Categories > Celebrities > My Chemical Romance > Fly Away, Dance on the Milky Way
Chapter 49: She’s just a little party girl
It seemed almost unreal that summer was over. Returning home from the tour was kind of a relief, but at the same time very depressing.
Gerard and Lindsey had gone to a short honeymoon, as the tour was over, and Gia had returned home to New Jersey with her uncles.
Arriving at the familiar house, Gia was relieved to notice that nothing had changed. It was still the same dull, white two-storey house. Except that since no one had been there to take care of the yard, the grass had grown like crazy and the flower beds were in terrible shape. Still, Gia had never been happier to see her home.
The second Gia got inside the house, she plopped down on the couch, and dug out her cell phone from her pocket when it started to ring.
“Hello?”
Figures, it was her dad. He didn’t even say hello before asking his question in panic: “Are you home yet?”
“Yes, I’m home. When are you coming home?”
“In a week. Can you survive alone until then? I told Mikey to check up on you, but if you need anything, you can call me, okay?”
Gia assured him that she’d call if need be, and he babbled on and on with instructions on how to take care of herself and the house during his short absence.
A week, and then everything would go back to normal. But it wasn’t that that made Gia nervous. She realized that her dad would be there on her first day of high school. Summer was over, school was starting.
Gia hadn’t really worried about going to high school yet. But now, she was really starting to get nauseas just thinking about it. According to everyone she had ever met, high school was hell. And she wasn’t very excited about going to hell.
__________________
Almost immediately after Gerard and Lindsey returned from their little trip (Gia made sure not to ask them what they had done in fear of some traumatic details), they began to plan living together. Soon it became apparent that the house they lived in now wasn’t enough, and they started searching for a new, larger house in the area.
Other than that, being back home was great. Gia missed Lucas, but Gerard being back home made Gia happy. Even though being back home meant giving up her best friend, she was glad to be there.
There was only one problem. Lindsey. Not that Gia had anything against her, but she was her stepmom now. If Gia had learned anything from Disney, then to not trust stepmothers.
Gia didn’t mind having someone help her with the chores, because Lindsey did help and Gerard did absolutely nothing ever, but it still felt weird having her around. Not necessarily bad weird, just different. Gia, who had never really had a mother-figure in her life, and the closest female to look up to was her grandma, now had to learn how to cope with this new situation.
But to everyone’s surprise, Gia found a pretty unexpected way to calm down. No, she wasn’t doing drugs.
The pile of CD’s that Lucas gave to her on her birthday became her best friend, as sad as that sounds. Gia was never one to listen to a lot of music, despite her father’s obvious passion for it, but she just didn’t inherit that trait.
But as she was doing chores or homework, Gia played the CD’s on the background and nearly instinctively turned the volume up. One of the CD’s in particular made her turn the volume so loud that Gerard actually had to come tell her to tone it down a bit. And no, despite his attempts to make her fall in love with the music he made, the CD wasn’t a My Chemical Romance one.
No, the band Gia started to slowly love was Green Day.
During the few days, Gia listened to the CD over and over again. She listened to the other CD’s too, but they weren’t as good. And after her dad had gone to sleep, she went to raid his CD collection, and found various CD’s by the same band. Gia took all of them to her room and listened to them until late at night. She had never enjoyed music like this, but when she listened to this band, she couldn’t stop. It made her understand how her dad and uncles could do what they did for so long, how they could be so passionate about something like that. Gia never understood it before.
Now she understood.
On the nights when Gia stayed up late, listening to music, Gerard stayed awake and just laid in the dark. Lindsey was asleep next to him, but Gerard couldn’t sleep.
The music coming from his daughter’s room kept him up, but he didn’t mind. How long had he wished Gia would listen to music so they’d have more to talk about? Now it seemed like his prayers had been answered.
_________________________
A few days before the first day of high school, Gia was woken up to madness.
Mikey picked Gia up from her house and wouldn't take "I’m tired" for an answer, so he dragged her around town all day. Mikey had had to pick up multiple things, and Gia had no idea why she had to be there, but according to Mikey, he would have been lonely since Alicia didn't want to get up.
Gia didn’t see why he had to wake her up early just to run his errands with him. Mikey could’ve easily have taken Frank since he’s the one always up early watching the morning cartoons.
They stopped for the thousandth time on their little trip and he got out of the car. Gia didn't even bother following this time. What's the use? He is just going to make her stand on another isle while he gets something in a store. Hides it from her and then dives to another store to do who knows what.
“What's wrong?” he asked for what seemed like the hundredth time.
“What is wrong? Oh I don’t know, you woke me up at 7 to go out to do this. I didn't have breakfast. We've been driving for two hours and you refuse to take me home to go back to sleep or to at least make dad food. He is probably sitting there thinking I didn't wake up yet.”
He chuckled at her little rant, and since she was obviously fuming, he didn’t speak for the rest of the ride. Soon enough they were at the house, and Gia ran up to the door. She wanted to lock him out so he couldn't make her go anywhere anymore. She needed to get breakfast ready for dad and –
“SURPRISE!”
Gia jumped 10 feet in the air. Luckily Mikey caught her before she fell. Her dad, Lindsey, all her uncles, and her grandparents were over including Tina and Lucas's dad. They were standing there in front of her, most of them wearing party hats, and Frank waving around a vuvuzela.
“Happy Birthday Gia”, Gerard said with a huge smile on his face. He looked like the Cheshire cat with that smile.
