Generation Nothing

Soon the sun was setting. I was bored out of my brain by this point, and I turned to the group around me.
'Guys, it's getting dark. We should head back to the diner.' I spoke up. Only Mikey and Jet Star really heard me, and they both agreed. Jet Star mumbled something about not wanting to get caught up with Dracs, and I simply nodded. As the pair began to rope up the others, I started to pack away the scraps of the day, getting up and heading down to my car as I threw everything in the boot. My stomach felt heavy, and I felt like I was going to throw up, but I managed to contain my stomach's contents as I went and slipped behind the drivers seat, waiting for the others to come along. To my surprise, however, Lady chucked her keys at Frank, as her and Mikey walked over here. I glared down at their laced fingers for a moment, before turning my head down to the dash. My eyes caught the petrol level, and I swore. I was close to empty. I sighed, knowing this wasn't going to end well. However, I was kind of thankful it wasn't Frank who was going to be in the car with me. If we broke down, I don't think I'd be able to handle sitting in the car with him.

Mikey slipped into the seat beside me, eying me carefully before he looked away. Lady hoped in seconds after him, Show Pony right after her. I glanced over at the other car just in time to hear the engine purr to life, before Frank tore off into the Californian desert. I sighed, twisting the keys in the Trans Am before following suit. However, I refused to drive as fast as Frank, and I glared as the back of the camero disappeared into the distance, a trail of dust blitzing behind it. The silence through the car was thick, and it was only a matter of time before someone broke the silence. With this thought I pressed my foot down on the brake a little more, however this just made the petrol gauge drop quicker, and before any of us knew it the car was spluttering and faltering before giving up completely. My hands tightened on the steering wheel as I began to glare down at the dashboard. Stupid piece of junk had shit gas mileage. I needed a new fucking car, one that stopped fucking me over. At my side, Mikey peeked over at the dash, sinking back into his seat as he saw the gas level. For a moment, there was an awkward tension between the car, which remained unbroken until Show Pony opened the door and slipped out, shutting the door and skating off. Thanks for nothing, Show Pony.
'Party Poison.' Mikey suddenly piped up, as he twisted his body to face me, 'What's up, buddy? You've been down all day. And don't try to deny it, it couldn't be more clear than acid rain.' He grunted. I sighed. There was nothing that I could really say. The only way I could explain it to him and have him fully appreciate the situation was to show him. I fished the letter out of my pocket, handing it over to him as I looked further away from him. For a moment the car was quite, only a sniff from Mikey breaking it.
'Gerard,' his voice sounded urgent, 'why do you have this here?' The last time I had carried it in my pocket, well...it wasn't a bright day to say the least. Mikey was assuming the worst.
'I didn't bring it here,' I seethed through gritted teeth, 'Frank did.' I knew Lady would be beyond confused, but Mikey understood personally.
'Oh, shit, Gee. He didn't...' I nodded, the tears finally prickling up into my eyes. I heard the papers unfold, and there was silence as Mikey read through it again. I wasn't sure if he was reading both pages through, or just the second, but I knew it was getting to him. He barely had time to finish either when he folded them both over and put the letter in the glove box. He shifted in his seat, reaching over to pull me awkwardly in a hug. I wanted to deny it, to pull away from him, but I also wanted to give in. And so I let him pull me into a hug, as he laced his arms around my neck. I pushed my head into his shoulders, and I couldn't help but sob. Mikey rubbed my back, trying to hush me. Eventually I broke out of the hug, reaching up to wipe at my eyes.
'Do you know why he has it?' Mikey asked softly. I shook my head.
'Not a fucking clue.' I mumbled. Suddenly, the radio crackled to life.
'Boys, what's the hold up?' It was Dr Death-Defying on the other end.
'We ran out of petrol. Show Pony's on the way back, took off skating as soon as we broke down.' Mikey replied.
'Alright, boys. I'm gonna send someone back with some petrol. Sit tight.' The radio died, and I pushed my head against the headrest, shutting my eyes.
'He doesn't know I found it. Don't tell him, either of you.' I muttered.
'Are you going to confront him.' I took a deep breathe, thinking it over.
'I don't know, to be honest.'

Time passed slowly before the green camero came into view, headlights on high. The driver stepped out, and I instantly recognized Jet Star's silhouette. I sighed, as he walked over and tapped on Mikey's window. Mikey hoped out and the pair filled the tank up. Jet Star never said a word as he screwed the cap back up and walked over to the camero, reversing it and tearing off into the distance. However, I just sat there, my eyes shut.
'Gerard? Come on, buddy, let's get.' I sighed, but made no effort to move. Mikey sighed, slipping from the car and coming around to my side of the door. He opened the door and dragged me out, helping into the back seat of the car before he slipped into the drivers seat and took us home. My eyes constantly lingered on the glove box, and my eyes began to tear up. Eventually we reached the diner. All the lights were on, but I couldn't see anyone through the front windows. We all slipped out of the car, Mikey and I both feeling miserable. As I shut the door, I let my gaze linger along the paint of the car. Mikey and Lady both walked inside, Lady only stopping to give me a curious glance, mentioning for me to not be stupid, before she followed my brother inside. I walked around the side of the car, opening the car door and reaching into the glove box to pull out the paper, picking Frank's jacket up from the ground as I went. Walking back inside, I shoved the paper into my pockets, only stopping once on my way to the roof. I found Frank in my room, lying on his bed, his fingers laced together under his head as he stared at the ceiling. I chucked the Jacket at him, and it landed on his face. He quickly tore it off as I turned around and stalked up to the roof. When I reached the cold night again, I walked over to the air vent and sat against it, pulling my legs up to my chest as I bit my lower lip to hold back the tears. I had always been told that the brightest stars were always those who had left you behind, and I couldn't help as I searched the skies. The brightest star in the sky glimmered proudly in the sky, and I let the tears cascade down my face. The paper in my pocket felt heavy, and I hugged myself tighter.
'Gerard?' Frank asked weakly. I sniffed, trying to gather my composure as quickly as I possibly could.
'What?' I hissed at him. He hesitated for a moment.
'I'm sorry.' He whispered, and suddenly fell down beside me. I ground my teeth together, keeping my eyes focused on the one point in the sky. Frank sighed beside me.
'Why'd you do it?' I seethed to him. He shrugged.
'When you were gone, none of us knew what had happened to you. When Mikey told us what had happened, I thought might have run away. I didn't have a clue where you'd have gone, and when I asked Mikey he didn't have a clue either. So I decided that maybe you had something in your room that would direct us. Maybe a letter from an old friend that you went to visit, or a diary entry about any other places like the tree that you might have gone.' I scoffed.
'Of course, more than happy to read through my personal shit instead of giving me time and space.'
'It wasn't like that, Gerard. I swear. I just wanted you back so much.'
'Oh, yeah. That's why you still have it with you, is it? Fucking oath, Frank. You go rifling through my personal shit, my private things, and then you have the guts to steal one of the only two things I have left of my mother, and carry it around with you? I'm I still not seeing it right? Was it not like that, because that's exactly how it fucking is, Frank. You could have put it back. You could have left it where it was. That letter had nothing to point you to any possibly fucking location, you had no right to take something that meant so much to not only be, but my brother, too.' I screamed at it. Frank didn't flinch, he didn't try to speak, he just bowed his head in shame. I reached up to wipe my face, before continuing.
'Get out of my fucking sight. I don't want to see you right now.' Frank nodded obediently, getting up and leaving without another word.