FicWad

“Hello,” I said to the woman that opened the door, handing her a bottle of whiskey that I bought on my way over. She gestured me to go in, she couldn’t say it knowing I wasn't going to be able to hear her in the middle of all the noise coming from inside.

I walked in to find way too many people there... there were stereos everywhere, even outside, in the back yard, that was filled with people dancing with their alcoholic glasses in one hand and the cigarettes in the other. I looked around Jason's house to see that many things had changed. What was I expecting after 2 years. The only thing that I was wondering about was that huge amount of people Jason succeeded to bring to that party.

I looked around again to then get my attention caught by some guy passing by that looked at me from head to toe to then frown and say wow at the way I looked.

"Hello there," he said stepping closer.

"You smell like cheese," I commented waving the smell away as he laughed at it, adding: "good one, good one," leaving me alone and heading elsewhere.

"NICOLE!!" I then heard Jason's voice saying my name. I turned to see him walking towards me, arms wide open. I hugged him, one that seemed to have lasted a lifetime.

"GOSH I MISSED YOU GIRL!!" He exclaimed wrapping his hand around my waist and dragging me to the kitchen, where it was less noisy.

"Jason!!" I said childishly as we walked in there, "where did your beard go!!" I exclaimed laughing. Jason was growing this beard, and even though he's a very attractive guy, one that no matter how his hair looked like or his clothes were like, girls would still kill for him, but that beard just made him look like someone coming right out of jail. He was so stubborn when it came to it, and no matter how much we told him to shave it off, he wouldn't, saying it was who he is, it became a part of him, making us all laugh.

"You know, I would grow it back again, but Samantha would literally kill me!" He said taking a tequila shot.

"My little Jason finally decided to settle down and stop playing around with girls?" I added messing his hair up.

"Oh I'm going to get you something to have fun with besides me!" He exclaimed taking the position he used to take right before he carries me.

"Oh no.... not this time!" I added stepping away, to then start running away from him, as he followed saying: "come on!! Wait! At least let me tell you something!" I was laughing like I've never laughed before, finding my way through people, to then get to the back yard.

"Wow..." I commented as he finally caught up with me.

"Yeah... " He nodded proudly.

"You did some amazing work on this yard,"

"I know... right? You should see the right corner over there..." he pointed to it, to then stand high look throug the crowd then yell: "Gerard!! Over here!!" He started gesturing for him to come over. I forgot for a second there that Gerard was going to be here, and that made me scared. I was scared of facing him again, after these years of leaving him and never talking to him since.

Jason wrapped his arm around my neck, messing my hair, just happy with how I'm back I guess... and how our group of friend seems to be back to the way it was when I was here, waiting for Gerard to find his way through people so he can tell him the 'news'.

"Dude..." Jason said standing in front of me, not letting him see me, right as he got to where we were.

"Does the sound look ok? I'm not sure if it's properly set from this corner," Gerard said, too busy to notice Jason was trying to tell him something.

"Dude... guess who I have right behind me!" Jason said again as I didn't even try to move away, I don't know why...
Gerard was the one to step closer, take a look at me standing there. As he looked at me with those sweet eyes of his, I didn't know whether I should smile because I finally saw him again, or frown because I've left him hanging 2 years ago.

"Nicole..." he said softly, a light smile drawn up on his face.

"Hi," I smiled waving. I was feeling extremely shy, I guess it was because I was the bad one for leaving him before, now he's so modest to just greet me back with that smile.

"The moment I've been long waiting for!" Jason exclaimed taking me under one arm, and Gerard under the other. "Now let's go some place we can talk!!" Jason added dragging us with him.

"How long have you been here?" Gerard asked, looking at me so gently, reminding me of the way he was to me when we were still together.

"I got here today,"

"and JASON was the first to know?" His blaming tone caught me by surprise.

"I didn't know whether it was right or not to contact you, you know?" I explained, hoping he'd understand I really did want to contact him.

"It's ALWAYS right for YOU to contact ME, got that?" He replied as we stopped walking behind Jason, where he stood in front of his room's door that was locked, trying to unlock it.
I nodded in response to Gerard, I realized he was breaking the ice between him and I, and it worked, he gave me a tight hug, rubbing my back, really making me feel like I came back to my home!

We walked in to Jason's room, where he locked the door behind us and turned the computer on.
"There's something you must see," Jason said grinning to the idea.

