Sequel: Angel Blue ›
Status: Finished! Sequel Angel Blue :)
Stray Heart
Last of the American girls
I'm currently resigning in Mike's big grey Ramones shirt and my lacy pink underwear, with my hair up in a messy pony tail. Mike made waffles drenched in syrup. I smile at him sweetly as he hands me the plate with a cup of orange juice, snuggling up next to me to eat his own. He is the best boyfrie- FIANCE!!
'Thank-you my love.' I say, eating the food.
'No problem babe.' He replies, digging in to his own. It's back to school soon, and no one can be bothered in the slightest. The heating is currently broken so Mike and I have just spent two days snuggled under the duvet together in a vague attempt to keep warm, and showering together to, y'know, save water...
My phone suddenly rings, and I pick it up without reading the caller ID.
'Hey Nicola.' A male voice calls.
'Hello? Who is this?' I ask warily, holding the phone closer to my ear.
'It's Jimmy. Your brother.' Ah yes, another piece of my past I have eluded from everyone here for the past 5 and a half years.
'Hey Jimmy! How are you? I haven't seen you in donkeys!' I squeal down the phone.
'Well, I'm about as good as you can be locked up in a fucking looney bin.' He growls.
'But health wise you're okay right?' I say.
'On the mend my dear, on the mend, they're letting me out for the first day out by myself in 4 years.' He whispers.
Mike's POV
Who's that guy she's talking to on the phone? I've never heard of him before. He sounds British, maybe an old friend from England I suppose. Nicola hangs up the phone and I walk over to her.
'Who was that?' I enquire, wrapping my arms around her waist.
'Oh, no-one.' She replies quickly, trying to walk away but I pull her back so she is facing me.
'Nicola?' I question. 'Why so secretive? I know you're hiding something from me.'
'Okay,' she begins, 'When I used to live in England, I had a brother. His name was Jimmy and he was 2 years older than me, but he started to go a bit crazy. He'd cut every night and thought that he was some sort of God. He called himself the Jesus of Suburbia, the son of rage and love. It consumed him, he'd go from being regular Jimmy to this St Jimmy, and then he'd do all sorts of crazy things; he'd vandalise, he'd be violent, anything he could do to rebel. He met this girl, oh, whatsername? Anyway he met this girl and she was really good for him, whenever he had a turn, she'd be there to help him, but she couldn't handle it forever. She broke up with him and we lost Jimmy, it was St Jimmy or nothing, and when he chose nothing it was even scarier, he'd sit there and stare at the walls, without eating or sleeping for days. Unfortunately, with the breakdown of my parent's relationship, they couldn't handle our St Jimmy, so he's been in a looney bin with Schitzophrenia and Multiple Personality Disorder for the past 7 years on East 12th Street.' She was choked. Why did she hide this from us for so long? Tears have formed in her eyes and they're rolling down her cheeks. I wipe them away with my thumb gently and hug her. Comfort her.
'I'm so sorry I pushed you to tell me that babe.' I whisper and she shakes her head.
'No, no, you didn't, I needed to tell someone. It was burning me up inside. He's being allowed out for an entire day by himself - first time in 4 years.'
I smile and hug her tightly.
Nicola's POV
When we have both finished our waffles Mike makes an excellent suggestion.
'Should we just go over to Billie's? I'm freezing my fucking nuts off in this place.'
'Yes, that is a fab idea, why didn't I think of that?' I say, grabbing mine and Mike's plates before I slip on a pair of skinny jeans under Mike's shirt and he layers on a jumper. We walk hand in hand over to Billie's where we knock on the door. Ollie answers.
'Hello you two! It feels like forever since we saw you last! Congratulations again you two.' We both blush, 'Thankyou Ollie, that means a lot.' I say and she lets us inside. Their house is so warm!
'Beej!!' Mike shouts from downstairs, and Billie comes running downstairs, hand in hand with a girl, about my height with gorgeous rosy cheeks and dreadlocks pinned in a loose bun.
