Opposites Always Attract.

Slamming the door shut, I made my way into my home. A mildly interesting Art show was on the television, meaning my mum was already here. The smell of cooking began creeping in from the kitchen. My mother has been baking again; at least there was one good thing that came out of today.

"Honey, is that you?" a familiar New Jersey accent asked me.
I just groaned in response, flopping onto the couch, my head buried in the cushions.

"Elliot?" my mum called again, walking into the living room. She must have seen me lying on the couch, my shoes still on my feet and my bag still on my shoulder, because she sighed and said "Get your shoes of the sofa"

I rolled off of the couch and onto the floor in response. Landing in an uncomfortable heap by my mother’s feet, my bags content spilling out of the floor. Damn it.

"Something wrong, Ellie?" my mum asked. I again, just grunted in response. "Well if you get up off the floor, we could talk about it?"

While a lot of effort, I managed to pick myself up from the floor, discarding my Converse to the corner of the room. Mum pulled me into a hug, she smelt of butter and icing. She’d been making cupcakes, excellent.

"So, what's up?" she asked, pushing me by my shoulders into the kitchen. I plonked myself onto one of the bar stools and grabbed a still warm cupcake that was sat on the counter.

"I have to do a bloody, stupid Art project, with this bloody annoying kid, who I hate so bloody much. And it's all Mr Escobar's bloody fault" I said, through a mouthful of sponge and blue icing.
"You know, you say 'bloody' a lot when you're annoyed" my mother chuckled.
"Really? I hadn't bloody noticed"

My mum rolled her eyes, stealing a piece of my cupcake.
"So, let me get this straight. You have to work with a student who you don't get along with for an art project?" popping the small piece of food into her mouth.
"Don't get along with? I think that's an understatement!" I said, taking another large bit of my cupcake.
"Boy or girl?"
"Boy...Why does it matter?"
"Doesn't. I was just interested. So why don't you get along?"
"Because he's a prick, who hates me for like, no reason"
"Do you actually know anything about him?"
"Yeah - Well. No not really."
"So how do you know he hate you?"
"Because he hates everybody!"
"Elliott, I'm sure he doesn't h-"
"Mum. He hates. Everyone"
"Does he not have any friends?"
"Well. Yeah, but they're just as bad as he is."
"I don't see what's really so bad about this, Ellie. I thi-"
"Don't you dare stick up for Gerard Way, mother!" I said. My eyes narrowed as my mother’s own brown eyes began shining with laughter, the laughter lines around her eyes creased a little.

"I was just gunna say, maybe this Gerard kid isn't as bad as you think" she tried to say it carefully, not wanting to anger me more, but she couldn't hide the amused smirk that made its way onto her lips.
"...You're a terrible, terrible mother." I slid off of my stool and made my way to my room.

"Oh yeah! A terrible mother who bakes you cupcakes for no real reason!" my mother yelled at me, from the kitchen. Laughter was clearly audible in her voice.
"They tasted like evil!!!" I yelled back, stomping up the stairs. My mother’s laughter was still ringing through the walls by the time I slammed my door. I couldn't stop myself from chuckling at my childish insult.

-

It's been two days. Two days since I knew I had to be partnered with Gerard, and I haven't said a word to him. It’s not exactly like he made an effort to talk to me either. Tara on the other hand, could not stop going on about her project, or rather, could not stop going on about Seth.

"You're such a lucky bitch" Angelica said, taking a sip of her Diet Coke.
"I reckon you'll have him wrapped 'round your lil' finger by the end of this week" Maggie informed. Chloe nodded in agreement, whilst typing away on her Blackberry.

In case you were wondering, we were seated at our lunch table. Maggie and I being the only ones who actually ate of course, but still, it was only a salad. We were all wearing our cheerleading uniforms, which were blue and gold in colour. Our pleated skirts were amazingly short, I was almost sure my whole backside was visible when I so much as stood up. I tried to secretly pull the skirt down again.

"Ellie, stop trying to pull your skirt down, it’s not like we can see your womb" Chloe said, her eyes still fixed upon her Blackberry.
"But it feels so-"
"Elliott! Stop!" she finally removed her eyes from her phone, and sent me evil glares. "You can't look uncomfortable in your uniform. You have to look hot, okay? There is no point in wearing a uniform, if all you're gunna do, is tug it down. So just stop it. You're making the rest of us look bad. 'Kay?" she sent me an overly sweet (and sarcastic) smile, before returning to her phone.

