School Will Never Be the Same

I got up earlier than I normally do, but in order to make sure I can spend more time with Gee this break I will have to get up to help him. I just wish someone had done this for me last year. And the year before that. Mum and dad we’re just leaving as I went downstairs for breakfast.

On my way over to Gerard’s I stopped to get petrol.

I waited in the queue, I was almost at the front and if the spotty guy would hurry up then I could have been out of here five minutes ago.

“Well, well, well, Natalie I haven’t seen you in a while, what a pleasant surprise.” I froze. Max was standing behind me. I considered dropping the money I owed and running. I considered shouting for help. But instead I stood frozen. I couldn’t even bring myself to check if it was him or not. “Natalie?” I felt his hand on my shoulder, that was enough to shock me into reacting. I dropped my money on the register and made a run for it. It’s just my luck, though, that Max is on the athletics team and therefore does sprint training every summer, all summer. He grabbed my wrist before I could make it out the door. “And here I was thinking we were friends Natalie. Although friends don’t get other friends suspended, moved into a different form group, grounded for half a year and given a warning from the police. And now you’re trying to run away from me.”

“Just let me go, Max, we’re in a public place, all I have to do is let out one scream.” He knew I was right, if he caused a scene the petrol station would call the police.

“And that is why we are going to talk in private. Now. Or all this will just become worse for you. Like I said before, I just have one message for you.”

“Just tell it to me then. Get it over with here and now.” I told him, I didn’t want to be alone in a private place with him.

“We’ll be watching you.”

I think that was supposed to creep me out. And it did. But I was confident they wouldn’t actually stalk me. I’m too boring to stalk. Besides they both have lives and if they were going to stalk me they would have started already and I would have noticed by now. I would notice either of them following me around. I know both of their cars, I know their faces and they don’t know where I am all the time.

I drove to Gerard’s in two minds. Should I tell him about what Max said? Or not? It would make him angry, may ruin our time together. But he made me promise. By the time I got to his house I had made a decision. Tell him if they do start to ‘watch me.’

With all the Max rubbish I was about a quarter of an hour late.

But it was Mikey who answered the door when I finally did get there.

“Hey, Natalie, Gerard said you’d be round early. Come on in. He’s still asleep. You’re free to wake him up though.” Mikey smiled holding the door open for me.

“And he moans at me for sleeping in late.” I said following Mikey into the house. “Well, I’ll make us three some coffee and wake him up. Which one’s his room?” I asked as I put the coffee machine on.

“He hasn’t given you the grand tour.” I shook my head. “How rude. I would but I’ve got things to do. I have to buy a present for my girlfriend and mail her a few letters. Then come and see your progress. But he is up the stairs, first room on the right. I will take my coffee though.” He started to look in the cupboards, I assumed for a travel mug.

I dropped my bag in the hallway and took of my jacket. Mikey had just left. I made my way up his stairs. I had never been to this part of the house before. I walked slowly, looking at the pictures on the wall leading up the stairs. The hall way up stairs was a plain white with a dark carpet. I considered knocking on the door before I went in. But it would be more fun to just, surprise him.
His room wasn’t anything like imagined. I thought it would an absolute tip. But it was well organised and tidy. The colour of the walls were grey or red. They were decorated by art work, some by him and some hung in frames. His bed was across from me, he was currently sleeping there, tangled in his covers, his sheets and covers were black. He had a bedside table with a couple of picture frames, one of which was empty and an alarm clock, which was flashing and had given up trying to wake him. His other bedside table held a book, a sketch pad and pot of pencils and pens. He also had a desk filled with sketch books, papers and what seemed to be coursework. His wardrobe was on my left and a chest of draws next to the door I assumed to be the bathroom.

All in all it was a surprise but a nice room.

I considered jumping on the bed to wake him up. Or just plain jumping on him. But in the end I settled for a trick my dad pulled on me when I was little.

I tip toed over to his bed, although I’m sure I could have skipped over without waking him. I stood over his ear leaning down so if he were awake he would have been able to feel my breath on his neck.

“WAKE UP GEE! WORK TIME!” I got out of the way just in time to see him sit bolt up right, he also let out a little yelp. I laughed as he recovered and saw me standing in his room.

“How did you get in here?”

“Oh, so no, hey Nat, you look nice. Or nice to see you Nat. Or thanks for getting me up in time to get some work done. And to answer your early question, Mikey.”

“Sorry, I’m not normally with it until I’ve had coffee. Of course it is nice to see you. I would kiss you but I’m sure I have morning breath.” He smiled getting out of bed. “I’ll get washed up, put some clothes on and we’ll get to work, yeah?” He wrapped me in a hug while he spoke and I nodded into his chest. Did I mention he sleeps in shorts and only shorts.

I waited for Gerard downstairs, knowing the sight of him topless would live in my memory forever.

“Ok, lets make a to do list.” I said once he had coffee in hand and was sat down next to me in his room. He handed me notebook.

“I’ve got to mark your classes coursework so far and the latest homework. I also need to mark year 12’s work. Year 11’s. I need to start lesson planning and do Miss. Kenton’s internal invigilating. And I have all the other years homework to mark.” I wrote each piece down and nodded.

“Wow, you’re as bad as I used to be.” I said shaking my head. He shrugged. “First thing’s first, coursework, find everything you need, clear a space on your desk and get started.”

“And what are you going to do while I slave away.” He asked starting to sort through his desk.

“Lounge around on your bed and catch up on some of the things I have to do.” I said pulling my laptop bag onto his bed.

“I thought you said you had all your school work done,” he was placing piles of papers and books on his floor. His desk was almost empty.

“It’s not school work, but I’m sure my fans on mibba want an update at some time before the weekend.” I said turning on my laptop and rolling onto my stomach. He rolled his eyes and got started.

We agreed he could stop at half one, we would go out for lunch, just outside of town and then he would spend the rest of the day with Mikey, and I would spend the rest of my day talking to my friends about our plans for the weekend.

“It’s time for lunch!” Gerard sing sung, spinning to face me. I checked the time, and he was right.

“You have a good singing voice you know,” I commented as he pulled me from his house. He blushed a little.

“Why, thank you.”

We went to a burger king just outside of town, bought our food and ate just around the corner, on a quiet round in his car. We would have sat in burger king, but there’s too much of a risk of someone from school seeing us. We would have eaten outside on a bench close by but it is December in England and the weather is not made for that.

He drove us back to his house.