Mad World

*years later*

"Congratulations, St. Frances Chastain's class of 2012." Mr. Barlow said into the microphone.

Seconds later, everyone was screaming and throwing their graduation caps into the air. I stood, along with Mikey and my parent's, and cheered. I watched as Frank fought against the current of high school graduates to hug and kiss his family and then finally making his way to my family and me.

"Sorry I graduated before you." I apologized. "I could've enjoyed this experience with you."

"I'm glad you took classes online though." Frank replied. "You couldn't take it. I understand."

I just smiled and hugged him tighter. Mikey pulled him from me and congratulated him. Then my parents got ahold of him. I smiled so much my face hurt. I haven't felt this happy in years.

"Hey, Gerard."

I turned and saw Stacy there in her red and black St. Frances graduation uniform. She looks so much older since the last time I saw her. Her red hair was pulled up into a tight bun ontop of her head, her makeup was subtle and natural, and she was smiling. My heart fluttered in my chest. I still loved Stacy, but this was a kind of love I was willing to let go of.

"Congratulations, Stace." I said. I enveloped her into a hug. When I pulled away, she had tears streaming down her face, her mascara running. "Don't cry." I chuckled apologetically.

Stacy laughed at herself, wiped her cheeks, and smiled at me. "I haven't seen or heard from you since you came home from the hospital years ago. I mean, I ask Frank and Mikey how you are, but, I've never had the guts to come by and ask. I just hope you can forgive me. Please."

"Of course I forgive you."

"I am such a horrible person."

"Aww, no!" I hugged her again. "Don't let any of the past get to you, Stacy. It was never your fault. Because of you, I found Frank. I should be thanking you."

Frank was at my side at that moment. I put an arm around him and kissed his cheek.

"We're done, Stace! We're finally out of here!" Frank hooted. "Off to college."

"What college did you get in to?" Stacy asked him.

"Didn't get in to one yet, but, I'm applying to colleges in either New York or California." Frank answered.

"What about you, Gerard?" she directed the question to me.

"I don't exactly have plans for college yet. But, I think I'll search from colleges for beginning artists. I like to draw." I explained.

"That's cool..." she said, but her voice sounded to distant and monotonous. Then she slowly turned and walked off to her family.

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Later that night, I laid awake in bed, staring at the ceiling and relaying the day in my mind. All the teachers and students I united with after so many years of staying locked in the house taking online classes and at-home therapy. Everyone's grown, everyone's changed.

I felt this was the beginning of something so new. Frank and I are free of school, off in the real world. Ready to apply for jobs, apply for college, make money for ourselves. We were officially adults. We didn't need our parents. We didn't need the support anymore. Our childhood and innocence was locked away behind closet doors in scrapbooks and photo albums. First fingerpaints, first baby tooth, first haircut, the first time we wrote out whole name. Videos of our first breath of life, first steps, first birthday, first day at the park, first time using the toilet. All wisps of childhood memories were now covered in thick layers of aging dust and cobwebs, waiting to be dug up for the next peek into the past.

And on the surface of it all, I almost don't want to let go of it all. Though I can always look back and remember all the stories, I'll never be able to relive them. It's time for me to start some memories of my own. A family with Frank, a house where we can make memories of our own. And when we're old and gray and our kids are off to college, we can bury the hatchet of their innocence and let it collect dust. A tradition.

As I turn out my light, I close my eyes, my younger self staring back at me behind my lids, I smile. My cheesy grin of innocence, my mousy brown hair cut short, my eyes glinting in the ray of sunshine, my cheeks rosy and plump. My thin brother at my side, his arm linked around mine. Our heads tilted to meet the other in a loving brotherly adortion.

I silently said so long and goodnight to young and innocent Gerard Way and promised to dig him out of the memory box, dust him off, and smile back.