Perfect
Nine: The River
“Layla?”
I hear the footsteps before I hear his careful voice. I don’t even turn my head to see who it is; he knows who I am.
“I’m not going to jump if that’s what you’re worried about,” I tell him softly.
“Oh.”
I rest my hands on the freezing metal rail that runs across the bridge. “Did Tina send you?”
“No, we all decided to come and look for you –”
“All?” I now turn my head to look at him, biting my lip. It’s the lead singer of My Chemical Romance.
“All of us, all of the band...”
“I see.” I turn back to the water.
“Did you know you were heading here?” he suddenly asks.
“What’s your name?” I ignore his question.
“Gerard. And did you?”
“No, I didn’t. I don’t know this area.”
He walks over to me and stands next to me, leaning on the railing like me.
“Why did you run off...?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” I answer, pushing a hand through my hair.
“This place could be pretty dangerous for all you know. What were you planning on doing?”
I consider this. “Umm...Ringing Tina and getting her to pick me up. But in a few hours or so, when I’d finished being by myself.”
“Don’t you think you should come back now? With me? Because they’re all out looking for you.”
I cock my head to one side. “Probably...”
“Probably...?”
“Probably I should come back.”
“Are you going to?” I don’t reply and he gently nudges into me with one arm.
“You could ring them and let them know you’ve found me...”
“And then?” Gerard turns around so his back is leaning against the rail, so he can look me directly in the eye.
“I’ll walk back with you. But slowly. I’m not ready to face Tina.”
“Can I ask why?”
I shrug. “Because I know what she’s like and she’s not going to let this go easily.”
He doesn’t question it, just slides his phone out of his pocket and quickly dials a number.
“Ray? Yeah, I found her. Yeah, if you wouldn’t mind...We’re walking back now. Sure. Okay, see you.”
Gerard puts his phone away and rests a hand on my arm. “You coming?”
I nod and turn away from the river.
I hear the footsteps before I hear his careful voice. I don’t even turn my head to see who it is; he knows who I am.
“I’m not going to jump if that’s what you’re worried about,” I tell him softly.
“Oh.”
I rest my hands on the freezing metal rail that runs across the bridge. “Did Tina send you?”
“No, we all decided to come and look for you –”
“All?” I now turn my head to look at him, biting my lip. It’s the lead singer of My Chemical Romance.
“All of us, all of the band...”
“I see.” I turn back to the water.
“Did you know you were heading here?” he suddenly asks.
“What’s your name?” I ignore his question.
“Gerard. And did you?”
“No, I didn’t. I don’t know this area.”
He walks over to me and stands next to me, leaning on the railing like me.
“Why did you run off...?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” I answer, pushing a hand through my hair.
“This place could be pretty dangerous for all you know. What were you planning on doing?”
I consider this. “Umm...Ringing Tina and getting her to pick me up. But in a few hours or so, when I’d finished being by myself.”
“Don’t you think you should come back now? With me? Because they’re all out looking for you.”
I cock my head to one side. “Probably...”
“Probably...?”
“Probably I should come back.”
“Are you going to?” I don’t reply and he gently nudges into me with one arm.
“You could ring them and let them know you’ve found me...”
“And then?” Gerard turns around so his back is leaning against the rail, so he can look me directly in the eye.
“I’ll walk back with you. But slowly. I’m not ready to face Tina.”
“Can I ask why?”
I shrug. “Because I know what she’s like and she’s not going to let this go easily.”
He doesn’t question it, just slides his phone out of his pocket and quickly dials a number.
“Ray? Yeah, I found her. Yeah, if you wouldn’t mind...We’re walking back now. Sure. Okay, see you.”
Gerard puts his phone away and rests a hand on my arm. “You coming?”
I nod and turn away from the river.