'Hey Dirnt, hey Nic.' He greets. 'This is Adrienne, Adrienne, meet Mike and Nicola.' He introduces us to this Adrienne and she smiles shyly, she has a lovely smile.
'It's great to meet you.' I smile politely.
'And you too.' She replies, and Billie makes a point of saying,
'Mike and Nicola got engaged about a week ago.' Adrienne makes eyes of awe.
'Aww! Congratulations! That is so cute! So how long have you guys been going out?' She asks and we laugh.
'Only about six months.' Mike smiles, squeezing my hand.
'Wow! You two must be very serious then!' She giggles. And we nod, each turning round and showing her our tattoos. She has a shocked smile on her face.
'Nice underwear Nic.' Billie smirks and Adrienne and Mike both hit him as I blush. We all follow Billie Joe up to his room, and Adrienne, or 'Adie' sits on the end of his bed as Mike and I lean up against the wall sat down, with our legs tangled together oddly. I shoot him a smile and he kisses me on the cheek, I kiss his lips and he slings his arm around my waist as I lean my head on his shoulder.
'So Adrienne, where do you go to school?' I ask and she looks a bit puzzled.
'Well I dropped out recently, I used to live in Minnesota.' She explains and I nod, nuzzling my face further into Mike's neck sleepily.
'Ah wow, I've always wanted to go to Minnesota.' I mumble indistinctly into Mike's skin.
Billie's POV
Just look at them, they are the perfect couple, all snuggled up like that. So cute. I hope that one day Adrienne and I will have what they have, I really feel like we're going places. I reach out for Adie's hand and our fingers intertwine, she's like, the last of the American girls. I bring her hand up to my face and kiss the back of it, around where her knuckles are.
Mike's POV
I think Nic's about to fall asleep on me, she has had trouble sleeping recently just because the house has been so cold, and it's catching up with her. Her phone rings and it startles her as she wakes up from her half asleep state.
'Hello?' She groans.
'Hello, is this Nicola?' the friendly spa like voice on speakerphone asks.
'Yes?' She turns off speakerphone and takes the call into another room.
I chat with Adrienne and Billie for a few minutes until I hear a scream and a cry from the hallway.
'Nicola!' I shout, running out to find her collapsed on the floor on her knees with her head in her hands. I run to her side and kneel next to her, taking her in my arms and holding her tighter than I ever have before. We remain like that for about 10 minutes as I rock her back and forth, with the other two standing in the doorway.
'It's Jimmy. Jimmy died today, he blew his brains out into the bay. Apparantly just before he l-left for his d-day out he kept switching between Jimmy and St Jimmy without anyone really noticing. He'd gotten rid of St Jimmy but he tried coming back with a vengance, Jimmy was trying to force himself out of his own mind, Jimmy shot St Jimmy, but I don't think his body remembered that that was him.' She sniffs into my jumper.
I can't believe it, he was the only real family she had left. She's heartbroken and there's nothing I can do to fix it.
*4 days later at the funeral*
I'm wearing a black suit and tie and Nicola is wearing a knee length black dress. We've had to fly to England for Jimmy's funeral and Nic's Dad is coming along with two police officers. The funeral runs it's general course, some distant family members Nicola forgot she even had and hasn't had a card from in twelve years, some drinks and a vicar saying all of the regular things. They lower the casket and place the grave stone and Nicola speaks up.
'It's lovely to have everyone here, well, most of you.' she begins, glaring at Christopher, 'But this isn't what Jimmy would've wanted. As all of you know, Jimmy wasn't just Jimmy, he was St Jimmy. Beneath it all, he loved St Jimmy, it was a part of him that he always wanted to live out as Jimmy. He gave him more confidence and opportunities he never thought that he'd have, and gave him freedom. I think that he would rather we celebrated the life of St Jimmy than the death of Jimmy.'
Many people are in tears, and Nicola grabs a sharp stone and carves ST onto the gravestone so that it reads ST JIMMY SPENCE. She's in tears and I take her by the hand as we leave the church.
'That was so brave what you did.' I breathe and she cries in my arms.
