As the Leaves Change in Color

As the Leaves Change in Color
Written by: AllApologies451994
Chapter II

When I woke up, Frank was there for some reason. Him and Mikey were standing over me, making sure I was alright. One of them must've carried me up to my own room, because when I looked up I saw that big Green Day poster I have right above my bed. It was probably Frank who brought me up here. I mean, I love Mikey and all, but he's kind of a wimp.

My vision was kinda blurry from where I just got up and all, but I saw them smile at me, and I heard a sigh of relief come from Mikey. I smiled up at them, and immediately their smiles turned into frowns. I frowned myself, a little confused. Was my smile that ugly? Geez, I know I hadn't brushed my teeth in a while, but still....

And then a tear fell down Mikey's cheek and landed on my bed, and I decided that it was something much worse than me not brushing my teeth for a while. I sat up, and looked at them.

"What's wrong?", I asked. My voice sounded kind of funny, even to me. I think it's because I was choked to death. Or maybe my throat was thick because I had just woken up. But, details, details. It doesn't matter.

Frank sighed, and Mikey sat down on my bed next to me. Then he gave me a hug and started sobbing. I was seriously scared by this point. Who had made my baby brother cry like this? I swear, I'd kill them.

"Gerard..." It was barely a whisper. I pushed him away from me to get a better look at him. God, this boy was a mess.

"Gerard, Mom thinks it'd be best if I were to.... to go hunt down Dad, try to find him. Since I don't have a clue where he went, I may not be back for a while. I wasn't going to do it, but then I thought about it a lot. I mean, he's a jerk, and I'm glad he's gone, and I'd miss you and my Frankie..." I winced when he said that. The way he talked about Frank... it made me wish I had Bert back. Realizing how he said it, he shot me an apologetic glance and then continued.

"But what if he gets out there and he hurts someone? What if he gets drunk and kills an innocent person? What if he does it just out of anger? I'm not gonna let him endager the lives of innocent people. I don't care what he does to me whenever I find him. He can yell and beat me all he wants, but at least he won't be hurting anyone else..."

"But Mikey", I started. I wasn't gonna let him bring back that bastard. I wasn't about to do it. I didn't care how many "innocent people" he hurt. But he wasn't gonna hurt my baby brother.

"But nothing, Gerard. I have to go. I'm gonna miss you, and I'm gonna miss Frank, and I know you two'll miss me. But this can't be helped. I'm sorry. I love you both."

He gave me a kiss on the cheek and a hug, and I started sobbing. Again. Geez, I was starting to hate myelf for being such a wimp. Why couldn't I be born as the type of person who's able to just be... strong in different situations?

I didn't want to let him go, but he managed to pull himself free from me. He then looked over at Frank and gave him a sad smile. It kind of hurt my heart, to tell you the truth. The only person that had ever looked at me with that much love and care in their eyes, the only person I truly loved, had left me, leaving me in a broken state. And now my brother, the only one who comforted me and I could relate to, was leaving me... I didn't know how much more of this I could take, really....

Then Mikey spoke. "I'm sorry it had to end this way, Frankie. I really am. I just don't know how long it'll take until I'll be back, or..." He bit his lip, and I knew he was about to say 'or if I'll ever come back.' I didn't wanna think that as a possibility, so I tried to ignore that part. Keyword: 'tried'.

"Chances are, he's left to some place he could get drugs easy, away from here. And there's a lot of places out there I could check. I'll keep in contact with you both, I promise."

I'd never seen Frank cry before. And I'd rarely seen Mikey cry before. And here they both were, on the verge of bawling their eyes out. I was about at my breaking point. I wanted to just shout, "Mikey! Don't leave me!", but I wasn't able to. Paralyzed with depression, I guess.

"You're right", Frank spoke up. "It'd be best if we just ended it now..." And then, Mikey pressed his lips against Franks, and it was the most heartbreaking thing I'd ever seen. They were engaging in this long, passionate kiss, and it kind of made me think. Would they ever see each other again? Because I know how it felt when Bert left me... When he left all of us. We had all lost a great friend that day. How will Mikey feel knowing he may never see Frank again? What's going on through Frank's mind right now? What if I don't see my own brother...? I tried to push that thought away as fast as it came.

When they broke apart, Mikey smiled at us, though it didn't reach his eyes. I guess he was trying to reassure us that everything was gonna be alright. It was failing, but I really did admire his effort. He may have been my baby brother, but he was one of the toughest men I knew. He was kind of my role model, if you want the truth.

And then he left. Out of our lives forever. I didn't know what to think. I was speechless. The two people I cared about most in this world, gone, out of my life. I wanted to cry, to scream, to get my emotions out somehow. But I started feeling so weak all of a sudden, and I couldn't bring myself to do either. So I just sat there, helpless.

Frank sighed and sat next to me. He looked at me and opened his mouth as if to reassure me that everything would be alright, but he closed it, knowing that wouldn't do anything. All he did was give me a kind of awkward hug and told me he was sorry it had to turn out like this, and he doesn't know if it'll get better, but we just have to make it through. God, that boy was strong. I wish I was like him.

After a few minutes or so, he left me, walking out the door and to his house. And I don't think I'd ever felt more alone in my entire life.