Slip Into The Tragedy.

Time lapse – The next day

Alex’s POV

“Twenty-three, twenty-four, twenty-five…” I mumbled, counting at the tiles while sitting at the kitchen counter.

“Lexaaaa” Mikey whined from beside the coffee maker

“I’m bored” I whined mockingly back.

“Well do something about it, it’s pissing me off!” Mikey scowled

“Here’s something that you can do Lex” Gerard called from the living room, where he was reading the newspaper.

I know, Gerard reading the paper? Crazy right? Yet there he is.

“What?” I said skipping over to read the paper behind his shoulder. I saw that he was reading the job section of the paper.

“A JOB?!” I yelled incredulously

“In Starbucks!” Gerard announced happily, then noticing my somber expression. “C’mon you practically live there anyway”

“Yea, but..” I began

“You should totally go, Lex. It means free coffee for us right?” Mikey asked hopefully, a smile creeping into his features. He’s getting so excited now.

“I really don’t know abou – ” I said

“Another amazing reason why you should go!” Gerard said while dragging me towards the

“Go, go!” Gerard pushed me out the door and into the mid-day sun

I sulked and muttered to myself while I walked to the Starbucks which was just around the block. Now that I think of it, it’ll be great to have a job now. It pays and I get to be in one of my favorite places, plus like Mikey said, free coffee!

In a matter of seconds I was already walking over the threshold of Starbucks, inhaling the sweet smell of coffee on the way. I walked over to the guy standing behind the counter. He has blonde hair in front of his left eye with a lip and nose ring. He’s wearing a Sonic Youth t-shirt with tight black jeans and the green Starbucks apron over it. I approached him with apprehension, I’m never good in meeting with new people. He looked at me with his bright green eyes.

“Uhm, I’m here for the part-time job?” I asked timidly

His expression lifted slightly.

“Oh cool, I’m Kevin I work part-time too. Let me just get my boss.” He said, smiling at me then turned to yell over his shoulder. “Jasper! Get your ass out here!”

Ok, that is not how you talk to your boss.

In a few seconds, a guy with blonde hair with black highlights walked out of what appears to be the back room. He’s wearing a Black Flag t-shirt with tight black jeans, with also the green Starbucks apron over it. He walked over to us. Surely, this couldn’t be the boss?

“Whoa, you scored a hot chick. Good job my brother!” He said happily clappingthe first guy Kevin in the back.

“Dude, she wants the part-time position.” Kevin said incredulously to him, giving him a smack in the back of the head.

“Wait, hold on! You’re the boss?” I asked, gaping at the dude

“Yea, it’s because I’m older” He said cockily, glancing at Kevin.

“By only 2 minutes” Kevin muttered

“You guys are twins?” I asked, really confused now.

“Yea” They both said together with the same lopsided smile

“I’m Jasper” The dude with black highlights said, “Our parents own this branch of Starbucks and he makes us work here to save money, more or less.”

“Oh cool,” I said, “My name is Alexa, but you can call me Alex though”

“Judging by how cool your music taste is,” Jasper said, looking at my Anthrax shirt (the one that I ‘borrowed’ from Mikey). “You just got the part-time job!”

“Seriously?” I exclaimed, “That’s it?”

“Yea totally,” Kevin said, “You seem like a really cool chick”

“Awesome! So when do I start?” I asked the both of them

“Tomorrow would be good” Jasper said, “What school do you go to?”

“The shitty dump called Belleville High” I said, scowling, it’s common knowledge that I hate school like a bitch. Well in the Way household anyway.

“Dude, we go to the same shitty dump!” Kevin exclaimed, laughing.

“Awesome so, we’ve got no more employees here except some dudes who works here in our school hours. Therefore your shift is from 3:30 to 6 pm same like ours.” Jasper explained. “I’m here everyday and Kevin works here on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, which means your work days are on Tuesdays and Thursdays.”

“Perfect, that’s great” I said grinning, and starting to make my way to the door. “Thanks you guys!”

“Bye Alex” They chorused together, waving at me.

“See you tomorrow guys” I replied, waving back.

I walked the short distance back home while humming my brothers’ song, Skylines and Turnstiles, in my head. I can’t help it if I’m a dork. The warm wind blowing my hair slightly, curling up the already slightly curly dark hair. I kept humming as I made my way back home, but the sight in front of my eyes isn’t the sight that I was used too. There sitting on the front porch steps, was Frank.

And what is more, he isn’t in his usual cocky stance and there is no smirk on his pale face, but in it’s place a small frown, eyebrows furrowed as if he was thinking hard about something and slouched – almost defensive – shoulders. I stopped in a halt just a few feet from where Frank was sitting on the front porch steps, staring at him in mild confusion. Seeing him up close in his position I was in utter shock. His flawless hair now hang limply framing his pale face, that seems more paler these days. Was he sick? I’ve never seen him so vulnerable.

After a long agonizing second, his eyes looked up to meet mine. His green eyes met my hazel ones, and for another painstakingly agonizing second we stared unwillingly into each other’s eyes. Until he tore his eyes away from mine. Taken aback my eyes flickered instantly to the laces of my converses. Then I walked slowly past him to go to my front door, when he abruptly stood up and bumped me hard. That caused me to fly back down the front porch steps and fall right on my ass in my lawn.

“Whoops,” He sneered, “Try to be more careful next time.”

With that he walked inside.

I stood up cautiously, still feeling some pain from the impact and slowly made my way to the front door. I shook my head mentally, Frank vulnerable? Try to be serious Lex. What could he be vulnerable about? Everything I knew about his life was perfect to him. He has a girlfriend, quite popular at school, has almost all the girls at school practically at his fingertips, has awesome guitar skills and most of all he has a wholesome family.

