FicWad

Once class was over, I practically ran back into the locker room to change. I mean Gerard told me he’d meet me immediately after school. I guess he wanted to go by the police station. And fuck I told Mikey I’d bring him to the library after school! Aw shit! I forgot about that! But that was just gonna have to wait I suppose. I mean I couldn’t be in two places at once now could I?

Although that would be pretty cool! I mean like in those sci-fi flicks where the lady splits in two. Or maybe if like I had a twin that like no one knew about, something like that could work… I found myself getting lost in my thoughts as I changed back into my clothes and when I looked around, there was hardly anyone left in the room again.

Fuck. So much for being quick…

When I finally came out of the locker room Bob was still waiting for me, he reached over and grabbed my bag from me with out even asking, he just tossed it over his shoulder and started walking.

“You don't have to carry my bag.” I tell him and he shrugged. “I mean I didn’t ask you to carry it Bob.” I tell him and he looked at me out of the corner of his eye.

“Yeah so?” He replies and I shrugged.

“I'm just saying like you don't have to, like what if I wanted to carry it?” I ask him and he made a face at me.

“Elle its fucking heavy, you want to carry it?” He asks and I shook my head a little. I mean I really didn’t…

“I'm just saying IF… like IF I wanted to carry it- you would let me, no?” I try to explain and he smirked.

“Uh no.” He replies and I frowned.

“No?” I repeat back to him and he nodded.

“Well yeah, even IF you said that then I’d tell you no.” He says and I just looked at him.

“But why?” I asked and he shrugged.

“Why?” He says sarcastically. “Cause it’s too fucking heavy for you.” He says firmly and I frowned. “You're wrist is all fucked up still and probably your ankle too from when you fell.” He scolds me and I bit my lip lightly. He meant when I fell down Gerard's stairs but he wouldn’t say it…

“Naw, I'm just clumsy like that.” I tell him and he shrugged. “Yeah but like what if I say that like I could still do it.” I insist and he shook his head a little.

“Then I’d say no.” He tells me and I scrunched my face at him.

“Then I’d say – like what if you weren’t here, then like I’d have to carry it! That like maybe tomorrow I’ll walk alone.” I declare and he half smiled at me.

“You say that and I’d tell you to shut the fuck up, you ain’t getting rid of me that easily, don't you remember our vows?” He says lightheartedly and I smiled too.

“But-“ I try to protest and he shakes his head no.

“But nothing, I know what's best for you, trust me.” He says and I looked down at the floor as we walked…

“That’s what Paul use to say.” I said softly but I wasn’t sure he heard me until he nodded up ahead.

“Ah speak of the devil” Bob chuckled and I looked where he was pointing.

“Hey Paul! Wait!” I called out his name and he stopped walking and waited for me to catch up to him. He was walking with Pete but Pete didn’t say anything to me. I mean he looked at me and sorta nodded but then quickly shifted his eyes from me… Fuck I think this was the first time I’d actually seen Pete since I left him tied to his bed like that… I couldn’t help but smile at the memory and I think Paul thought I was smiling at him or something cause he smiled back at me.

”What's the matter love?” He says and just like that my smile faded.

“You never told me where Oliver’s funeral is going to be.” I say to him as Bob came up behind me. Paul glanced over at him but didn’t say acknowledge him, instead he kinda leant closer to me as he spoke.

“Ah you don't need to worry about that Elle, I'm gonna drive, just be ready at 5.” He says and I shook my head no.

“No, I… I'm not going with you at five.” I try to tell him and I know he knew what I was saying, but he was acting like he didn’t…

“Oh so you wanna come now? Let’s go then.” He offers and I rolled my eyes slightly.

“No, you don't get it. I'm not going with you -not now, not then, not ever. Just tell me where it’s gonna be so I can go by myself.” I tell him and he just smirked.

“No, you don't get it Elle, either I bring you or you're not going.” He says and my jaw dropped open a little.

“What is wrong with you!?” I gasped totally outraged with him and he shrugged like he didn’t know what I meant, but he fucking knew what I meant! He knew what he was doing and it was just so unbelievable… “It’s a fucking funeral Paul! How could you! I mean can’t even imagine that you would… I don't even…you…you're…I…” I started to yell at him and he just shrugged as I struggled to try to find my words, but I couldn’t… What he was doing was just totally appalling…

“Its your choice Elle, you come with me or you don't go.” Paul says arrogantly and I just looked at him in disbelief. He was not doing this! I mean he was trying to use Oliver’s death to his advantage…Like if I wanted to go, I’d have to go with him, spend time with him, cry to him, I don't even know what he thought. Like maybe it was gonna bring us closer? I don't even know…it was sick…He was sick…

“How could you be so heartless…” I said my eyes welling up with tears and he smirked at me.

“You coming with me or not?” He asks me once more and I shake my head no. “Then you're not going.” He declares and I can feel the tears on my cheeks now. I had never realized how cruel Paul was until this moment…

“You cant do that, it’s not right..” I said weakly as I looked over at Pete. He was sorta looking at Paul the same way I was. Like he couldn’t believe how he was acting either…

“I’ll do whatever the fuck I want Elle.” Paul replies and I lowered my eyes down a little, not sure of what to do… I mean I wanted to go to Oliver’s funeral. I had to go! Would it really be so bad going with Paul? I could practically hear Gerard's voice yelling at me in my head for even considering going with him but really what other choice did I have? I reached up and wiped the tears from my eyes and Paul grinned at me.

“Please Paul don't do this.” I barely whispered at him since we were still in the middle of the hallway and there were so many people around still, but no one was really paying much mind to us. I sniffled my tears back once again and Paul smiled at me.