“Thanks. What the heck is this?”
“Well, since me and the guys weren't with you on your real birthday and this is our way of making up for it. I hope you like it.”
Gia’s real birthday was at summer, but it was when she was in California with Lucas. So, they had decided to celebrate it later.
“I love it, dad. But you didn't have to, I don’t need a party.”
“We had to. There was no way of us making it up besides doing this. So enjoy!” Ray said, putting one of those silly party hats on her head.
Then the birthday girl was attacked by a short little man with a vuvuzela.
“Gia! Happy Birthday!”
“You’re a few months late, Frank”, she said, but hugged him back anyway.
“I’m never late! Always on time!”
Gerard helped her up while Frank went on about how he is never late and how she is lying and she should be ashamed of herself. Everyone ignored him, as usual, and went to the living room where everyone could say hi and what not. Everyone had gone by the time Frank realized they weren't in the room with him.
Gia looked around the house and figured that her dad must’ve let Tina decorate it. The decorations had that girly feel to it. The house was filled with pink and white balloons, streamer, and there was even a banner set up between walls in the hall saying “Congratulations Gia!” and someone had drawn a very flattering picture of her beside the text. It looked like a three-year old had drawn it.
“Do you like the banner? I made it myself!”
Mikey came out of the kitchen with a grin on his face. “I wouldn’t be too proud if I were you, Frank.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Frank frowned.
“This is really too much”, Gia sighed. She hated it when people saw any trouble for her.
Gerard hugged her tightly. “So do you like it?” he asked, his arm still around her shoulder.
“Yeah. I thought you would have forgotten my birthday, especially since you hardly even called. None of you guys did. Well, Mikey did but he didn't realized it was my birthday until we were hanging up”, Gia answered.
“I would never forget your birthday. I just figured you would have been busy with your grandparents and too busy to answer. You only called Mikey but never me.”
“You always said don't call when you’re working. And you were working the whole summer.”
“That doesn’t apply when we don’t see each other for weeks. I didn't see you and I never talked to you and I was suffering without you! Do you know how paranoid I get?”
Suddenly Mikey yelled from the other room: “Gerard! Frank is about to eat Gia’s cake!”
Gerard led Gia to the kitchen and when she saw the table, she gasped. In the middle there was a huge square-shaped white, pink and blue cake, and around it various types of cookies, pastries and other foods. To drink there was a bottle of wine for the adults, a punch bowl and some soda bottles.
“Ready?” Mikey asked everyone, and with Gerard’s lead, they sang her happy birthday. Frank’s voice was the loudest of them all, but that was probably because he was singing right into Gia’s ear.
While they were singing, the doorbell rang. Lindsey left to get it, but everyone stayed in the kitchen.
“Come on, blow the candles now! And remember to wish!” Frank said after they were done singing. Gia did as she was told, but she had no idea that what she wished for would walk right through the door only seconds later.
“Lucas! What are you doing here?” Gia gasped, staring at him with wide eyes.
“I came for your birthday. Mikey called and invited me.”
“Mikey! Why would you do that?!” Gerard asked his brother, obviously not liking this at all.
“She looked so sad on tour! I wanted to cheer her up.”
“Well, I’m happy you’re here”, Gia smiled and went to hug him. Lucas hugged her tightly too and then gave her his present, a small box that he had obviously wrapped himself. Gia opened it and inside in a dark blue box there was a silver locket.
“I hope you like it. I spent a lot on it because that is a real silver chain, and I’m no Donald Trump,” Lucas said.
“You know you didn't have to get me anything… But I love it, thank you.”
Gia hugged him again, making Gerard look even madder than he was about Lucas being there. It didn’t help that Lindsey was going ‘aww’ and Frank was singing ‘Gia and Lucas, sittin’ in a tree’ when Lucas put the locket around Gia’s neck and they hugged once again.
Most likely to break the moment, Gerard told everyone to start eating.
Gia was sat down at the table and immediately a plate full of cake and cookies was set in front of her.
“Now eat up”, Donna, who had given her the plate, said.
While everyone else sat down too and started gobbling on the food, Gia just sat there, watching them. She wasn’t really hungry at all. To make her grandmother happy, she took a few bites from the cake. She felt happy.
“Aren’t you hungry?” Alicia asked worriedly, noticing that she was eating barely anything.
“Not really. But I’m fine”, Gia answered. And she didn’t lie. She was fine. After all, she had the best family anyone could ask for. Gia didn’t need a birthday party, nor did she really want one, but that didn’t stop them from giving her one.
“So anyway, Gia”, Donna said with a very odd smile on her face. “What exactly is between you and this young man?” she asked, gesturing to Lucas who looked up from his plate, cheeks filled with cake so he somewhat resembled a hamster.
Gerard nearly choked on the wine he had just taken a sip from, and Mikey and Frank’s grips on their forks tightened, but Ray, Bob and Alicia just looked amused.
Gia wasn’t really phased by the question though. “The young man has a name. Lucas. He’s just a friend.”
“Oh so this is the infamous Lucas? The boy you ran away with?” Donna asked, and the smile on her face only widened. “Do you like him?”
Gia’s cheeks got a little red. No, not because she liked Lucas, because she didn’t (he was more like a pet slug. They’re pitiful and make you go ‘aww’, but you wouldn’t touch them), but because the thought of discussing about things like this with her family was just... weird. She glanced at Lucas, and then at her dad who was looking very pissed off.