I stood there, waiting for the system on the computer to load, as Gerard got a phone call. I can't believe he still wears that same smell he used to, 2 years ago. I remember I was the one who got him that bottle of perfume when we were celebrating our 3rd year together. Oh the good old memories... at least he seems to have forgiven me for walking out on him like that, or so he wants me to think.

"Look, look at this... that's our boy Gerard Way!" Jason exclaimed showing me a video on youtube. It actually was Gerard, standing on a stage, with a really really huge audience. I couldn't believe my eyes. I mean, I know he is talented, and he used to knock people out with his amazing performances with his band in the small cafes, and pubs, but I could never guess he got to this level now! He was singing songs of his I never heard before, and everyone in the crowd looked so excited, I could see everyone was even singing along with him, as if they had memorized all his songs by heart, as if they were in love with his style and music, as if he was now some sort of a..... rock star.
I took the mouse from Jason's hand and scrolled down to see that there was around 10 million views for that video, this must be huge.

"Oh take that frown off Nicole, our boy is now a rock star!" Jason said with that huge smile never being wiped off his face.

I scrolled down a bit more to read the comments, they were endless, and everyone seemed to be cheering for them, they knew their names, their likes and dislikes, they were talking about interviews of them, they were sharing their concerts' experiences, and even bragging about how some of them 'spotted' Gerard or any other band member walking out of a building or a studio.

"And I thought I was the only one who knew that..." I commented as I read one of the comments talking about Gerard being afraid of needles.

"Knew what?" Jason asked, that grin still up on his face.

"What are you? Are you on something?" I asked him as his loud laugh filled up the room.
"I'm serious, is it some pill? Or a smoke that makes you stay that happy?" I added laughing, as his laugh almost became uncontrollable.

"Oh I know... it's the..." I was adding as he interrupted me saying: "You... sure.... haven't changed,"

"What? What did I do? You're the one who can't stop smiling!" I said not helping but beam at the funny way he was still laughing.

"What is it with you two, I leave you for a couple of seconds and you pick up a fight!" Gerard stated, after he finished talking on the phone.

"Ha..." I said sitting on the chair next to Jason. "Just like the old days," I added leaning backwards, feeling finally at ease, EXACTLY like the old days.

"I'm just happy my old best friend is back after 2 long years!" Jason noted, finally calming down. "Right, Gerard?" Jason asked as I turned to him to see what his reaction would be, to see none.

"Yeah..." Gerard answered plainly after 5 awkward seconds. I sighed, he probably hasn't really forgiven me the way I thought he has.

"There's only one problem guys…" I said, remembering why I was there in the first place, which was the fact that I was seeking an apartment.

"Just a sec," Gerard interrupted me to take another phone call, walking away from us.

"The apartment," Jason completed my sentence.

"Yeah..." I said rather sadly.

"I know the best place, don't worry about it, I'll take care of everything," Jason assured me.

“You’re like the best friend ever!” I exclaimed, seeing him grin again to then add: “there’s another problem though.”

“What problem?”

“I don’t have enough money for apartments like the ones you are thinking of,” I explained.

“What are you talking about? Your parents are loaded! Just have them give you some until you find a job here,” Jason disagreed.

“Let’s put it this way,” I took a second to think then add: “my parents won’t give me a penny; they barely even speak to me after leaving in the middle of my college years and going to the Middle East,”

“Ooooh,” Jason finally realized what my current situation is really like, “so the poor children you were helping… you’ve just become one of them!” he then added expressing amusement.

“Shut up!” I poked him, “I don’t regret ever going there!” I exclaimed to be interrupted by Gerard who came in and sat on the other side of Jason.

“So, what’s the problem?” Gerard asked, trying to catch up.

“Nothing, she’s broke and wants a place to stay in,” Jason chuckled as he got another poke from me.

“You know what?” I added getting upset, “it’s useless talking to you about it, all you will do is make fun of how I don’t have any money anymore,” I said poking him again, as he kept laughing at the way he was making me mad.

“I’m sure we’ll figure something out, it’s not that big a deal,” Gerard was trying to be of help, but his phone started ringing again and he just HAD to take it.

“Yeah, first, you’ll have to get used to sleeping on beds that are hard… or, well, what we call these days, the streets…” Jason joked again.

“That is so mean Jason!!” I frowned punching him, “I hate you!” I was really mad, not because of what he said, but because I was already scared, I knew I wasn’t really far from actually ending up on the streets.

