Don't Stop If I Fall
forty-six
I suggest re-reading chapter forty-three and up before reading this. I changed a part in this that may be important :] Thanks for reading ^-^ I'm glad I finally updated.
So down the road the three of us went; Bob, Gerard, and I. The late morning breeze chilled my bear arms-after forgetting to grab my jacket on the way out. Gerard wrapped his arm around my shoulders as we headed into the town’s square. Without a word, Bob led us straight to the music shop, which was just around the corner from the Pizzeria that Gerard brought me to the night before.
Bob opened the door for us, triggering the miniature-sized bell that was tied to a rope by the door. I walked in, surrounded by instruments. As Bob led Gerard and I to the front desk-which was apparently located in the back of the store-my eyes bounced off of all the amazing shapes of electric and acoustic guitars.
“Hey, I have a guitar on hold? My name’s Bob Bryar.” Bob said smoothly to the employee. He looked at him skeptical, probably thinking we didn’t have the money. The employee-Chuck was what his name tag read-looked through a list of names on a little clipboard until he stopped, somewhat shocked, at Bob’s name. A calm, fake smile flew across his face as he said, “I’ll go get that for you,” and trudged through a doorway to the back.
“Well he was pleasant.” Gerard muttered; his arm now around my waste. I could tell he was still tired. I ignored his comment and frantically thought about Frank’s gift. I wondered what it would look like. I hoped it would be exactly what he wanted.
After three of the longest minutes of my life, Cheerful Chuck came back out with Bob’s order. It was in a fine case, perfect, and probably expensive. I bit my lip, holding in my smile. I couldn’t wait to see it.
“Here it is.” Chuck said with a phony wink. I cringed as I watched his smile fade. He opened the case, to reveal a perfectly white guitar outlined in golden tint.
“Oh my god, that’s beautiful guys. What kind is it exactly?” I sputtered. My words went faster than my actions and I ended up looking at Chuck a few seconds delayed.
“Well,” Chuck began, looking down as a slip he had conveniently already had in his hand, “Its an Epiphone Elitist Les Paul Custom.”
Of course, his words confused me, and he wasn’t fooled by my look. I wasn’t great in the guitar department, but I tried to casually smile and try to appear as if I understood completely.
“With an antique white finish and gold hardware.” Chuck finished with another smile.
“It’s perfect.” Gerard smiled as well.
Bob reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a large manila envelope. Swiftly, he handed it to Chuck.
I looked down at my watch; 10:30. “Hmp. Guys we should go meet everyone down at the park. See how everything’s going.” I suggested.
“You guys go,” Bob said, “I’ll take care of the present.” He finished, tapping the recently closed case, and pulling it off the table. Chuck was still counting money.
I looked to Gerard. He nodded, and I waved goodbye to Bob. We headed out the door back into the chilly October weather.
“This birthday is going to be perfect!” I exclaimed smiling up to Gerard. His eyes just watched the road. “Gerard?”
Quickly his head shot in my direction, a curious look spread across his face. “Oh-sorry. I was lost in thought.” He shrugged. “Yeah Frank’s party should be awesome. We just have to make sure everything goes smoothly.” He smiled.
About ten minutes later we made it to the small park where the party would be. Ray and Mikey were “toilet-papering” the trees around the area with black and orange paper ribbons and Jade was taping a sign over the small playground set that said in large bold letters ‘HAPPY BIRTHDAY FRANK!’ To the left of the play set was a small picnic table that was covered with an orange plastic tablecloth. On top of the table to the far back, were three small pumpkins, with designs carved into them. I couldn’t see them that well, but they looked quite amazing.
“Hey guys!” I yelled. Three heads shot back from the sound of my voice, and three pairs of eyes stared at us with welcoming smiles.
“Hey Ava. How’d the shopping go?” Mikey asked.
“Great. Bob’s got the present with him. It’s beautiful.” I shot a gigantic smile towards the group. Gerard stood quietly next to me, looking around the park. I ignored his strange behavior and continued my rant. “He’s gonna love it. The color, the hardware, the shape, everything!”
“The sound?” Ray chuckled. Oh yeah-heh sound could be important too. “Well, do you really think Bob would let me touch it?” I defended myself.
“I guess you’re right.” Ray laughed again as he finished throwing the last roll of paper ribbon over a tree. Everyone went back to their buisness, and Gerard was still as silent as a mouse.
“What’s bothering you?” I asked.
“Nothing.” He responded quickly-too quickly.
I opened my mouth but was interupted by Mikey’s voice. “You guys can go, we’re doing fine here and you don’t need to get Frank here until twelve thirty.”
I jolted my head away from the veiw of Gerard to Mikey. “You sure we can’t help?”
“Yeah we’re fine. Go do something than just standing around here watching us like hawks.” Mikey giggled. We were kind of observing them-for the time that we’d been here which as only been about five minutes, but that was besides the point.
“Allright then. Come on Ava.” Gerard suggested, smiling at me. It was an interesting smile. It wasn’t his smile, that’s for sure. That smile reminded me of someone.
Gerard had been acting very strange, and I wanted to know what was going on. And now I’d have the time to get it out of him. Scheming to myself, I realized where I’d seen that smile. It was my classmates’ smiles, my mother’s smile, Chuck’s smile; a fake smile.
