Tell Me Angel, Where Are You

I let him lay there, I couldn't touch him. I went to my room to find my stuff for Gee's cause there was no way in hell I wanted to come back here anytime soon.

By this time, the rain was coming down in thick sheets. The electric purple lightning lit up the sky in an instant with the earth-quaking thunder not far behind. This was such pretty weather, it was my favorite.

I hungrily grabbed the packet of skittles after tugging my Ramones sweatshirt over my head. Now, where's my eye-liner? It was like a scavenger hunt in my own room. I had a mental checklist and let me tell you, it was a challenge to find anything.

I glanced over at my mirror to look at the prize on my face. The welt had already turned bright red and was like fire when I pressed my fingers to it. I bruised easily, which didn't help matters much. I could tell this was going to be a pretty one too.

Ah, eye-liner! I re-applied it after wiping the sooty black lines that had streaked my cheeks. They were going to notice my face, well, duh, because I didn't have any make-up to hide it. Shit.

Gee, being my neighbor for about nine years, usually let me in through his window. His room was directly across from mine. Convenient, yeah?
It was pouring out and 'pouring' doesn't even do what was happening outside justice. I made sure that I had my Skittles before I hopped out the window. I started sprinting across to Gee's window. However, halfway there, my shoe fell off. Crap...double crap..

I ran back to get my shoe. Except, I didn't think to carry it. I wanted it back on. I tried yanking it back on, but failed in the process. Ah, yes, it was this that I came up with the idea of actually carrying the shoe back. I picked up the shoe and finished my way across. This time around, the word 'wet' wouldn't come close to what I was. I was completely drenched.

I knocked on Gee's window. Actually, I didn't really knock, kicking isn't considered knocking, I guess. Fine, so..I kicked his window.He came over and helped me in. Since he was downstairs all I had to do was climb in and he'd catch me.

"Hey Adie, which movie first, The Exorcist, The Omen, Psycho, Hellraiser, The Night of the Living Dead, or An American Werewolf in London?" Gee rattled off the list, counting them on his fingers with a huge grin plastered on his face. He looked up at me and his grin slipped off like the beads of rain on the window.

"Adie, can you move your hair...just for a sec?" Gee questioned.
"Why?Duh, An American Werewolf in London, of course," I said, attempting to swiftly change the subject.

"Nice try, Adele, come 're,"he demanded. His serious tone always managed to scare the crap out of me.

I just looked down at my feet. They weren't really interesting in budging, they took control and didn't let me move. I was staring at my feet for so long that I hadn't noticed Gee right in front of me. He swiftly took my hood off with one hand and had already placed his other arm around me. He was a guy that was three years older then me, he was a hell of a lot stronger then me.

He brushed the hair out of my face, put two fingers under my chin and stared at my new feature.

"What the hell is that? What'd you do this time? Walk into a wall or hit a fan?"
I didn't bother to answer him because he would know I was lying to him anyway. He knew me too well.

"It's nothing, Gerard, just please leave it alone?" I looked away and down at the floor, anywhere but his face. Embarrassment and I never got along so well.

"No, Adele, I can't leave it alone, I'd hate myself if I just looked past this. That bastard hits you, you're my best friend. He's gunna fuckin' go too far one time and I'm gunna beat the living shit out of him for making you fuckin' miserable all the time." He started walking towards his door, but as well as I knew him, I just grabbed his arm to stop him.

"Don't! Please, Gerard, just...please don't?" I begged and gazed directly into his cold eyes. They softened a bit at the sight of my face. I gripped his arms tight and he glared down at me a bit before he answered.
"Fine," he replied in a slightly pissed off tone. I hugged him and whispered ,"Thanks." He hugged back and kissed the top of my head in a big brother type way.

Don't get me wrong, I was thankful that I had him to protect me from my father. But I didn't want to start any trouble or get Gee hurt for trying to stick up for me. I'd feel so guilty and it would be my fault. I couldn't live with that.

"Where's everybody? Do you have any extra clothes I could borrow? Mine are soaked." I tried lightening the mood a bit.
"Yeah, just look in the closet, I have some sweatshirts and pants, might to be too big on you though, Sugar. Mikey and your lover are upstairs making popcorn. Ray and Bob couldn't make it, parental troubles." He grinned.
He knew that I had had a thing for Frankie ever since day one. Actually, he's been trying to get me and Frankie together. He never missed an opportunity to make fun of me, either.

"Shut it, Gerard, and turn around, I'm changing." I demanded.
"You know it's true, don't deny it, love."

I could practically hear him grinning as he turned around. I slipped the heavily soaked sweatshirt over my head and slid down the drenched pants as well. I changed into his midnight black sweatshirt and pants.

Naturally, they were huge, but that was only because I was small. I didn't think of it as small, I thought of it as fun-sized.

"I feel like a flippin' midget about to rob a house." I laughed a bit because I really did look like a robber.
Gee turned and chuckled at what I meant. "Ya, you do look like a midget robber."

