Everyone Learns Faster On Fire
Chapter 2: 12th December 1997
Gerard awoke abruptly by the sound of the ringing doorbell echoing through the still house.
He rolled over, burying his head in the pillow, wishing that the plush feeling of the feathers within would suffocate him and make everything go away. Make everything right again. If only that was possible.
‘Everything I do is wrong. I’m a waste.’ He thought to himself miserably. ‘The world would be a much better place without me.’
Hearing the doorbell chime again, he reached for the pillow and clamped it tightly over his head, covering his ears so he could block out the irritating noise. He was massively hung-over, and the fact that the visitor kept ringing the bell wasn’t helping the immense headache that was gradually making itself known to him. He felt like he had been shot in the head four times and then hit by a bus.
Everything had gone wrong. He officially had nothing to live for. He was broke, he had fallen very far behind at art school, he was turning into an alcoholic, and now the one person who was keeping him alive was gone. The one whom he had loved with what was left of his broken heart had decided to move on, all because of his arrogance and failure to see what was wrong.
The doorbell rang a third time and Gerard’s dreams of staying curled up in his bed all day and avoiding the world had evaporated. Whoever was outside was not going to give up and Gerard wasn’t going to lie there and listen to the infernal noise until they knocked the door down. It was probably Mikey forgetting his keys or something.
Gerard uncurled himself from the twisted sheets and prised himself out of bed. The one beam of light that was escaping through the curtains fell directly on the photograph of the now ex-girlfriend he was currently mourning over. He hastily shoved the frame face down on the bedside table, shattering the protective glass and sending razor sharp shards across the tiny room.
Walking across the tangled floor, he pulled on a pair of sweatpants and a crumpled t-shirt in order to make himself look half decent. The bell rang again, and he groaned.
“Grr, I’m comin’!” He growled angrily, walking out of the room and across the hall to the front door. On the way he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. It was a sorry sight.
His hair was sticking up in all directions, strands clumped together with grease. His black dye was growing out and his roots were now evidently more visible than before. The eyes staring back at him were bloodshot and lifeless. He looked like a zombie who had just awoken from years of rest.
Sighing, he made his way over to the front door and opened it.
Standing on the pavement outside was a teenage boy he had never seen before in his life, but somehow he had an instant connection with him. The kid had not said a word, but Gerard by some means knew that they would get along.
He had dark brown hair, and looked no taller than maybe 5’3. He was probably about fifteen or sixteen and looked extremely lost. On seeing Gerard, he reeled back slightly and smiled awkwardly.
“Erm…Is this Mikey’s house?” He enquired, trying to glance past the sleepy Gerard in hope of seeing the boy in question.
“Yeah, it is. But I don’t think he’s here at the moment.” Gerard replied, noticing the boy was carrying a guitar. “Are you meant to be playing together or something?”
The boy nodded shyly. “He told me to come round at 11. I thought I was late.”
Gerard shrugged. He didn’t really know what to do. Mikey was quite clearly not at home and he hadn’t the faintest idea where he would be. Why would he invite someone over if he wasn’t even going to be in the house? And besides, it was Saturday. Mikey never went out on a Saturday unless it was with his parents, who were currently on holiday in California. Not really knowing any other option, Gerard opened the door wider and invited the unknown boy in.
“You might as well just make yourself at home here for a bit.” Gerard said, leading the visitor into the Way family living room. “I don’t know where the hell Mikey is, so I guess you’ll just have to wait until he gets back.
“Thank you.” The boy said politely and looked around the room uncomfortably, not knowing whether to sit down or not. He offered Gerard his hand. “I’m Frank by the way.”
Gerard shook the teens outstretched hand. “Gerard. Just help yourself to drinks and stuff. I’m just gonna get changed.”
Gerard left the room and made his way into his bedroom in search of some more presentable clothes. There was something about Frank that he could not quite put his finger on. At times he seemed shy and lost, but every so often there seemed to be that confidence in his eyes. Gerard could not help but notice the cheeky grin that spread across his face for a split second when he noticed that Gerard was in fact wearing a Sonic The Hedgehog t-shirt.
And then it suddenly struck him. Frank was the kid that Mikey was talking about a few weeks previous. He had told his older brother that Frank was the only friend that actually understood him and cared about his views. Gerard was intrigued to know more about this boy, and what he had to do with his younger brother.
