My Way Home is Through You

“You’re an amazing artist.” Gerard told me as he too began to lay out art supplies and opened his sketchbook. The first thing I noticed was a drawing of a monkey holding up a platter of what looked to be pancakes.

“Thank you… are those pancakes?” I asked pointing to the drawing of the monkey.

“Yeah, they’re pancakes.” I looked at his face and noticed the slight pinkish tinge to his pale face. Did I just make him blush?

“Is he a character or something?” I was honestly really curious about the monkey almost forgetting about Gerard blushing.

“Um, well I’ve never really showed him to anybody. But yeah I sort of pictured him to be a cartoon.” Now at this time, Gerard began to get really excited the more he talked about his drawing. “I called him The Breakfast Monkey, and he saves the world one breakfast at a time.”

At this point Gerard kept talking about his cartoon character and I quietly slipped back into shading the rest of my drawing. I listened carefully to everything he had to say about his Breakfast Monkey. He told me he already had a few episodes planned out and when he got out of high school, he wanted to go share his idea with the Cartoon Network.

I smiled and gave him reassuring glances to show him I was still listening. For some odd reason I was so comfortable around him but at the same time I was so paranoid I was going to do something stupid. Any friendship I might have had was ruined because I couldn’t trust them enough to let them in. So it’s not like I chose to be a loner on purpose. It just sort of… happened.

Finally the bell rang to signal the end of class and I slowly packed up my belongings, Gerard also doing the same. A couple more classes, the day would be done with and I would be free. I got up from the chair and began to walk away, the only thing that prevented me from getting out of the room was the fact that I was really light headed. I could feel my legs start to shake as I was walking and eventually they buckled underneath me.

I fell to the floor my head cracking on the tiled floor. I heard multiple gasps in the room but I couldn’t see anything. I felt a pair of hands snake underneath my head and pulled it onto their lap, I tried to open my eyes but all I saw was blurry outlines. Was that Gerard holding my head in his lap?

“Someone go get the nurse!” I slipped in and out of consciousness as I lay on the floor.

“Where the hell are they?” I heard Gerard’s voice. So he was the one that was holding me.

“Screw this! We’re not waiting any longer.” I felt Gerard’s arms slide underneath my body as I was lifted off the ground.

“No! You can’t carry me, I’m too heavy.” My words were mashed together.

“You’re not too heavy!” He said as we descended down the stairs. I heard more gasps and people asking what happened as he carried me through the halls. Gerard didn’t answer them though. He was more determined about finding me help. It would probably be more flattering if I wasn’t so out of it.

“I’m taking you to the hospital; you hit your head pretty hard.” When Gerard said that, my eyes shot open and stared right into his.

“No, please don’t take me there.” I frantically grabbed his shirt and started kicking my legs.

“Whoa Mackenzie, you need to calm down. They’re going to help you.” By now the tears were pouring out of my eyes. I’ve had too many problems already with the hospital, and I’ve actually come to hate that place and fear it.

“Just please don’t bring me there, look I’m talking to you. I’m sure I can even walk.” I looked into his eyes for some form of sympathy. “If you just put me down I’ll show you.”

Gerard hesitated for a minute but gently put me back on my feet, he kept his arm wrapped around me. I took one step and my legs buckled underneath me again.

“See you’re not fine.” In one swift movement I was back up in his arms again.

“Dude I heard what happened, oh hi.” I saw Gerard’s friend walking beside him. He was considerably shorter than Gerard and had black hair much like Gerard’s but it was styled into some type of Mohawk.

“I’m Frank by the way.” He stuck out his hand and I sort of just stared at it. “You can shake my hand you know; I don’t have rabies.” All three of us were now exiting the school and walking towards Gerard’s car, I assumed.

“Frank now’s not the time.” Gerard said and opened up a silver car door and placed me gently in the seat. Before he shut it he told me to buckle up. With shaking hands I grabbed the seat belt and pushed it into the slot. I laid my head on the back of the seat rest and waited for Gerard to join me in the car. I could see that he was talking to Frank and soon Frank stormed off.

I drifted in and out of sleep while I waited for Gerard to get into the car. As I was closing my eyes I heard the car door open, but I was too tired to open my eyes.

“Mackenzie!” Gerard said frantically and shook my shoulder. I groaned and looked up at him. “You have to stay awake, sugar.” If I wasn’t so out of it I’m sure I would be blushing right about now.

“I’m awake.” I felt Gerard back out of the parking space and eventually started driving forward. He kept talking to me to keep me conscious.

“Look, I know you don’t want to go to the hospital. But I really have no choice.” I didn’t answer him back. I just waited and sat in silence while he drove me to the hospital. “I’m going to need your phone number before we get there. I need to get a hold of your parents.”

I mumbled incoherent words to him while my eyes started to close. I could feel Gerard start to pick up speed and turned the corner quite fast. He pulled into a parking space and ripped the keys out of the ignition and opened the car door.

I heard my car door opened and I felt Gerard reach over me to unbuckle my seat belt. His arms slid underneath me again and he lifted me from the car seat. He practically ran towards the entrance of emergency room.

I closed my eyes because of the bright lights and hid my face in Gerard’s chest. Trying to forget where I was.

“It’ll be okay, Mackenzie.” He stopped abruptly and called for help.

The feeling of my body being rushed around made me stomach sick, and soon enough I was placed in a room while a doctor tended to me. Gerard excused himself and I knew he was going to go call my parents. My stomach twisted in knots again, because I knew they were going to find out about my eating disorder. No one faints for absolutely no reason.