Let Me Be The One To Save You

I left the exam centre and felt like throwing my arms in the air with triumph. I’d done it. I’d finished secondary school and my Leaving Cert. I felt on top of the world. Now all I had to do was enjoy my summer up until August when I would get my results.
My phone fell out of my pocket and I quickly bent down to pick it up and turn it on. The screen lit up and I hoped that it would be a text from Gerard. But sadly, there was nothing. We hadn’t spoken much in the past few weeks because I had been stressing about exams and Gerard knew that I needed to study. But he knew I finished up today and I was finished up with German as my last exam and I had assumed he’d at least text to ask how it went. It wasn’t like him.

My head was pounding when I opened the door into my house, the exams had worn me out and I was exhausted. I just wanted to go to bed.

“Mum! I’m going to go have a nap. If Gee calls tell him I’ll ring him back later.”

I heard movement in the kitchen and then my mother’s voice, “Ciara, can you come here for a second? I have something for you.”

Sighing I made my way towards the kitchen. My relationship with my mother had improved greatly over the past couple of months and I assumed she had gotten me a cake or something to celebrate the end of my exams.

“What mum?” I pushed open the door and instead of facing my mother I was face-to-face with none other than Gerard Way.

“Hey,” He smiled softly and opened his arms to me.

I jumped into his embrace, inhaling his intoxicating scent that I had missed so much. “Oh Gee! I’ve missed you so fucking much!”

He kissed the top of my head and I felt his breath disturb my hair, “Missed you too C. Jersey sucks without my best friend.”

I giggled and held him close against me, unwilling to let him go, afraid that as soon as I did he would disappear into nothingness. I didn’t want to lose him again so soon.

There was a cough and Gerard and I broke apart though still kept a grasp of my hand. My mother was staring at us with a raised eyebrow.

“So…uhm… Mum… I guess you’ve met Gerard,” I smiled weakly expecting her to scream or something, but instead she just laughed.

“Yes I did and he’s a lovely young man.”

I shot Gerard a disbelieving look out of the corner of my eye. He was blushing and the hand that was not linked with mine was rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. His embarrassment was endearing.

My mom dragged us into the living room and left to go prepare us all a cup of tea, so typical of an Irish mother. Gerard sat down on the couch and pulled me down beside him. He wrapped an arm around me and pulled me close against him nuzzling his nose in my hair.

“I’ve missed you C and I’m letting you go ever again.”