Happy Birthday to Me

MARISSA

I woke up to someone shaking my shoulders and I opened my eyes to see Frank hovering over me.

"Well good morning to you too." I said with a yawn.

Frank nodded in a hyper sort of way, "Gerard is making breakfast."

"Really?" I questioned, "What is he making?"

"For you? Nothing!" Gerard shouted, making him sound an awful lot like the Soup Nazi on Seinfeld.

I shrugged my shoulders and said, "Fine. I'll just go to the beach and find a vender or a fast food joint or something." I said as I picked up my duffel bag so I could change my clothes.

"Oh yeah? With what money? I thought you were homeless. Homeless people don't have money." Gerard snapped.

I was so pissed at Gerard, I couldn't even say anything. Instead, I just made sure I had my bag and retreated into the bathroom.

I couldn't help but look in the mirror and think, 'Well that truce didn't last very long.'

I quickly changed into the clothes I wore when my parents dumped me, and brushed my teeth and my hair.

When I walked out of the bathroom, I saw Frank was wearing a pair of skinny jeans and was pulling on a shirt. "What are you doing?" I questioned.

"I'm coming with you...and I already told the other guys and they agreed to come too. The only person who isn't coming is Gerard and I think you can guess why he doesn't want to come." Frank replied.

"Oh, cool beans...and if Gerard doesn't want to come then forget him." I replied.

* * * * * * * *
Twenty-five minutes later were standing on the beach in front of a hole-in-the-wall Hot Dog On A Stick and surprisingly, Gerard was with us, looking as pouty as ever.

"We're eating here?!" Gerard snapped.

I don't know what was happening to me, but I guess I was starting to grow a backbone around Gerard as I answered, "You didn't even have to come. Last time I checked you were making your own breakfast."

Frank laughed, "There's no way he was going to eat that...especially after he burnt it!"

Ray laughed too and turned to Gerard, "You burned something again?!"

Gerard rolled his eyes before he groaned, "Shut up."

I stepped up to the order window and placed my order. One hot dog on a stick and one pepper jack cheese on a stick. What? It's goooood.

When I reached into my back pocket to pay for my food, Frank stepped up behind me and stopped me before he ordered his own food and paid for both of us. It was really nice of him. I knew once I got back on my feet in my life I was going to have to pay him back - not that it was something I was going to mind doing.

After Frank and I stepped away from the order window, Ray, Mikey, Bob, and finally Gerard made orders and paid for themselves. When we all had received our food, we walked over to a picnic table and sat down.

Ray, Bob, and Frank all dug into their food and devoured it before I could even finish half of mine.

"How did we not know about this place before?!" Mikey questioned as he pulled some cheese off the paper and popped it into his mouth before he licked his lips to savor the tasty goodness.

I glanced over at Gerard to see he hadn't even touched his food. Whatever. He's missin' out cuz this stuff's goooood!

After everyone finished their food - minus Gerard - Frank suggested we go to the pier and play a few carnival games.

"Yeah, let's do it!" Ray shouted, "I'm going to win the biggest stuffed animal I can find and then you all will have to call me Lord of the Carny Games!" he said as he pumped his fist into the air.

I couldn't help but giggle at him as Bob shoved him off of the picnic table and he fell on the ground on his ass.

Ray stood up and dusted himself off, because let's face it, you never know what you're going to pick up from being on the ground at the beach. Bob, Frank, and Mikey collected the trash off the table and tossed it in a nearby garbage bin while I stood up and walked over to Ray.

"So are you any good at carny games?" I questioned.

He nodded and smiled, "The best." he replied.

"We'll see about that!" Frank shouted as he ran back to us, "I challenge you! I bet I'm better than you at most of the games!"

"Oh it's on!" Ray shouted before he and Frank ran toward the pier to start playing the games.

I turned around to see Mikey standing in front of Gerard who was still sitting at the table, "You coming bro?" he asked.

"Not right now. I've got to make a phone call." Gerard replied, "You guys go ahead."

Mikey shrugged his shoulders and walked over to where Bob and I were standing. "Where's Frank and Ray?" he asked.

"Took off to play the games." I said as I shrugged.

Mikey nodded, "Alright, let's go find them. Knowing them they'll get too competitive and make a bet on who can jump off the pier... We should find them before they make that bet." he said as he began to walk ahead.

Bob and I began to bring up the rear behind him.

Once we were a fair distance away from Gerard, I glanced back over my shoulder in his direction to see him still sitting at the picnic table and chowing down on his food. That made me smile a bit, even if the guy is a jerk. At least he still knows what goooood food is.