FicWad

Gerard's POV

I sat in Math, the only class I had with Jessica this year, the class I had always looked forward to until two weeks ago, when Jess and I had broken up. I’d told Jackie, Mikey, Frank, Ray and Bob that I was over it, but the truth was, I wasn’t. I missed her, I really did.

She walked into the classroom, just the way I remembered her, long black layered hair, green, pink and blonde streaks, wearing her white polo shirt with a red & blue striped tie, red & blue tartan skirt, but violating the school uniform by wearing black leggings and converse sneakers.

Barely a minute later, Korey Sullivan entered the room, in his blue blazer, red & blue striped tie, and black suit pants. His arms snaked their way around Jessica’s waist from behind and she turned around in his arms, wrapping her own around his neck and kissing him passionately. I felt my heart tighten inside my chest, it hurt, she was my ex-girlfriend, I’d been with her for three years.

The two of them sat together at a desk in the far back corner of the classroom, but they weren’t separated for long. Not even two minutes after they’d sat down Jessica had gotten up again to sit in Korey’s lap, one leg on either side of him. I looked away, the last thing I wanted right now was to watch my ex-girlfriend make out with Korey.

It turned out that Mr. Smith was absent today, and we had a relief in his place, Mrs. Murray. She was in her late twenties, with waist length curly blonde hair and bright blue eyes, dressed in a pink sweater, and black leather boots over the top of her blue skinny legged jeans. Needless to say, she was quite attractive.

I turned in my seat at the sound of Jessica’s laughter, to find she was still in Korey’s lap, and turned back around again, pouting and hiding my face behind my long black hair. I had to get used to it, she and I were over, and there was no chance of us getting back together, as much as I still loved her, I couldn’t forget the hatred in her eyes on the night of Danica’s party, when I’d tried to help her, and she’d hit my arms away.

I had tried to move on, but the girl I wanted had been snagged by Frank before I had the chance. Jackie. The only person who could make me smile, who could make me happy after I’d broken up with Jess. I felt a watery trail run down my cheek, and wiped it away furiously.

Don’t you fucking cry Gerard, not right now.

I tried to concentrate on the work sheet in front of me, but like I really gave a shit about Algebra right now, I had too much on my mind. I pulled my note pad out of my schoolbag and began to write. I’d had lyrics in my head all day, I just hadn’t had the chance to write them down yet.

Well if you wanted honesty
That's all you had to say.
I never want to let you down or have you go
It's better off this way.
For all the dirty looks
The photographs your boyfriend took
Remember when you broke your foot from jumping out the second floor?

I'm not okay
I'm not okay
I'm not okay
You wear me out

The bell signalling Lunch rang and I put the notepad back in my schoolbag and swung it over my shoulder. Bert, Quinn, Jeph and Dan were waiting outside the classroom for me.

“Hey Gee” Bert greeted me, smiling.
“Hey dude” I replied.
“Listen, we were gonna wag the rest of the day, you in?” asked Jeph.

I scrunched my lips to the side, thinking about it. I had Music at the end of the day, and I wanted to show those lyrics to the others, but I guess it could wait. I looked back at Jeph, surveying me with his brown eyes. He flicked his black fringe out of his face and nodded expectantly.

“Yeah, alright, I’ll go” I agreed.

We started off down the hallway, heading for the double doors. Two tall guys were leaning against the wall next to the doors, one with lightly reddish short blonde hair, and the other with a huge brown afro. Bob and Ray, what was I gonna tell them?

“Hey Gerard” Bob smiled as we approached them.
“Yeah, cuz, we’re not here at all, ya know?” Quinn snarled.
“Quinn, leave it” I silenced him.
“You hanging out with us today or what?” Ray asked.

I bit my lip.

“Uhh, no, not today, sorry guys” I said.
“What?! Why?!” Bob snapped.
“The guys and I were gonna…” I started, but Bob cut me off.
“Oh, the guys huh? Who’re you referring to exactly? Us, or them?” he snarled.
“Excuse me?” Bert said, stepping forward.
“Why’d you say them in that tone?” he growled through gritted teeth.
“Bert, seriously dude, chill” Dan said, pulling Bert back.

Dan was the most mature of the four, he was always the first to step in when one of the others got out of hand, and put them back in their place. He ran his fingers through his chin-length brown hair and let out a long breath.

“Sorry about that guys, Bert can be a handful sometimes” he apologized.
“I can see that” replied Ray.
“What’d you say?” snarled Bert, stepping forward again.
“Bert, enough” Dan said sternly.
“He said he can see you’re a handful, you drug fucked bastard” growled Bob.
“Guys, please” I cut in.
“You wanna try saying that again?” hissed Bert.
“Why? Truth hurts does it?” snapped Bob.

Bert snapped, his fist collided with the side of Bob’s face, making his balance falter for a few seconds. When he’d regained his balance, Bob went to take a swing at him, but Ray pulled him back. Bert ran forward, but Dan pulled him back. The two of them squirmed around in Dan and Ray’s arms, trying to break free and take the other out.