After standing there for a few more seconds, thinking to myself, I was finally able to bring myself to get into my house. I could already hear the guys playing in the attic, and thought it could be Our Lady of Sorrows. My slow steps hesitated on the 2nd floor hallway, should I go to the attic? Or just go to my room? I decided on the latter and soon found myself dozing off just as my head hit the pillow.

_______________________________________________________________________

I was standing in what appears to be a back yard, but with a large swimming pool and a huge picnic table beside it. It was definitely summer because I was wearing a green knee-length summer dress and flip-flops. There was already people standing around the picnic table that was already complete with a checkered table cloth and set with plates, silver ware and glasses. There were men and women that crowded the table also little children running around. I even smelt the barbeque that was roasting somewhere near by.

“Alex!”

I whipped around and I felt my feet walked towards the table, like most dreams I had I couldn’t control myself, what I do or what I say. It’s like someone is controlling me. I felt my face stretch into a huge grin as my eyes made out Ray and Gerard calling me from the barbeque grill.

Both of them looked somewhat older, and more mature. Ray looks kind of taller and his light brown fro is shorter than I remember, his face looks a great deal more stern and the creases in his forehead seemed to be deeper. Gerard however still has his chubby baby face and his hair was still in the same shade, although a lot shorter than it is now. Gerard was beckoning me towards him, both of them smiling at me.

“Hey guys, how’s the barbeque doing? Burnt anything yet?” My mouth said jokingly

“Well Gee here burnt two already so I’m taking over” Ray said laughing slightly.

Gerard scowled.

“Well my daughter needs my help Toro, I had to leave the grill”

“Where is Adrianna?” My mouth asked curiously

Gerard looked around for a little bit and pointed over to the little girl with the sparkling hazel eyes and black wavy hair. She looks almost like a girl version of Gerard. She spotted us looking at her and soon ran over to Gerard.

“Papá!” She squealed

“c’e la mia bambina!” Gerard cooed at her, as he picked her up and twirled her around

“Papá, i ragazzi hanno trovato molto gelato, posso avere alcuni?” She asked him in fluent Italian. I felt my mouth stretch into a grin once more.

“chiedere la sua mamma”

“ma mi ha detto di la chiedere”

“bene ma soltanto un piccolo, non vogliamo che prendere un freddo noi fa?” Gerard said, giving in.

“Non certo il papá, gracias!” She squealed again and kissed Gerard’s cheek.

“Adesso continuare ed il gloco” Gerard sighed, putting her down

“Ophie! Papá says it’s okay!” I heard Adrianne shouted to her little sister, Ophelia.

“I swear sis, you do not hide the ice-cream hard enough. They would find it every single time!” Gerard said exasperatedly to me

“Sorry Gee, but you actually have to talk to Frank about that. I think he wants the kids to find it” My mouth said, rolling my eyes.

“Momma!”

I whipped around just in time to catch a small female frame that jumped to my arms. She had my long, brown curly hair and bright hazel-green eyes which remind me unwillingly of Frank.

“Momma, tira i miei capelli ancora!” She cried, pointing towards a boy that has similar features to her, but with frank’s darker brown hair and my sparkling hazel colored eyes. He was looking down with a mischievous smile gracing his face, and then again it reminded me of Frank’s lopsided grin.

“Aiden!” My mouth sighed, “Fermare per infastidire sua sorella!”

“Si, mamma” He replied, still smiling Frank’s lopsided grin. Then running off undoubtedly to find his dad.

“Frank!” My mouth yelled, I was still carrying the little girl in my arms. Maddie my heart whispered, that must be her name. I spotted Frank eating sausages alone in the bench surrounded by dogs.

“Frank, you weren’t going to stop this!” I cried exasperatedly, gesturing tothe little girl Maddie in my arms that was still rubbing the roots of her hair where her brother had undoubtedly tried to pull her hair from just seconds before.

“Wha – ?” Frank said, in a mouthful of sausages. I couldn’t help but giggle

“You’re supposed to stop these things remember?” I asked, smiling slightly now

“Right,” Frank said, then grabbing the little boy by his shoulders and wheeling him around to face him, then crouched down to the boy’s level and looked him square in the eye. “Fermata.”

“Si, papa” The boy said, and then giggled.

“Good boy” Frank said as the boy ran towards where the other kids were, and then smirked over at me. “problem solved”

I sighed and put down the girl back on the ground.

“Be safe okay honey?” I asked her

“Okay mom!” She said, grinning and then running off

I sighed once more looking at both of them, and then felt a strong pair of arms wrap themselves around my small waist.

“They’re growing up so fast, aren’t they?” He whispered in my ear

“Yea, they are.” I replied softly, “Maybe just a little too fast though”

“They’re five sugar, not that grown up” He snorted

“Yeah you’re in your thirties and you’re still not grown up either” I snorted back at him

I turned around to stare at Frank Iero right in the eye. He was smiling at me, his lip ring glinting in the summer sun. I felt his cool breath on my face. We were mere inches apart. Then abruptly he pressed his lips to mine in a sweet kiss, my eyes fluttered helplessly closed as I began to melt again in his arms. My knees are buckling underneath me and he has to secure his hold on my waist to keep me from falling. I wound my hands around his neck in a hope to keep myself from falling too.

Then all too soon, he pulled away, a smirk on his lips once more.

“That never gets old doesn’t it?” He asked, smirking

“Nope, never” I said, grinning back at him

He then held my hands in his and leaned closer so that our foreheads are touching.

“I love you” He whispered against my lips, his hazel-green eyes boring into mine.

“I love you too”