FicWad

Chapter 21:

“Come on Birthday Boy!” Kerry said holding out her hand to Gerard.
“Why? I didn’t want to do this! You made me!” Gerard said, disregarding the outstretched hand.
“Oh don’t be such a baby! You telling me you’ve never done this before?” Kerry asked.
“Never. Well not to my knowledge. I dunno. When I was little, possibly.” Gerard said, still not moving.
“It’s easy, come on, I will teach you.” Kerry said confidently.
“You say that just ‘cos you can. I can’t!” Gerard protested.
“Oh shut up. Come on and I will buy you an ice cream later if you’re a good boy.” Kerry teased.
“Better be a big one…” Gerard muttered and took a step forward.

As soon as Gerard’s foot made contact with the ice rink it slipped forward and Gerard dropped. Kerry managed to catch him just in time before his head smacked the side of the wall outlining the rink.
“Careful!” Kerry said.
“See this thing is fucking dangerous!” Gerard said, “can we go now?”
“No.”
“I’m so gonna die here…” Gerard murmured.
“No you won’t just stand up and hold onto me.” Kerry instructed.
“Yes maam.” Gerard said, giving Kerry a mini salute as he straightened up. Almost as soon as he had he stumbled again, but Kerry kept a firm hold on his arm.
“If you could try and stay upright for a second it would be nice.” Kerry said sarcastically.
Gerard simply stuck his tongue out at her and held onto the side.
“Mature.” Kerry said, raising her eyebrows.
Gerard returned this with a death stare.
“You can make as many funny faces as you like Gee, I’m gonna get you to ice skate.” Kerry said.
“You can’t make me.” Gerard said.
“Wanna bet?” Kerry said, a mischievous glint in her eye.
Then Kerry slowly leaned forward into Gerard so that their noses almost touched, her eyes held the same fixed gaze straight into his. Gerard could feel something deep in the pit of his stomach, a gentle fluttering which he couldn’t quite explain. Their faces were so close that he could feel her warm breath against his cheek. He closed his eyes just as their foreheads touched gently.
“No time for daydreaming! Lets go!” Kerry said, she had quickly moved her face away from Gerard’s and was laughing and pulling his arm to try and release his grip from the side wall that kept him standing.
Gerard opened his mouth to say something but just couldn’t seem to find words anymore.
“Will you stop gaping like a goldfish and skate with me?” Kerry asked, getting impatient.
“Err…right” Gerard said, snapping out of it. “What if I fall?”
“You won’t. Here.” Kerry came to his side and snaked her arm around his back to hold him, “I will make sure you don’t.”
The same feeling in his stomach occurred again at her touch but Gerard batted it away angrily. There was no time for that nonsense. He needed to focus on not falling over again.
“Okay…” Gerard said apprehensively, letting go of the wall. He stood for a bit, clutching onto Kerry.
“Wahey! You managed it!” Kerry said, beaming, “hard part over, now you just have to skate.”

