Wasted

Being with Gerard was something surreal Autumn could barely wrap her head around it. She was seeing him a lot more. The band wrapped up their tour and was steps away from recording their new album.

Seeing Gerard live out his dreams kind of hit her hard in the chest. She knew it wasn't personal and he didn't ever boast but she still felt lost. She wanted to write, she was sure of that. She just didn't know what.

Dealing with students everyday had worn down her last nerve and she couldn't take it. She resigned and decided she would take a break from things for a while.

The stress didn't leave quickly, it was still present and she was trying to keep it away. Summer was coming anyways and her friends were done with school, finally possessing their degrees.

Autumn couldn't be any happier for her friends. She had graduated early and sometimes wished she could've graduated together with them but she knew it wasn't what the world wanted.

She sighed and looked down at the clothes spread on her bed. Tonight was Riley's party at the local bar for her graduation. She wanted to go all out and get everyone wasted.

Autumn's nerves were on edge though, Gerard hadn't stepped foot into a bar since he stopped drinking and Autumn didn't want him losing his control.

There was a light rapping at her door. She cocked an eyebrow and looked over. Riley was already at the bar setting everything up and Taylor was in the shower.

"Come in," Autumn spoke up.

Gerard peeked his head in and Autumn let out a breath of relief.

"Hey," she smiled.

He walked over and wrapped his arms around her middle from behind. "Hey Fall." He murmured and kissed her cheek.

She sighed softly and kept her eyes down on the bed. Her hair and makeup was set but she couldn't decide what to wear; that's how bad her stress had gotten. Even picking a few pieces to wear had gotten her down.

"What's up?" Gerard asked softly, noticing her solemn state.

"I can't decide what to wear."

He looked down at her clothes. "Wear the skirt and the sweater. I like your legs."

Her cheeks flushed and she bit her lip, playing the outfit out in her head.

"Okay," she said quietly and grabbed them off her bed.

He took a seat on her bed and expected her to go to the bathroom to change but his eyes widened when he saw her pulling her lounge pants down, exposing her bare legs.

He swallowed thickly and tried to look away but the curves of her legs were driving him crazy. Autumn glanced at him over her shoulder and let out a small laugh.

"You look like you can't breathe."

He cleared his throat nervously and ran a hand through his hair.

Autumn quickly pulled her clothes on and grabbed her pair of platforms. She walked over to Gerard and smoothed a hand over his hair.

"Its not l was naked, you can look, you know." She gave him a smirk and walked over to her vanity to pull on her jewelry.

He smiled to himself and shook his head at her. "I think you're just trying to tease me."

"You might be right," she grinned at him from her mirror.

She turned back around and grabbed his hand, lacing their fingers together.

She was nervous about him going to the bar tonight but she didn't want to make him feel like a caged animal.

"If you feel uncomfortable tonight at the bar, just let me know ok? We can leave and go somewhere else." She spoke quietly.

Gerard's eyebrows furrowed but his eyes softened a second later and he shook his head. "Sugar, I ain't gonna let you leave your friends graduation party. I can handle a few drunk people around me."

She chewed at her lip and nodded her head. He was hell-bent on letting her have a good time tonight and all she could do was appreciate it. She just hoped he wouldn't lose control when the familiar smell of his destruction filled his lungs.

-

To say Riley went over board would be an understatement. Autumn had never seen the bar so packed and cramped with people. She knew most of the people there, a few childhood friends in town and some from around New York. She also noticed a lot of Riley's college friends, not really used to the grunge side of Jersey, they were all mostly from New York.

Autumn tightly held onto Gerard's hand as they walked through and tried to find a decent place to stand. Gerard pulled her over to the guys when he noticed them and tried his best not to cram her between all of the people.

"Your friend sure does know a lot of folks," Ray chuckled at Autumn and raised a beer gesturing around the room.

The loud music made it hard to hear so Autumn had to raise her voice with a grin. "She loves attention but I'm pretty sure she wants Frank's the most."

Riley had the hots for Frank and it was obvious to everyone else that he had the hots for her as well. A few conversations had floated between them and instances of flirting but Autumn was going to let things run its course. She wasn't over protective when it come to Frank's love life, the opposite of what he was when it came to her, but if a girl ever did Frank wrong Autumn was sure to put them back in their place.

Autumn glanced around, trying to find Riley but she couldn't see past the giant crowd and sighed to herself. Gerard leaned down and pressed his lips against her ear. "She's by the bar talking to a few people."

She looked over, standing on the tips of her toes and caught Riley's blonde hair under the bar lights. She tugged Gerard's hand and gave him a questioning look, asking if he wanted to come along. He nodded and followed her to Riley.

"Autumn!" Riley shouted once she saw her best friend and grabbed her into a hug.

"Hello to you too," Autumn laughed into the hug.

Riley looked up and hugged Gerard, "Thanks for coming Gerard."

He gave her a smile and shrugged. "No problem. Congratulations on finally graduating."

Riley exasperated a dramatic sigh and rolled her eyes. "Thanks, I am so sick of school. I finally get to make my money bitches!"

Everyone around her laughed and raised a toast. Autumn glanced over at Gerard, making sure he didn't look to agitated or constricted among the alcohol. But his face was smooth and he smiled over at Riley.

Autumn gasped when she felt two arms wrap around her from behind. "Well if it isn't my favorite cousin," Frank faced her and shot her a cheeky grin.

She slugged his shoulder and scowled. "You scared me asshole!"

She noticed his eyes were droopier and his cheeks were flushed pink. She raised an eyebrow and smirked at his drunk state. "Had enough to drink yet?"

"Never. Tonight's a cause for celebrating. Riley's out of college," he leaned in closer to Autumn and lowered his voice, "and definitely keeps checking me out."

Autumn made a sound of distaste and slugged his shoulder. "Linda's going to kill you when she smells all that alcohol on you."

"I'm 21, ma needs to realize I'm a grown boy."

"You're 5'4 Frank..."

"What I lack in height, I don't lack below the waist."

Autumn's eyes bulged and she groaned. "That's disgusting Frank. Keep it in your pants."

He hunched his shoulders and giggled.

"You sure you don't want a drink?" He slurred.

She shook her head, "Nah. I'm okay." She didn't want to drink around Gerard and add any extra stress or pressure on him.

Frank dumbly nodded and walked over to the bar to grab himself another drink. Gerard walked back over after talking to a few friends and wrapped his arms around Autumn from behind.

"Havin' a good time?" He asked.

She hummed a response and shrugged her shoulders.

"You not drinkin' tonight?" Gerard asked.

She shook her head against his chest and spoke quietly, "No."

Gerard let out a heavy sigh through his nose and turned her around to face him. "You don't have to feel like you're walking on egg shells with me about this drinking thing. It's my problem, not yours. You just have fun okay?"

Autumn swallowed thickly and shook her head again. "I honestly don't feel like drinking tonight. I've got no reason too."

Gerard gave her a hard stare, trying to see a lie there but he found none and nodded. "Okay. Well, since you don't seem to be in the partying mood, do you wanna come over? I kinda wanna show you something..."

Autumn's eyes widened and her lips parted open. "Oh." She'd never been to Gerard's house in the few years she'd known him. Finally seeing his room would make her feel closer to him. She looked up at him and nodded.

"Yeah, let's go."