I Lost My Fear of Falling

I pulled up in front of Wes’s house, bright and early the next morning. She was feeling better today.
Wes came running down the stairs and flung open the door. "Bout time woman. Sheesh."
"Never seen you so impatient to get to school." I giggled.
"Cause I never had a hot ass boyfriend named Frank waiting on me." She grinned wickedly. I just smiled to myself and turned the car on. "So...what's going on with you and Mikey? I want deets!"
"Not sure what you mean." I said innocently.
She turned to stare at me. "Don't you play stupid with me. I know how smart you are."
"Sure. Tell that to my math teacher."
"Don't make me ask Mikey. You know I will."
I busted up laughing. "Oh man. I can so picture you tying him to a chair and interrogating him."
"Well look at the inner kink of Em. Talking about tying someone up." She wiggled her eyebrows.
"No kink here. Now kink would be if I was talking about furry handcuffs and shit."
"He's into handcuffs? Wouldn't have pegged him for one of those." She grinned.
"I wouldn’t know." I blushed slightly.
She narrowed her eyes. "But you do know something...OH MY GOD! You two finally kissed didn't you?!" She squealed.
I blushed even worse. "He brought me a cupcake for my birthday."
“Awwwwwww. That is soooo sweet!"
"I know. And then we ended up kissing and he asked me out."
Her eyes went wide. "SAY WHAT?! My little Emmy went and got herself a man!"
"Oh shut up. He caught me staring at him like a little freak and somehow deluded himself into thinking I'm worth the time.”
That earned me a smack on the shoulder. "You keep talking about my best friend like that and I'm going to hurt you."
“I can talk about myself.”
She snorted. "Bullshit."
"I'm not allowed to talk about myself?"
"Not putting yourself down, no."
"Whatever. Now we can double without Mikey and me sitting there awkwardly watching you suck Frank's face off."
For once Wes was the one blushing. "Not my fault he's a good kisser."
"Aww, your face matches your hair."
She flipped me off. "Shut the hell up."
"Make me."
"I'll get Mikey to shut you up."
"How, pray tell?"
"With his tongue preferably.” She wiggled her eyebrows.
"He did that last night.” I sighed softly from the memory.
"There's hope for you two after all!"
"That we'll turn into a couple of rabbits like you and Frankie?"
She rolled her eyes. "Frank and I don't always fuck, God."
"Looks like you do to me."
She frowned. "You really think that's why he likes me? Cause I put out?"
I immediately started backpedaling. "NOT WHAT I MEANT."
Wes started playing with her hair, a nervous habit of hers. "You have a point. I did start sleeping with him rather quickly. What if he really is with me because of that? It’s just that....I REALLY like him."
"WES. Seriously, it’s not because you put out. That boy looks at you like you walk on water."
She beamed. "Really? Cause I think I might love him Emmy. Like for real."
"Seriously?" I didn’t know how fast you could fall in love.
I didn’t want to know.
Honestly?
I’m afraid to fall in love.
I’m afraid if I fall there won’t be anyone to catch me.
She nodded. "It scares me to death but we're getting off topic."
"What was our topic?" I parked the car.
"You and Mikey. K-I-S-S-I-N-G.” She grinned.
"Damn I was hoping you wouldn't remember."
She knocked on her head. "Steel trap I'm tellin ya." She got out of the car grabbing her bookbag as she went.
"Whatever. See you at lunch."
She blew me a kiss. "See ya then."
The day passed pretty uneventfully. The jocks had found a new target to pick on so I was in the clear.
I tapped my foot anxiously all the way through fourth period.
Was Mikey expecting me to kiss him when I went to lunch? To sit in his lap?
There’s a whole fucking etiquette that I don’t know.
I was a nervous wreck by the time I got to the cafeteria. Somehow Wes and I had shown up before Mikey and Frank. But when they did show up, I knew Wes was gonna say something.
"About time you kissed her." Wes rolled her eyes at Mikey.
"You kissed her? What the fuck man? How did I not hear about this?” Frank looked betrayed. Mikey blushed and looked down at his feet.
"From what I hear they put us to shame." Wes grinned.
"Shit sounds like we need to practice more then." Frank grinned back.
"Oh God, please no." I begged. Mikey sat down next to me and I tentatively reached out to hold his hand. He laced our fingers together and squeezed.
"Which reminds me. Would you still be my boyfriend if I said I didn't want to have sex anymore?" Wes asked Frank as he sat next to her. I groaned softly.
Frank looked at me. “What did you say to her?"
“That idea was hers, not mine." I held my hands up in surrender, although since Mikey was still holding my left one it looked like we were taking a bow.
"Of course." Frank kissed her cheek and I aww’ed a little inside. I knew he liked her for her, and not because the parts fit together.
Wes smiled widely. "Awwww...look how cute they are together!" Mikey and I looked up fast from where we’d been talking quietly. I’d thanked him for the cupcake.
"Err, hi." Mikey said awkwardly.
He’s so adorable. I swear I’d use him for a teddy bear every night if I could. And if my parents wouldn’t castrate him for being in my bed.