He rolled over, burying his head in the pillow, wishing that the plush feeling of the feathers within would suffocate him and make everything go away. Make everything right again. If only that was possible.
‘Everything I do is wrong. I’m a waste.’ He thought to himself miserably. ‘The world would be a much better place without me.’
Hearing the doorbell chime again, he reached for the pillow and clamped it tightly over his head, covering his ears so he could block out the irritating noise. He was massively hung-over, and the fact that the visitor kept ringing the bell wasn’t helping the immense headache that was gradually making itself known to him. He felt like he had been shot in the head four times and then hit by a bus.
Everything had gone wrong. He officially had nothing to live for. He was broke, he had fallen very far behind at art school, he was turning into an alcoholic, and now the one person who was keeping him alive was gone. The one whom he had loved with what was left of his broken heart had decided to move on, all because of his arrogance and failure to see what was wrong.
The doorbell rang a third time and Gerard’s dreams of staying curled up in his bed all day and avoiding the world had evaporated. Whoever was outside was not going to give up and Gerard wasn’t going to lie there and listen to the infernal noise until they knocked the door down. It was probably Mikey forgetting his keys or something.
Gerard uncurled himself from the twisted sheets and prised himself out of bed. The one beam of light that was escaping through the curtains fell directly on the photograph of the now ex-girlfriend he was currently mourning over. He hastily shoved the frame face down on the bedside table, shattering the protective glass and sending razor sharp shards across the tiny room.
Walking across the tangled floor, he pulled on a pair of sweatpants and a crumpled t-shirt in order to make himself look half decent. The bell rang again, and he groaned.
“Grr, I’m comin’!” He growled angrily, walking out of the room and across the hall to the front door. On the way he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. It was a sorry sight.
His hair was sticking up in all directions, strands clumped together with grease. His black dye was growing out and his roots were now evidently more visible than before. The eyes staring back at him were bloodshot and lifeless. He looked like a zombie who had just awoken from years of rest.
Sighing, he made his way over to the front door and opened it.
Standing on the pavement outside was a teenage boy he had never seen before in his life, but somehow he had an instant connection with him. The kid had not said a word, but Gerard by some means knew that they would get along.
He had dark brown hair, and looked no taller than maybe 5’3. He was probably about fifteen or sixteen and looked extremely lost. On seeing Gerard, he reeled back slightly and smiled awkwardly.
“Erm…Is this Mikey’s house?” He enquired, trying to glance past the sleepy Gerard in hope of seeing the boy in question.
“Yeah, it is. But I don’t think he’s here at the moment.” Gerard replied, noticing the boy was carrying a guitar. “Are you meant to be playing together or something?”
The boy nodded shyly. “He told me to come round at 11. I thought I was late.”
Gerard shrugged. He didn’t really know what to do. Mikey was quite clearly not at home and he hadn’t the faintest idea where he would be. Why would he invite someone over if he wasn’t even going to be in the house? And besides, it was Saturday. Mikey never went out on a Saturday unless it was with his parents, who were currently on holiday in California. Not really knowing any other option, Gerard opened the door wider and invited the unknown boy in.
“You might as well just make yourself at home here for a bit.” Gerard said, leading the visitor into the Way family living room. “I don’t know where the hell Mikey is, so I guess you’ll just have to wait until he gets back.
“Thank you.” The boy said politely and looked around the room uncomfortably, not knowing whether to sit down or not. He offered Gerard his hand. “I’m Frank by the way.”
Gerard shook the teens outstretched hand. “Gerard. Just help yourself to drinks and stuff. I’m just gonna get changed.”
Gerard left the room and made his way into his bedroom in search of some more presentable clothes. There was something about Frank that he could not quite put his finger on. At times he seemed shy and lost, but every so often there seemed to be that confidence in his eyes. Gerard could not help but notice the cheeky grin that spread across his face for a split second when he noticed that Gerard was in fact wearing a Sonic The Hedgehog t-shirt.
And then it suddenly struck him. Frank was the kid that Mikey was talking about a few weeks previous. He had told his older brother that Frank was the only friend that actually understood him and cared about his views. Gerard was intrigued to know more about this boy, and what he had to do with his younger brother.