I Fell in Love With a Dead Boy

A few months had gone by, Gerard was still on my mind, he was there at work, he was there at night, and he was even there while I showered. His face wouldn’t leave the labyrinth of my thoughts. It was surprising, how the tour ended; everyone just seemed to board different planes in the departures lounge of the airport one by one. Billie said that ending the tour is always surreal; everyone knows that they will see each other again, at a party, at an award show, at a festival, on the next tour. It’s not ‘Goodbye’ it’s more of a ‘see you later’ but it’s strange that the people you have lived with for a month have been taken away just like that.
Mike wasn’t bothered about Gerard being taken away so abruptly, he fabricated some elaborate story about the singer walking into a tree while pissed faced drunk in the castle grounds. Billie seemed to believe it, trudgingly, but I was still on pins. Mike had information that I didn’t want Billie or Adi to ever find out. One word from him and that was it…he basically had me on a very, very tight leash for a while. I remember the awkwardness of Billie seeing Gerard’s bruised face for the first time…

“What the fuck happened to you?”
Gerard looked up at Billie Joe after taking a seat opposite him in the bar of the arena. Mike raised his eyebrow at me. I still hadn’t fully forgiven him for telling Gerard that he had broken my heart. But right now, my heart was pounding in my chest. A mixture of total fear and anxiety…
Gerard inhaled, “I…er…walked into a tree drunk.”
Billie tilted his head at the singer, “What? I thought you were t-total nowadays?”
Gerard glanced at me, my eyes boring into him in a desperate plea.
“Minor slip.” He grinned at my uncle
Billie glanced from Mike, to me and back to Gerard. Oh shit. He didn’t believe him.
“What really happened?” He asked, taking a sip from his coffee.
Mike sighed like he was about to say something when Gerard cut across him, “No that’s what really happened Billie Joe. I was out my tits.”
Billie smirked at him before turning to me, “I don’t believe this Fia, I’m so disappointed in you.”
My heart stopped. I literally died in the chair beneath me.
“Wha…what?” I asked, not daring to look at Gerard who I could tell was also frozen in complete fear.
“Gerard gets drunk and walks into a tree? Why the hell didn’t you at least get a picture?”

My heart jerked back into life as Billie began laughing, me Mike and Gerard forcing false chuckles as we looked at each other uncomfortably. I was so glad to be going home…

As the months passed however Mike seemed to forget about Gerard, more concerned with Brittany and studio time, My Chemical Romance were only talked of whenever Tre would receive a B horror movie in the mail from Frank. Apart from that, the band had just become another set of distant friends, but for me. Giving up Gerard and the memories was not so easy.

I followed Adi into the kitchen, it was a Sunday afternoon and we had just finished eating. Stocking the dishwasher she turned to me,
“It’s the Grammy’s next week, are you coming?”
“I don’t know Ades, I mean, I’ve never been to anything like that and plus there might not be enough tickets.”
Adi shut the door of the dishwasher, “Oh shut up, its fine, plus you get a new dress, free drinks all night, all for sitting on your ass for a few hours.”
I tilted my head in thought, “I dunno…”

“What are you talking about?”
Billie, Mike and Tre trotted into the kitchen making straight for the fridge of beer.
“The Grammy’s” Adi smiled as Billie kissed his wife tenderly on the cheek.
“Oh yes, of course, it’s next week” he chuckled.
“Are you going Fia?” Mike asked sitting down with his Corona.
“I dunno, I want to but…”
“But what?”
“There won’t be enough tickets.” I sighed sitting opposite him at the table.
“Yeah there will, we all get a plus one” Billie shot at me over his beverage.
“Nah I dunno, it’s not really my thing is it…”
“Oh go on Fia” Adi groaned, “You’ve been down lately, it’ll cheer you up.”
I glared at my Aunt, avoiding Mike’s gaze.
“I dunno…”
“Go with me Fia” Tre grinned at me evilly.
“Yeah Fia go with Tre” Mike smirked, the sarcastic bastard.
“I dunno…” I began.
“Do you really want to go?” Billie asked me, shifting across the kitchen to stand next to Tre.
“err, Yeah I wouldn’t mind…” I began again…
“Then go with Tre!” Billie shouted, signalling to the drummer next to him.
“I’m not going with Tre it’ll look like I’m dating him!” I yelled back.
“What’s wrong with that?” Tre snarled back at me.
“You’ve seen my naked when I was three Tre, it’s just weird”
Billie and Mike chuckled,
“Fia don’t be stupid, come with me, it’ll be great we can sit and bitch about all the nob heads.”
I rolled my eyes and turned to Adi for support, she just smirked at me, “Fia you’ll have fun you know it.”
“FINE!” I snapped, “I’ll go with Tre…”
Billie sat smiling smugly at me, I hate the fact he always gets his own way.
“What are you smiling at bozo?” I snapped as he winked at me.

“Oh wow”
I smiled shyly as I came into Adrienne’s view, descending the stairs carefully.
“Billie! Billie! Come and look at your beautiful niece..!” she turned back around to me and clapped her hands together.
“Fia you look so beautiful.”
I blushed. I felt beautiful, for the first time ever I felt pretty. Billie came into view fixing his bow tie, he looked up at me and his jaw dropped.
“Holy Shit” he gasped, “You look hot Fia”
I giggled, “Stop it you two.”
“Nice Work Adrienne I don’t think I’ve seen the sprog looking so good.”
Adi smiled at her husband, “cheers babe, I must say so myself I am great.”
Adrienne looked amazing as always, her hair piled gracefully onto her head, her tight black dress showing off curves that would make Pamela Anderson green.

The doorbell rang and Billie rushed to open the door, Tre, Mike and Brittany all greeted him with yells of excitement, I and Adi shared a glance, Adi looked at me, pride shining in her eyes. I swallowed, she reminded me so much of my mother when she looked at me like that. I fiddled with the edge of my dress in sheer attempt to distract my thoughts.
Mike and Brittany were chatting as they entered the kitchen; they stopped at the sight of me.
Brittany squealed and made a dash for me, “Fia you look so beautiful!” she enveloped me in a hug and I giggled pulling away from her and the strong odour of Channel no. 5.
I turned to Mike who smiled at me, eyes shining. “Hey Fia.” He chuckled as I made my way over to him for a hug.
“Times like this I wished you weren’t Bill’s niece” he whispered down my ear as he let go of my grasp.
I smiled at him, wondering what the hell he meant by that.
“Where’s my little date then….HOLY SHIT!”
I turned around to see Tre clutching his heart in a fake attack, “Fia? Is that Fia? Holy shit…”
I smacking Tre’s arm, “Stop it” I giggled like a school girl.
“I’m going to be the most envied boy at the prom.” Tre squealed, clasping his hands together and adopting a lisping accent.
“You never went to your prom” Billie chuckled folding his tux-covered arms.
“Nether did you” Adrienne chuckled, “You were stoned in the back of a book van if I remember correctly.”
“Good times” Billie chuckled giving me a proud smile.
I smiled weakly back; I never got to go to my prom either, for various reasons that I would like to forget.
“Anyway, Fia…I’ll show you a good time.” Tre winked
“You will not” Billie snapped.
Tre raised his eyebrows, “Oops, chaperone’s looking Fia, maybe later when he gets drunk.”
I giggled again as a car horn beeped outside.
“oooo lets go then!” Brittany chatted excitedly leading the way to the front door.