“I think she’s a little too young to be thinking about things like that”, Gerard said firmly and as a sign of protest, angrily shoveled more cake on his plate and glared at everyone who dared to smile at his direction.
“Gerard, you’re being too immature”, Donna laughed.
“I’m gonna have to agree with Gerard, though”, Mikey said, supporting his brother.
“Could we talk about something else?” Gia suggested, but her words went unnoticed.
“She’s going to start dating soon anyway, I think it’s better she feels like she can openly talk to her family about it”, Donna said.
“But she’s not going to!” Gerard argued.
“Not going to what?”
“Date!”
“Oh please! Gerard, you know how teenagers are! If you want your daughter to trust you, you need to let her grow up!”
Gia followed the argument worriedly. They were fighting about her, and she didn’t like that. Gerard and Donna usually got along very well, but when it came to raising Gia, it was a full-blown war of wills. Gia had noticed the same thing happen between Gerard and Mikey, too. It probably should have made her feel more loved, but really it just bothered her.
“Hey Gia, check this out”, Frank said, snorting.
Gia glanced his way and giggled. Frank had put two straws up his nose, two in his ears and two in his mouth. It was amusing, but at the same time it was obvious what Frank was trying to do. He tried to take Gia’s mind off of the fight about her. It was working.
“I’ll bet you that I can fit ten Oreos in my mouth at once”, Frank said, grabbing the plate of cookies.
“Deal”, Gia smiled and counted the cookies he stuffed into his mouth. The game ended when he started choking and Ray started beating him on the back, which only made him choke more and wheeze for air. Finally a particularly powerful pat on the back made the mess of cookies fly from Frank’s mouth onto the cake. Need I even say it; no one was very hungry after that incident.
A few hours later Ray, Frank, Bob and Mikey disappeared to go play video games, and Alicia, Lindsey and Donna were talking while still drinking coffee. Everyone else was spread out around the house, and not to anyone’s surprise, Gerard followed his daughter around like a hawk while she was talking to people and saying hi.
Once Lucas noticed that they were playing video games, he joined them. It was like a dream come true to him when he got to play against Frank. Right after Lucas had won the game, he walked over to Gia, smiling like an idiot in love. He was flailing his arms around and talking million words per second.
“Whoa, calm down”, Gia said, not understanding a word he was saying.
“Frank Iero yelled at me and called me a loser!”
Gia looked at him, not understanding where he was getting at. Being called a loser is usually an insult, but he didn’t seem to take it as one.
“He insulted you.”
“I know! I can't believe it either! Frank Iero thinks I’m a loser! I will savor this moment for eternity. Come on. Frank Iero sent me to get you, and I don’t want to disappoint him. Frank Iero wants to play against you.”
Gia pulled back when he started to drag her towards the TV. No way is she going to embarrass herself like that in front of everyone.
“Not gonna happen Lucas!” Gia announced.
“Ray is known as one of the best game players to the MCRmy. It’s an honor to play against him!”
“MCR what?”
“MCRmy. The fans of your dad's band, of course.”
“There’s an army?”
“Yes. You didn’t know? Now come on, let’s play!”
He dragged Gia to the couch and sat down just as Frank was about to sit down so he ended up in Lucas's lap. Ray paused when Frank jumped up and screamed. Everyone started to laugh and to make the whole situation even funnier and more bizarre, Lucas looked stunned while rubbing where Frank sat. Even Gia giggled at that.
“You pervert! I belong to Gerard!” Frank shouted, staring at Lucas in shock. “
“So? I belong to Gia, and you don’t see me whining”, Lucas answered, without even thinking.
By then, Gia had learned to know danger when she saw it, so she hurried up and jumped between Lucas and her dad, who was already storming over to Lucas.
“Dad, please don't ruin this day for me,” she pleaded.
“I don't want him here,” Gerard said, glaring at the boy.
“I haven't seen him all summer. Dad. Please. For me?”
After hesitating, Gerard sighed. “Fine.” As surprising as it was, he walked away. Usually when Gerard got mad, he had to get his way. Once he got mad, that was it. No one was surprised when he grabbed his car keys and went out, though.
“It’s okay”, Mikey said reassuringly, but Gia still worried about her dad. He really looked angry, and she hated it when he was angry at ger. Especially now when he threw this party for her. To comfort Gia, they started to play video games again and bugging her to try it too.
Meanwhile, Gerard was driving his car, fuming of anger. When Lucas gave Gia the present, it was clear that he liked her. Why would any guy give girl jewelry unless it was because they like them? Gerard knew he was right about that boy, and this just proves it. And there was no way in hell he was going to let his daughter be corrupted by some bastard who didn’t know how to control his hormones.
Gerard stopped the car at the side of the road and while mumbling courses under his breath, he searched his pockets for a cigarette. He found a half full pack, and used the car’s cigarette lighter to light it.
For a while he just sat there in the car with the window open. The smoke calmed his nerves and made the anger fade. Gerard still felt like going to a bar, but as a recovering alcoholic, he knew that that was the last thing he should do. So instead, he concentrated on destroying his lungs with the cigarette smoke. It had never felt better.
Gerard’s thoughts cleared up, and he started to wonder exactly how he had gotten so mad. There was just something about Lucas that made him want to chop him to pieces and feed him to the dogs.
Guilt.
That was the reason that Gerard came up with. Lucas was a threat. And the fact that he had moved made Gia sad. Gerard hated it when his daughter was anything but happy, especially since he tried so hard to make her happy. That’s why he let her have her way and go stay in California for half the summer.
