Until We Meet Again

August 4th 1998

Jordan’s laughter was contagious. She and Gerard stood at the cinema’s entrance, about to leave now that the movie was over.

“I swear I’ve never seen anyone laughing so hard at a horror movie.” He too laughed.

“That’s because it wasn’t scary.” Her laughter slowly faded. “Besides the fact that a lot of people died by the hands of a masked man.”

“Well, obviously you have a better taste in choosing what movies to watch,” he spoke. This was the second time they had gone to the movies together and the first one, the one that Jordan had picked, had been a far better one.

“Oh come on, it’s not your fault.” She placed a hand on his shoulder and gave it a little shake. “I always have fun with you, no matter how much the movie sucks.”

They got into Gerard’s car and Jordan sighed after looking at her watch. “Do you wanna go grab something to eat? I don’t really feel like going home yet.”

He started the car. “Sure. I know just the perfect place.”

Jordan hummed to a song Gerard didn’t recognize, as he drove through the city. The night sky was clear, showing a full moon and only a small amount of people walked the streets.

Jordan liked the night time better than the day. She liked the feeling the darkness gave her, filling the city with mystery and magic, how the neon lights danced on the cars’ hoods and how she could watch people without being as noticed as she was during the day light. Like how she watched Gerard now, as he drove to the diner he talked about. His hair was as black as hair could be, somewhat long and all over the place. It made her smile. It gave her the desire to play with it, but she didn’t. It was funny; she knew Mikey for almost two years and yet she had never met Gerard before. Maybe he was just not around during the other times she had gone to their house, but she was happy they had finally met.

Gerard stopped the car and the two got inside the half full diner. A redhead greeted them with a warm smile and told them the specials. Gerard ordered immediately and the waitress left Jordan to pick hers.

“You should choose what I chose, it’s the best one,” Gerard commented and looked at her for a while, seeming to be analyzing her. “I just don’t know if you have the stomach for it.”

Jordan raised an eyebrow. “Why wouldn’t I?”

“It’s probably too much for a girl.”

“Too much for a girl?” She threw a serious face at him. “In case you don't know, I eat a lot.”

“Maybe you eat a lot for a girl, but not a lot like… a lot.”

She answered him with a snort. The waitress carried a plate to their table, placing a massive burger, with probably everything a burger could have in it, in front of him. Jordan’s mouth hung open.

“Are you ready to order?” The smiling waitress asked.

“Sure.” Jordan glanced at Gerard’s smiling face and quickly became serious. “I’ll have what he’s having.”

September 8th 1998

“Jordan!” Jordan’s mother shouted from the front yard. She jumped down the stairs and ran outside; squinting at the intense sun once she met her mother.

“Is it…?” She saw the smile on her mother’s face as she nodded and handed her a letter. Jordan opened it slowly, part of her not wanting to know the answer to whether she had gotten a scholarship or not. If she didn’t, her dream would be over.

As her eyes started to scan the letter, a smile on her face was formed, getting bigger with every line she read. “I got it mom! I got a scholarship!” She suddenly squealed, hugging her tightly.

“Congratulations sweetheart, I know you would! Now go call your father before he gets home from work.”

Jordan nodded. “But first I’ve got to go see someone.”



Mikey heard the door bell ring. He looked at his brother and his brother looked at him, neither of them wanting to go answer the door. The door bell rang once again and neither of them moved from the sofa.

“Hey, Mrs. Way!” They heard once their mother opened the door, after glancing them a threatening look.

“Hi Jordan, how are you? The boys -” she stopped herself once she saw Jordan running past her. Gerard was already behind his mother, his brother following him closely.

She smiled widely, hugging Gerard by his neck and catching him off guard, but slowly returning her embrace. “Look!” She shouted, unfolding a paper that she had kept on her back pocket and that now he saw it was a letter.

He read it quickly. “You got it?!”

“Oh yeah!”

“What did she get?” Mikey asked.

“I got a partial scholarship to go to study in England! I’m going to London!” Jordan jumped up and down.

“Congratulations!” Mrs. Way hugged her and left the room.

“When are you going?” Gerard asked, now that she had calmed herself down and sat on the sofa between the boys.

“In a month or so. I still got so much stuff to do, but hopefully I’ll be ready to go when the semester starts.”

“So you’re really going?” Mikey didn’t seem to be understanding. “You really want to go to London?”

“No, I applied to a scholarship because I was bored! Of course I’m going; actually I can’t wait to go.” She quickly got up and smiled at both boys. “Now if you’ll excuse me I’ve got many things to plan and little time to do it.”

Gerard walked her out of their house. She walked down the first two steps of the porch and stopped. “Are you alright?” She asked him, as she turned around and saw him leaning against the front door.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” He forced a smile. “I’m really glad you got that scholarship.”

Jordan thought twice before climbing up the stairs again. She’d been thinking about their relationship for the past two weeks, not knowing what would happen to them if she ended up going to London. She hadn’t talk about it yet because there was still a chance she wouldn’t go, but now that it was real she knew that there was no turning back. She didn’t want to lose him or his friendship.

“Gerard,” she swallowed hard. She didn’t know how to put her feelings into words.

He smiled sweetly at her, placing a strand of her wavy hair behind her ear. “I’ll call you every day. I’ll want to hear everything about your college and about London.”

“Really? Because I’ll want to have someone to blow off some steam with,” both laughed. “And I’ll need you here every time I come home.”

“I’ll always be here for you.”

“Do you promise?”

“I promise.” He pulled her into his embrace. “And I never break a promise.”