Coffee and Cigarettes

You'd think that Frank would be going out of his way to prove to me that he was going to change. I expected it...Libby expected it...hell, even Bob expected it. But soon, the sun started staying out in the sky a little longer and began to melt all the snow away. It had been four months, meaning that it was now April, and still--nothing had happened.

"Just give up," Blair finally told me once March hit. "You've got to learn that guys like that are fickle. They can't be depended on and they can't be trusted."

"Y-Yeah," I answered, unconvinced. I still liked Frank, but I really didn't know why. He was a liar, a cheater (probably...if he didn't cheat on girls, he probably at least cheated at card games), a phony and I should have hated him by now for not putting up any effort whatsoever.

But my mind works in really bizarre ways and I still liked him. Every time I told either Blair or Libby that, they'd try to slap me and I'd break into a mad sprint to get away from them.

Even during movies in the theatre. Do you know how hard it is to weave through all those seats? I deserve a commemorative trophy for my efforts.

"It's my birthday soon," Gerard chirped from where he was shelving books at his new job at Barnes and Noble. Libby and I were there to visit him and Mikey who had finally gotten jobs from the manager, Brian. Not B-ran from Hot Topic, Brian from--well, you get the general idea.

"And what do you want for your birthday, Gerard?" I asked him as I flipped through Pride and Prejudice lazily with one hand. I don't know where Libby had run off to, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that Mikey would be close behind.

Let's hope they weren't going to do anything that'd get Mikey fired, hmm?

"Comic books!" he sang gleefully. April 19th was the 'big day'. He was turning twenty-one and could legally go out and get smashed. How exciting...like he really needs more excuses to get drunk. He's been getting worse lately. I think that the only reason he was sober was because of his new job.

"That's kind of vague," I reminded him. "What kind of comics?"

"Superhero comics."

"Care to narrow it down?"

"Anything, really," he said nonchalantly. "As long as it isn't a Speedball comic."

"Speedball?" I questioned. "Sounds lame."

"Lame is right," he said. "Who would want to read a comic about a guy who can conjure up bouncing balls? I mean, really. I make better comics in my sleep..."

Gerard always got really passionate when he spoke of comics. He had three main loves in his life--music, art and booze.

And pills too, but let's not get too anal retentive on the details.

"Mhm," I agreed, not really paying any attention. "Well, I'll look into that. Where's Mikey?"

"Probably in the music department where he's assigned," Gerard shrugged, placing more books on the shelves. "Why?"

I shrugged. "No reason, just curious."

And then, awkward silence.

"So..." Gerard began, scratching the back of his head. "Guess who came by today to say hi..."

"Ray?" I guessed. "Bob? Matt? Blair?"

"Frank," Gerard said, rolling his eyes. "Are you seriously that bad at guessing?"

"I knew it all along, actually," I yawned. "I just didn't want to sound over-anxious."

"He asked about you," he said. My eyes darted from the pages of the book to Gerard's hazel eyes.

"He did?"

"Yup," he nodded.

"What did he say?"

Gerard once again scratched the back of his head. "He wanted to know why you were so bipolar and psychotic."

I groaned and sighed aloud, hanging my head low.

Another pause. What's with me and awkward silences these days?

"You must really like him, huh?" Gerard finally said.

"What made you come to that conclusion?" I muttered, abandoning Pride and Prejudice for Travels in the Scriptorium.

Gerard grinned slyly. "It's written all over your pretty little face. You love him. You wanna kiss him and hug him and squeeze him and--"

I smacked my hand over his mouth as Mikey and Libby trotted up to us. Libby's eyebrow went way up and I gave her a look of desperation. The kind of desperation that said, "Get this maniac away from me, I have to talk to you".

Winking, Libby suddenly doubled over in pain. "Ooh," she groaned.

"What's wrong?" Mikey asked, concerned for his girlfriend's health.

"Menstrual cramps. Gotta run to the lavatories. C'mon, Morgan!" she grabbed my wrist and dragged me to where the bathrooms were.

Once we got there, I said, "Oh, wow. Great...just great, now they think that you're bleeding from the crotch. Ain't that lovely?"

"Hey," Libby shrugged nonchalantly. "You wanted to get away from them, and now you're away from them. So, what's wrong?"

"Frank thinks I'm psychotic," I blurted out.

Libby frowned. "And that's bad because...?"

I groaned. "Libby, I'm serious."

"So am I," she countered defensively. "Look, Morgan. I know that you like him, and maybe at one point he may have liked you back. But we've waited for three months already and nothing's happened. He hasn't tried to gain your affections, he hasn't bothered asking you out on a date, he hasn't even tried calling you. He isn't worth it, why can't you get that?"

"I'm...I'm trying," I said slowly. "But...you know, the more I try to push that kid away, the more he keeps coming back to me. Like a loyal puppy whose owner doesn't love it anymore."

"Aie," Libby muttered. "Well, why don't you try making the first move instead?" she suggested. "If you're bold enough, that is."

I thought for a moment. "I...don't know, Libby." I said, defeated. "I'd better just forget about him. But I can't if me and him are in the same school..."

"What are you saying?" Libby asked me, not wanting to accept what I was suggesting.

"I'm switching schools, Libby."