The table sat in awkward silence before Tara began making conversation again. You could always count on that girl to break the ice.
"So, Elliott, I feel so dead sorry for you"
"Um, why?" One of my eyebrows arched upwards. Genuinely confused as to why Tara felt sympathy for me.
"Because, you have to work with that Gerard kid for Art. He's so creepy"

Damn

"Ohhh yeah. I forgot about that" I scratched the back of my neck. As if I had forgotten, it had been on my mind all day. I’d 'forgotten' to tell the other girls this minor detail in my life, as I knew they would cause a fuss. They weren’t necessarily scared of him, I don’t think, just scared of what he could do. Gerard wasn’t exactly a person who you would like to be left alone with, let alone in your house. All three of their heads shot up, suddenly interested in my life.

"What's this?"
"Gerard Way? Fuck that!"
"Don't let him in your underwear draw!"
The last remark came from Angelica; trust her to come up with something sexual. Never once had it crossed that Gerard might try and rummage through my underwear draw. I was more concerned that we would annoy each other so much, we both ended up physically abusing each other.

"...I won't let him go into my underwear draw, Angelica. Don't worry" I sighed, with a reassuring yet humorous on smile on my face. She nodded at me.
"Remember, if he tries anything. I'll fuckin' knock him ou-"
"I think I'll be fine, Angie, really. I mean I haven't even spoken to him since Monday."
"Good. He's such a fuckin' creep. I mean who honestly dresses like that?" Chloe said, suddenly becoming interested in the conversation. “He’s such an emo”

"Is he like...Part of a cult or something?" Maggie asked, with complete seriousness. I tried not to laugh. Gerard may have be slightly odd, but I doubted himself and his friends drank pigs blood whilst worshiping the devil on their Friday nights.

"He could be you know! He looks like a vampire, or something." Tara gasped "OhmyGod!!. He's a vampire Elliott!! Don't let him in your house! Do you want me to bring some Holy Water round? My parents have loa-"
"Tara. Tara...Tara!! I really doubt Gerard Way is a vampire."
"He could b-"
"Tara. He is not a vampire. Look guys. I'll be fine, okay? It's just a project. I mean, what can go wrong? The worst thing that can happen is that I make him cry with my brilliant insults."
"...Do you think he cries blood?"
"No, Tara...Stop reading things on the internet, okay" she simply nodded.

-

At the end of school, I decided I better at least make an attempt to talk to Gerard. After all, I wanted a good grade in Art, and if that meant having to communicate with him, then so be it. As I was walking out of school, I saw him and his brother, Mikey making their way towards a car, which I assumed to be Gerard's. I ran after them.

"Gerard!" he didn't turn around. The people around me looked at me confused. Why was Elliott Haile running after Gerard Way of all people? Mikey obviously thought the same thing, as his face turned bright red, and he began tugging at his brother’s sleeve.

"Gerard!" I called again. This time Gerard turned around, swatting Mikey's pale hand off of his jacket. His eyes narrowed in confusion and anger as I approached him.

"Look, Gerard" I said once I was close enough "I know this whole 'Project' thing isn't exactly what we both had in mind, but I want - no I need a good grade in Art. So, I thought maybe we could get started on it soon. The sooner we start it the sooner we finish it, right?"

He stayed silent for a moment or two. He seemed to be thinking it over, whether working with me was really worth getting a good grade, or not.

"...Fine. But this doesn't mean I suddenly like you or anything"
"The feelings mutual"
"So...When do you wanna, like, you know. Do this?"
"My house is free tomorrow. That is, if you're free?"
"I've got nothing going on."
"Cool. So...I'll drive us both back to mine after school?"
"Uhh...Yeah" Gerard scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. If I'm honest, I felt slightly awkward too. Not to mention Mikey, who was shifting from one foot to the other, trying to look anywhere but in my general direction.

"Mikey, is that okay with you?" I said. For some reason, I felt slightly guilty that I was taking his ride away from him tomorrow. Mikey looked up at me, fear in his eyes, as if he was shocked that I had actually, directly spoken to him.
"Oh. Um, y-yeah, yes. That's fine. We don't live far...Uh, far away. I'll just, walk home"

"Okay. Well. I have to go now" I began edging myself backwards, trying to escape from the awkward conversation. "Bye!" I turned around and started heading towards my own car.

"Wait! Elliott" Gerard called. I turned around again, what did he want now?

"I still hate you!!!" he said loud enough for several people to stop and glance at either myself, or Gerard. That bloody smirk was back again. "And I can see your ovaries in that uniform!!"

I sent him a middle finger, and yelled "Well, you shouldn't be looking. Pervert!" he scowled at me, before getting into his car, Mikey following him.

Nevertheless, as I made my way to my own car, I found myself pulling my skirt down lower again. Damn that Gerard. Why did he always manage to get to me?