Gerard didn’t realize the pass of time until he reached for another cigarette and noticed the pack was empty. He sighed and started the car. He had to have been there at least half an hour.
Gerard would just have to learn to deal with the fact that Lucas was there. At least he wouldn’t be there a lot anymore. That would make it a lot easier for Gerard to control himself from strangling the boy.
__________________________
Back at home, Gia was trying her best not to worry so much about her father. Her uncles and Lucas made her play the video game, which was a rally one and Gia kept hitting the walls and losing
To teach her better, Lucas basically pulled her to his lap and had his arm around her so he could reach the controller.
It worked, and because of the game Gia forgot about her dad for a moment and didn’t even hear him come in. But when he came to the living room, Gia and Lucas noticed him standing there with his arms crossed and a very judgmental look on his face.
Gia jumped up and stood there awkwardly, wondering if he will start yelling again. But what he said next surprised everyone.
“Finish your game.”
Gia slowly sat down again, this time far away from Lucas. They started to play again. Gerard watched them play, but didn’t say anything. His eyes kept glancing at Lucas though, watching him like a hawk.
After the game was over, Gia announced that four loses were enough for her and she refused to play anymore.
“Presents!” Frank shouted.
Gia was dragged to the dining room, where the presents the piled on the table. The size of the pile made Gia feel sick.
The first present was from Ray. The wrapper opened to reveal a pale pink laptop. Gia couldn’t recall ever even using a computer outside of school, so this was pretty cool.
The next present was from Bob, and it was clear that the small bag it was in had been attacked by Frank, because it had hearts all over and inside the hearts it was the text ‘Frank hearts Gia’. And inside the bag, there was a pink iPod with the charger and headphones. If he had given her an iPod like a month ago, she would’ve called him crazy, but now it would come in use.
“My turn!” Frank announced and practically shoved shoved a bag in her face. When Gia looked inside she decided right then and there that she was NOT going to pull out this gift. The bag contained a matching set of lacy baby blue underwear. Gerard gave her a confused look when she stared at her uncle, and Frank giggled.
“Gia?” her dad asked.
“I’m not taking this out Frank. Dad will kill you.”
Dad grabbed the bag and then the chase was on. Gerard chased the short man around the house yelling at him and then all of a sudden stopped dead in his tracks. Frank stopped at the other side of the room.
“Wait! How does he know your bra and underwear sizes?” dad asked, out of breath.
Everyone laughed at that. Gia put her head down and tried not to cry. She didn't know why she wanted to cry but hearing so many people laugh because of something like underwear that belongs to her, it was enough for her.
“I did my research”, Frank said like it was the simplest thing ever.
“You went through her clothes? You’re weird,” dad said, looking at him like he was crazy.
“You’re both gross. Gia, open my present now.” Mikey gave her another bag, and it was huge. Gia checked the insides of it for stuff she didn’t want anyone else to see.
“I’m not like Frank. I find it a little bit offensive that you’d think I was,” Mikey said.
“Sorry,” Gia apologized and pulled out the clothing from the bag. She could see that he had spent a lot on them because of the price tags he’d left on them.
“You’re supposed to take the tags off Mikey”, Alicia laughed.
“I forgot. But at least we weren't cheap.”
“You could have been! This is too much…” Gia mumbled. She had counted the prices together and altogether it went easily up to 300 dollars.
And to top it all, at the bottom of everything there was an iTunes card for more songs. Gia didn’t really know what iTunes was, but after Mikey explained it to her in great detail and she thanked him, he pulled her into a tight hug. Mikey squeezed her so hard that her back popped.
Her grandparents handed her an envelope with some money and said to get what she wanted. All in all, there was 150 dollars inside.
Tina wobbled over with her baby bump and handed her a huge bag with lots of pinks clothes, make up, hair supplies and bracelets. It was a great gift and something she would use. Style-wise, Gia was nothing like her dad. Gia didn’t wear a lot of dark clothes. She preferred to wear dresses and skirts rather than skinny jeans which her dad favored.
Gia thanked Tina, and got pretty much murdered by the hug she gave her.
Then Gia thought everything was done, but it wasn't over yet. Her dad saw that she had opened everything and without a word, took her hand and led her up to her room. Everyone followed them.
Gia gasped when she saw the new, pure white gorgeous bed. Much better and bigger than the one he had bought her years ago that was breaking and needed a paint job. This bed was beautiful.
“Do you like it?” Gerard asked.
“I love it! Where did you find it?” Gia instantly jumped on the bed and sat on it. It was soft and even though it was kind of high, it didn’t bother her. Jersey would just have a hard time jumping on it.
“It’s French so I had it shipped from over here. I thought you would like it better than your old bed since it was really old. Thank Mikey for helping find the perfect one. He test-slept many before we found this one.”
Frank came over with two new bean bag chairs, and Lucas, his faithful little follower, was carrying the other one.
“This is the real gift from me. I thought since he bought you the bed, I could give you this to go with the improvement. Two new bean bag chairs! Just please don’t let the killer dog chew them up.”
“Oh no, they’re custom made aren’t they?” Gia sighed. It was a lovely gift, but…
“Why do you ask?”
“There’s your name all over it. Kinda makes you wonder…” The other beanbag chair had the word ‘Frank scattered all over it, and the other one was pink and white striped.
“Well I didn't want to get you just any beanbag chair. These are perfect!”
