Into Your Icy Blues

A city or two later, Jade sat contently in the front room flipping through the numerous TV channels. Eventually, she landed on a rerun of Project Runway Season Two. Daniel Vosovic, she though happily setting the remote down.

Several hours later, the last episode of the season was coming to a close. "Stupid Chloe," she muttered, eyes glued on the screen as she was announced as the winner.

"Talking to the TV again, are we?" Jumping, Jade turned around to see Gerard, Mikey, and Eliza standing in the doorway.

"Yes," she huffed. "Daniel should have won." Both boys blinked stupidly.

"I know!" Eliza exclaimed, making her way into the room. She sat in the middle of the couch before turning to face Jade.

"You," Jade started "are my new favorite person."

"Hey!" An indignant Gerard sat in between us. "What about me?" he pouted. A smirking Eliza poked her head up next to his. Jade returned her smirk before the two girls slid their arms behind his back and pushed him off of the couch before spreading out on the couch side-by-side. Scowling, his head reappeared next to the couch.

"That was not nice." he reprimanded.

"Probably not," the girls both grinned down at him. Sticking his tongue out, he sat down on their stomachs. Jade, being the one at the back on the couch got the bulk of his weight on her.

"Get. Off." she breathed out, trying uselessly to push him off.

"Nah," he replied, propping his feet up on the coffee table and draping his arms over the back on the couch. "I think I'm comfy." Grimacing, she grabbed the hand closer to her and, without hesitation, bit it. "Holy shit!" he screeched, yanking his hand back and leaping off of the girls.

"Victory!" Eliza cheered. Both girls hopped off the couch. Jade quickly hurried out of the room, knowing it wouldn't be long before she had an angered Gerard after her. Just as she predicted, a set of heavy footsteps could be heard chasing after her. Reaching the front of the bus, Jade made a quick decision and pushed the door open before hoping out of the bus and taking off across the parking lot.

Way to forget shoes moron, she silently cursed. Nonetheless, she continued across the lot. A few moments later, she realized that the bus had parked in the lot of a large empty shopping strip. Reaching the end of the lot, she spun around to see a tired looking Gerard making his way toward me. His smoking was finally catching up with him, Jade realized. Grinning evilly, she took off again, sprinting around the back of the strip. Thank you, high school track.

When she reemerged at the other end, Gerard was nowhere in sight. Her blue eyes skimmed across the entire area until they landed on him; he was making his way from behind the building. He had slowed down to a walk and looked a bit annoyed. His eyes spotted the girl and he scowled before taking off again. He was only a few feet away from her when she launched herself across the lot. When they reached a patch of grass near the bus, Jade was tackled to the ground. An amused Eliza stood leaning against the bus.
"Help!" Jade squealed as Gerard began digging his fingers into her stomach.

"No," she laughed "I think I like it better over here. It's safer." She glanced at something to their right before looking back at them. Their group of friends could soon be seen standing a few feet away.

"Help," Jade begged as she continued to squirm as Gerard ruthlessly tickled her. A moment later, Gerard was being pulled off. Beaming, Jade jumped up and into her brother's arms. "Thank you," she sang, kissing him on the cheek. He looked amused as he sat his sister back on the ground.

"Why were you attacking my sister?" he wondered, looking over at Gerard who now had his arms wrapped around his girlfriend.

"She pushed me off the couch," was his simple response.

"She helped!" Jade exclaimed, gesturing wildly at Eliza. Gerard shrugged in response before burying his face in his girlfriend's neck. Huffing, Jade turned around the face the group of people watching in amusement. Giving Gerard a soft kick in the back of his knee, she made her way back onto the bus.

The next week went by fairly quickly. Frank and Jade had spoken three times at the most, and those conversations went something along the lines of "Pass the salt... thanks." Truthfully, she missed talking to him, but she didn't let it on.

"Jadey!" a grinning Michael Way bounced off stage and, after handing his bass to a tech standing nearby, the girl was wrapped in a sweaty hug. After hugging him back briefly, she pulled away.

"Shower," was her explanation. He grinned and shrugged before continuing on his way backstage to see Alicia, wherever she was.

As each of the boys made their way offstage, they greeted her. After Frank handed his guitar off, however, he simply kept walking. Rolling her eyes in annoyance, Jade followed after him. "You're going to ignore me just because your girlfriend doesn't like me?" He didn't respond, but he stopped walking. "Don't you think that's a bit unfair?" she continued.

"Yes...” he whispered turning around. “I know it is. I just- I can't loose her, Jade. Please try to understand that."

"So every time she decides she doesn't like someone, you're just going to toss them out of your life, just like that? No second thoughts, no nothing? Just leave them wondering what they did wrong?"

"No.” he was back to whispering, and looking a bit guilty now.

"You may want to rethink some things, then," she said simply before slipping around him and making my way back to the boys’ dressing room. On her way back, she passed Jamia who glared at her before continuing on her way to where Frank was. Making a quick decision, Jade turned around in the direction she had gone.

"Jamia!" she called after the girl, seeing her stop in her tracks and spin around.

A few seconds passed. "What?" Jamia finally called back, sounding a mix between annoyed and disgusted.

Jade paused before answering. "Why do you hate me?" finally tumbled out of her mouth. The other girl's eyes instantly narrowed back at her.

"You came tumbling into that hospital room with that shitty attitude of yours, but all of the boys think you're just God's gift and then, on top of all of that, you think you can steal my fiancé? Sorry, not happening," she spat.

"Um, no?" was Jade's response. Cursing herself silently, she willed herself to continue. "Honestly, I'm not sure how Frank puts up with you throwing a hissy fit any time he goes near another girl – especially one that he seems to hate so much."

"I don't hate you, Jade," came from behind her. Both girls spun around.

"You- what?" Jamia hissed, glaring at him furiously.

"I don't hate her," Frank shrugged. "I don't know why you think I do, Jade, but I don't. And you're right. Just because she doesn't like you, doesn't mean I have the right to treat you like crap. I'm sorry." With that he turned to Jamia. "You ready to go?" Both girls were speechless, for different reasons.

Suddenly, Jamia was stomping back the way she had come moments earlier. Wincing, Jade turned back to Frank. "You're forgiven," she smiled slightly. "And thank you," she added before continuing on her way to the dressing rooms.

Frank watched her until she was out of sight and then headed the direction Jamia had gone.