'It's what he would've wanted. I just can't believe it, he was all the family I had left.' She wails and I kiss her head.
'You have me, and Billie, Ollie, Tre, Jason, Adie, all of us.' I comfort her and she smiles at me.
'Thank-you my love.' I say, eating the food.
'No problem babe.' He replies, digging in to his own. It's back to school soon, and no one can be bothered in the slightest. The heating is currently broken so Mike and I have just spent two days snuggled under the duvet together in a vague attempt to keep warm, and showering together to, y'know, save water...
My phone suddenly rings, and I pick it up without reading the caller ID.
'Hey Nicola.' A male voice calls.
'Hello? Who is this?' I ask warily, holding the phone closer to my ear.
'It's Jimmy. Your brother.' Ah yes, another piece of my past I have eluded from everyone here for the past 5 and a half years.
'Hey Jimmy! How are you? I haven't seen you in donkeys!' I squeal down the phone.
'Well, I'm about as good as you can be locked up in a fucking looney bin.' He growls.
'But health wise you're okay right?' I say.
'On the mend my dear, on the mend, they're letting me out for the first day out by myself in 4 years.' He whispers.
Mike's POV
Who's that guy she's talking to on the phone? I've never heard of him before. He sounds British, maybe an old friend from England I suppose. Nicola hangs up the phone and I walk over to her.
'Who was that?' I enquire, wrapping my arms around her waist.
'Oh, no-one.' She replies quickly, trying to walk away but I pull her back so she is facing me.
'Nicola?' I question. 'Why so secretive? I know you're hiding something from me.'
'Okay,' she begins, 'When I used to live in England, I had a brother. His name was Jimmy and he was 2 years older than me, but he started to go a bit crazy. He'd cut every night and thought that he was some sort of God. He called himself the Jesus of Suburbia, the son of rage and love. It consumed him, he'd go from being regular Jimmy to this St Jimmy, and then he'd do all sorts of crazy things; he'd vandalise, he'd be violent, anything he could do to rebel. He met this girl, oh, whatsername? Anyway he met this girl and she was really good for him, whenever he had a turn, she'd be there to help him, but she couldn't handle it forever. She broke up with him and we lost Jimmy, it was St Jimmy or nothing, and when he chose nothing it was even scarier, he'd sit there and stare at the walls, without eating or sleeping for days. Unfortunately, with the breakdown of my parent's relationship, they couldn't handle our St Jimmy, so he's been in a looney bin with Schitzophrenia and Multiple Personality Disorder for the past 7 years on East 12th Street.' She was choked. Why did she hide this from us for so long? Tears have formed in her eyes and they're rolling down her cheeks. I wipe them away with my thumb gently and hug her. Comfort her.
'I'm so sorry I pushed you to tell me that babe.' I whisper and she shakes her head.
'No, no, you didn't, I needed to tell someone. It was burning me up inside. He's being allowed out for an entire day by himself - first time in 4 years.'
I smile and hug her tightly.
Nicola's POV
When we have both finished our waffles Mike makes an excellent suggestion.
'Should we just go over to Billie's? I'm freezing my fucking nuts off in this place.'
'Yes, that is a fab idea, why didn't I think of that?' I say, grabbing mine and Mike's plates before I slip on a pair of skinny jeans under Mike's shirt and he layers on a jumper. We walk hand in hand over to Billie's where we knock on the door. Ollie answers.
'Hello you two! It feels like forever since we saw you last! Congratulations again you two.' We both blush, 'Thankyou Ollie, that means a lot.' I say and she lets us inside. Their house is so warm!
'Beej!!' Mike shouts from downstairs, and Billie comes running downstairs, hand in hand with a girl, about my height with gorgeous rosy cheeks and dreadlocks pinned in a loose bun.
'Hey Dirnt, hey Nic.' He greets. 'This is Adrienne, Adrienne, meet Mike and Nicola.' He introduces us to this Adrienne and she smiles shyly, she has a lovely smile.
'It's great to meet you.' I smile politely.
