Seventy Times Seven

"Frank!"

"Yes!"

"Lets start a band someday."

"Ok."

"Mikey!"

"Yea?"

"You're in it too."

"Alright."

"Chelsea!"

"Hm?"

"Learn how to play drums."

"Gotcha."

"Mikeys chick!"

"...Um..yea?"

"Can you sing?!"

"Uh..not really.."

"Can you dance?!"

"I..suppose.."

"Great! You can be a backup dancer!"

Frank started laughing, "I think we should make Ray a backup dancer too."

Gerard started laughing, "Dude if he was here instead of puking his guts up at home he'd probably kick your ass!"

I smiled, "Yea. He's a pretty good guitar player Frankie. Besides, youd be pretty good at dancing yourself."

He gasped, "I so learned Thriller!"

Mikey gasped, "Are you serious?!"

"Yea dude!" and with that he jumped up and ran to his room. He ran back out and put a tape in his tape player and changed songs. Micheal Jackson's "Thriller" came on and he started dancing every step from the music video. Even Alicia was laughing.

Mikey ran up next to him, "Show me show me show me!"

"Alright," Frank replied, pausing and rewinding it back.

"They are such idiots," Gerard said, plopping on the couch between me and Alicia. "So hows Chels?"

"She's ok," I said with a smile.

"And Mikey's chick?"

She just stared at him. "Um..I'm cool."

"You should really leave her alone Gerard," I commented, "She really isnt that bad."

"Oh I know," he said with a smile. "I just love how quiet she is. Its so funny!" He threw an arm around her shoulders, which, in response, she flinched uncomfortabley.

I just threw her a reassuring glance, "He's harmless, I swear."

Just then my phone started vibrating (since I hadnt turned it up from school). I pulled it out of my pocket and looked at it. It clearly read 'Mom.'

Oh jeez.

"I'll be right back," I said as I got up and headed for the kitchen, so that she wouldnt question why I had a new liking for Micheal Jackson or anything. "Hello?"

She sighed, "I just had the most interesting conversation with your grandmother."

I sighed. Here it comes...

"First, as much as you may mean it? Don't call her a stupid bitch."

"But she is.." I mumbled. "Next?"

"Next, did you have a guy over there yesterday?"

I was ready to argue, "Mom, he's..a friend. He was hanging out with me when she called."

"Was it just him?"

I thought of what to say. I'm not a great liar. But we seriously didnt do anything!...that bad..!

"Yea, but he's a friend."

"Who is he anyway?" she said in a more carefree tone.

Oh no.

"Frank.."

"...Iero?"

"Yea.."

"Chelsea Mae!"

"What I told you he's a friend!"

I heard the music turn off and Gerard, Frank, Mikey and Alicia all stood in the doorway to the kitchen watching me.

"Just a friend?"

I didnt say anything. Read up. I'm not a great liar. "Umm..."

She sighed, "Maybe I shouldnt be letting you stay home alone this long. Especially since its Christmas Break and all and you won't be in school most of the day."

"NO! Mom no. I'm fine. Besides! I told you! I didn't do anything!" I argued. No way is she making me go to grandmas for Christmas.

"Yea well it was like that for a while for me too!"

"Mom! Trust me! I won't do anything!"

"Thats the same thing I told your grandmother!"

"You're a terrible child!"

She scoffed, "Chelsea Mae Manson!"

"Mom, I'm not going to grandmas for Christmas. I wont do it," I said flatly.

She didnt say anything for a second, "Fine. I'll bring them to you."

I gasped, "What?!"

"I'm sure your grandmother would be happy to spend Christmas with you in Jersey."

"You wouldn't.."

"I would. And I know how she can be so that'll be pretty much like grounding you!"

Last hope. Guilt trip.

"Oh my god mom! You make Christmas bad enough by making me celebrate it by myself. But now you just ruin it more by punishing me with my own grandmother."

She didn't say anything. Which is funny, that we both found being with grandma was a punishment. "I'll think about it. Just..make good decisions Chels. Don't do anything stupid."

"I already told you mom. I won't."

"Alright, I love you."

"Love you too. Bye." I quickly hung up and threw my phone on the floor in anger. I pointed to Frank, "I should fuck you! Just for spite!"

He picked my phone up for me then looked at me kind of surprised, "Um..I'm game?"

"Me too," Gerard piped up from behind him. I laughed and shoved him as Frank rolled his eyes with a smile. "Whats going down?"

"My moms threatening to send my grandma here for christmas!"

"Wait wait," Frank said quickly, "Send her here. Not send you there?"

"Yea. Send her here. It fucking sucks!"

He smiled, "Atleast shes not sending you there!"

I rolled my eyes, "Yea cause I told her I refused! She cant make me go to the airport if shes not here! Besides, my grandma probably hates the whole idea of me having friends that are 'males'. Forget a boyfriend. She'd be on my ass everyday about everything!"

"Can we get her drunk?"

Everyone looked at Gerard like he was an idiot. "What?! We get mom drunk sometimes and she lets us do whatever we want!"

"Gerard..this is her grandma.." Mikey said slowly.

"Grandmas can have fun too!"

I sighed, "Not mine!"

"How about this," Frank stepped in. "If she's like any old person, she probably goes to bed at what..eight?"

I shrugged, "Probably. Eight or nine."

"Why not just sneak out? We could help you and stuff. You know?"

We didnt say anything for a second. Probably because thats a pretty good idea... "Yea but that just means I can hang out with you at night. What about during the day?"

Mikey looked at me wide eyed, "She wont let you hang out with us during the day??"

I rolled my eyes, "Not until you lose your testicles, no!"

"Have Mikeys chick pick her up. She doesnt have testicles, right?" Gerard replied, looking at her.

She had kind of been zoning off, "What?"

"No," Mikey answered for her sternly, putting an arm around her. It made me smile.

"Can you drive?" Gerard continued.

She shook her head. "I'm fourteen."

"Do you know how?"

She shrugged and nodded a little.

"I won't tell if you dont."

"It's settled then. Alicia will be your bestest friend while your grandmas here. She'll pick you up and take you to hang out with us. Since she'll probably be hanging out with you too. And, since you'll probably have a curfew, once you get back home, we'll wait till the old lady falls asleep, then sneak you out," Frank explained.

"Sounds hot to me," Gerard replied happily.

I smiled at Alicia. "Mikey found you just in time."

She smiled back. It's kind of nice to have a chick to hang out with now. Since JB's fucking crazy. No offense, of course.