Infinite

“So that’s it for now, guys. See you in three weeks!”

It’s our producer Jon who’s talking, and we exchange handshakes and hugs and Noel says:

“Yeah, and then we’re on tour!”

He’s practically bouncing all the way out to the street.

We’ve been in the studio almost non stop for the last month and even though we’ve had a great time, these last few days haven’t been very stimulating. The heat outside is oppressive, and even though air conditioning follows our every step it feels like we’re slowly suffocating. Hopefully, the end result isn’t going to be affected by the fact that we spent the last couple of days mostly drinking iced coffee and complaining about the heat.

We have three weeks off before we’re going on tour. Noel is spending it with a new “friend” who he refuses to tell us anything about, Karl is leaving for Boston and his parents, Hunter is going on vacation with his family to Florida, and I’m going to Norway. We’ve been staying at Karl’s friend’s apartment in Brooklyn this past month, and while it’s been a lot better than his old apartment in Madison, it’s not home. Norway is, believe it or not, the closest thing I’ve got to a home right now.
We say our goodbyes on the pavement outside the studio before we go our separate ways. I love my bandmates, but I’ve clearly spent too much time with them lately – I’m almost relieved when my taxi pulls up.

An eight-hour flight plus an half-hour flight in a propeller plane later, I’m in Arendal. After getting my bag, I stand in the arrival hall looking around for someone familiar, when a pair of hands cover my eyes.

I turn around to face him and is met by a smile and a forehead against mine, our noses touching. And I can’t believe that it’s me feeling this way.

“I’ve missed you,” he says, looking me in the eyes. “I can’t even begin to describe how much I’ve missed you.”

"I’ve missed you too."

That’s when I hear a clearing of a throat from behind Gerard, and I look over his shoulder to discover Bob. He waves and smiles and says:

“Hi Aubrey.”

“Hi Bob,” I say, waving back with my free hand. Gerard turns around and keeps hold of my hand, lacing his fingers with mine.

“I guess we’ve gotta head back,” he says, and Bob offers to carry my bag before we make our way out of the airport.

In the car to the festival area, I lean my head against Gerard’s chest while he plays with my hair.

I remember when I was nine and asked my mom how you knew that you loved someone. Mom was in one of her good relationships at the time (not very good for me though, because this guy just cared about her) and she smiled and said that if you closed your eyes and imagined your life without that person, you would know.
I close my eyes.

In Norway, it’s just past twelve A.M. In New York it’s just past six A.M. And since I didn’t sleep more than three hours on the plane, I’m dead tired. I usually get grumpy when I’m tired, but I’m with Gerard now, and there’s no way I can be mad at him even if I’m about to fall over in the parking lot backstage.

“Are you alright?” Gerard asks, looking at my pale face.

“I’m tired,” I whine, snuggling close to him. “And I want to take a shower. And I want to be with you.”

He puts his arms around me and I want to stay this way forever, I could fall asleep just standing here.

“There’s a shower backstage and you can sleep on our bus, but I don’t think I’ll be able to be with you that much right now, we’ve got sound checks and interviews and shit."

He sounds so apologetic that I have to interrupt.

“Hey, it’s not that I’ll be that much fun sleeping anyway.”

Gerard smirks.

"I wouldn’t mind sleeping with you."

I stick out my tongue at him, but I’m not going to argue with that.