“Anything would have been good but I love these too. Thank you.”’
It seemed almost unreal that summer was over. Returning home from the tour was kind of a relief, but at the same time very depressing.
Gerard and Lindsey had gone to a short honeymoon, as the tour was over, and Gia had returned home to New Jersey with her uncles.
Arriving at the familiar house, Gia was relieved to notice that nothing had changed. It was still the same dull, white two-storey house. Except that since no one had been there to take care of the yard, the grass had grown like crazy and the flower beds were in terrible shape. Still, Gia had never been happier to see her home.
The second Gia got inside the house, she plopped down on the couch, and dug out her cell phone from her pocket when it started to ring.
“Hello?”
Figures, it was her dad. He didn’t even say hello before asking his question in panic: “Are you home yet?”
“Yes, I’m home. When are you coming home?”
“In a week. Can you survive alone until then? I told Mikey to check up on you, but if you need anything, you can call me, okay?”
Gia assured him that she’d call if need be, and he babbled on and on with instructions on how to take care of herself and the house during his short absence.
A week, and then everything would go back to normal. But it wasn’t that that made Gia nervous. She realized that her dad would be there on her first day of high school. Summer was over, school was starting.
Gia hadn’t really worried about going to high school yet. But now, she was really starting to get nauseas just thinking about it. According to everyone she had ever met, high school was hell. And she wasn’t very excited about going to hell.
__________________
Almost immediately after Gerard and Lindsey returned from their little trip (Gia made sure not to ask them what they had done in fear of some traumatic details), they began to plan living together. Soon it became apparent that the house they lived in now wasn’t enough, and they started searching for a new, larger house in the area.
Other than that, being back home was great. Gia missed Lucas, but Gerard being back home made Gia happy. Even though being back home meant giving up her best friend, she was glad to be there.
There was only one problem. Lindsey. Not that Gia had anything against her, but she was her stepmom now. If Gia had learned anything from Disney, then to not trust stepmothers.
Gia didn’t mind having someone help her with the chores, because Lindsey did help and Gerard did absolutely nothing ever, but it still felt weird having her around. Not necessarily bad weird, just different. Gia, who had never really had a mother-figure in her life, and the closest female to look up to was her grandma, now had to learn how to cope with this new situation.
But to everyone’s surprise, Gia found a pretty unexpected way to calm down. No, she wasn’t doing drugs.
The pile of CD’s that Lucas gave to her on her birthday became her best friend, as sad as that sounds. Gia was never one to listen to a lot of music, despite her father’s obvious passion for it, but she just didn’t inherit that trait.
But as she was doing chores or homework, Gia played the CD’s on the background and nearly instinctively turned the volume up. One of the CD’s in particular made her turn the volume so loud that Gerard actually had to come tell her to tone it down a bit. And no, despite his attempts to make her fall in love with the music he made, the CD wasn’t a My Chemical Romance one.
No, the band Gia started to slowly love was Green Day.
During the few days, Gia listened to the CD over and over again. She listened to the other CD’s too, but they weren’t as good. And after her dad had gone to sleep, she went to raid his CD collection, and found various CD’s by the same band. Gia took all of them to her room and listened to them until late at night. She had never enjoyed music like this, but when she listened to this band, she couldn’t stop. It made her understand how her dad and uncles could do what they did for so long, how they could be so passionate about something like that. Gia never understood it before.
Now she understood.
On the nights when Gia stayed up late, listening to music, Gerard stayed awake and just laid in the dark. Lindsey was asleep next to him, but Gerard couldn’t sleep.
The music coming from his daughter’s room kept him up, but he didn’t mind. How long had he wished Gia would listen to music so they’d have more to talk about? Now it seemed like his prayers had been answered.
_________________________
A few days before the first day of high school, Gia was woken up to madness.
Mikey picked Gia up from her house and wouldn't take "I’m tired" for an answer, so he dragged her around town all day. Mikey had had to pick up multiple things, and Gia had no idea why she had to be there, but according to Mikey, he would have been lonely since Alicia didn't want to get up.
Gia didn’t see why he had to wake her up early just to run his errands with him. Mikey could’ve easily have taken Frank since he’s the one always up early watching the morning cartoons.
They stopped for the thousandth time on their little trip and he got out of the car. Gia didn't even bother following this time. What's the use? He is just going to make her stand on another isle while he gets something in a store. Hides it from her and then dives to another store to do who knows what.
“What's wrong?” he asked for what seemed like the hundredth time.
“What is wrong? Oh I don’t know, you woke me up at 7 to go out to do this. I didn't have breakfast. We've been driving for two hours and you refuse to take me home to go back to sleep or to at least make dad food. He is probably sitting there thinking I didn't wake up yet.”
He chuckled at her little rant, and since she was obviously fuming, he didn’t speak for the rest of the ride. Soon enough they were at the house, and Gia ran up to the door. She wanted to lock him out so he couldn't make her go anywhere anymore. She needed to get breakfast ready for dad and –
“SURPRISE!”
Gia jumped 10 feet in the air. Luckily Mikey caught her before she fell. Her dad, Lindsey, all her uncles, and her grandparents were over including Tina and Lucas's dad. They were standing there in front of her, most of them wearing party hats, and Frank waving around a vuvuzela.
“Happy Birthday Gia”, Gerard said with a huge smile on his face. He looked like the Cheshire cat with that smile.
“Thanks. What the heck is this?”
