Everybody's Got a Story

*The next day (Gerard's P.O.V.)*

"Hey Randall. Do you think this apartment looks nice?" I asked as I brought the laptop over to him.
"Yeah it looks alright. Why are you looking at apartments right now?"
"Thinking about moving out." I sighed and looked back at the screen. "I mean. I have a job and I have enough money to afford the rent for this one. It probably needs to be fixed up, but it looks like a good place to just-" I paused and looked over to Randall. "Start over." I finished.
"Start over?"
"Yes. I just want to leave this place. It's filled with too many bad memories."
"What about Sarah and your mom?"
"I'll keep in touch with them."
"But you just want to move away."
"It's not because of them. It's because of Jim and plus. I'm 18, Randall. It's legal and when I go to college, I want a place to stay. It's only a few blocks from the college and I've applied. I got the acceptance letter last week when I was in the hospital."
"What? Seriously? That's amazing. Why didn't you tell me?"
"Well. I just opened it today. My mom said she didn't want to put to much stress on me while I was in the hospital in case I didn't get accepted."
Randall sighed before speaking again. "How far is the apartment from my house?"
I smiled. "Like 10 minutes if you drive."

*3 weeks later*

I heard a knock on my door frame and turned to see Jim standing there.
"What do you want?" I asked as I packed my bags.
"You upset your mother."
I sat down on the bed and murmured "Sorry. I'll talk to her later and explain everything."
"You're leaving because of me. Aren't you?" It was odd. He sounded sad, almost apologetic.
I just stood up and ignored him. I continued to pack my things.
His shoulders slouched as he leaned against the door frame. He just stood there and watched as I packed. I got finished putting my clothes into suitcases and moved on to the boxes.
"Do you need any help with that?" Jim asked.
"Why are you trying to be nice to me?"
"Well. I've realized I have a drinking problem and when I drink." He stopped to look at me. "I can be very violent." He looked back down. "And I apologize for that. I just. I don't get you sometimes, kid. You're hard to read. Hard to understand."
"Well I'm not an open book. I don't place myself out so everyone can touch me and look at me."
"I'm sorry, kiddo." He spoke then changed the subject. "You miss him. Don't you?"
I looked over at him. "Who?"
"Your brother."
"Yeah. Of course I do. I mean. If your brother just up and left and didn't speak to you for three years you'd miss him."
"Has it really been three years?"
"Yeah. It has. It's been the longest three years of my life."
"Well I can't really say anything to make it better, but I'm sorry he left."
"He'll come back. Someday." I spoke silently.
"Do you really believe that?"
"I believe in my brother. He left for a reason. He'll come back." I shrugged and taped up the box I had finished packing. "Wanna help me carry these downstairs?" I gestured to one of the boxes and my suitcases. "I have to pack the rest, but I just wanna get these boxes out of my way."
"Yeah. Sure." He agreed.
I took my suitcases and a small box while Jim grabbed the two big boxes.
"Hey guys." My mom smiled as she kissed me on the cheek then proceeded to do so to Jim.
"Hey hun."
"Hey mom." I set the stuff down by the door and turned back around. "I'm sorry." I spoke when I was looking at my mother once again.
"Come here, hunny. I know you miss them. I miss them too."
"I shouldn't have said any of that stuff. I've just got a lot on my mind right now and I need to finish packing before Randall and Eric get here."
"Okay. Go then. I'll see you in a bit, bud."
"Alright, mom. Love you." I smiled at her and kissed her cheek before retreating upstairs to finish my packing.

