Once Upon A Time, Back In Highschool

Gerard held the menu in front of his face, making some kind of train noise behind his teeth. He had picked an Italian restaurant not realising everyone there spoke Italian and the menu’s were in Italian as well.

“Uh… “ he groaned when a waiter came by, looking a little entertained by Gerard’s lack of pronunciation for most the food, “Alright, bug it. That one,” he said, pointing to the menu, “And that one,” Gerard nodded, speaking extra slowly. The waitor cocked his eyebrow.

“Uh sir… I speak perfectly good English. In fact I was born in Newark,” he said.

“Oh okay, whatever. I spoke to the guy at the door and he was spouting off all this crap in Italian so I thought everyone here was incapable of speaking any differently,” Gerard said, closing both the menus and passing them to him, “Hey man, do you have any cool things? Like y’know? Chinese restaurants give you fortune cookies and shit?” he asked, sounding serious.

“No sir, at eleven pm the girls come out-“

“Girls?”

“Dancers,” he replied swiftly.

“Oh sweet,” Gerard grinned, “I wandered why there were so many old dudes that worked here,” he chuckled, the waiter smiled politely before opening his mouth.

“This is a family business,” he said stoutly, Gerard cracked up them. I blushed beetroot and apologised quickly, trying to cover up Gerard’s splutters.

“So -like- your sisters and shit are the dancers?” Gerard asked, the waiter nodded and Gerard let out this really loud laugh, enough to make everyone look over as my stupid boyfriend banged his fists on the table and cackled, “Oh that’s great, does your mom like-“

“Okay, Gerard. We’re going now,” I said, standing up and trying to tug Gerard away. Luckily he left with not too much corruption only saluting the old man at the door who look confused with the whole situation, “Gerard!” I hissed once we were outside the restaurant, he started giggling again, throwing his arms around my shoulders, “That was so rude,” I chuckled as he walked down the street.

“Oh boy that was great. Did you see his face?-“

“Gerard?” a woman’s voice suddenly said, sounding baffled.

“Oh, hey mom?” Gerard murmured whilst turning around, his face dropping a little. I stood still, watching as Donna tried to work out the situation.

“What’s going on Gerard?” she asked, “Isn’t this the young lady from the restaurant?”

“Uh yeah… This is Ren. She was just out and I got stood up on a date at that Italian place, so I said I’d walk her home because it’s kinda late, what are you…” Gerard trailed off when Steve and Mikey walked around the corner, laughing together about something. Mikey’s smile vanished as soon as he saw me, “Oh thanks for the fucking invitation to this family get together,” Gerard accused angrily, his eyebrows raised expressively.

“Gerard, don’t do this now. Not when you have a student with you,” Steve said, Gerard intervened quickly.

“Shut the fuck up –you’re not my dad –Steven,” he spat, I looked awkwardly at the floor, “Oh so you invite Mikey but not me. What’s with you all? Do you all love to just slowly shove me out of your little circle?” Gerard asked, shoving the air in front of him, “No –in fact you know what. Fuck you all. Have a fucking happy life –Mikey thanks a fucking lot for the heads up, man,” Gerard said, grinning mockingly before storming off down the road.

“Oh god,” Donna said, biting her nails, “Mikey you best go after him –make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid,” she murmured, “I’m so sorry dear,” She apologised to me, I shook my head and smiled at her warmly as Mikey ran off down the road. I looked sneakily over my shoulder, watching as Mikey grabbed Gerard’s own shoulder. He reared back and yelled something before storming off again. Mikey came running back, his cheeks pink and an unnatural breathing pattern stuttering it’s way passed his lips, “He needs his pills. I can’t believe he chucked them out,” Donna said, cupping her hand over her mouth like she was about to cry.

“I know mom, just calm down okay? Come on kid –I’ll walk you home. Mom, I’ll meet you and Steve back at the house later,” Mikey said sufficiently, practically sorting everyone out in one sentence.

“But where’s he gone? I can’t deal with him anymore! Why can’t he just be sensible and grown up about having a new father figure. You and Steve get along wonderfully! Why can’t he just-“

“Mom, you know why! Gerard doesn’t like letting new men into his life, certainly not ones that try to replace dad –sorry Steve, I know that’s not what you’re trying to do but Gerard sees it that way- now if you’d both excuse me, I’m going to walk her home,” Mikey said, once again quietening everyone.

“Okay, okay, I know,” Donna murmured, hugging Mikey quickly, “Do you know where he’s gone though? I just want to know?”

“He’s gone to get a hooker. Frankly mom, I’m not trying to be malicious here but you should know the only thing that evens him out apart from his pills is sex –so I sent him on his way to do that,” Mikey said, beginning to walk off.

I felt tears seep into my eyes, was Gerard really going to do that with another woman? I swallowed and hurried after Mikey, waiting until we were sufficiently far enough down the road so I could cry. I looked down of course, I didn’t want Mikey seeing. He strolled along, sniffing occasionally.

“My house is the other way,” I mumbled when he started walking the wrong way.

“We’re going to my house,” Mikey said, “The DVD Remember- ” he said suddenly changing his tone, “Why’re you crying, huh? Come on,” he murmured, kneeling down in front of me like I was a kid. I suppose that’s all I was.

“I don’t want Gerard to have sex with some one else,” I cried, he looked bewildered and for a second I thought he was actually going to ask ‘Why?’ His face suddenly softened and he stood back up, patting my shoulder.

“Gerard needs to do it some times. I know it sounds stupid but fucking the living daylights out of some slut makes him feel powerful. I don’t know why,” Mikey said. I nodded, “The last time he did it was a couple months back, when he stopped taking his pills. He used to do it all the time when he was in college. He told me he feels less masculine since… the babysitter incident,” Mikey murmured, picking at his nails.

We got to his flat and he opened the door, letting me in first. I reluctantly sloped in, instantly being hit by the obvious man smell. Mikey’s flat was much cleaner then Gerard’s. he did have piles of things in places but they were neat never the less.

Mikey looked at me awkwardly, like I was just a piece of ugly furniture. I felt awkward.

“Jeez, you’re so fucking young,” he muttered. I opened my mouth to protest, tell him I wasn’t a kid, “Yes, you are a kid, a mature kid, but a kid never the less. Go up stairs to my room, I’ll make us a cup of coffee,” he sighed, still looking like he wanted to plonk me in a kiddie’s play pen and start cooing at me.

Mikey showed me to his room and sat me down on the chair at his desk, he would have probably died if I touched anything. I stayed still, staring at a picture of Gerard and Mikey when they were on holiday. Mikey was sunbathing on a deck chair, sun glasses firmly in place with a pair of board shorts hanging off his legs. Gerard was dressed in a black jumper, combat cut offs and trainers, sitting under a parasol with a sketch book covering his face.

Mikey’s desk was covered in paper, scribbled drawings or music notes. I noticed a bass propped in the corner with an amplifier close by. Mikey himself suddenly came back into his room, placing the two coffee cups on the desk before stepping back smartly.

“Could I see the DVD here?” I asked. I didn’t think I could stand watching it on my own.

“I dunno…”

“Please? I don’t want to watch it on my own,” I said.

“Alright, fine. But just… I don’t do cuddles or hugs or any other things Gerard likes to do to you -so you’re gonna have to stress it out.”