Would You Leave Me Lying Here
Chapter Five: Name? Age? Reason For Crashing Down?
Gerard POV:
We'd picked up the other people coming to the gig too, including Hope... all of whom had greeted me as a friend. It made me realise how few real friends i had, having to pretend to like most of the people i'm hanging out with, no offence to the lovely people welcoming me now.
We walked into the hall being used for the gig, large with a lifted stage at one end, drinks on sale at the other, the first band tuning up on the stage already. The atmosphere of the place was amazing, the was almost fizzing with it.
And that's when the first chord was struck, music suddenly flowing cleanly from the stage, enchanting every person in the place. Including me.
The sudden shocked movement of being grabbed by the arm and dragged into the thick of the dancing was shaken away when i realised who was dragging me.
Frank.
It was gonna be a long night.
Frank POV:
I hadn't believe Andy when he said the bands playing that night were some of the best the Halls ever had.
I did now.
The shouts and applause coming from the crowd as each song ended was immense considering how few of us there were. The movement was frenzied and irresistable. I danced with anyone and everyone, holding tight to those i knew, exchanging hurried mouthed words, dancing with Hope.
But before anyone knew what had gone on, a shout had gone up, over the music, over the singing. Over everything.
And it was bad.
Everyone turned to the sorce of the noise.
And it wasn't good.
I hadn't realised how close to danger i'd been until that moment.
And the cost.
Gerard POV:
I danced.
We danced.
And then they danced.
I'd detatched myself from the teeming mass in order to get myself a drink, feeling thirstier than usual during gigs.
The noise coming from the frenzy was overpowering and all engulfing. Which if probably why no one heard the drunken troublemakers making thier way in at the back of the Hall. They began shouting, trying to get some attention to thier five-strong group, but weren't heard over the music.
At first i thought i'd leave them to it, let them intergrate themselves into the dancing and do the same myself, that was until one of them broke a bottle against the nearby table and made thier way towards the melee.
My mind had gone into self-preservation-panic mode, refusing to move. Until the biggest one headed for Frank. Before i knew it i was on the back of the thug with the bottle, having it swung at my face, shouting louder than everything, glancing blows distracting the guy from the dancers.
I found myself being thrown aside, and my vision went black.
Frank POV:
Shouting and screaming had replaced the music as people saw the mess that had happens mere feet behind them. Six guys had been slashed in the process of removing the people causing the trouble, and the blood was causing panic in the masses.
But there was something else.
A group of people had gathered in a little huddle around something on the floor. Andy and Hope were amoung the huddle. I hurried over, and said in Hope's ear,
"What is it?"
She looked me in the eye and squeezed my hand.
"It's your friend that came with us, he saved you Frankie."
I pushed past the people in front of us, my something radar flickering faster.
Gerard lay twisted on the Hall floor.
Bleeding from the head.
It didn't seem real.
Paramedics were loading him onto a strecher.
As if from underwater i could hear them asking who was coming with him in the ambulance, and my hand went up.
I turned to Andy.
"Take Hope home,"
"But Frankie-"
"Do it."
He nodded and he and Hope walked off, Hope kissing him goodbye before she went.
The guilt of Gerard being here because of me drove me to follow the paramedics into the ambulance, watching them stabalise him and secure him inside. Thoughts raced through my head, chasing each other and taunting me madly.
Why did he try to tackle them?
How did they get in without tickets?
But especially,
What if he dies?
The blood had been staunched, but Gerard was unconcious and paler than usual. And fear began to creep into me and panic began to overload my senses.
When we arrived, Gerard was taken away, and i was led to a room with soft chairs and a few people inside. A nurse brought me a drink of water and asked me for Gerard's details.
I couldn't speak after that. I just sat and waited, watching the other people in the waiting room.
One sat half on her chair with the depressed air of someone sobering up.
A couple sat holding hands, both crying silently, exchanging words every so often, resulting in more tears and a sob.
And there was me.
Someone could die, someone i know.
A friend.
And there was nothing i could do.
---
I sat in silence for forty minutes before the nurse who had brought me the water came back.
"He's stable now, you can see him if you want. And someone will have to alert his parents."
---
"Hey." i said to the motionless figure in the hospital bed, still unconcious, but safe.
"I heard you saved my life."
No reaction. I moved closer to him, sitting down on a chair near his head.
His breathing was even, his face calm, almost as if he was sleeping. I stood up, studying his face under the harsh lighting. I'd never noticed how long his eye lashes were. Or the way his hair fell so easily around him. Or the shape of his lips.
Something.
Something.
"Thank You." I said to the motionless figure.
Before leaning down and kissing him.
He was warm and soft, and i lingered a little, before drawing back.
What the?!
And i had no idea why i'd done it.
Kissed him.
