You Give Love a Bad Name

I stared at my feet, brooding things over while Gerard looked for the two liter Pepsi bottle that was left over from the resent grocery shopping trip.

"Lena? Where have you been, dude? Oh."

My and Gerard's heads turned as the sound of Logan's voice reached our ears, to see him standing in the doorway.

Upon seeing Logan, I realized that I left him and Melanie in the basement for more than ten minutes, opposed the original five that I had planned. With sinking heart I watched as Logan's eyes left mine and traveled in my brother's direction. When the two boys made eye contact, I could feel the tension starting to grow and expand thought the room.

"Hi, Logan. Lena didn't tell me we had company tonight," Gerard said simply after a few fleeting seconds that seemed like never-ending minutes.

"Um," my friend stammered, obviously lost for words, making me realize exactly how much he liked Gerard. "Uh, well, uh-"

"The three of us came here after our trip to the mall," I cut in smoothly, hopping off the counter and coming to stand besides Logan. "Melanie's here as well. She's in the basement."

Gerard furrowed his eyebrows and was about to say something else, when the sound of footsteps cut him off.

For the second time this evening, I twisted my body to face the doorway. iPod in one hand and his jacket in other, Mikey stared at the three of us with mild surprise splattered across his features.

"Sup?"

"Not much." Mikey yawned and immediately went to the refrigerator and opening the door in one swift movement. "Damn, there's nothing to eat here. Oh, by the way, hi, Logan."

"Hey," Logan nodded at Mikey, gulping a bit when once again Gerard's eyes planted themselves on him. There was a moment of uncomfortable silence before he gulped again and stammered. "I'm, uh, I'm go-gonna go down to the basement. See you guys later."

Waiting till Logan was out of earshot, Mikey shook his head. "Tense, much?"

Gerard shrugged and took a swig from the Pepsi bottle. "Who? Me?"

"Shut up, faerie," Mikey hit Gerard on the shoulder playfully. "Last time I checked, you don't stutter. Confidence just leaks out from your ass."

"For your information, geek," Gerard returned the light punch, "I'm not always as confident as you make me out to be."

"Geek? Look who's talking." Mikey rolled his eyes, snatching the bottle away from Gerard. "Oh yeah? Give me an example of something that makes you nervous."

"Somebody. Her name is Tracy and Geetard here looooves her," I offered, happily taunting my oldest brother. "Frank and I met her a couple of weeks ago. Gerard is putty in her hands."

"Shut up, twerp," Gerard growled, grinning never less. "I don't love her!"

I rolled my eyes and waved my hand in dismissal. "Whatever you say, doofus."

"So," Mikey started slyly, his eyes shining with laughter. "When do I get to finally meet Tracy? It seems like everyone else had but me."

"Um, well, she's going to Frank's party with me, so then, I guess." Gerard shrugged, taking a twenty from his wallet to pay for the pizza. "Speaking of Halloween, do you have a date for the dance yet?"

"I was planning on asking Melanie, but she wasn't at her house and her Mom didn't know where she was," Mikey said sadly. "Plus her phone was off."

"It wasn't off, the battery was dead," I informed him, impressed that Mikey overcame his shyness and was actually planning to ask someone out. "And if you want to ask her, do it right now. Melanie's been with me and Logan all day, and right now she's in the basement."

"Really?" Mikey's eyes lit up and he flashed me a quick smile. "Thanks! This whole situation worked out perfectly - I planned to ask her in person, anyway."

"Well, that made his day," Gerard mumbled, watching Mikey's retreating back. Turning to me he added. "You're going with Logan, right?"

I nodded. "How did you know?"

"Frank told me."

"Right. Of corse. He would, wouldn't he?" I turned to go but found myself stopped by Gerard's hand on my shoulder. Surprised, I turned to face him. "What?"

Gerard bit his lip, looking like he didn't know how to phrase what he was about to say.

"What?" I repeated again, now a hint of annoyance in my voice.

""Did Manda - uh, did you talk to Manda recently?"

I rose an eyebrow. "Um, no? I didn't even know she was back from Hawaii until you told me. Why?"

"Nothing," he exhaled, obviously relieved. "Can you do me a favor?"

"Sure, fire away."

Gerard looked away, obviously not too keen on meeting my eyes. "Can you stay away from Frank and Manda for a couple of days? Maybe until his birthday?"

What?

Astonishment started to etch its mark in my brain. But then I felt hurt seep into my heard and into my stomach, making little pools of sorrow. "Why?"

Followed by a heavy sigh, two strong arms pulled me into a hug. "Just trust me. It's nothing you did, they just have been having some problems lately. They need to sort them out without you getting in the middle."

I wondered what he meant. Why would I of all people get in the middle of someone else's relationship? I was the pacifist, not the other way around.

The next day, I was sprawled across my bed, I tried find the answer to why I was the only person in the whole freaking New Jersey who didn't have any plans for this Sunday when everyone else did.

Gerard was at Ray's house, looking at the new comic books from Japan. Mikey and Bob were downstairs paying dungeons and Dragons, while Logan was out on a family outing. Melanie and her sister Nikki were watching a movie, and Jake and Cara were in NYC, watching a musical.

That left Frank, and I wasn't about to go anywhere near him and his psycho girlfriend. Not until tomorrow at least. In other words - I was doomed to stare at the cracks of my bedroom ceiling for the next ten or so hours.

Right when I gave up all hope of rescue from this boredom and closed my eyes to drift off to sleep - my cell phone started to shriek Rancid's Out Of Control lyrics.

Jumping up from the bed, I ran towards the computer desk and picked up the ringing device. "Hello?"

"Hey," Logan's warm voice greeted me in return. "You'll never guess what I have."

"Unless its something to do with you getting me out of my room and taking me somewhere fun, don't even bother," I sighed, laying back on the bed.

Logan laughed. "Nope, not even close, buddy. But hopefully it will cheer you up."

"I doubt it but you can still try. What is it?"

Even though I could see Logan, I could clearly sense the smile in his voice. "I've got the Green Day tickets."

I gasped and sat up, grinning like a maniac. "Really? I thought you said you wouldn't get them till tomorrow!"

"Consider yourself lucky."

"Consider yourself loved."

"So, when do you want me to drop them off?"

My grin stretched even wider. "As soon as possible."