Status: Work in Progress
Straight Through My Heart
002
The following week, I had barely healed from the bruises and cuts I had received from Jimmy, and my ribs were still cracked. I did my best to sit still as Mikey carefully wrapped the bandaging around my chest, but there was a time or two I couldn't help but move a bit. "Gee, really. I can't do this with you moving every five seconds," Mikey said, looking at me with a concerned expression. The shadows under his eyes and the irritable tone in his voice lead me to believe he had lost a lot of sleep in the last seven days.
"I'm in pain, Mikes. I really am trying to stay still, but if you pull any tighter, my upper body with be cut it half," I replied as he finished up the final wrap.
"Well, it's got to be tight if you want your ribs to heal properly. Remember what happened to Jake when his ribs didn't heal right?"
"Surgery," I said, shuddering at the thought of being under anesthesia with needles in me as someone operated on me. "Last thing I need is that," I went on, carefully standing up with the aid of Mikey. We both looked up at the sound of our mother walking in, smiling at us. "Morning, Mom," I said as I gingerly wrapped my arms around her.
"Morning, Gerard," she said, carefully trying not to squeeze me too hard. She and Mikey hugged as well before we all went upstairs. "Some people are here to see you, Gerard," Mom said, looking at me with a saddened smile, meaning it was Jimmy and his parents. Again.
"Why do they keep coming here every time he does this? He thinks I got his number on speed dial and calls them. Then beats be up again for it," I said as we finally exited the basement. Walking into the living room, I saw Jimmy and his parents sitting on the couch. Jimmy looked to have a furious calm about him, while his parents had this angered sadness to them.
"Gerard, we're so sorry James doesn't stop," Mrs. Reed said, looking at me as I carefully sat down on the arm of the couch. "We don't understand why."
"It's because I am apparently emo, which I should remind him, again, I'm not. He also thinks I have your number and calls you every time this happens, which I will also remind him, again, that I don't. I barely remember my own home phone, what makes him think I want his is beyond me."
I noticed his parents give each other a worried look. "I call them," Mikey said, causing everyone to look at him. "I keep hoping you two will find some sort of common ground and let bygones be bygones."
"Mikes, as much as I appreciate your help, I think it's become rather pointless," I said, giving him a sad smile.
"You're the reason why my parents are threatening my college tuition?" Jimmy screamed, causing everyone to jump. "Ever since that first time you apparently called, I've been forced to either take my anger out on him or college..."
"Well, we obviously see that college isn't a choice," I muttered causing Jimmy to whirl and look at me.
"It is, and you know how hard I've worked," he said, pointing a thick finger at me. "Honestly, I'm fucking jealous of you. Over the fact that you don't care about labels, or trying to fit in. You just be. I have always wanted to be like that, just accept everything as it is and move on, no questions asked."
"Finally! Some talking!" Mikey said, lifting his arms in victory.
"Shut up, little Way!" Jimmy said, his eyes never leaving my face. He sat down, his expression becoming weary. "I've been always demanded of, to be someone people could look to. When you first walked through the doors of the school, I noticed how everyone sort of just ignored you, yet still knew you were there, and you didn't have a care in the world."
"Jimmy, I've always thought if you give the world the finger and just let everything fall into place, it's a lot easier," I said, scratching my neck. "I know you have an image to hold up and all, but sometimes, it's better just to let everyone talk than be miserable. Why do you think I ignore everyone?"
A lot of time seemed to pass as we sat there talking, and neither of the parents seemed to realize that school had started and we were still talking. After a while, everyone became silent, and no one bothered to move. We all just sat there, letting all of what just happened sink in.
"I'm in pain, Mikes. I really am trying to stay still, but if you pull any tighter, my upper body with be cut it half," I replied as he finished up the final wrap.
"Well, it's got to be tight if you want your ribs to heal properly. Remember what happened to Jake when his ribs didn't heal right?"
"Surgery," I said, shuddering at the thought of being under anesthesia with needles in me as someone operated on me. "Last thing I need is that," I went on, carefully standing up with the aid of Mikey. We both looked up at the sound of our mother walking in, smiling at us. "Morning, Mom," I said as I gingerly wrapped my arms around her.
"Morning, Gerard," she said, carefully trying not to squeeze me too hard. She and Mikey hugged as well before we all went upstairs. "Some people are here to see you, Gerard," Mom said, looking at me with a saddened smile, meaning it was Jimmy and his parents. Again.
"Why do they keep coming here every time he does this? He thinks I got his number on speed dial and calls them. Then beats be up again for it," I said as we finally exited the basement. Walking into the living room, I saw Jimmy and his parents sitting on the couch. Jimmy looked to have a furious calm about him, while his parents had this angered sadness to them.
"Gerard, we're so sorry James doesn't stop," Mrs. Reed said, looking at me as I carefully sat down on the arm of the couch. "We don't understand why."
"It's because I am apparently emo, which I should remind him, again, I'm not. He also thinks I have your number and calls you every time this happens, which I will also remind him, again, that I don't. I barely remember my own home phone, what makes him think I want his is beyond me."
I noticed his parents give each other a worried look. "I call them," Mikey said, causing everyone to look at him. "I keep hoping you two will find some sort of common ground and let bygones be bygones."
"Mikes, as much as I appreciate your help, I think it's become rather pointless," I said, giving him a sad smile.
"You're the reason why my parents are threatening my college tuition?" Jimmy screamed, causing everyone to jump. "Ever since that first time you apparently called, I've been forced to either take my anger out on him or college..."
"Well, we obviously see that college isn't a choice," I muttered causing Jimmy to whirl and look at me.
"It is, and you know how hard I've worked," he said, pointing a thick finger at me. "Honestly, I'm fucking jealous of you. Over the fact that you don't care about labels, or trying to fit in. You just be. I have always wanted to be like that, just accept everything as it is and move on, no questions asked."
"Finally! Some talking!" Mikey said, lifting his arms in victory.
"Shut up, little Way!" Jimmy said, his eyes never leaving my face. He sat down, his expression becoming weary. "I've been always demanded of, to be someone people could look to. When you first walked through the doors of the school, I noticed how everyone sort of just ignored you, yet still knew you were there, and you didn't have a care in the world."
"Jimmy, I've always thought if you give the world the finger and just let everything fall into place, it's a lot easier," I said, scratching my neck. "I know you have an image to hold up and all, but sometimes, it's better just to let everyone talk than be miserable. Why do you think I ignore everyone?"
A lot of time seemed to pass as we sat there talking, and neither of the parents seemed to realize that school had started and we were still talking. After a while, everyone became silent, and no one bothered to move. We all just sat there, letting all of what just happened sink in.