So Long and Goodnight...

*AUTHORS NOTE*:
This would be a bit confusing if you forgot what happened the last time so I wanted to remind you that Ray had let Helena know that it was Gerard who had planned the outing and Helena had randomly hugged him as they were waiting to leave the venue.
Ok ...carry on.

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"What was that for," Gerard asked smiling though obviously a bit stunned by your sudden hug.

"Well I know you pretty much planned the whole thing and invited my friends and mom."

Gerard shot Ray an evil glare knowing that he must've been the one to tell you.

Ray smiled innocently and then pushed forward through the crowd of black clad teenagers making their way to the exit.

When he was out of sight Gerard turned his gorgeous hazel eyes back to you.

"I had to find some way to top my awesome birthday surprise." He smiled.
"It's tradition."

You and Gerard had this thing where every year you would try to out-do what the other one did for the others birthday.

This year for Gerard's birthday, (which just happened to be three days after yours) you had got literally his entire family and his friends together and threw a HUGE surprise party for him at the park.

Almost an entire month had gone by and you actually thought they had all forgotten about your birthday ...until tonight.

"You win this year, fucker," you smiled up at him. "But I'll get you back."

He laughed evilly.

"I'd like to see you try," he challenged.

"Oh, it'll be tough," you admitted. "But I'll figure something out."

Your gaze wandered to the sky and you could see that the clouds that had threatened earlier had passed and now stars filled the sky.

You stole another glance at Gerard. He was gazing at the stars, as well, smiling as they twinkled and the moon lit his face brilliantly.

The guys and you all said goodbye to the girls as you parted ways and headed back to your cars.

You had just finished hugging your friend’s goodbye and turned to leave but a shy voice (one that was almost totally new to you) spoke up and caused you to turn around.

It was Brooke.

She was pulling at a strand of her hair and staring holes into the ground at her feet.

"What's up, Brooke," you responded thrown off by the sudden change in your friends behavior.

She sighed heavily and looked up at you.

"I need to stop doing this to myself," she mumbled miserably.

You were confused to say the least.

"What do you mean, sweetie? What's wrong?"

"I always fall head over heels for only the guys I know I can never have."

"Mikey?" you asked, finally understanding.

"Yeah," she mumbled, a single tear rolling down her cheek.

You offered her your shoulder and she took it but refused to let herself actually cry.

"And how exactly do you know you can never have him," you asked.

Actually, you thought her and Mikey would make a very cute couple.

She pulled away from you like you had just dissed her mother or something.

"Get real, Helena. Mikey would never like someone like me. I'm just not..."

"Not what," you butted in. "Pretty enough? Smart enough? Brooke, you are! I've told you that so many times but you always refuse to believe it. I love you. I just wish you could see that there's absolutely nothing wrong with you. Sure, you're not perfect but no one is. Mikey doesn't care about flaws, Brooke. He knows how to look past imperfections and see the beauty underneath it all. You try all the time to be something you're not ...and that is what Mikey doesn't care for. Just be you. No one else is better."

She had what looked like the beginnings of a smile on her face but it drifted away as her negative thoughts betrayed her yet again.

"I'm just not his type, Helena."

"I think I'll be the judge of that," came a voice from behind you.

You had both been so busy talking that neither of you had noticed Mikey standing there, listening the whole time.

Brooke suddenly looked like she wanted to curl up in to a little ball and roll away someplace far, far away.

You met Mikey's eyes and saw that he was smiling slightly.

You knew him well enough to know that he didn't just randomly start liking someone on the spur of the moment.

You wondered just how long he'd had a crush on Brooke.

"Five minutes," he mouthed to you and you nodded in agreement.

Walking back to the car you could see Gerard laying on his back on the hood, staring off into space with a dazed/happy smile painted on his face.

You walked over and waved your hand in front of his face, snapping him out of his trance.

"You gonna be ok," you asked with a playful smile.

"Haha. Yeah," he said laughing a bit. "Yeah. I'll be ok."

"Whatcha thinkin' about," you ventured.

"Me? Think?" he asked sarcastically. "Never."

"Yeah, really, Helena," Frank jumped in. "You know Gerard can't think."

Frank looked over at Gerard and laughed until he saw Gerard sit up and leap off the hood of the car.

You rolled your eyes and laughed along with Ray and Bob as Gerard chased Frank around the parking lot.

After a minute they both collapsed, laughing on the pavement and stayed there until Mikey came practically floating up to the car.

"Well?" You inquired, anxiously.

A huge smile spread across his face as he delivered the news to his friends.

"Michael James Way has a girlfriend," he announced triumphantly.

Gerard jumped up from the ground and hugged his brother, laughing happily the whole time.

"See, man? I told you! I knew she liked you," Gerard shouted.

"You were right," Mikey said shaking his head and smiling in disbelief.

It was the cutest thing you'd ever seen.

Gerard had kept his brothers secret well.

You had NO idea Mikey liked Brooke so much.

He had only told Gerard.

They were closer than anyone you knew.

Not only brothers, but also best friends.

Just like it used to be with you and your sister.

You gazed at the ground sadly.

Mikey happened to look up and see you and smiled in your direction.

"Thank you, Helena," he said.

"Huh," you asked, not really knowing what he was talking about.
"For what?"

"For talking to her, giving me the perfect opportunity. Couldn't have done it without you."

You smiled.

You had helped.

No problem, Mikey.

He hugged you and then ducked as Frank tackled him happily.

You watched as they wrestled on the ground laughing and forgetting your momentary sadness.

You looked at Gerard and watched him laughing and felt the butterflies again.

You'd made up your mind.

Tonight was the night you would tell him everything.

'Gerard and Helena,' you thought smiling as you did.

You couldn't help it.

It just sounded so damn perfect.