“Aw, that’s a nice act you got going there Elle.” Paul sorta laughed and I frowned. He was making it sound like I was putting on an act and I wasn’t… I mean I don't think he knew that I knew Oliver. Actually I know he didn’t know I was friends with Oliver cause he wouldn’t have allowed it if he’d known…

“Paul-“ I try to protest but he just talked over me.

“Naw, save your tears for the funeral Elle, even though you know the little fag doesn’t deserve ‘em.” He leant over and hissed at me and I cringed at his words. Then suddenly I felt Bob put his hand on my shoulder and kinda pull me back a little as he went to step around me…

Shit, Bob hadn’t said anything this whole time… But now, fuck. Now he was gonna get in the middle and there was no way it was gonna end well…

I guess Pete felt it too, and how could he not. The tension was undeniable…

“What the fuck is your problem?” Bob growled at Paul and I cringed. Paul just totally ignored him, like Bob was so far beneath him or something, which seemed to piss Bob off even more so then he already was… And I couldn’t really blame him for being mad, I mean speaking ill of the dead like that? I guess Paul really did have no shame…

“Bob don't” I begged him but he just ignored me and took another step closer to Paul now. I turned and looked at Pete in complete terror now.

“It’s at Martins’ Funeral Home on route 32.” Pete blurts out and Paul spun around and shot him just the nastiest look I’d ever seen. “Dude it’s not right, she wants to go, you know?” Pete tells him lowering his voice down considerably and Paul just shook his head like he was a little annoyed with Pete for getting involved or something.

“Uh thanks Pete.” I say softly as I tugged on Bobs arm. Bob just kinda looked over at me like it wasn’t enough… But it was. I mean that was all I wanted to know.

And there was no way that Paul was going to apologize, I mean if that’s what Bob wanted then it was just never gonna happen.

I just looked at Bob like please just let it go and he sorta sighed as he looked over my shoulder. I turned to see who he was looking at. Fuck. It was Gerard. Great… I mean he just had to come walking up now of all times! It was so fucking obvious that I was upset and Bob was pissed and I know Gerard wasn’t a mathematical genius but it didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out Paul was the reason behind it…

“Everything okay here?” Gerard asks sorta glaring at Paul and Pete too for some reason. Bob sorta just shrugged but I nodded like crazy.

“Uh yeah, we’re cool. Umm aren’t you gonna be late for your wrestling practice Paul?” I try to say casually and Paul sorta glanced at Gerard and then Bob before turning his eyes back on to me.

“Yeah, but I’ll see you tonight Elle.” He says and before I can tell him to fuck off he adds, “Cause Jeffs parents sorta wanna talk to you -you know?” He says and I just totally froze. I mean I don't know why that caught me so off guard.

“They do?” I ask timidly and he nodded…Well yeah of course they would Elle. Fuck are you stupid sometimes…I mean sure Jeff and Oliver’s parents want to talk to me. Shit, me and Frankie were like the last people to see him alive… But I don't know… I mean what do I say to them? Sorry I left your son to die alone in the woods like that –here’s a fruit basket so I guess we’re even?

“Yeah see that’s why I thought it would be better if we went together.” Paul says lowering his voice down tenderly and I nodded as I looked down at the floor. “I thought it would be easier for you if I was there, that’s all.” He adds as I lifted my head up he reached over like he was gonna push the hair from my face and I saw Gerard tense up, so I quickly tossed my head back, causing my hair to fall back too…

“Uh yeah I guess.” I said weakly glancing over at Gerard and he didn’t say anything… No one did actually…

“You do remember Jeff’s parents right Elle?” Paul says and I nodded. I sorta did. I mean I know I met them a few times that we hung out at Jeff’s house, but still... this was different. I wasn’t sure if I could face them…

And I don't know why I never thought of this before… But being there with Paul would make it a lot easier… I mean he was right. He knew them, better then I did at least. And he knew I wasn’t going to be able to deal with them. I mean I couldn’t even fucking face Jeff yet.

“Yeah I get it, thanks.” I say and Paul nodded. Bob smirked and took a step back from us like it disgusted him to hear me say thank you to Paul or something… “But I got a few things to do so umm, I guess I’ll just see you there okay?” I say weakly and Paul smiled slightly.

“Yeah sure, we’ll talk later Elle.” Paul kinda winked at me before turning and walking off. He was only a few feet away when I heard this loud crash sound behind me and I jumped a little. It was Bob… He had punched the locker or something I don't know… I mean that’s what it looked like he did since the locker was slightly dented and his knuckles were starting to bruise up.

“What the fuck?!” I gasped at him as I took his hand in mine. I frowned as I rubbed his knuckles and when I looked up at his face, he was giving me the same outraged look that I was giving him...

“Yeah what the fuck Elle! Why do you let him play you like that?” Bob says roughly and I frowned a little confused as I looked over at Gerard. What the hell was he talking about? Paul wasn’t playing me… or was he?

Gerard sorta licked his lips a little like he was gonna say something but changed his mind and it took me a second to realize why… it was cause of Pete…I mean Pete was still standing a few feet from us. He didn’t leave with Paul, it was almost like maybe he wanted to say something to me or to Bob or maybe even to Gerard but he wasn’t sure… He was just sort of wavering a little.

“Uh Elle I wanted to talk to you, can we maybe-” Pete says nodding towards the exit doors and I got this sudden flash back of the last time he said those words to me. Pete was playing me… Or at least he did that time before and I wasn’t gonna fall for his shit again.

“Anything you want to say to me you can say in front of them.” I tell him gesturing to Bob and Gerard and Pete shifted his eyes considerably before looking back at me.

“Okay then -it’s about those names you gave me…”