A Picture Changed My Life Forever

Mikey squatted in front of me and pulled me into a hug, gently patting my back. "What happened?"

"She got mad at me," I replied, drying the tears from my eyes.

He looked at me directly and smiled. "Don't worry. We'd nevever leave you like that."

I smiled at him and felt myself get patted on the shoulder by Ray. "Yeah. Never," said the guitarist with an afro.

Bob pulled me into a hug too and whispered, "Both of you were fighting over Gerard, weren't you?"

I looked at him with a please-don't-tell look. I nodded sadly and asked, "How'd you know?"

"Ah, I've noticed alot of things."

"Please don't tell him."

"Of course not."

"Did Frank tell you?"

"Nope."

I hugged him tighter this time. I broke the hug and went over to Frank who knew, directly from me. "Frank, I fucked everything up," I mumbled into his shoulder.

He hugged me back and rubbed my back in a soothing and comforting way. "No you didn't. If Dana did that to you, maybe that just means that there's another waiting bestfriend for you. Even bettre than Dana."

I blinked at him.

"I---I--- I mean, that... not that it's easy to replace... I mean, to get another to take the place of... or someone eaxctly like..." He stammered.

I smiled at him and patted his shoulder. "Don't worry, I get what you mean. Yeah, maybe there is someone out there." I smiled wider. "Like you guys."

He smiled back and told me to go to Gee.

He was sitting on the floor, next to the plant, with a distant expression on his face... like he was thinking. I came over to him and sat beside him.

He snapped out of his thoughts and turned to me. "Hey!" He said.

I smiled at him. "Sorry to wake you gusy up in the middle of the night with all the shouting."

He waved the thought away. "No worries. We were all up having a wrestling match while watching Titanic in Frank's room anyway." He smiled.

I grinned and imagined what Frank's room now looked like. "Do you want to tell me about it? What happened, I mean?" He asked.

"You know how it's so stupid for two girls to fight over one particular guy?" I said, looking into his beautiful hazel orbs.

He nodded.

"That's what happened."

"Oh."

"Mmm."

"Who was the guy?"

"I, uh, um... Uh... This guy back California," I lied.

"Ah, so our little Sam has a crush on 'a guy back in California'?"

I looked anywhere else but in his eyes. Oh no, Gee, I thought. More than a crush. "Uh, yes...."

Then a sound, somewhat like a sigh, came from his direction. I looked at him. "I'm sorry I messed such a great day up," I said.

"You didn't mess it up, I promise," he said. "We're always here for you."

I leaned on his shoulder, my eyes drooping a bit.

"Maybe The Great One's sending you a better bestfriend," he said.

"Who's 'The Great One'?" I asked with a yawn.

"God. I'm not so into the whole religion thing, but I do believe in Him."

It was nice to know he belived in God too. I nodded and yawned. "A better bestfriend, eh?"

He nodded. "Mhmm."

"Like you," I said, looking at his hazel eyes again.

He looked at me and smiled. "Like you, too."

At that moment, I felt like telling him. I love you, that's what I wanted to tell him.

"Gee, I.... I...."

"Yes?"

"Uh.... I'm thankful. For you guys."

Sam, you are one big coward.