'And you too.' She replies, and Billie makes a point of saying,
'Mike and Nicola got engaged about a week ago.' Adrienne makes eyes of awe.
'Aww! Congratulations! That is so cute! So how long have you guys been going out?' She asks and we laugh.
'Only about six months.' Mike smiles, squeezing my hand.
'Wow! You two must be very serious then!' She giggles. And we nod, each turning round and showing her our tattoos. She has a shocked smile on her face.
'Nice underwear Nic.' Billie smirks and Adrienne and Mike both hit him as I blush. We all follow Billie Joe up to his room, and Adrienne, or 'Adie' sits on the end of his bed as Mike and I lean up against the wall sat down, with our legs tangled together oddly. I shoot him a smile and he kisses me on the cheek, I kiss his lips and he slings his arm around my waist as I lean my head on his shoulder.
'So Adrienne, where do you go to school?' I ask and she looks a bit puzzled.
'Well I dropped out recently, I used to live in Minnesota.' She explains and I nod, nuzzling my face further into Mike's neck sleepily.
'Ah wow, I've always wanted to go to Minnesota.' I mumble indistinctly into Mike's skin.
Billie's POV
Just look at them, they are the perfect couple, all snuggled up like that. So cute. I hope that one day Adrienne and I will have what they have, I really feel like we're going places. I reach out for Adie's hand and our fingers intertwine, she's like, the last of the American girls. I bring her hand up to my face and kiss the back of it, around where her knuckles are.
Mike's POV
I think Nic's about to fall asleep on me, she has had trouble sleeping recently just because the house has been so cold, and it's catching up with her. Her phone rings and it startles her as she wakes up from her half asleep state.
'Hello?' She groans.
'Hello, is this Nicola?' the friendly spa like voice on speakerphone asks.
'Yes?' She turns off speakerphone and takes the call into another room.
I chat with Adrienne and Billie for a few minutes until I hear a scream and a cry from the hallway.
'Nicola!' I shout, running out to find her collapsed on the floor on her knees with her head in her hands. I run to her side and kneel next to her, taking her in my arms and holding her tighter than I ever have before. We remain like that for about 10 minutes as I rock her back and forth, with the other two standing in the doorway.
'It's Jimmy. Jimmy died today, he blew his brains out into the bay. Apparantly just before he l-left for his d-day out he kept switching between Jimmy and St Jimmy without anyone really noticing. He'd gotten rid of St Jimmy but he tried coming back with a vengance, Jimmy was trying to force himself out of his own mind, Jimmy shot St Jimmy, but I don't think his body remembered that that was him.' She sniffs into my jumper.
I can't believe it, he was the only real family she had left. She's heartbroken and there's nothing I can do to fix it.
*4 days later at the funeral*
I'm wearing a black suit and tie and Nicola is wearing a knee length black dress. We've had to fly to England for Jimmy's funeral and Nic's Dad is coming along with two police officers. The funeral runs it's general course, some distant family members Nicola forgot she even had and hasn't had a card from in twelve years, some drinks and a vicar saying all of the regular things. They lower the casket and place the grave stone and Nicola speaks up.
'It's lovely to have everyone here, well, most of you.' she begins, glaring at Christopher, 'But this isn't what Jimmy would've wanted. As all of you know, Jimmy wasn't just Jimmy, he was St Jimmy. Beneath it all, he loved St Jimmy, it was a part of him that he always wanted to live out as Jimmy. He gave him more confidence and opportunities he never thought that he'd have, and gave him freedom. I think that he would rather we celebrated the life of St Jimmy than the death of Jimmy.'
Many people are in tears, and Nicola grabs a sharp stone and carves ST onto the gravestone so that it reads ST JIMMY SPENCE. She's in tears and I take her by the hand as we leave the church.
'That was so brave what you did.' I breathe and she cries in my arms.
'It's what he would've wanted. I just can't believe it, he was all the family I had left.' She wails and I kiss her head.
'You have me, and Billie, Ollie, Tre, Jason, Adie, all of us.' I comfort her and she smiles at me.