Under Jersey Skies

“Let me guess, you and your Mum had a fight?” Frank asked.
“Yup.” I answered simply, still too pissed to talk much.
“Why can’t you just give your Mum a chance?”
“You don’t even know what happened Frank!” I snapped.
“Maybe not, but I do know that you’ve been really ignorant towards her. I can see all she wants is to make things right between the two of you, but you’re making it really hard for her to do that.”
“Frank--”
“You gotta stop being so stubborn, Jackie.”
“Oh god, you sound just like her!”
“She has a point, babe.”
“I FOUND HER SNORTING COKE, OKAY?!” I yelled.
Frank looked at me, taken aback, and went quiet.
“I was only looking for a little support Frank.”
“You do tend to be stubborn sometimes though babe.”
“Get fucked.” I said, and turned my attention towards the window. “Drop me at Gerard’s.” I said after a short pause.
“Oh, don’t start that shit.”
“What? Don’t you trust me? You think my “stubborn” self is gonna cheat on you? Get a grip, Frank! You ALWAYS tell me what I should and shouldn’t do!”

Frank’s expression turned angry, and he sped up, practically flooring it to Gerard’s. He pulled the car to a violent halt on the street beside Gerard’s house.

“Get the fuck out.”
“Fine!” I snapped, getting out of the car.
Frank tossed me the keys to the trunk and I unlocked it and pulled my suitcase out. “Dick!” I snapped as I tossed the keys back in through his window.

Frank stepped on the gas, and I watched in anger as he drove off.

I don’t even feel bad about yelling at him.

I walked down the pathway to Gerard’s front door, and sat on the porch. I pulled my phone out of my bag, deciding it’d probably be a good idea to call Gerard and let him know I was here, rather than piss Donald off.

“Hello?”
“It’s Jackie.”
“Hey.” He replied in a soft, gentle voice.
“I’m kinda sitting on your front porch. Can you come down and let me in?”
“Aren’t you supposed to be at the lake house with your parents?”
“Long story, let me in and I’ll explain.”
“Sure, be there in a minute.” He said, and hung up.

A few moments passed, and I heard the door being opened behind me and got up from where I was sitting. Gerard stood in the doorway, his hair in a mess, wearing black batman pyjama pants and not much else. He smiled, and helped me bring my suitcase inside, storing it in a small cupboard under the stairs, before leading me up to his room.

“What happened?” Gerard asked, walking over and sitting on his bed, patting the spot next to him.
“Mum fucked up.” I sighed, sitting down beside him. “You know, I was finally actually giving her a chance to make things right, and then. . .” I frowned.
“What?” he asked, sliding an arm around my shoulders in comfort.
“I caught her snorting coke.”
“What?!”
“Yeah.” I said, getting up from the bed, I began pacing around the room. “You know the worst part? She tried to fucking act like it wasn’t happening!”
“How?” he asked.
“I found her, and I yelled at her, because I honestly thought she’d changed, cuz up until that moment things were going really good.” I was talking really fast in my anger. “And she tries to say to me “Baby, it’s not what it looks like!” when I fucking caught her red handed!” I carried on hysterically.

Gerard got up from the bed, and caught my hands, which were flying around aimlessly as I spoke, and held them in his own.

“Jackie, it’s okay, calm down” he said gently, stroking my hands with his thumbs.

I bit my lip, falling silent all of a sudden; somehow, Gerard’s warm, strong hands relaxed me. Now calm, the full extent of my anger and hurt flowed out in tears, and Gerard pulled me into his arms to comfort me. I leant against his chest and cried, really cried, for the first time since Mum left when I was 13.

“Jackie, it’s okay” Gerard whispered, he led me back over the bed, and sat down with me, rocking me back and forth in his arms.

He put his lips to my hair, and suddenly my heart sped up, and not because of the heaving breaths I was taking from crying. During one sniffle, I breathed in the smell of coffee and cigarettes, realizing it was Gerard’s smell. He smelt so sweet, and right here, in Gerard’s arms, I’d never felt safer, or warmer, in my life.

I looked up at Gerard, who stared right back down into my eyes. His gaze was intense, as if he could see right through my eyes and deep down into my soul. His eyes were full of conflict, and only I knew about all the pain and hurt he’d been suffering. But there was something else there too, but I didn’t know what it was.

Suddenly, Gerard’s hand moved from around my body to the back of my neck, and he held me gently, gazing still deeper into my eyes. Fighting every ounce of me that wanted to look away, knowing this was getting too intense, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from his, it was like I was spellbound, unable to control myself.

He slowly pulled me closer, and I gasped slightly as his lips brushed against mine, before they covered mine completely. I pressed myself closer to him, and he held me tighter. The kiss started out gentle, but slowly grew more forceful as Gerard’s lips pressed harder. He ran his tongue along my bottom lip, making me part them, and his tongue slipped into my mouth.

I could hear my heartbeat in my ears, pounding loudly, beating faster than it ever had before. My thoughts kept drifting back to Frank, making me feel guilty, but the longer the kiss lasted, the less I thought about it. Gerard slowly lowered me down on his bed, and laid over me. It didn’t make sense, I knew what was coming, and I couldn’t stop. Why had I backed out at the last minute with Frank, but not Gerard?

Gerard’s breaths became deeper and more fluent as he slowly and gently undressed me, as did mine as I undressed him. He stopped for a moment, and his hand moved to my cheek, brushing it gently with his thumb. He stared deep into my eyes, and said in a soothing whisper;

“Only if you’re ready, Jackie James, I don’t want to pressure you”

I thought for a moment, and then took a deep breath.

“I trust you” I whispered.

He leaned in to kiss me again, and for the first time, despite the fact that I was betraying Frank, Gerard and I made love…