*About 10 minutes later (Same P.O.V.)*

"Gerard!" Jim shouted.
"Yeah?"
"They're here!" My mother shouted upstairs.
"They can come up here!" I shouted back so they could hear me downstairs.
Shortly afterwards Randall and Eric trailed into my room.
"This is weird. You're room looks too empty. I don't like it." Eric fake pouted.
"Well get over it, pretty boy. You can come to my place and crash it has two rooms. A full bathroom. A kitchen. And a living room." I smiled proudly.
"Sounds nice."
"Yeah it just needs a little paint and I think it could be really nice."
"Well let's finish packing and go there." Randall spoke.
We continued packing and brought the boxes downstairs.
"Leaving so soon? Can't you wait like another day? Or two? Or a year?" My mother joked.
"No mom." I laughed.
"Oh. I'm gonna miss you, baby." She hugged me tightly.
"I know mom. I'm gonna miss you too."
"Let me help you with your bags." She said and grabbed one of my suitcases.
We walked outside and packed Eric's truck with all my boxes.
"Thanks mom. Thanks Jim."
"You can call him dad you know."
"Yes. Yes I could. I just.." I stopped myself and turned to put another box in the truck.
"You just what?"
"I don- never mind. Can you just drop it?"
"No. No I can't just drop it, Gerard."
"Why not?"
"Cause I'm worried about you."
"Can we not talk about this in front of my friends?"
"Fine. I'll see you later, hon."
"Bye mom. Bye Sarah." I hugged them both then said "Goodbye, Jim."
I hopped into the truck and pulled the door shut.
Eric started it up and we were gone in no time.
Randall turned on the radio and leaned back. I rested my head upon his shoulder and watched the road ahead of us.
We pulled up to the apartment and got out.
"Think we can get it all in one trip?"
"Ha. Very funny, Jerry."
"Let's try."
We each grabbed two boxes and I slung my backpack over one shoulder.
"Okay. There's only one box and my suitcase left. So I'll just come back out and get it."
"Okay." They agreed and we walked up to the apartment.
I unlocked the door and walked over to the living room.
"You can just set the boxes in here." I spoke then went back outside to retrieve my suitcase and box.
Randall followed after me and grabbed the box out of the trunk. "Thanks." I said quietly as I got my suitcase and locked the doors to the truck.
We walked back up the apartment and into the living room.
"So where are you gonna sleep tonight if you have no bed?" Eric asked.
"I'll probably sleep at home tonight and get Jim to bring the bed here for me tomorrow."
"Jim?"
"Yeah. I mean. I know what hes done, but maybe hes changed."
"Changed? That happened 3 and a half weeks ago, Jer."
"I know. It's just. You wouldn't understand."
"Explain it then."
"He's the closest thing to a father that I'll ever have again.
"I j-"
"You j- what, Eric. I told you that you wouldn't understand. You have both your parents still. So does Randall. I have lost a lot and you don't understand what its like to lose your brother. It is the worst thing that could have happened to my family. I haven't seen Danny in 3 years. The closest thing I have to a brother now is you. The least you could do is just let me give him another chance."
"Fine." Eric rolled his eyes and turned away.
I leaned over to Randall and smiled. "I'll be okay, Randall. I know I will. And if something happens. I come to you."
"Okay." He smiled slightly and kissed my forehead.
"I love you, Randall."
"I love you too, Gerard." He continued smiling. "Do you wanna start unpacking or do you wanna wait till tomorrow?"
"I'll wait till tomorrow. I wanna go home right now though." He said.
"Alright. Let's go get Eric."
We walked outside and found Eric sitting on the front steps.
"Ready to go?" He asked.
"Yeah." I smiled to him and locked the door to the apartment.
We got in the truck and drove back to my house. My mother's car was gone, but Jim's was still parked in the driveway. I turned to Randall and kissed him. "I'll see you guys later. Bye Eric. Bye Randall." I hopped out of the car and went into the house.
Right when I got into the house I got a text from Randall that said 'Tell me if something happens.'
I rolled my eyes and replied 'Goodnight, babe.'
I went into the living room and found Jim sitting there playing XBOX.
"Hey." I said as a sat down on the far end of the sofa.
"Hey, kid." He spoke back, surprisingly with a smile.
"Where's my mom?"
"She took Sarah to a friend's house."
"Oh okay. Thanks." I said quietly and watched as he played Black Ops 2.
"Wanna play?"
"Really?"
"Yeah sure. Here." He spoke and handed me a controller. "What do you wanna play?" He asked, surprising me again.
"Uh can we play Gun Game?"
"Yeah sure." He set it up and we began playing.
We played for about 30 minutes then my mom came home. "Oh you're back!" She said giddily.
"Yes. I don't have a bed at my apartment." I laughed.
"Oh my god you're playing xbox together! Let me go grab my camera!" She exclaimed excitedly.
She came back quickly and snapped a picture of us.
"Really mom?"
"Yes Gerard. You never even talk to Jim. So this is a big step up." She smiled proudly.
I rolled my eyes and stood up. "I'm gonna head upstairs and go to sleep."
"Alright. Goodnight, sweetheart."
"Goodnight, Kiddo."
"Goodnight, mom. Goodnight, Jim."
I went upstairs and shut the door behind me.

*The next morning (Gerard's P.O.V.)*

I came downstairs and into the kitchen. Everything was really quiet. "Mom? Jim?" I yelled.
"Your mom is at work. I'm in the kitchen. Want some breakfast?"
"Uh. What are you making?"
"I was making myself sunny side up. I can make anything though."
"I'll just take some scrambled."
"Alright." He spoke and began cracking a few more eggs.
"Hey I was wondering if we could use your truck to move my bed to the apartment."
"Yeah. What time do you wanna move it?"
"Uh I guess after we eat."
"Alright. That sounds good."
We ate our food and went upstairs.
"Should we take it apart?"
"Well it won't fit out the door if we don't."
"Okay okay. Don't be so sassy."
"I'm not being sassy. I'm being reasonable. It won't fit out the door with the headboard on it."
"Oh I know that!" I sighed. "Let's just take it apart."
We took apart the bed and moved the box spring and mattress into the truck.
"Thanks." I spoke quietly.
"Yeah. No problem."
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Yeah. Sure. What's on your mind?"
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why did you hit me?" I looked down and shuffled my feet awkwardly.
"I never meant to. Its just-" He stopped himself. "You remind me a lot of myself at that age. I thought if I toughened you up then you wouldn't turn out how I was. I realized it didn't work when you were in the hospital. I thought I could make you tough, but I just made you terrified of me. I'm sorry."
I looked up at him. "You know. Your the closest thing I've had to a father since mine left. I thought I deserved all those beatings cause I drove my brother away and my father didn't see me as a good enough son." I looked away. I picked up a few more things from the bedroom floor and threw them in the trash. "I deserved the beatings cause I'll never be good enough. Ever." I avoided eye contact with him.
"Gerard. I'm really sorry."
"Its. Its okay, Jim. Can we just go?"
He turned away and walked out of the room.
I walked down after him and outside to the truck.
I got in the passenger side and looked around. I was never allowed to ride in the truck. It was neat. It had six seats. 3 in the front and 3 in the back. The seats were black leather.
"I like your car. Its nice." I said quietly.
"Thanks."
I gave the directions to the apartment and when we arrived Jim locked the doors to the truck and opened the hatch to the back of the truck.We carried the mattresses first then came back and carried the parts to the bed.
Jim stay a little while longer and helped me put it together in my new bedroom. We laid the mattresses back on the bed.
"Alright cool. Thanks."
"No problem."
Jim left after saying a quick goodbye and I was left alone with my thoughts.
I pulled out my phone and sent a quick text to Randall that said 'I'm done. Wanna come over?"
He sent a text shortly afterward that read 'Yeah. Be over in a bit.'
I walked into my bedroom and placed the pillows on the bed and made it look nice. I walked into the kitchen and pulled a soda out of the fridge. I sat on one of the dining chairs and waited for Randall.