthusiastically.

The guys still looked at me like I was a nut case.Suddenly, I realized something.

"I didn't mention that best friend was Bob, did I?", I chuckled slowly, my grin getting wider as I saw comprehension cross their faces.

"I left Chicago a couple of years before Kenny's parents got the divorce.", Bob laughed, sitting crossed legged on the grass.

"Oh, Okay.Now I get it.", said, Jamia, still laughing.I smiled and sat down beside Bob.

My grin soon faltered as a quiet voice sounded from behind us.

"Hey guys.", came Mikey's timid voice, and we all turned to look at him.

What I saw left my mouth hanging open.
Looking paler than ever, he padded across the fresh-cut grass, his eyes wide, red and puffy behind his thick-rimmed glasses.He looked really frail that I thought he would bend into two if someone did so much as touch him.

When Gerard saw Mikey, he immediately stood up, dusting his jeans. Telling Mikey he wanted him for a second in private, he pulled him into the shadow if a nearby tree.
My eyes never left them, and I saw Gerard hug his brother sympathetically.Mikey never returned the hug, he just stood there,lying his head on Gerard's shoulder, his hand beside him clenching and unclenching into a fist, making the tendons on his ghost-pale arm stand out.

I really pitied Mikey.From how it looks like, he was really in love with this girl.It must be heartbreaking to discover the one you love was so uncaring and was cheating on you.
Not that you have any experience in that field. A voice inside my head reminded me, making me regret it.

"Yo, Dude! Earth calling to Kendra! Do you copy?!"

The voice that screamed in my ears startled me.I whipped my head to see Eliza starting at me.
Suddenly, laugher erupted from behind us, and I turned around to see Jamia on the floor in fits of laughter, pointing at me.

"Your...your expression!", she gasped, trying to talk between the laughing." It was priceless!"

My eyebrow cocked at her as I started laughing softly.Frank smiled from where he sat and whispered something, staring at Jamia adoringly.

"Love birds...", mumbled Ray, obviously having heard what Frankie said.When I heard him say that, a devilish grin broke out on my face.

"You're just jealous, Toro.", I said, accentuating his name.He glared at me before declaring,

"No I'm not!", he frowned.

"Whatever.", I said, shrugging it off.I was not one to argue about such things.

I layed back and turned so that I was lying face down, staring in the direction of the oak tree.I watched as Gerard held Mikey still in a hug, only now Mikey was hugging him back, a thin line of moisture appearing at the brim of his eyes.
Eliza turned and lay next to me, watching them.I could feel her eyes travel between me and them constantly.

"Sad, isn't it?", she finally said, crossing her arms under her chin.

"Yeah.", I replied absent-mindedly."I really pity him.The poor boy...", I let out a sigh.

I felt Eliza nod silently beside me, and we just continued staring at the guys.
An awkward silence enveloped everybody, only once broken by Jamia's giggles as Frank tickled her.

"Hey, would you like to hang out at my house after school?", Eliza suddenly piped up.

As if waking from a trance, I stared at her for a second before it all registered.

"Oh! Oh yeah,", I said, still a bit confused."That would be great.I'll just call my mum and see if it's okay with her."

"Cool.Take your time."

Walking to a far-away spot so that no one would hear me, I dug my phone out from my bag.
Scanning though my contact list, I found mum's number and pressed the green button.After three rings, my mum's drunken voice chimed through the speaker pressed to my ear.

"H..Hello?"

"Um, hey mum.", I hesitated."Can I go to Eliza's house after school?"

There was silence for a couple of seconds, then my mum's confused voice asked, "Who is this?"

My eyes widened ."Mum!This is Kendra!." , I whined down the phone.I can't believe she'd forget her own daughter...

"Oh yeah!Hey hon, ", she slurred."So what do you need?"

"Can I go to Eliza's house after school?", I asked, starting to be quite impatient.

"Who's Eliza?"

Rolling my eyes, I said, "Eliza's my new friend, mother.I told you about her before."

"Oh yeah.Okay then.Go ahead, just be home early."

I rolled my eyes again.There she goes playing all parental when she couldn't even remember she had a daughter.

Sighing, I agreed.I quickly snapped the phone shut and ran back to Eliza.
After telling her that I'm okay to go, she elaborated their plans further.
Eliza, Jamia and I would go to Eliza's house, spend some time there, then we'd leave to go watch the guys practice.She told me the guys had this small band together, called My Chemical Romance.When I frowned at the name, she explained that it was a name Mikey picked off a book when he used to work at Barnes and Nobles.Thinking that I didn't need to tell my mum all the details as long as I didn't go home late, I ran back inside the building with Jamia and Bob for our Biology class.