Garage Heroes
Chapter Seven
I woke up in Gerard’s bed. I forgot that I had slept over here. I opened my eyes to find that Gerard was not on the floor where I had left him last night. He had probably gotten to get breakfast. I collapsed back onto the bed, my face going straight into the pillow. His bed smelled so good, like him. It was so perfect to just lay there with my eyes closed and be able to inhale Gerard’s scent. Just then, the door creaked open. I opened my eyes barely just so I could see Gerard slipping through the door. I sat up and he jumped backwards, startled.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you,” Gerard whispered with a shy voice, and looked down at his feet.
“I woke myself up, you’re fine.” I looked toward the window and realized it was still dark outside. “Gerard, what time is it?”
“It’s about 3:45 in the morning. Why?”
“Why are you up?” I ignored his question.
“I, uh, have nightmares.” He whispered, still looking at his feet. “I don’t sleep much. When I do sleep, it’s because I literally cannot function. I have to be so tired that I pass out, or I don’t get sleep.”
“Wow, I’m really sorry. You can come sit up here with me for a while, if you want.” I patted next to me. He sat down next to me, rather reluctantly.
“Thank you for being so nice and listening. No one ever seems to listen.” Gerard looked up at me and smiled.
“Don’t thank me. I like listening to people vent about stuff,” which was true. I liked to hear people talk about stuff they hated or stuff they loved. I could listen to people who were passionate about something for hours.
“Still. Thank you.”
“You can talk to me anytime you need, okay? Don’t be afraid to just ask to talk.” I smiled at him. He nodded and smiled. He thanked me once more and I fell backwards and let my body be absorbed by his bed.
“This bed is so fucking comfortable, I love it.” He laughed as I closed my eyes to enjoy the softness.
“You can go back to sleep, if you’d like. You don’t have to stay awake for my sake.” Gerard said lightly. I sat back up and told him I would stay awake with him.
“It doesn’t bother me, I’ll live. I can wait until you’re tired enough to go to sleep.” I watched as he looked down at his hands. He seemed scared. Insecure even. I felt so bad for him. I just wanted to hug him. Maybe I should. Maybe that’s all he needed.
I sat up straight and scooted closer to him. We were facing each other now. Well, I was facing him. Gerard was still looking at his hands. I didn’t know how to go about this hug, considering we were both cross-legged on the bed. Still, I put my hands on his shoulders. I pulled him closer before completely wrapping my arms around his neck. He sat there, stiff. I rested my chin on his shoulder. I finally felt Gerard relax and he brought his arms out and they found their way to my back. He put his head on my shoulder and pulled me closer. There was no way I could sit cross-legged anymore, and he realized it. He uncrossed his legs and pulled me until I was sitting in the space he had left between his legs. He continued to hug me tighter and I put one hand on his head. His head was still hidden in my shoulder, but I didn’t mind. I could feel him shaking, and I could tell he was trying not to cry. I pulled away from the hug, but I sat there with my hands on his shoulders, and he left his arms wrapped around me. I placed my hand on his cheek and tilted his head up so he was looking at me. I kissed his forehead and pulled away so I could look back into his eyes. He was the first to speak.
“Taylor… I know I’ve only known you for a couple days, but it’s safe to say that you’re the best friend that I have ever had.” Gerard smiled a delicate smile. It was genuine, and I was so thankful for that.
“I’ve never made a friend before, to be honest. And you guys have actually accepted me. Thank you for that.” He smiled and pulled his arms away from me.
“I think you need to go back to sleep. You look exhausted.” I felt exhausted. I could only imagine what he was seeing. But, I nodded at him and let myself fall into the bed again, and he laughed. He started to get up, but I stopped him.
“Gerard, you can, uh, sleep up here if you’d like. I mean, I don’t mind. It’s a big bed.” It was a big bed, so I wasn’t really lying. He smirked.
“You just want me to sleep with you!” he laughed. “I’m kidding. I’ll sleep here if you really don’t mind. The floor wasn’t that comfortable anyway.”
“Promise to wake me up if you have a nightmare. Please.”
