FicWad

"Mikey, I told you, you didn't have to get me anything, you're all I want - or need - for Christmas," I smiled as he grabbed a box from under the tree and handed it to me.

"Aww, but I already got it!" he whined, extending his lower lip to me.

"You never give up, do you?"

"Hey, you already got me something, I might as well return the favor," he grinned, "Open it, you'll like it, I promise."

I rolled my eyes and drew the colorful wrapping back, revealing a large brown box. And, once this box was opened, it revealed yet another box, only smaller.

"What is this, some kind of joke?" I laughed, continuously opening the boxes to reveal more.
"Just keep going," he grinned.

At this point, I was pretty sure I could guess what would be in the last box, and it excited me. I had been dating Mikey Way since my freshman year, and now that it was our senior year, we'd been officially dating for 4 years. I was hoping it'd be an engagement ring, and that he would finally be asking me to be his wife.

You could probably guess that I was pretty shocked to see that it was some sappy romance novel that he'd probably picked up on a discount from work.

"Oh...wow...thank you, Mikey," I forced a grin and hugged him, laying a kiss on his lips quickly before pulling back and examining the book, hoping to see anything out of the ordinary about it, but all I saw was the book in all it's glory.

"I knew you'd like it," he grinned, obviously proud of his gift.

I was silent for a bit, before turning to him, "Uhh, Mikey, I promised my mother I'd visit tonight. I'll be back later," I said before kissing him and walking out the door of the apartment we'd bought the day I'd turned 18.

*

I never went back that night. It's been five years since I've seen him in person. I have seen him, though. After his brother, Gerard, dropped out of college, he, Mikey, Ray, some guy named Bob, and one of Ray's friends, Frank, formed a band. Their name was My Chemical Romance, and the reason was still a mystery. In every interview I've ever heard, read, or seen with them, they always say that Mikey thought it up, but only he knew where it came from, though he would never say anything more than "It's a phrase that's pretty much sculpted his life for the past five years." Whatever that means.

They've been pretty popular since the release of their video for one of their songs. Every time I see it, my mind screams, Ashley, you dolt! Go back to him! He misses you! Though, I could never quite figure out why.

That is, until tonight, when they were doing a rerun on MTV from when the band was on a show called Music Mayhem; an interview that I hadn't seen before.

"And that was My Chemical Romance with ‘I’m Not Okay (I Promise).' And we just so happen to be lucky enough to have them on the Mayhem couch with us tonight,” the host, Steven, said after their music video ended. “So, your video is an obvious hit. Can you guys tell me, what inspired that song?"

"You gotta ask Mikey that one, he was the mastermind behind it," Gerard smiled, nudging his brother's arm.

Steven looked at him expectantly, "Well, it's just...I just..."

"He wrote it about some chick that ran out on him a few years ago after he decided a sappy romance novel would be a good gift for her. They'd been dating for four years, and actually living together," Ray blurted.

"Ray!" Frank yelled.

"What?" Bob hit him, "OW! Hey, he wasn't saying it anytime soon!"

"But that's not what happened!" Mikey finally got a sentence out of his mouth. That's amazing, I'd never seen him open his mouth once since I left, "I gave her the book as a joke, and she seemed happy about it, and then said she had to visit her mother, so she left the house. The book wasn't the only gift I got her. I'd carved out the pages inside to fit a small box in it, and that contained an engagement ring! I was going to ask her to marry me, but she left before I could tell her to open the book!" He'd said it so quickly I wasn't sure if I'd heard him correctly. "Oops. Can you cut that out of the final show?"

"Sorry, Mikey, this is live TV," Steven said with a small bit of pity in his voice.

"Damn it, this is your fault, Ray!"

"No it's not!"

"Yes it is!"

"Alright, before we have a girl fight goin' on in here, let's cut to commercials, shall we?" Steven said to somebody off-screen before it cut to the commercials. I stared wide-eyed at the screen before bolting to the bedroom.

There is no way; no way that he'd done that. I can't believe it without proof.

I tore apart my room until I found it. I'd never actually read it, or even opened it, for that matter. Sappy romances never really appealed to me. I suppose that's why I left like I had. The realization that Mikey might have not really known me as well as he should have probably hit me hard.

I quickly flipped through the pages before I came to a huge mass of ones glued together. When I opened to the first page of it, sure enough, there was a small black velvet box. I grabbed it and let the book fall to the ground, opening the box at the same time.
I gasped at the beautiful diamond ring held within. I could feel the tears come to my eyes as I slipped it on my finger, and ran out of the apartment, intent on driving to New Jersey in one night to catch him before the holidays were over and he went back out on tour.

*

What am I doing?

What's my plan, again?

Just show up at the doorstep of the only guy I've ever loved and ran out on exactly five years ago and expect him to take me back?

I have a feeling that wouldn't work...

I have to think...

I spun around and slid down the wall, holding my head in my hands and resting my elbows on my knees.

I heard a door open but didn't look up until I heard my name.

"Ashley," a man asked quietly. I didn't respond, "Is that you?"

I glanced up at him, already knowing who he was. One look at my tearstained face had him down on his knees, right next to me, "Oh my God, Ashley, I didn't think I'd ever see you again!" he cried, embracing me as I began sobbing again, directing them to his chest.

"I'm so sorry, Mikey. I don't know why I -"

"Shh," Mikey cut me off, "It's alright. I'm just amazed that it took you so long to come back."

"Mikey, I don't even know why I left," I sobbed, "It's just...when you gave me that book, I was shocked that you would give me something that I hated so much. I couldn't believe that you didn't know that about me, and I guess it just made me feel like the four years we spent together were useless, and...I'm just so sorry, Mikey," he tightened his grip on me and just let me speak, "I thought my life would be better once we were over, but I was so wrong. I've been miserable since the day I left you. Mikey, you're the only boy I've ever loved, and if the offer is still open, I really would love to marry you." I lifted my head from his soaked shirt and looked up at him.

He grinned wildly and kissed me passionately. The feeling of his lips against mine lingered as he pulled away and said so softly I wasn't even sure if he'd spoken at all, "Of course the offer's still open. It's been open for five years."

I smiled at him as he stood up, offering his hand to me, "Come on, let's get you inside, you must be freezing."

I grabbed his hand and let him pull me up, and then drag me inside the warm house.