"I swear they were made for each other." Wes stage-whispered to Frank.
"You need to work on your whispering. Everyone can hear you." Frank chuckled.
"Yeah. We're sitting right here." I brushed my bangs out of my eyes.
Wes just grinned. "Yes, yes you are."
"Why is it that everything you say sounds sexual?" I muttered.
"Not my fault your brain is always on sex." Wes shrugged.
"That's my mind actually." Mikey piped up. I burst into giggles.
"For once you're not talking about me." Frank sighed in fake relief.
Wes nearly died laughing. "Mikey. I knew you were a typical guy deep down. Just promise to be careful with my girl okay?"
"I promise." Mikey smiled down at me and my face warmed up.
“Don't worry I'll make sure he's prepared." Frank winked.
"Isn't that what Gerard's for?" Mikey laughed.
"True. He's the one who gave me pointers." Frank admitted.
"Really? Maybe I should give Gerard a call?" Wes said thoughtfully.
"Oh there's an image I needed." Mikey muttered.
"I don't share." Frank growled, wrapping his arm around Wes’s waist.
"Sorry Mikey." Wes giggled.
I rested my head against Mikey’s shoulder. Between River getting arrested and Mikey kissing me I hadn’t gotten a lot of sleep last night. “Is this day over yet?”
"You love me Emmy!" Wes said.
"This has anything to do with me wanting to get out of this hell hole?" I was almost falling asleep right here.
"Not really. We could always ditch." Wes shrugged.
"Yeah, if only my parents wouldn’t murder me." They were big on not ditching and focusing on school.
"Your parents are no fun." Wes pouted.
"Tell me about it. I'll just stick out the next couple hours and caffeinate myself when I get home." I sighed. And Mikey would be there with me anyway.
"Great, now I'm thinking about coffee." Mikey muttered.
"You two and your coffee." Frank shook his head.
"Sometimes we put it on a pedestal and bow down to it." I’m sarcastic when I’m tired.
"Yeah. We just need to sacrifice a virgin to it on the full moon." Mikey added.
"You're both so weird." Wes rolled her eyes.
"But you love us anyway." I smirked.
"Yep sure do!" Wes grinned.
--
I knocked on Mikey’s door as soon as I got home. He’d beaten me home thankfully.
“Hey, I was just about to go over there.” He hugged me and let me into the house.
“I don’t really wanna be home right now.” I said softly. He nodded in understanding and went into the pantry to get the coffee.
I admit it, when he bent over I checked out his butt.
And yes, it was a nice butt.
I heard what sounded like a herd of elephants coming down the stairs and Gerard burst into the kitchen.
“Mikey, where the fuck are my shoes?!” He was yelling until he caught sight of me. “Oh, hey Emmy.”
“Hi Gerard.” I waved lamely.
“Call me Gee. If your gonna be dating my little brother, I’ll be seeing you a lot.” He said. I blushed and he laughed.
“Your shoes are behind the couch I believe.” Mikey said, adding water to the coffee machine.
“Thanks man.” And off went Hurricane Gee.
“He’s weird like that.” Mikey shrugged, sitting next to me on the bench. “Are you okay?”
“I guess. It’s weird not having River around.” He was a constant annoyance and he had a habit of biting me for god knows why, but he was my big brother.
My parents weren’t gonna bail him out. Apparently they had before-although they wouldn’t tell me what he had done- and when he called them to ask for bail this time they said no.
Part of me wanted him home.
The other part wanted for him to think about what he’d done.
Mikey put his arm around me and I snuggled in closer to him.
I can’t really describe the effect Mikey has on me. It’s like…sinking into a hot bath after a long day. Like complete and utter peace.
Mikey’s mom came into the kitchen and spotted us snuggled together.
“Well hello there.” She had blonde hair and the same hazel eyes as Mikey and Gee. “I’m Donna, Mikey’s mom.”
“Emmy Leeves. I live next door.” I said awkwardly.
“How’s your mom?” She asked.
“She’s doing okay. The stroke didn’t leave any permanent damage.” And for that I was grateful.
“Make sure to do your homework kids.” She said before she left.
“Dammit. That means she’s gonna come in and make sure we’re actually working.” Mikey groaned.
“Good, that means you can help me with math.” My worst subject and my arch nemesis.
He helped me with math, I helped him with history.
And yeah, there was some kissing scattered in there.
I really couldn’t help myself.
He’s just too damn cute.
My phone buzzed at about six-thirty. I groaned when I saw it was my mom.
“When are you coming home?” She asked.
“Right now if you need me.” I mimed hanging myself to Mikey.
“I need your help making dinner.”
“Okay. I’ll be there in a couple minutes.” I hung up and sighed.
“I’ll walk you back.” Even though we live right next to each other, he walked me home anyway.
“Now’s a good a time as any to tell her we’re dating.” I said, my hand on the door knob.
He pulled me in for a kiss that left my head spinning.
“Okay. Now we can go.”
For a shy boy, that boy can kiss.