“Well, since me and the guys weren't with you on your real birthday and this is our way of making up for it. I hope you like it.”
Gia’s real birthday was at summer, but it was when she was in California with Lucas. So, they had decided to celebrate it later.
“I love it, dad. But you didn't have to, I don’t need a party.”
“We had to. There was no way of us making it up besides doing this. So enjoy!” Ray said, putting one of those silly party hats on her head.
Then the birthday girl was attacked by a short little man with a vuvuzela.
“Gia! Happy Birthday!”
“You’re a few months late, Frank”, she said, but hugged him back anyway.
“I’m never late! Always on time!”
Gerard helped her up while Frank went on about how he is never late and how she is lying and she should be ashamed of herself. Everyone ignored him, as usual, and went to the living room where everyone could say hi and what not. Everyone had gone by the time Frank realized they weren't in the room with him.
Gia looked around the house and figured that her dad must’ve let Tina decorate it. The decorations had that girly feel to it. The house was filled with pink and white balloons, streamer, and there was even a banner set up between walls in the hall saying “Congratulations Gia!” and someone had drawn a very flattering picture of her beside the text. It looked like a three-year old had drawn it.
“Do you like the banner? I made it myself!”
Mikey came out of the kitchen with a grin on his face. “I wouldn’t be too proud if I were you, Frank.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Frank frowned.
“This is really too much”, Gia sighed. She hated it when people saw any trouble for her.
Gerard hugged her tightly. “So do you like it?” he asked, his arm still around her shoulder.
“Yeah. I thought you would have forgotten my birthday, especially since you hardly even called. None of you guys did. Well, Mikey did but he didn't realized it was my birthday until we were hanging up”, Gia answered.
“I would never forget your birthday. I just figured you would have been busy with your grandparents and too busy to answer. You only called Mikey but never me.”
“You always said don't call when you’re working. And you were working the whole summer.”
“That doesn’t apply when we don’t see each other for weeks. I didn't see you and I never talked to you and I was suffering without you! Do you know how paranoid I get?”
Suddenly Mikey yelled from the other room: “Gerard! Frank is about to eat Gia’s cake!”
Gerard led Gia to the kitchen and when she saw the table, she gasped. In the middle there was a huge square-shaped white, pink and blue cake, and around it various types of cookies, pastries and other foods. To drink there was a bottle of wine for the adults, a punch bowl and some soda bottles.
“Ready?” Mikey asked everyone, and with Gerard’s lead, they sang her happy birthday. Frank’s voice was the loudest of them all, but that was probably because he was singing right into Gia’s ear.
While they were singing, the doorbell rang. Lindsey left to get it, but everyone stayed in the kitchen.
“Come on, blow the candles now! And remember to wish!” Frank said after they were done singing. Gia did as she was told, but she had no idea that what she wished for would walk right through the door only seconds later.
“Lucas! What are you doing here?” Gia gasped, staring at him with wide eyes.
“I came for your birthday. Mikey called and invited me.”
“Mikey! Why would you do that?!” Gerard asked his brother, obviously not liking this at all.
“She looked so sad on tour! I wanted to cheer her up.”
“Well, I’m happy you’re here”, Gia smiled and went to hug him. Lucas hugged her tightly too and then gave her his present, a small box that he had obviously wrapped himself. Gia opened it and inside in a dark blue box there was a silver locket.
“I hope you like it. I spent a lot on it because that is a real silver chain, and I’m no Donald Trump,” Lucas said.
“You know you didn't have to get me anything… But I love it, thank you.”
Gia hugged him again, making Gerard look even madder than he was about Lucas being there. It didn’t help that Lindsey was going ‘aww’ and Frank was singing ‘Gia and Lucas, sittin’ in a tree’ when Lucas put the locket around Gia’s neck and they hugged once again.
Most likely to break the moment, Gerard told everyone to start eating.
Gia was sat down at the table and immediately a plate full of cake and cookies was set in front of her.
“Now eat up”, Donna, who had given her the plate, said.
While everyone else sat down too and started gobbling on the food, Gia just sat there, watching them. She wasn’t really hungry at all. To make her grandmother happy, she took a few bites from the cake. She felt happy.
“Aren’t you hungry?” Alicia asked worriedly, noticing that she was eating barely anything.
“Not really. But I’m fine”, Gia answered. And she didn’t lie. She was fine. After all, she had the best family anyone could ask for. Gia didn’t need a birthday party, nor did she really want one, but that didn’t stop them from giving her one.
“So anyway, Gia”, Donna said with a very odd smile on her face. “What exactly is between you and this young man?” she asked, gesturing to Lucas who looked up from his plate, cheeks filled with cake so he somewhat resembled a hamster.
Gerard nearly choked on the wine he had just taken a sip from, and Mikey and Frank’s grips on their forks tightened, but Ray, Bob and Alicia just looked amused.
Gia wasn’t really phased by the question though. “The young man has a name. Lucas. He’s just a friend.”
“Oh so this is the infamous Lucas? The boy you ran away with?” Donna asked, and the smile on her face only widened. “Do you like him?”
Gia’s cheeks got a little red. No, not because she liked Lucas, because she didn’t (he was more like a pet slug. They’re pitiful and make you go ‘aww’, but you wouldn’t touch them), but because the thought of discussing about things like this with her family was just... weird. She glanced at Lucas, and then at her dad who was looking very pissed off.
“I think she’s a little too young to be thinking about things like that”, Gerard said firmly and as a sign of protest, angrily shoveled more cake on his plate and glared at everyone who dared to smile at his direction.
