Telegraph Avenue Kiss

The day after Mikey's birthday was, regrettably, spent at school. We were already getting behind in the classwork, and the teachers called our moms about it, so now we couldn't skip everyday like we had planned.

We weren't really going to skip everyday, we're not dumb, but for us it was torture and we need some days off. Now it looks like we're going to have to fake being sick, which works in Mikey's favor because he can make himself throw up. No, he's not bulemic, just talented and skinny.

After school, I went home for a few minutes. Enough time to eat and ask Mom if I could go over to Mikey's house. She gave me an annoyed look.

"Have you finished your homework?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips. Oh, that's where I get it.

"Yup." I answered. Both of us knew I hadn't, but she let me go. It's almost like she's given up. I'm not complaining, because I always wanted alot of freedom, but she could at least make an attempt. Who else do I have looking out for me?

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Gerard greeted me at the door when I knocked. Today he was wearing a black t-shirt, black jeans, and red eyeliner. He was being the hot little goth boy that he always is.

"Oh, hi Francis. Mikey's playing his PS2, of course." he said, leaning against the frame of the door like he did before when we were in Mikey's room. Doesn't he know that distracts me?

"You're not going to let me in?" I asked, tilting my head to the side. He smirked and tucked his hair behind his ear, one of the little quirks that I love. His hazel eyes sparkled with a hidden motive for this. He's plotting something.

"Mmmm, I just don't know if I should. I held you hostage yesterday, so I'm holding you opposite hostage today." he said logically, pretending that it made sense.Obviously in his mind, it did.

"How do you hold someone opposi-" He ran back inside the house and slammed the door before I could finish my sentence. I stood there in stunned silence until I heard him laughing on the other side of the door. I banged on it with my fist.

"Gerard, you asshole! I'm gonna get you back for this!" I yelled, hoping his mom and dad wasn't around.

"How? You're out there and I'm not." he said mockingly.

"I'll bomb your house."

"But then you might kill Mikey."

"Oh, yeah, that is right. And I wouldn't want to do that cause I love Mikey." I said, knowing what was going to come. We were going to fight over who loves Mikey more.

"Oh, I see. You love Mikey but you don't love me."

That startled me. I know he was kidding, but it shocked me to hear him say anything like that. He would be disgusted if he knew how right he was, but I knew this was just a game to him.

"Well, I would love you if you let me in the house, Gerard." I put my hands in my pockets and waited for his answer. Was he going to take me seriously? Would that be such a bad thing? I wanted him to know that I liked him just to see his reaction, but if he didn't like me....well, at least at this point I can pretend. If I knew for sure, it'd crush me.

The door opened and Gerard stepped into view. He motioned for me to come in, and I did. Once the door was shut behind me, I turned to Gerard and tackled him. We fell to the floor with a thump, me landing on top of him.

"Ow, what was that for?" Gerard asked, sitting up. Gravity made me fall into his lap, of course. And what's the point of fighting gravity when it puts you where you want to be?

"That was for locking me out. Told you I'd get you back." I told him, flicking the end of his nose. He scrunched up his nose at me.

"Ass."

"Why yes, it's right here." I said, pointing to my ass. He rolled his eyes, and suddenly I was off the ground. Gerard had me thrown over his shoulder and was making his way up the stairs before I could comprehend why I was floating.

Mikey was sitting in the floor leaned up against his bed when we came through the door rather loudly. It wouldn't have been so loud if Gerard hadn't insisted to fake drop me every two seconds just to make me scream like a girl. Mikey had a controller permanantly glued to his hand at all times lately, and this very moment was no exception. He spared us a glance as we practically fell through the door. He rolled his eyes and seemed especially annoyed today.

"Geez, why don't you two just fuck already?" he asked bitterly. He's started constantly being an ass when Gerard and I were around each other, and I don't know what it was. Is he jealous that we were hanging out without him? I hated him being this way. It was almost reason enough to avoid being around Gerard despite the fact that he was all I thought about. Almost.

Mikey was my best friend and it killed me to do anything that displeased him, but there was no way I could function without his brother. It was pathetic, really, me needing someone who is more than likely straight, and even if he isn't, won't go after a kid five years younger than him with a girlfriend. Ugh, I say the same things over and over, how unlikely it is, but I still can't let go of that little glimmer of hope. I can't get it drilled in my head that I'm just hurting myself, but maybe Iwanted needed that thrill of knowing it was wrong.

I was tossed on Mikey's bed as Gerard smacked his brother for the little comment about us. But of course it bothered him. He was *gasp* being accused of fucking a little kid.

"Shut up Mikey." he snapped. This was the first real burst of anger that I'd seen from Gerard. Most of the time he seemed oblivious to the horrors of the world and just busied himself with doing something creative. I was even more surprised to see him hit Mikey. Call me horrible, but angry Gerard was hot. I'm awful. My best friend just got hit and all I could think about was how dark Gerard's eyes got when he was not happy.

"Ow, I was just kidding, idiot!" Mikey groaned, rubbing the back of his head. He glared up at his brother. Gerard sighed and patted Mikey on the head.