"POPCORN! AH! HAHAHA!!" Frankie burst into the room with Mikey, both carrying what looked like tubs of popcorn, as well as sodas and candy.
"Hey Adie," Mikey said grinning. He pushed up his glasses as he put down the snacks to give me a hug.
"Hey, Mike-n-Ike!" I said as I hugged him.
Frankie's expression was glazed over and he acted upset,
"What, I bring you food and I don't get a hug?!"
"Eh, no."

He put a shocked face on and put his hand over his heart.
"Oh, Jesus, get over here, Frankie."

He smirked and wrapped his arms around my waist and I wrapped mine around his neck. I took in a breath and his sweet scent filled my senses. God, he smells good.

"Adie says we're watching An American Werewolf in London, first." Gee stated through a wide grin. I looked over at Mikey who shared the same grin. Brothers.

"Skittles?! Where are they?!" Frankie said frantically.
"You dork. I have them. Gee put the movie in!"

You gotta love tradition. Every Friday night, since I can remember, we had a horror movie-a-thon at Gee's house. We sat in random spots of the room, ate food and had a good time. His parents didn't mind, all of our friends were practically family. They said I was the daughter they wished they had. Someone telling me that made me wish I was theirs too.

Gee turned the lights off and settled down with his head on my stomach. I was all cuddly with Frankie and Mikey, the fat ass, was sprawled on top. For as long as I could remember we always sat like this, no matter how squished we all were. Frankie wrapped his arms around me. I didn't look directly, but from a side glance he smiled down at me. That, my friends, sent shivers up and down my spine. No, no I didn't just fucking shiver.
"Cold?" Gee grinned.
I chucked a skittle at him.
"What?!"
"Shhh!!" Mikey, Frankie, and Me whispered.

I had eventually fallen asleep in Frankie's arms during the middle of Pychsco. I loved that.
The next thing I knew I heard whispering.

"Is she sleeping?" It was Frankie. I was now out of his arms, on the ground, with fat ass, otherwise known as Mikey, on my feet.

"Yeah, she's out cold. Why?" That one was Gee.
"Good, cause I need advice from you."
"And you can't say in front of the munchkin because..." Gee questioned.
“You know why, don’t act stupid.”

I felt guilty listening in on their conversation. It’s kinda like a car crash, it’s horrible but you can’t help it and you let yourself look. Kinda like that. But what was said next, I truly wasn’t ready for, caught me off guard. This was what made me feel like I was in dream land.

“Shoot.”
“She’s so beautiful when she’s sleeping, the way her hair falls over her face..”
Gee laughed. “I thought you asked me for advice?”
“I was getting to it. God, no need in rushing. You sure she’s sleeping?”
“Yes, now do tell me what you need as advice.”
“I’ve told you how I felt about her. But I don’t wanna fuck up our friendship we have, you know? I know I really like her and it’s been that way ever since I can remember…dude, you’re positive she’s sleeping right?”
“Yeah, dude. She’s out cold.”
“Well, I always thought she had a thing for you. I never knew how she felt about me. I didn’t want to ruin what we already had or make her think that I just wanted to get close to her to fuck around with her. You know?”
“Me? Dude, I’m like her older brother. She doesn’t have a thing for me. We’re just really close best friends. So I’m not a problem. You shouldn’t worry. Adie isn’t the type of girl that will blow up in your face or tell you to fuck off, you know? Personally, I think you should tell her how you feel. You know, when you feel right. It’s not fair to her either for not letting her know how you really feel. But Frankie, one thing. You hurt her. I kill you, capeesh?”

“Thanks Gee, you know I wouldn’t hurt her for the world. But..you think she could like me back?”
“Yeah, you guys would make a cute couple, I’ve actually always thought that. Just seeing you guys together. You make her happy, Frankie, I hope you know that.”
There was a long pause.
“Can I get fat ass off her and move her to the bed? She just kinda like a lump on the floor.”
“Yeah, go ahead, I’ll kick Mikey.”

There was a thump and a muffled “Oof!” and then a silent “Shut up! Dumby, everyone’s sleeping.” I felt two arms carefully lift me up, one under my legs and one supporting my back. My head was placed on a soft pillow and a blanket was placed around me.

“Psst…Gee, come here.”
“What?”
“What’s on her face? Is that what I think it is?”
“Yeah, that bastard hit her again. That’s gunna be a pretty bad bruise from what I could tell. She didn’t put anything on it to take down the swelling.”
“I’m gunna fuckin’ kill him for doing this to her over and over again.”

I felt a hand sweep the hair away from my face and a hand hold my jawline. The fingers were calloused, so my guess was that it was Frankie. All of a sudden, I felt lips brush against my forehead. I prayed to the lord I hadn’t smiled.

“Dude, that’s something that would wake her up.”
“No, I do it all the time, she won’t wake up.”

He does that all the time? I didn’t know that…

“I’m gunna lay with her, s’that alright?”
“Yeah, but can I lay on the other side? Sleeping on the floor hurts.”
“Yeah, it’s your bed.”

The bed seeped in with weight as Gerard climbed onto the other side of me. I felt a hand from behind snake around my waist. Then there was a hushed whisper in my ear, “Take my fucking hand and never be afraid again.” Frankie slid against me, his body right behind mine. It felt so right. I was then covered with the blanket.

Am I in dream land?