“Bob, that’s enough, we’re leaving” Ray panted, struggling to keep Bob back.
“I’m not even finished with that faggot yet” growled Bert, trying to break free of Dan’s grip.
“Still think the sun shines out dirt bag’s ass now Gerard?” Bob spat.
“I…” I trailed off, turning around and walking away.
“C’mon Bert” Dan said, swinging Bert around and following after me, Quinn and Jeph followed close behind.
“You’re a backstabber Gerard! We’ve been friends since fucking year eight and you choose them over us?” Bob yelled after me.

I closed my eyes and kept walking. It wasn’t like that, Bob & Ray were like brothers to me, but I had a lot to deal with right now, and I didn’t feel up to talking to them about it. The only people who really understood me right now were Bert, Jeph, Quinn and Dan. How could Bob and Ray possibly understand my anger and hate at Frank for being with Jackie, more so, I couldn’t be around Frank right now, not while he was with her. It hurt too much, to see my best friend with the one girl who could make me happy.

“You alright?” Dan asked when he caught up with me.
“Yeah, I’ll be fine, I just gotta get outta here” I replied.

The five of us left the school grounds and started heading up the road to Bert’s house, which was only about one block away. I stayed ahead of the others, guilt and confusion clouding my mind. I knew I hadn’t been myself of late, and that I hadn’t been spending much time with the guys and Jackie, but they didn’t know what I was going through, and I couldn’t tell them, because I knew they wouldn’t understand.

I could see Bert’s house coming into focus now, and pulled myself out of my thoughts, reminding myself that I still had Bert, Quinn, Jeph and Dan around. There was no car in the driveway, so we knew Bert’s parents weren’t home, meaning we had the house to ourselves. Running ahead of us, Bert unlocked the front door.

“C’mon in homies” he laughed.
“Yeah Bert, you’re real gangsta” Quinn chuckled as he walked through the door.
“Aww, fuck you man” Bert replied, punching his arm.

I looked at Dan, who just rolled his eyes, those two were always like this. Jeph ran through after them, and Dan and I followed close behind. The four of us followed Bert through the house until we reached the kitchen, where Bert opened the door that concealed the stairs to the basement, and we followed him down.

The basement was our little hangout, and before I had joined their group, the guys had customised the place to their liking. What was once a cold empty concrete room, was now quite cosy. They had covered the concrete floor with a soft black carpet, and painted over the boring grey walls with black paint, which was now scattered with posters of their favourite bands, and photos of days the guys had spent together.

There was a TV set up in the corner, with a cabinet under it that held Bert’s DVD player and PS3. To the left of the TV, an old white cabinet covered in the guys’ graffiti art held all of Bert’s DVD’s. Across from the TV, in the middle of the room, were three tattered old black sofa’s, one three seater, and two single seaters.

I flopped down in the single seater furthest from the TV, while Quinn and Jeph set up Guitar Hero on Bert’s PS3. Bert went over to an old brown cupboard, positioned in the corner of the room, and pulled out his bong, his bag of weed, a small silver cutting bowl and a pair of scissors. To the right of the cabinet, stood a small mini-bar, out of which Bert pulled five bottles of beer, and passed one to each of us.

A guitar solo filled my ears as the game started up on the Playstation, and I pulled the lid off my beer, taking a deep swig at it. Bert was now sitting in the middle of the three seater, cutting up his weed over the small silver bowl, which now sat on top of the old wooden coffee table. Dan leaned forward in his seat as Jeph and Quinn began to play “Through The Fire And Flames” by Dragon Force on Guitar Hero.

I eyed off Bert as he packed his bong, and pulled a lighter out of his pocket. After taking a long drag at it, he looked up at me, slowly letting the smoke escape his mouth. He offered it to me, and I took it. Holding it to my mouth, I clicked the lighter on and inhaled deeply, allowing the smoke to fill my lungs. I took it away and handed it back to Bert, slowly letting the smoke out again.

“That’s some good shit!” Bert said, setting the bong back down on the table.

I nodded in agreement.

“So what’s up with you bro? You’ve been quiet today” he asked, pulling the lid off his beer and taking a sip.
“Sorry dude, got a lot on my mind” I sighed, slouching in my seat.
“Like what?” he poked.
“Jackie, I wanna smash Frank so bad” I growled.
“Dude, c’mon, it’s not that bad” said Bert, knowing what I meant.
“Maybe not to you” I replied.
“He’s your best mate Gerard” Bert said.
“He’s my best mate that took my girl away from me!” I snapped.
“He didn’t take her Gerard” he reminded me.
“He knew how I felt about her! Even Mikey knew! But still, he went right ahead and hooked up with her!” I snapped.
“These things happen dude, he liked her too” said Bert.
“Still though, I’m his best friend” I sulked.
“You were too slow” Bert chuckled.
“Don’t give me that shit! You have no idea! You have no fucking idea how it feels! Going through what I’ve been through! And having to see your best mate with the girl you love!” I snapped, I knew I’d overreacted, but I needed to get it off my chest.
“Wait, you love her?” Bert replied, shocked.
“Yes” I said quietly, sinking further into my seat.
“How could you possibly know? You only just broke up with Jess” Bert said.
“She was there for me, I think I know how I feel Bert” I growled.
“Okay, chill, I believe you” he replied, picking up his bong again…