I'm Not Okay

Holly was released from the hospital the next day, Dr. Craft tried to reason with her that she
should stay, just for observation reasons and such, but Holly just shook her head and thanked her for all her help before walking out of the door before me. When we got back to Electric Factory, we were all packed up and were ready to head to New York and the last show of the tour tonight, but as we walked up in to bus, everyone looked a little upset. I had not told them what my fight with Todd was about but, I’m pretty sure they could guess.

Last night during the show I heard that Todd had some shitty things to say about me during his band’s set, but I, being the bigger man of course just ignored all of it, that is until he approached me after the show as I was heading towards a car to go back to the hospital.

“Gerard, why do you bother with her, huh?” He asked with a confused expression as I reached for the car handle.

“What do you mean? Didn’t I tell you to stay away?” I asked as I opened the car door and looked back at him.

“No, and don’t bother with her, she’s damaged goods.” I saw him smirk in the street light.

“Okay, fucker, it’s only because Holly’s not well enough that you’re not in jail at this very moment, so why don’t you just go save me the trouble and blow your brains out already?” I asked, as I took a step towards him. I could see the actual fear in his eyes, I laughed.

“You’re a psycho.”

“And you’re a rapist, now that we got that clear, I’d like to go see Holly,” I climbed into the car and the driver sped off, living Todd and the Factory in the dust.

***

Now, I could guess that they knew what had happen, with both of my encounters with the jackass. But I couldn’t careless; there were more important issues at hand.

“I’m so sorry,” Frank said, as he got up from he’s sit on the couch and began what Holly called, ‘The Black Parade, of Hugs’, which received a lot of laughs.

“So Holly, what are you going to do after the show?” Mikey asked as the bus started to roll on down the road and everyone sat back down. Holly turned from looking at him and just looked at me.

“You didn’t tell them?” She simply asked, her voice soundly a little hurt.

“Tell us what?” Ray asked from the table where he, Frank and Bob were sitting. I saw Holly turn her head for a second to see their reactions at this. But I just sighed and decided it was better late then never,

“Holly’s going to move in with me.” I swear if there weren’t veins and other gooey human, brain things holding Ray, Mikey, Bob, and Frank’s eyes in, they would have all popped out and be rolling around on the floor.

“What do you mean she’s going to be moving in with you!?” Frank asked as he found his voice, the others simply sat there, staring at me.

“Holly needs a place to stay Frank, god, its not like I’m asking her to marry me.” I laughed; but the apparent stab at my own recent break up didn’t go over so well as Holly sat there quietly and the guys just looked at me until their phones started ringing or vibrating with phone calls or text messages from girlfriends or wives. Suddenly there was no one in the ‘living room’ of the bus, except room me and Holly.

“Well,” Holly said as she looked out the window. “That went absolutely wonderful.” I could hear all the ‘wonderful’ sarcasm in tender little voice. She had really said much since yesterday.

“Holly, you know about what Dr.-"

“Gerard, I do not want to talk about it,” She turned to face me, and after a minute smiled. “You know what? How about Twenty Questions?”

“Twenty Questions?” I asked not entirely sure about the idea.

“Yeah…” She replied. “Or we could make it fifty?”

“Twenty Questions it is.” I laughed as she grinned.