“I promise I will. Thank you, Taylor.” Gerard’s voice got quieter as he got comfortable. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me close to him. I could feel his breath on my neck. Within a few minutes, he was asleep. Every now and then, he would let out a quiet snore. God, he was adorable. I snuggled up to the blankets and fell into a deep sleep, intoxicated by Gerard’s scent.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you,” Gerard whispered with a shy voice, and looked down at his feet.
“I woke myself up, you’re fine.” I looked toward the window and realized it was still dark outside. “Gerard, what time is it?”
“It’s about 3:45 in the morning. Why?”
“Why are you up?” I ignored his question.
“I, uh, have nightmares.” He whispered, still looking at his feet. “I don’t sleep much. When I do sleep, it’s because I literally cannot function. I have to be so tired that I pass out, or I don’t get sleep.”
“Wow, I’m really sorry. You can come sit up here with me for a while, if you want.” I patted next to me. He sat down next to me, rather reluctantly.
“Thank you for being so nice and listening. No one ever seems to listen.” Gerard looked up at me and smiled.
“Don’t thank me. I like listening to people vent about stuff,” which was true. I liked to hear people talk about stuff they hated or stuff they loved. I could listen to people who were passionate about something for hours.
“Still. Thank you.”
“You can talk to me anytime you need, okay? Don’t be afraid to just ask to talk.” I smiled at him. He nodded and smiled. He thanked me once more and I fell backwards and let my body be absorbed by his bed.
“This bed is so fucking comfortable, I love it.” He laughed as I closed my eyes to enjoy the softness.
“You can go back to sleep, if you’d like. You don’t have to stay awake for my sake.” Gerard said lightly. I sat back up and told him I would stay awake with him.
“It doesn’t bother me, I’ll live. I can wait until you’re tired enough to go to sleep.” I watched as he looked down at his hands. He seemed scared. Insecure even. I felt so bad for him. I just wanted to hug him. Maybe I should. Maybe that’s all he needed.
I sat up straight and scooted closer to him. We were facing each other now. Well, I was facing him. Gerard was still looking at his hands. I didn’t know how to go about this hug, considering we were both cross-legged on the bed. Still, I put my hands on his shoulders. I pulled him closer before completely wrapping my arms around his neck. He sat there, stiff. I rested my chin on his shoulder. I finally felt Gerard relax and he brought his arms out and they found their way to my back. He put his head on my shoulder and pulled me closer. There was no way I could sit cross-legged anymore, and he realized it. He uncrossed his legs and pulled me until I was sitting in the space he had left between his legs. He continued to hug me tighter and I put one hand on his head. His head was still hidden in my shoulder, but I didn’t mind. I could feel him shaking, and I could tell he was trying not to cry. I pulled away from the hug, but I sat there with my hands on his shoulders, and he left his arms wrapped around me. I placed my hand on his cheek and tilted his head up so he was looking at me. I kissed his forehead and pulled away so I could look back into his eyes. He was the first to speak.
“Taylor… I know I’ve only known you for a couple days, but it’s safe to say that you’re the best friend that I have ever had.” Gerard smiled a delicate smile. It was genuine, and I was so thankful for that.
“I’ve never made a friend before, to be honest. And you guys have actually accepted me. Thank you for that.” He smiled and pulled his arms away from me.
“I think you need to go back to sleep. You look exhausted.” I felt exhausted. I could only imagine what he was seeing. But, I nodded at him and let myself fall into the bed again, and he laughed. He started to get up, but I stopped him.
“Gerard, you can, uh, sleep up here if you’d like. I mean, I don’t mind. It’s a big bed.” It was a big bed, so I wasn’t really lying. He smirked.
“You just want me to sleep with you!” he laughed. “I’m kidding. I’ll sleep here if you really don’t mind. The floor wasn’t that comfortable anyway.”
“Promise to wake me up if you have a nightmare. Please.”
“I promise I will. Thank you, Taylor.” Gerard’s voice got quieter as he got comfortable. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me close to him. I could feel his breath on my neck. Within a few minutes, he was asleep. Every now and then, he would let out a quiet snore. God, he was adorable. I snuggled up to the blankets and fell into a deep sleep, intoxicated by Gerard’s scent.