“Gerard, you’re being too immature”, Donna laughed.
“I’m gonna have to agree with Gerard, though”, Mikey said, supporting his brother.
“Could we talk about something else?” Gia suggested, but her words went unnoticed.
“She’s going to start dating soon anyway, I think it’s better she feels like she can openly talk to her family about it”, Donna said.
“But she’s not going to!” Gerard argued.
“Not going to what?”
“Date!”
“Oh please! Gerard, you know how teenagers are! If you want your daughter to trust you, you need to let her grow up!”
Gia followed the argument worriedly. They were fighting about her, and she didn’t like that. Gerard and Donna usually got along very well, but when it came to raising Gia, it was a full-blown war of wills. Gia had noticed the same thing happen between Gerard and Mikey, too. It probably should have made her feel more loved, but really it just bothered her.
“Hey Gia, check this out”, Frank said, snorting.
Gia glanced his way and giggled. Frank had put two straws up his nose, two in his ears and two in his mouth. It was amusing, but at the same time it was obvious what Frank was trying to do. He tried to take Gia’s mind off of the fight about her. It was working.
“I’ll bet you that I can fit ten Oreos in my mouth at once”, Frank said, grabbing the plate of cookies.
“Deal”, Gia smiled and counted the cookies he stuffed into his mouth. The game ended when he started choking and Ray started beating him on the back, which only made him choke more and wheeze for air. Finally a particularly powerful pat on the back made the mess of cookies fly from Frank’s mouth onto the cake. Need I even say it; no one was very hungry after that incident.
A few hours later Ray, Frank, Bob and Mikey disappeared to go play video games, and Alicia, Lindsey and Donna were talking while still drinking coffee. Everyone else was spread out around the house, and not to anyone’s surprise, Gerard followed his daughter around like a hawk while she was talking to people and saying hi.
Once Lucas noticed that they were playing video games, he joined them. It was like a dream come true to him when he got to play against Frank. Right after Lucas had won the game, he walked over to Gia, smiling like an idiot in love. He was flailing his arms around and talking million words per second.
“Whoa, calm down”, Gia said, not understanding a word he was saying.
“Frank Iero yelled at me and called me a loser!”
Gia looked at him, not understanding where he was getting at. Being called a loser is usually an insult, but he didn’t seem to take it as one.
“He insulted you.”
“I know! I can't believe it either! Frank Iero thinks I’m a loser! I will savor this moment for eternity. Come on. Frank Iero sent me to get you, and I don’t want to disappoint him. Frank Iero wants to play against you.”
Gia pulled back when he started to drag her towards the TV. No way is she going to embarrass herself like that in front of everyone.
“Not gonna happen Lucas!” Gia announced.
“Ray is known as one of the best game players to the MCRmy. It’s an honor to play against him!”
“MCR what?”
“MCRmy. The fans of your dad's band, of course.”
“There’s an army?”
“Yes. You didn’t know? Now come on, let’s play!”
He dragged Gia to the couch and sat down just as Frank was about to sit down so he ended up in Lucas's lap. Ray paused when Frank jumped up and screamed. Everyone started to laugh and to make the whole situation even funnier and more bizarre, Lucas looked stunned while rubbing where Frank sat. Even Gia giggled at that.
“You pervert! I belong to Gerard!” Frank shouted, staring at Lucas in shock. “
“So? I belong to Gia, and you don’t see me whining”, Lucas answered, without even thinking.
By then, Gia had learned to know danger when she saw it, so she hurried up and jumped between Lucas and her dad, who was already storming over to Lucas.
“Dad, please don't ruin this day for me,” she pleaded.
“I don't want him here,” Gerard said, glaring at the boy.
“I haven't seen him all summer. Dad. Please. For me?”
After hesitating, Gerard sighed. “Fine.” As surprising as it was, he walked away. Usually when Gerard got mad, he had to get his way. Once he got mad, that was it. No one was surprised when he grabbed his car keys and went out, though.
“It’s okay”, Mikey said reassuringly, but Gia still worried about her dad. He really looked angry, and she hated it when he was angry at ger. Especially now when he threw this party for her. To comfort Gia, they started to play video games again and bugging her to try it too.
Meanwhile, Gerard was driving his car, fuming of anger. When Lucas gave Gia the present, it was clear that he liked her. Why would any guy give girl jewelry unless it was because they like them? Gerard knew he was right about that boy, and this just proves it. And there was no way in hell he was going to let his daughter be corrupted by some bastard who didn’t know how to control his hormones.
Gerard stopped the car at the side of the road and while mumbling courses under his breath, he searched his pockets for a cigarette. He found a half full pack, and used the car’s cigarette lighter to light it.
For a while he just sat there in the car with the window open. The smoke calmed his nerves and made the anger fade. Gerard still felt like going to a bar, but as a recovering alcoholic, he knew that that was the last thing he should do. So instead, he concentrated on destroying his lungs with the cigarette smoke. It had never felt better.
Gerard’s thoughts cleared up, and he started to wonder exactly how he had gotten so mad. There was just something about Lucas that made him want to chop him to pieces and feed him to the dogs.
Guilt.
That was the reason that Gerard came up with. Lucas was a threat. And the fact that he had moved made Gia sad. Gerard hated it when his daughter was anything but happy, especially since he tried so hard to make her happy. That’s why he let her have her way and go stay in California for half the summer.