So down the road the three of us went; Bob, Gerard, and I. The late morning breeze chilled my bear arms-after forgetting to grab my jacket on the way out. Gerard wrapped his arm around my shoulders as we headed into the town’s square. Without a word, Bob led us straight to the music shop, which was just around the corner from the Pizzeria that Gerard brought me to the night before.
Bob opened the door for us, triggering the miniature-sized bell that was tied to a rope by the door. I walked in, surrounded by instruments. As Bob led Gerard and I to the front desk-which was apparently located in the back of the store-my eyes bounced off of all the amazing shapes of electric and acoustic guitars.
“Hey, I have a guitar on hold? My name’s Bob Bryar.” Bob said smoothly to the employee. He looked at him skeptical, probably thinking we didn’t have the money. The employee-Chuck was what his name tag read-looked through a list of names on a little clipboard until he stopped, somewhat shocked, at Bob’s name. A calm, fake smile flew across his face as he said, “I’ll go get that for you,” and trudged through a doorway to the back.
“Well he was pleasant.” Gerard muttered; his arm now around my waste. I could tell he was still tired. I ignored his comment and frantically thought about Frank’s gift. I wondered what it would look like. I hoped it would be exactly what he wanted.
After three of the longest minutes of my life, Cheerful Chuck came back out with Bob’s order. It was in a fine case, perfect, and probably expensive. I bit my lip, holding in my smile. I couldn’t wait to see it.
“Here it is.” Chuck said with a phony wink. I cringed as I watched his smile fade. He opened the case, to reveal a perfectly white guitar outlined in golden tint.
“Oh my god, that’s beautiful guys. What kind is it exactly?” I sputtered. My words went faster than my actions and I ended up looking at Chuck a few seconds delayed.
“Well,” Chuck began, looking down as a slip he had conveniently already had in his hand, “Its an Epiphone Elitist Les Paul Custom.”
Of course, his words confused me, and he wasn’t fooled by my look. I wasn’t great in the guitar department, but I tried to casually smile and try to appear as if I understood completely.
“With an antique white finish and gold hardware.” Chuck finished with another smile.
“It’s perfect.” Gerard smiled as well.
Bob reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a large manila envelope. Swiftly, he handed it to Chuck.
I looked down at my watch; 10:30. “Hmp. Guys we should go meet everyone down at the park. See how everything’s going.” I suggested.
“You guys go,” Bob said, “I’ll take care of the present.” He finished, tapping the recently closed case, and pulling it off the table. Chuck was still counting money.
I looked to Gerard. He nodded, and I waved goodbye to Bob. We headed out the door back into the chilly October weather.
“This birthday is going to be perfect!” I exclaimed smiling up to Gerard. His eyes just watched the road. “Gerard?”
Quickly his head shot in my direction, a curious look spread across his face. “Oh-sorry. I was lost in thought.” He shrugged. “Yeah Frank’s party should be awesome. We just have to make sure everything goes smoothly.” He smiled.
About ten minutes later we made it to the small park where the party would be. Ray and Mikey were “toilet-papering” the trees around the area with black and orange paper ribbons and Jade was taping a sign over the small playground set that said in large bold letters ‘HAPPY BIRTHDAY FRANK!’ To the left of the play set was a small picnic table that was covered with an orange plastic tablecloth. On top of the table to the far back, were three small pumpkins, with designs carved into them. I couldn’t see them that well, but they looked quite amazing.
“Hey guys!” I yelled. Three heads shot back from the sound of my voice, and three pairs of eyes stared at us with welcoming smiles.
“Hey Ava. How’d the shopping go?” Mikey asked.
“Great. Bob’s got the present with him. It’s beautiful.” I shot a gigantic smile towards the group. Gerard stood quietly next to me, looking around the park. I ignored his strange behavior and continued my rant. “He’s gonna love it. The color, the hardware, the shape, everything!”
“The sound?” Ray chuckled. Oh yeah-heh sound could be important too. “Well, do you really think Bob would let me touch it?” I defended myself.
“I guess you’re right.” Ray laughed again as he finished throwing the last roll of paper ribbon over a tree. Everyone went back to their buisness, and Gerard was still as silent as a mouse.
“What’s bothering you?” I asked.
“Nothing.” He responded quickly-too quickly.
I opened my mouth but was interupted by Mikey’s voice. “You guys can go, we’re doing fine here and you don’t need to get Frank here until twelve thirty.”
I jolted my head away from the veiw of Gerard to Mikey. “You sure we can’t help?”
“Yeah we’re fine. Go do something than just standing around here watching us like hawks.” Mikey giggled. We were kind of observing them-for the time that we’d been here which as only been about five minutes, but that was besides the point.
“Allright then. Come on Ava.” Gerard suggested, smiling at me. It was an interesting smile. It wasn’t his smile, that’s for sure. That smile reminded me of someone.
Gerard had been acting very strange, and I wanted to know what was going on. And now I’d have the time to get it out of him. Scheming to myself, I realized where I’d seen that smile. It was my classmates’ smiles, my mother’s smile, Chuck’s smile; a fake smile.