"Sorry, Mikes." he said with lacking emotion. Just the way that anyone would apologize to their little brother for something as unimportant as a slap to the back of the head. Mikey gets three times the verbal abuse each day at school.

I slid off the bed and landed in the floor next to Mikey. His face was all of two inches away from the TV screen. His nose was practically touching it. This shit is probably the reason why he needed glasses in the first place. I could have given Mikey the tool to blind himself forever.

"Mikey." I said. No answer.

"Mikey!" I said it a few times until I finally yelled out of exasperation and gave up. I looked over at Gerard instead, who was leaned up against the headboard of Mikey's bed. He was smirking at me. I frowned and stuck my tongue out at him.

"Girl." he muttered. I quirked an eyebrow at him. Were we really going here again?

"You're just frustrated because you find me attractive." I told him, being bold for once. He snapped his fingers and looked defeated.

"Damn, you found me out, Frankie." he joked. At least, I think he was joking. If he wasn't, then bob help Mikey, because I will have his brother up against the fucking wall. Or maybe I'll just jump him right here, since he was conviently placed on a bed. Eh, I think Mikey's too entranced in the game to notice if anything did happen.

I climbed up on Mikey's bed and crawled over to Gerard as sensually as I could without looking like a fucktard. He grinned broadly as I reached where he was.

"Oooh, that was really sexy showing off your womanly curves like that." he said quietly.

"Yeah, well-" I cuddled up really close to him. "Gotta work what you have." He grinned and slipped an arm around my shoulders. I was perfectly happy with this arrangement of laying on a bed practically in Gerard's arms listening to the sounds of Grand Theft Auto:San Andreas in the background. But then Mikey had to ruin my tranquility.

"Hey, you two had better not be making out back there." he warned. And of course, Gerard had to defy anything that was told to him.

"Hey, Mikes, look." he said to his brother. Mikey turned around just in time to see Gerard plant a quick, tight-lipped kiss on my lips. It wasn't really even a kiss, more like our lips being smushed together, but it definately had an effect on me. How could it not? The boy I am lusting over just kissed me, no matter if it was for show or not.

"Ew! Guys, honestly! What the fuck, I did not want to see that!" Mikey yelled. He brooded and turned back to his game quickly. Gerard rolled his eyes and looked down at my blood red face. When he saw me he grinned.

"Aww, you're blushing..." he gushed. He leaned down to kiss my forehead, which just made me a deeper shade of crimson. "It's so cute how you think that I'm serious."

Okay, that didn't hurt. It didn't lacerate my heart.

No matter what, I wasn't going to look like a little girl. "I don't think you're serious." I said with more confidence than I thought I possessed after that cruching blow. He grinned maniacally and moved his lips dangerously close to my ear.

"Then why are you blushing like that?"

"I always blush when I'm around you." Damn, wrong thing to say.

"Why?"

"Because you're all over me!"

"Well, sorry." he snapped. His arm left my side and he stormed out of the room. Gerard was a lot less attractive when he's pissed at me.

"Oh, what happened, you two break up?" Mikey asked mockingly.

"Shut up." I whispered, close to tears. This shouldn't affect me like this. I don't want Gerard, he doesn't want me, no one wants us together...

"Frankie, are you okay?" Mikey asked softly. I took a while to answer.

"No. Not really. I'm very un-okay, if you must know." (srry, but I wasn't gonna put I'm not okay)

"Well, c'mere, Frank." He patted the ground next to him. I toppled off the bed onto the floor and laid my head in his lap.

"What is going on between you and my brother?" he asked seriously.

"Nothing. That...back there, we were just messing with you, Mikey." I told him. More like Gerard was messing around and I...suffered. Mikey paused the game and looked at me. This was going to be serious.

"Frankie, you and Gee seem to 'mess around' alot..."

"Well, it doesn't mean anything."

Then he asked the question I had been dreading to hear. How could I answer him when I didn't know myself what the answer was.

"Do you want it to?"

"No! Mikey, I have a girlfriend. I'm not gay." He looked relieved to hear me say this, as if he actually thought I was.

"Good. I just...didn't want you to get your hopes up for my brother. Nothing is going to happen there, he's just not the type to have good relationships. He's a self-destructive guy...and has a way of bringing people down with him."

After his cryptic message, Mikey kissed my cheek and turned back to his game.

"It's a damn good thing that I'm not gay, or I'd totally have to tap that." I said, referring to Mikey. He giggled, and for the first time I realised that sometimes their laughs can sound the same.

"And if I was gay and not totally hung up on Rebecca, I'd let you."

"Yeah! Instead of getting you a PS2, I could have just wrapped myself up with a bow. Save myself $200."

"And speaking of Rebecca.."

"We weren't really speaking of her, you know." I said, but Mikey wouldn't have it.

"Same thing. We should go to the Waffle House." Who didn't see that coming?

"Why, so you can ignore me for your girlfriend?" It's not that I didn't like Rebecca, but it's like I'm not there when she's around. I was actually thrilled that Mikey was so happy, if only he could pay attention to both of us.

"Gee will come with us. You two can make up." he said brightly. He turned off his game with out saving it and ran downstairs to ask Gerard to come with us. I seriously doubted that this would turn out good for Gerard and me.