He Never Told Me What He Did for a Living

Angel was right- her shoes looked even wilder under the black light. Tugging uncomfortably at the tight v-neck that Angel had demanded I wear, I searched for her but had no luck. I pushed through the crowded bodies gyrating to Hard-Fi’s Sweat and breathed a sigh of relief when I reached the kitchen. There were considerably less people in the kitchen other than those crowded around a table that was full of red plastic cups and a keg.

“Let me get you a drink,” someone said from nearby.

I turned to find a semi-familiar face pushing away from the counter where he’d been leaning his body. Brett’s green eyes were piercing as he looked me up and down, ending his gaze with a slight nod, as if to say he approved. I felt the heat rush to my face, but luckily, he turned away to the table. “You want a beer or something harder?” he asked.

“Beer!” I said quickly, perhaps too quickly. I had never touched alcohol before- Gran didn’t keep any in the house, and I had little desire to drink. But tonight…tonight, I’d give in for once and try to loosen up and have some fun.

He gave me a sidelong glance but nodded, grabbing a cup out of the newly opened package and filled it with beer from the tap.

He brought it to me without spilling it, which I found an amazing feat, because he’d filled it to the brim. I managed to take it without sloshing it out, and found myself taking a gulp to lessen the risk of spilling it. I swallowed it, trying to decide whether or not I liked it as the liquid flowed over my tongue. It was sour and bitter, and it tasted almost exactly how it smelled.

I must’ve made a face, because Brett laughed.

“Beer is an acquired taste,” he said holding up his own plastic cup.

I wrinkled my nose. “It must be, because I am not impressed. It tastes like piss,” I said with a laugh.

“That it does, Josie. That it does.”

Hearing my name fall from his lips, I froze. “You remembered my name?” Feeling like a complete fool, I felt another blush coloring my cheeks.

“Are you implying that I could forget you?” he asked, raising one dark eyebrow.

“Ah…it’s just, most people don’t even know who I am,” I managed.

Brett chuckled again, then hid his grin behind his cup. “No, I remember you from the Halloween party. It was fun.”

At the mention of the Halloween party, I was reminded of his date. She’d been the Poison Ivy to his Batman, and they’d made a lovely pair.

“So, where’s Poison Ivy?” I asked.

He looked blank for a moment, then gave me a lopsided grin. “She was too much like Poison Ivy for me.”

I gave him a small smile back, but other memories from the Halloween party were coming back…the fight with Angel, followed by a fight with Gerard…making up with Angel, the lights going out for a split second...the kiss.

The kiss had been warm and intense, and at first I’d assumed it was Gerard, but when the lights had come back on, he had still been on stage. So it hadn't been him, but so much had happened since that night that I’d never given that amazing kiss any more thought. Until now.

With Brett standing in front of me and my memory of the glowing Batman logo floating towards me, I realized that he could be my number one suspect- he was certainly tall enough, and he’d somehow remembered me.

“Did you kiss me at the Halloween party when the lights went out?” I blurted out before I could stop myself, and the recently faded blush came back full force.

He blinked at me once, his dark eyelashes whispering across his cheek, then gave me the same lopsided smile he’d given me that night when I’d met him. “You caught me,” he said with a laugh. “Honestly, I thought you’d forgotten about it.”

“I did,” I said honestly, then cursed myself. “I mean, I've had a lot going on since then…” I trailed off, not sure whether or not to tell him about Gran.

“Uh oh, men trouble?” he asked. His voice held a measure of teasing, but it was mixed with something else, something I couldn’t put my finger on.

“No, no boy trouble,” I said. “My Gran is sick.”

It wasn’t exactly a lie, but it wasn’t the whole truth either- and I wasn’t about to give it. My lips were sealed as far as Gerard Way was concerned, for both our sakes. Gerard’s career would be on the line if word got around that he’d blurred the lines of friendship with a barely-legal teenager so badly that he’d been my first lover, in every possible way.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Brett said, taking a sip from his cup. “So, does that mean no boyfriend?”

I thought for a moment, weighing my options carefully. On one hand, Gerard and I had never decided to be exclusive, and God knew we weren’t dating. So technically, he wasn’t my boyfriend.

Feeling confident for the first time since walking into the kitchen, I looked up at Brett and smiled flirtatiously. “No, no boyfriend,” I said softly.

A grin crossed his face, and sitting our cups down, he caught my face between his hands and pressed his lips to mine.