Born and Broken Every Single Time.

“Mikey!” I laughed as Mikey jumped at his mothers shrill shout. “Come down here a second!”
Mikey sighed and put his beer down, walking briskly out the room to his mothers beckon. He was only a month or so older than me, and had abused the fact that since turning 18 he could get away with drinking. I on the other hand relished the final moments of my drinking before I turned eighteen, felt a bit more rebellious. I had another fortnight to go and I wasn’t going to go easy on it.

I watched as Mikey strolled back into the room smiling. He had to nip out to the shop to get some more beer for his dad coming home. Nothing major, but no one wanted to be to blame for Mr. Way being out of beer when he came home from work. I said I’d come with him but he told me just to stay, which was no skin off my nose. This was like a second home to me anyway, I was surprised their mum hadn’t given me a key already.

I turned the sound back up on the telly, clumsily discarding the remote afterwards. I stared blankly at the screen before me as I sat on the bed leaning against the wall. I curled my knees up to my chest and leaned on them as I went into yet another line of thought.

I spent most Friday afternoons at Mikeys. He had been a friend since a very young age; it had almost become a weekly ritual. I actually welcomed Friday more than most days, getting away from school for a while. Words are harmless; it’s apparently a proven fact. But remarkably snide comments can put a downer on your day, especially when it’s almost a constant thing.

“Frank,” Gerards voice pulled me from my thoughts. I looked round and smiled, waiting for him to continue. “I’m ordering a pizza, want anything?”

“Oh, no thanks.” I looked back to the television, silently hoping I’d be left on my own again.

“Right okay,” he said. Instead of leaving to order food like I assumed he would, he walked over and sat on the bed beside me again. He pulled himself up to sit beside me but continued to look ahead as he spoke. “How much have you eaten today Frank?”

“What are you, my mother?” I retaliated mid laughter.

“No seriously,” he tilted his head towards me to look at me as he continued. “I haven’t seen you eat when you’re here for well over a month and Mikey talks about how he has to get lunch on his own. And well..” he looked me up and down briefly. “You have lost a hell of a lot of weight.”

“I’m fine,” I replied. Unlike many who confronted me on this issue, Gerard seemed more caring about it. I was usually met with snide remarks and inappropriate lectures. Of course there was nothing to read into. I was overweight, I cut back on my food – a diet if you will and lost weight. But suddenly it’s a crime, a problem even.

“Frank,” he stated again. Maybe if he didn’t say it every second word I might forget my name after almost eighteen years. “There’s something wrong, I’ve noticed it for ages. You’re almost pure white.”

“That’s rich,” I laughed as I tilted my head to look at him again. He was a few years Mikeys senior and his black hair ruffled to just above his shoulders. His skin was pale, he wouldn’t let himself tan – citing that he preferred to be paler. He wasn’t as thin as Mikey, but was pretty trim. He had smaller teeth, which is something I’d noticed years ago, you couldn’t help but find them cute.

“Yeah,” Gerard smirked. “But I choose to be pale. Yours is your health. And getting wasted isn’t going to help either.”

“Wasted?” I laughed, I was still on my first beer as it happened. “I’m not sadly. But you never know.”

“It wont’ take long,” Gerard smiled. “On an empty stomach you’re probably well on your way. Are you kipping here tonight or what?”

“Probably kip,” I muttered. My parents would kick my ass if I returned home drunk. The Ways weren’t as strict on the issue, as long as they knew about it and nothing bad happened it was okay. And of course making sure there was always a few beers left. “Why?”

“Just checking,” he smiled. A lot of nights I stayed here I was left just hanging on my own as Mikey would go to his girls house and Gerard would be out drinking. I didn’t mind, like I said it was like a second home and the family treated me like one of their own. “Fancy coming out for a drink?”

“Hmm not sure man,” I sighed. Although I’d like to believe I could pass for a drink in public I wasn’t in the mood for being thrown out another bar.

“Stay in for a drink then?” he smiled. “Mikeys at Alicia’s later, and all my regular drinking buddies are busy. It’s a hard life.”

“Oh so I’m last choice?” I smirked as I looked back to the television. “Sure.”

“Well yeah,” he winked jokingly. “I’ll just bring some more up.” The bed readjusted as Gerard walked out the room to get some more beer. I heard the door slam shut and Mikey shouting to tell everyone he was home. A few moments later he appeared at the door smiling and soaking, presumably it had been raining outside unless he went for a clothed shower.

“Quick in and out,” he grinned. “Alicia texted me, so I’m heading over now. You know where everything is. Catch.”

“Bye,” I muttered through a grin as he left. Mikey was never into holding back with what he thought, and from day one with Alicia he was always remarkably chirpier even at just the mention of her name. Four months on and nothing had changed, he was smitten for her and from the brief time I’d spent with her she was exactly the same.

“For you,” Gerard said as he reappeared handing me another beer and putting the other few he’d brought up on Mikeys chair.