Boys Of Summer

GERARD's POV

There were only two Los Angeles shows left before probably the best tour we'd ever been on would be over. This tour had changed so much for our band, and it was going to be hard leaving all of our great friends we'd made. The end was always the worst, but we had so much to look forward to at the same time. Management had just confirmed that we'd scored an opening spot on Green Day's world tour for their new album. To say that was an honour would be like saying Mickey Mouse was just another cartoon. A complete understatement of monumental proportions.

There had been a few small incidents in the days since the Orlando show, but they were becoming severely outweighed by the positive comments we'd been receiving. A few fans I managed to have a proper conversation with after the New Orleans show had remarked that my performance was a lot better than at previous shows they'd been to, and they were excited that I was actually sober while I talked to them. Apparently the last time we'd talked I'd had to break off in the middle of a sentence to throw up in the gutter behind me. It was a little embarrassing hearing that recounted, but it made me even more thankful that I'd met someone who could inspire me to make the change that I'd needed.

When Rachel had come over to let me know it was five minutes until bus call those fans, Steven and Corey, had thanked her for making me so obviously happy. Cue the embarrassed blushing as Rachel hid her face against my chest, and we both laughed at the first time we'd really had a positive reaction to our relationship.

Rach wanted to get a photo with them, to commemorate the occasion, so we quickly did that before heading back to the bus. We both were still smiling at the encounter as we entered the back room, almost being blinded by Ray taking a photo of us since he was the photographer of the day.

We'd gotten a really good reaction to the photos the band had taken. Mikey in particular took the challenge to a new extreme, cataloguing the days activities in brand names and DVD covers, always paired with cheesy poses, a la game show hostess. I'd taken the opportunity of stalking Pete when I wasn't needed, to show how the other band lived, and also took a few shots of the artwork I'd been working on. I had the last day, so all the usual things had already been covered. Showing off my art had also given me an idea, something that I was even more nervous about than when I'd asked Rach to be my girlfriend.

I'd been working on this project since that day, always in secret, which basically just meant whenever my girlfriend was hanging with Pete and the Fall Out Boy's. She'd had a few nights on their bus, which had helped me out, with spare time being rather limited already. Though I was excited to have time to work I missed just hanging out and cuddling with her while we watched movies before falling asleep on the couches. We'd spent a bit more time in the bunks since Orlando, but the back room was still our favourite place to sleep.

I still needed to get the last frame of my comic finished so I could give it to Rachel after the show tonight. I had planned to leave it till the last show, but there were all the pranks to plan (and possibly some to suffer from) and the after party... it was far too hectic to expect an answer when so much else was going on around us, let alone actually getting enough time alone to show her probably my proudest work.

Luckily Pete was in on the plan, so he was helping keep Rachel occupied whenever he could without coming across as suspicious. Ray had even offered to act as a tackling pad a few days ago when we'd had a nice grassy area backstage. The smile that had crossed Rach's face after a short moment of shock before she quickly took him up on the offer before he could change his mind had even inspired a new page.

"Gerard, you have to stop being such a perfectionist! It's finished, ok?" I knew Mikey was only trying to help, but there was something just a little off and I'd been wracking my brain for the last ten minutes trying to figure out what it was. Tweaking here and there, adjusting the shading a little.

"Sorry Mikes, I know I've been a pain trying to get this done." That was an understatement, I was sure. Everyone kept insisting it wasn't, but I knew I'd been a lot crankier lately. Part of that was nerves, but there was also tension there from detoxing. It had been over a week since my last drop of alcohol, and though it was hard, having the most amazing girl next to me made the effort worth it. Knowing that, if she said no to the question on this page I might have to dull the disappointment.

Finally spotting that the sparkle I hoped to see in her eyes was the culprit, I soon had that fixed and heard relieved sighs from around me as I put my pens away.

Patting my shoulder as I walked past him in the hall, Bob stopped me for a second. "You know she loves you man. There's no way she'll say no."