***

“That was actually surprisingly fun.” Gerard said, as they walked back from the ice rink. It had gotten dark and the street lamps lighted the path leading back to the hotel.
“See! Not so terrifying after all!” Kerry said.
“No, I guess not.” Gerard said quietly as he turned his head to look at Kerry. She returned his gaze, smiling.
“Have a good birthday?” Kerry asked, slipping her hand into his.
Gerard had to swallow to keep his heart from jumping up inside his throat. What was this? “Yeah… it was the best.”
“Even though you forgot it for the first several hours?” Kerry laughed.
“Yes, how very stupid of me. I didn’t even notice when I booked it. I thought Cassie would have…” Gerard stopped himself, his head dropped as his heart felt a sudden pain at the name. He pulled his hand out from Kerry’s, feeling suddenly disloyal.
Kerry put out a hand towards Gerard in an attempt to comfort him, but retracted it almost straight away.
“You ok?” She asked tentatively.
“Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine.” Gerard said, still not lifting his head.
“You don’t sound it.” Kerry said.
“I’ll be fine. Lets just…go back to the hotel, okay?” Gerard said, starting to walk again.
Kerry ran a bit to catch up with him and they walked in silence the rest of the way, neither wanting to break the uncomfortable silence or get close enough to each other to touch.
They had still not exchanged anymore words when they got to the hotel. Gerard held the door open and Kerry walked inside the deserted hallway, the other residents must have gone to bed and the receptionist was dozing at her stand. Gerard quickly ducked in behind her.
“Gerard, you sure you’re gonna be alright?” Kerry asked, before Gerard had the chance to escape up to his room.
“Yeah, don’t worry.” Gerard said, still refusing to make eye contact.
“Gerard.” Kerry said, and she placed her hands on his shoulders causing him to look up at her, “I do worry about you.”
“Then I’m sorry.” Gerard said.
“Don’t be.”
“Listen Kerry, I just need some time to myself for a bit. Come see me tomorrow morning after I’ve got some sleep I just need to….” Gerard’s voice trailed off as he looked up and past Kerry’s right shoulder.
“Gerard…what?” Kerry asked, following his gaze.
“Mikey!” Gerard cried out, a sudden smile shot across his face.
Kerry dropped her hands from Gerard’s shoulder and turned to face the man who Gerard was looking at.
The man was only a couple years younger that Gerard and he looked like he was in a state of shock.
Gerard strode towards his brother and hugged him.
“Mikey! What?…How?…Since when were you?…I can’t believe it!” Gerard said excitedly.
“…Hey, Gee” Mikey said, glancing behind him to make sure the receptionist was still sleeping. “Why are you here?”
“I asked you first!” Gerard said, “oh right, sorry. Mikey, this is my friend, Kerry.”
“Hi.” Kerry said, smiling.
“Oh. Hey.” Mikey smiled, then he turned back to Gerard. “What about…?”
Gerard cut him off, “I will tell you another time. So what are you doing here?”
Mikey’s face seemed pale and he swallowed, “Erm… ya know, just travelling around, thought I’d stay here for a bit…. Then maybe go visit you and mum. Now I don’t need to come see you it seems.”
“Yeah guess not! God it’s good to see you!” Gerard said. Giving him another hug.
“Wow. You’re friendly.” Mikey laughed.
“Oh come on! I haven’t seen you in months!” Gerard said.
“True.” Mikey said.
“This is so great! We have to catch up!”
“Yeah. Course.” Mikey said, though he didn’t sound too convinced. “But…err… maybe when it’s not… 1am. Jesus you two were out late.” He raised his eyebrows at them.
“Yeah, well. It’s my birthday.” Gerard said, shrugging.
Mikey slapped a hand to his forehead. “Oh god it is! I completely forgot.”
“You’re not the only one.” Kerry laughed, nudging Gerard.
“You forgot your own birthday?” Mikey asked.
“Yeah.”
“Trust you.”
“Shut up!” Gerard gave Mikey a playful punch on the arm.
“Ok. I seriously need to head up.” Mikey said hurriedly, glancing at the clock.
“What? Aww! What room you in?” Gerard asked.
Mikey quickly scribbled the number down on the pad by the desk.
“Cool. I’ll come see you tomorrow.” Gerard said.
“Cool.” Mikey said, averting his eyes.
“Good to see ya Mikes.” Gerard said giving his brother another hug.
“Yeah. You too. And nice meeting you.” Mikey said, directing his last comment at Kerry.
“Likewise.” Kerry said.
And with that Mikey headed up to his room.
“Wow. That was a great surprise!” Gerard said.
“Yeah… he seemed a bit awkward.” Kerry said.
“He did?” Gerard asked as they headed up as well.
“Yeah. Uncomfortable. Like he wanted to get away.”
“Oh. I didn’t notice.” Gerard said, eyebrows furrowed.
“Never mind. He’s probably usually like that. I’m just not used to it.” Kerry suggested.
“Yeah.” Gerard said, smiling again.
They reached Gerard’s door.
“Look, thanks for today. It was great.” Gerard said.
“No problem. Glad you had a good day, Birthday Boy.” Kerry said.
Gerard laughed.
“Shh! People are sleeping!” Kerry whispered.
“Who cares?” Gerard whispered back.
It was only then that he noticed how closely he was standing next to her, they were barely an inch apart and when he looked up her face was dangerously close to his once again.
They held each others gaze for a long while. A strand of Kerry’s hair fell in front of her face and Gerard reached out a hand to tuck it gently behind her ear.
Kerry took a deep breath inwards, and closed her eyes for a second.
“Goodnight.” She whispered, opening her eyes and looking into Gerard’s disappointed one.
“Yeah. Night.” He said, reaching out a hand to the door handle.
Kerry quickly leaned in and kissed Gerard on the cheek. She smiled and walked off down the corridor as Gerard went inside his room. Once on the inside of the door he let out a long sigh, leaning against the door and touching the spot where Kerry had kissed him with his fingertips.
Oh shit.





Sorry it has taken me so long to update! I hope this is worth the wait! I have been busy with school, exams and certain personal things that have contributed quite well to some of the feleings in this story :P (those who know me will know what I'm talking about. Those who don't may be able to guess) Anyway, I still apologise for the lateness of this chapter, but I had other things to do so I hope you will be able to forgive me. Next one should be up at some pointt, I won't leave it as long as this one took, promise. Oh dear here I go making promises. Very bad of me, well unless I keep them. Thanks for the feedback so far and PLEASE rate and review! Thanks :D
Okay well I'm gonna shut up now and let you get on with your lives!
Thanks x x x FMRBGFTW!