I had a girlfriend.
Who i loved.
And yet...
We'd picked up the other people coming to the gig too, including Hope... all of whom had greeted me as a friend. It made me realise how few real friends i had, having to pretend to like most of the people i'm hanging out with, no offence to the lovely people welcoming me now.
We walked into the hall being used for the gig, large with a lifted stage at one end, drinks on sale at the other, the first band tuning up on the stage already. The atmosphere of the place was amazing, the was almost fizzing with it.
And that's when the first chord was struck, music suddenly flowing cleanly from the stage, enchanting every person in the place. Including me.
The sudden shocked movement of being grabbed by the arm and dragged into the thick of the dancing was shaken away when i realised who was dragging me.
Frank.
It was gonna be a long night.
Frank POV:
I hadn't believe Andy when he said the bands playing that night were some of the best the Halls ever had.
I did now.
The shouts and applause coming from the crowd as each song ended was immense considering how few of us there were. The movement was frenzied and irresistable. I danced with anyone and everyone, holding tight to those i knew, exchanging hurried mouthed words, dancing with Hope.
But before anyone knew what had gone on, a shout had gone up, over the music, over the singing. Over everything.
And it was bad.
Everyone turned to the sorce of the noise.
And it wasn't good.
I hadn't realised how close to danger i'd been until that moment.
And the cost.
Gerard POV:
I danced.
We danced.
And then they danced.
I'd detatched myself from the teeming mass in order to get myself a drink, feeling thirstier than usual during gigs.
The noise coming from the frenzy was overpowering and all engulfing. Which if probably why no one heard the drunken troublemakers making thier way in at the back of the Hall. They began shouting, trying to get some attention to thier five-strong group, but weren't heard over the music.
At first i thought i'd leave them to it, let them intergrate themselves into the dancing and do the same myself, that was until one of them broke a bottle against the nearby table and made thier way towards the melee.
My mind had gone into self-preservation-panic mode, refusing to move. Until the biggest one headed for Frank. Before i knew it i was on the back of the thug with the bottle, having it swung at my face, shouting louder than everything, glancing blows distracting the guy from the dancers.
I found myself being thrown aside, and my vision went black.
Frank POV:
Shouting and screaming had replaced the music as people saw the mess that had happens mere feet behind them. Six guys had been slashed in the process of removing the people causing the trouble, and the blood was causing panic in the masses.
But there was something else.
A group of people had gathered in a little huddle around something on the floor. Andy and Hope were amoung the huddle. I hurried over, and said in Hope's ear,
"What is it?"
She looked me in the eye and squeezed my hand.
"It's your friend that came with us, he saved you Frankie."
I pushed past the people in front of us, my something radar flickering faster.
Gerard lay twisted on the Hall floor.
Bleeding from the head.
It didn't seem real.
Paramedics were loading him onto a strecher.
As if from underwater i could hear them asking who was coming with him in the ambulance, and my hand went up.
I turned to Andy.
"Take Hope home,"
"But Frankie-"
"Do it."
He nodded and he and Hope walked off, Hope kissing him goodbye before she went.
The guilt of Gerard being here because of me drove me to follow the paramedics into the ambulance, watching them stabalise him and secure him inside. Thoughts raced through my head, chasing each other and taunting me madly.
Why did he try to tackle them?
How did they get in without tickets?
But especially,
What if he dies?
The blood had been staunched, but Gerard was unconcious and paler than usual. And fear began to creep into me and panic began to overload my senses.
When we arrived, Gerard was taken away, and i was led to a room with soft chairs and a few people inside. A nurse brought me a drink of water and asked me for Gerard's details.
I couldn't speak after that. I just sat and waited, watching the other people in the waiting room.
One sat half on her chair with the depressed air of someone sobering up.
A couple sat holding hands, both crying silently, exchanging words every so often, resulting in more tears and a sob.
And there was me.
Someone could die, someone i know.
A friend.
And there was nothing i could do.
---
I sat in silence for forty minutes before the nurse who had brought me the water came back.
"He's stable now, you can see him if you want. And someone will have to alert his parents."
---
"Hey." i said to the motionless figure in the hospital bed, still unconcious, but safe.
"I heard you saved my life."
No reaction. I moved closer to him, sitting down on a chair near his head.
His breathing was even, his face calm, almost as if he was sleeping. I stood up, studying his face under the harsh lighting. I'd never noticed how long his eye lashes were. Or the way his hair fell so easily around him. Or the shape of his lips.
Something.
Something.
"Thank You." I said to the motionless figure.
Before leaning down and kissing him.
He was warm and soft, and i lingered a little, before drawing back.
What the?!
And i had no idea why i'd done it.
Kissed him.
I had a girlfriend.
Who i loved.
And yet...