Gerard didn’t realize the pass of time until he reached for another cigarette and noticed the pack was empty. He sighed and started the car. He had to have been there at least half an hour.
Gerard would just have to learn to deal with the fact that Lucas was there. At least he wouldn’t be there a lot anymore. That would make it a lot easier for Gerard to control himself from strangling the boy.
__________________________
Back at home, Gia was trying her best not to worry so much about her father. Her uncles and Lucas made her play the video game, which was a rally one and Gia kept hitting the walls and losing
To teach her better, Lucas basically pulled her to his lap and had his arm around her so he could reach the controller.
It worked, and because of the game Gia forgot about her dad for a moment and didn’t even hear him come in. But when he came to the living room, Gia and Lucas noticed him standing there with his arms crossed and a very judgmental look on his face.
Gia jumped up and stood there awkwardly, wondering if he will start yelling again. But what he said next surprised everyone.
“Finish your game.”
Gia slowly sat down again, this time far away from Lucas. They started to play again. Gerard watched them play, but didn’t say anything. His eyes kept glancing at Lucas though, watching him like a hawk.
After the game was over, Gia announced that four loses were enough for her and she refused to play anymore.
“Presents!” Frank shouted.
Gia was dragged to the dining room, where the presents the piled on the table. The size of the pile made Gia feel sick.
The first present was from Ray. The wrapper opened to reveal a pale pink laptop. Gia couldn’t recall ever even using a computer outside of school, so this was pretty cool.
The next present was from Bob, and it was clear that the small bag it was in had been attacked by Frank, because it had hearts all over and inside the hearts it was the text ‘Frank hearts Gia’. And inside the bag, there was a pink iPod with the charger and headphones. If he had given her an iPod like a month ago, she would’ve called him crazy, but now it would come in use.
“My turn!” Frank announced and practically shoved shoved a bag in her face. When Gia looked inside she decided right then and there that she was NOT going to pull out this gift. The bag contained a matching set of lacy baby blue underwear. Gerard gave her a confused look when she stared at her uncle, and Frank giggled.
“Gia?” her dad asked.
“I’m not taking this out Frank. Dad will kill you.”
Dad grabbed the bag and then the chase was on. Gerard chased the short man around the house yelling at him and then all of a sudden stopped dead in his tracks. Frank stopped at the other side of the room.
“Wait! How does he know your bra and underwear sizes?” dad asked, out of breath.
Everyone laughed at that. Gia put her head down and tried not to cry. She didn't know why she wanted to cry but hearing so many people laugh because of something like underwear that belongs to her, it was enough for her.
“I did my research”, Frank said like it was the simplest thing ever.
“You went through her clothes? You’re weird,” dad said, looking at him like he was crazy.
“You’re both gross. Gia, open my present now.” Mikey gave her another bag, and it was huge. Gia checked the insides of it for stuff she didn’t want anyone else to see.
“I’m not like Frank. I find it a little bit offensive that you’d think I was,” Mikey said.
“Sorry,” Gia apologized and pulled out the clothing from the bag. She could see that he had spent a lot on them because of the price tags he’d left on them.
“You’re supposed to take the tags off Mikey”, Alicia laughed.
“I forgot. But at least we weren't cheap.”
“You could have been! This is too much…” Gia mumbled. She had counted the prices together and altogether it went easily up to 300 dollars.
And to top it all, at the bottom of everything there was an iTunes card for more songs. Gia didn’t really know what iTunes was, but after Mikey explained it to her in great detail and she thanked him, he pulled her into a tight hug. Mikey squeezed her so hard that her back popped.
Her grandparents handed her an envelope with some money and said to get what she wanted. All in all, there was 150 dollars inside.
Tina wobbled over with her baby bump and handed her a huge bag with lots of pinks clothes, make up, hair supplies and bracelets. It was a great gift and something she would use. Style-wise, Gia was nothing like her dad. Gia didn’t wear a lot of dark clothes. She preferred to wear dresses and skirts rather than skinny jeans which her dad favored.
Gia thanked Tina, and got pretty much murdered by the hug she gave her.
Then Gia thought everything was done, but it wasn't over yet. Her dad saw that she had opened everything and without a word, took her hand and led her up to her room. Everyone followed them.
Gia gasped when she saw the new, pure white gorgeous bed. Much better and bigger than the one he had bought her years ago that was breaking and needed a paint job. This bed was beautiful.
“Do you like it?” Gerard asked.
“I love it! Where did you find it?” Gia instantly jumped on the bed and sat on it. It was soft and even though it was kind of high, it didn’t bother her. Jersey would just have a hard time jumping on it.
“It’s French so I had it shipped from over here. I thought you would like it better than your old bed since it was really old. Thank Mikey for helping find the perfect one. He test-slept many before we found this one.”
Frank came over with two new bean bag chairs, and Lucas, his faithful little follower, was carrying the other one.
“This is the real gift from me. I thought since he bought you the bed, I could give you this to go with the improvement. Two new bean bag chairs! Just please don’t let the killer dog chew them up.”
“Oh no, they’re custom made aren’t they?” Gia sighed. It was a lovely gift, but…
“Why do you ask?”
“There’s your name all over it. Kinda makes you wonder…” The other beanbag chair had the word ‘Frank scattered all over it, and the other one was pink and white striped.
“Well I didn't want to get you just any beanbag chair. These are perfect!”
“Anything would have been good but I love these too. Thank you.”’
Sign up to rate and review this story