You Give Love a Bad Name

"So, what are you doing this weekend?"

Mikey's question caught me off guard, almost as much as the gust of wind that blew straight in my face. "I don't know. I think Logan wanted to watch some movies together."

Mikey and I were outside once again, walking in the freezing November evening to Guitar World, so we could get Mikey some picks. Only now, shivering in my jacket, did I begin to question myself on why I agreed to come with Mikey.

Mikey nodded, a small smile planting itself on his flushed face. "I see. You and Logan are good together. I like him."

"So he passed the 'brother's evaluation test'?" I joked, watching a car pass the otherwise empty road. "Well that's a relief."

"Yeah," Mikey nodded, toying with his coat's sleeve. "Gee likes him too. He thinks that Logan's a bit weird, but he likes him anyway."

We turned onto a familiar street, and Guitar World came into view.

"Weird?" I questioned mildly. "How so?"

"Well, I guess it's the way he's always nervous amongst us, the other Ways," Mikey shrugged. "It's like he's intimidated."

"Maybe he is."

Mikey looked at me with wide eyes. "Why? It's not like Gerard and I are judging him! He has nothing to worry about. Unless he fucks with our little sister, that is. And I don't mean that literally. But seriously, if something happens to you 'cause of him, Gee and I will chop his balls off and mail them to his mother."

"Way to get all Italian Mafia on the guy," I laughed, walking through the parking lot of the Guitar World and to the front door. I turned the shiny doorknob and stepped inside, the warm air hitting my numb skin. "And you wonder why he feels intimidated."

"Mikey! Lena! Yo!"

Both of us turned around to see Josh, a twenty-something, blond-haired, brown-eyed employee, with a big sense of humor and even a bigger heart, waving frantically at us behind the counter, which awarded him some funny looks from the costumers.

Smiling, I grabbed Mikey's hand and pulled him towards the front of the store. "Let's go and say 'hi' to Josh."

But Mikey was too busy looking around the store to respond.

"Hey!" I said as soon as I was across from Josh, my face shining with genuine happiness. "Where have you been? I haven't seen you in ages!"

"You saw me two weeks," Josh laughed, the usual charisma radiating from each cell of his body. "Frank's birthday, remember? Those strippers were amazing."

I tried to strain my brain to recall his face in the party crowd. "Oh."

"Sup, Josh?" Mikey mumbled, still looking around. "Have you seen Toro today?"

Josh nodded and pointed towards the back. "Yeah. He and F -"

"Thanks!" Mikey interrupted quickly, flashing a nervous smile. "We're supposed to meet him here."

I looked at him with confusion. "I thought you needed picks."

Mikey looked like a deer caught in headlights. "Um, I do, but, uh, Ray is going to show me the new collection of, uh, picks that came in last night, so...yeah."

"What?" Josh stared at Mikey like he grew an extra head. "Do picks even have collections?"

"Um, sure they do," Mikey grabbed my hand and started to drag me towards the back, past the confused Josh. "All kinds. Big, small, round, square, flower-shaped -"

"Mikey," I interrupted his rumblings and tried to break free from his grasp as we marched past the boxes of merchandise. "What the hell are you on?"

"What?" he laughed nervously. "You never heard of flower-shaped picks?"

"No."

"Well, they're - hey, there's Ray. Toro!" Mikey yelled at the silhouette of a guy who was next to the janitor's closet.

Ray turned around to face the source of the noise, his brown hair as curly and unruly as usual. "Mikey! You made it, man. Fra - uh, he almost got out and kicked my ass. Hurry up!"

What the hell were they talking about? I'm sure that 'flower-shaped' picks weren't exactly violent.

I opened my mouth to ask what was all this, when Ray produced a bundle of keys from his jeans' pocket, looking for the right one. "Hey, Lena."

"Hey," I nodded, still trying to shake Mikey's firm grasp off my hand. "Do you mind telling me why you look so panicked?"

"Um," he looked uncomfortable, opening the door quickly. "You'll see. Mikey, now!"

Without any warning, Mikey pushed me inside the pitch-black closet, and I heard the lock turn on the outside - trapping me.

What the hell? Was I being kidnaped by my brother and one of my closest friends?

"Mikey!" I start to beat at the door with fury. "Not funny! Let me out! I'm going to call the police!"

"I have your phone," I heard my brother's voice on the other side. "Don't do anything stupid. Toro and I will be back in an hour."

My hands automatically went inside my pockets, but came out empty. Damn Mikey probably pick-pocketed my phone when I wasn't looking.

"Michael James Way! Let me out this instant!"

"Sorry."

And with that he was gone.

He left me. Alone. In a damp, moldy, dark closet.

"Lena?"

I almost screamed as I realized I wasn't alone in this claustrophobic space of horror.