Jason laughed again, as usual, then said: “don’t you just love it when she’s mad like that?” He looked at me smiling, as I gave him no reaction, just stared at him angrily. “You’re so cute when you’re like that you know that?” Jason said trying to tickle me to wipe my anger off, but there was no use.

I shook my head saying: “I’m seriously in deep trouble,” burying my head between my hands.

“aww…” Jason moved his chair closer to mine, wrapped an arm around my back and added: “Are you crazy? We’re not really going to let you out on the streets like that! At least I won’t!” He started to finally get real with me. “You’re like, my little sister! I could never let you go down like that!” he explained messing with my hair, as I sighed.

“You’re staying with me and Samantha, until you get back on your feet,” Jason then said. “Now she’s a little crazy, but so are you, so I’m not worried about you two hitting it off eventually,” he added, ending his sentence with a giggle.

“No… I don’t want to be a burden on you,” I lifted my head. I sighed, looking at the ground.

“Then be a burden on me,” Gerard had, apparently, ended his phone conversation and is now in this one. That made me smile, but I still shook my head, “I can’t do that to you,”

“Ha, I wouldn’t do it if I were you,” Jason said, “moving in with Gerard would be like suicide,”
I frowned, “why?” I asked, confused.

“Allison has been dying to move in with him and he hasn’t been letting her, now his ex girlfriend shows up again and he invites her to move in?” Jason grinned widely before he said: “she’ll definitely murder you.”

“Oh….” I said as a reaction. Gerard has a girlfriend, apparently.

“That’s completely different from my situation with Allison,” Gerard noted, but didn’t quite explain why.

“Nicole, sweetie, go pack your bags tonight, and Samantha and I will be waiting for you first thing in the morning tomorrow,” Jason ignored Gerard’s statement.

“I’m not moving in with anybody, guys, I put myself into this, and I’ll be getting myself out of it,” I said giving myself some confidence, to find Gerard staring at me, smiling.

“All I’m asking you is a cheap apartment to rent, I even already found a job,” I added turning to Jason to see him nodding.

“Alright, I know people who know people who can get you a really good apartment with very low rent,” Jason finally announced.

“Now you’re talking!” I exclaimed happily. “You talk to your people mister popular, and I’ll be calling you tomorrow after work, ok?”
Jason nodded: “I’ll see what I can do.”

“What job did you get yourself into so soon?” Gerard then asked.

“Oh uh, it’s a clothes shop next to the hotel where I’m staying,”

“Ok… which clothes shop?” Gerard asked again.

“I think it’s called… Guess?” I said.

“I know that place, what position did you apply for, there?” Gerard kept questioning.

“Oh… I don’t know, I guess a salesperson? How far can I go without a college degree anyway,” I stated.

“Did they give you any details about the whole working environment there?” Gerard went on with the questions.

“What’s up with you G?” Jason interrupted, “our girl went all the way to the Middle East for 2 whole years on her own, I think she can manage herself in a Guess clothing store.”
Gerard didn’t reply to that, he just had this look on his face, one that I have never seen before, not even during those 3 years we’ve been together.

“Allison is probably going crazy searching for me downstairs now,” Gerard then changed the whole subject, “I have to meet up with her,”

“Alright, let’s go, we’re going down too,” Jason said as we all stood up. “Nicole needs to meet the girlfriends too,” he then added.

“Uhh…” I said following them out the room, “I guess we’ll have to put this off for another time, I need to get back to the hotel,” I declared.

“What? Why?” Jason seemed to be against me leaving as Gerard gave no reaction.

“I’m pretty tired from the flight over, and I have a lot of things to deal with here still,” I tried to explain, while my real reason for leaving was that I didn’t want to meet that Allison girl, well at least not yet, not right now. I wasn’t ready, it’s bad enough having to know he has a girlfriend now, I wouldn’t handle it pretty well if I also had to see that girlfriend.

“Alright then, look, I’ll talk to some people tonight, and you call me in the morning, I would have definitely gotten you a good deal by then, ok?” Jason then said as we got to the bottom of the stairs.

“Alright, thanks a lot Jason!” I said, preparing myself to leave. Jason then came closer, gave me a huge suffocating hug, followed by a big, long kiss on the cheek to then say: “I missed you doll face!” He used to always call me that before we left, that made me smile again as I said: “I missed that.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow, ok?” Jason then said as I nodded watching him turn to leave.
I didn’t see Gerard around, he didn’t even wait to say goodbye to me, and he just left looking for his Allison. Well, who am I to speak about ‘not staying’. I’m the one who abandoned him for strangers’ sake 2 years ago.