Categories > Celebrities > My Chemical Romance > Faring Well
“She just let you out of a detention?” Harper asked incredulously. It was lunchtime, and Gerard had found his friends and excitedly told them the news of his punishment, or lack thereof.
“Yep,” Gerard said proudly, grinning. The weight that had been sitting on his chest all throughout first period had dissipated, and he’d gone about the rest of his day with a spring in his step. Now, all he had to do was get through sixth hour, and he could leave for senior privilege to cash the welfare check. The day had improved.
“You know,” said Ray, another of Gerard’s close friends at the lunch table. He was a year older than Gerard, but had gotten held back in his senior year for not having enough credits to graduate. He had been in good spirits about the whole matter, joking that he’d only done it so he could be with his friends for another good year before college. “The bank closes at, like, two. You’re gonna have to haul ass just to get out of the parking lot by then.”
Gerard waved his hand, nonplussed. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll make it.”
“Why do you need to cash it today, anyway?” Harper asked.
“Well, you know, normal stuff…Groceries, bills, rent…”Gerard ticked off, thinking. “Oh, and Mikey needs new shoes. And probably some new clothes, too. He’s been growing out of everything, lately. And I have to buy The Importance of Being Earnest for AP Lit…” As he listed the things he needed to buy, Gerard’s stomach twisted tighter and tighter. His brow furrowed, and he wondered if he’d have the time or the funds for all this. He groaned. “I need a break.”
“You need to get laid,” Ray advised, pointing a baby carrot at his friend firmly. Gerard picked his head up out of his hands.
“Come again?”
“Exactly.” Ray smirked. Harper thought about what he said, then punched him on the arm.
“Oh, gross!” she said, glaring at her friend playfully. She stole a carrot out of his baggie, crunching on it and turning to Gerard. “But maybe you do need to let loose. When was the last time you went to a party?”
“Umm…” Gerard feigned thought, not wanting to admit that he hadn’t gone out with his friends since gaining custody of Mikey. “I don’t know…”
“Wrong answer,” Ray told him, shaking his head. “Listen, Bob Bryar is having a party at his house on Saturday night. You’re going.”
“Ray--”
“No buts! You have to go. You’re a teenager; this is your time to let loose! There’s plenty of time for being responsible when you’re an adult,” Ray implored his friend. Gerard groaned.
“I can’t afford a babysitter for Mikey, right now.”
“So make a play-date at one of his little friends’ houses, or something. Come on, man, you haven’t been out with us in forever, and this is the perfect opportunity for you to let loose…and get some.”
“Well…” Gerard really had no desire to go to Bob Bryar’s party, nor did he want to push Mikey off into the hands of one of his friends’ parents for the night. “I’ll think about it.”
“Don’t bail on me, dude!” Ray called as the lunch bell rang and Gerard hurried off to his last class of the day.
The hour seemed to drag on longer than usual, and Gerard kept checking his phone for the time, making sure he wasn’t somehow missing the bank’s hours of operation. He even sneaked a peek at the Internet on his cell to make sure that the bank did, indeed, close at 2:00.
Finally, the bell rang. Gerard sprinted out to the parking lot, yanking open his car door and flooring the gas to the exit of the parking lot before most kids had even gotten in their cars. Despite his speedy getaway, there was still a lot of traffic out on the road, what with parents picking their kids up, and school buses running. Gerard jiggled his knee nervously beneath the steering wheel, chewing on his lower lip. Inch by inch, he made it to the bank, six minutes to spare under his belt.
Gerard walked out of the bank, counting the cash he’d gotten, making sure it was the right amount…yes. He’d made the mistake a few months ago of not counting, and he hadn’t noticed until leaving the bank that the teller had miscounted, giving him $20 less than he should have gotten. Gerard had beaten himself up about it for weeks afterward, and he wasn’t too keen to let it happen again. It was all there, though, and Gerard didn’t have time to recount, just to be sure.
“Hey, Mikes,” Gerard said cheerily when his little brother opened the car door.
“Hi, Gee. My teacher wants to talk to you.” Mikey looked in at his brother, cocking his head to the side.
“Why?”
“I dunno. She just asked me if she could talk to you after school.” He pushed his too-big frames up the bridge of his nose with the palm of his hand, looking just as perplexed as his elder. Gerard sighed, revving up the car.
“Okay. I have to park, then. Go back inside. I’ll see you in there.” A parking spot was pretty difficult to find, but Gerard eventually got one in back. Nervously, he walked up to Belleville Elementary, running a hand through his shaggy hair.
Mikey was just inside the doorway, waiting, as he’d been instructed. He led his older brother to his classroom, pointing at the door. “We’re not allowed in the room when there’s a parent-teacher conference going on,” he whispered. Gerard didn’t bother telling the boy that he wasn’t, of course, his parent, but didn’t bother.
Walking in, Gerard noticed how familiar the room smelled; like paint and chalk, baby wipes and hand sanitizer. The room was sunny, with a big window that depicted the courtyard outside, and finger-paintings and writing assignments taped up on the walls. Sitting behind a desk in the back was a woman that Gerard assumed to be Mikey’s teacher. She was relatively young; perhaps late-twenties to early-thirties. She looked the way one would imagine a second-grade teacher. A kind face, a few premature gray hairs and wrinkles caused by the stress of caring for children, and a pleasantly rounded figure. Not knowing what else to do, Gerard cleared his throat loudly. The woman looked up.
“Umm…I’m Gerard Way…Mikey Way’s brother?” It sounded like a question; why was he there?
“Ah,” the woman said, standing. She removed her wire-framed glasses, setting them gently on her desk. “I’m Ms. Simmons.”
“Nice to meet you,” Gerard said, taking the hand she offered and shaking it.
“I asked you in here today because, excuse me for saying this, you don’t look a day over eighteen. And when I asked Mikey why he was late, he said it was because you had gotten him up late, and would probably also be late to school.”
Gerard stared at her, not knowing how to respond. “Yes…?” he said, still not quite sure why she’d called him in.
“The permission slip for the field trip was supposed to have been signed by a parent. You are obviously not Mikey’s father.”
“Oh!” Gerard said, the reason for his being in a second-grade classroom finally dawning on him. “Well, I’m Mikey’s legal guardian.”
“Is that so?” The teacher looked skeptical, and Gerard sighed. For the second time that day, he began to explain his home situation to a teacher. Ms. Simmons nodded as he explained, remaining silent until he’d finished.
“I see…Alright. Thank you for coming in.”
“No problem. Thank you, Ms. Simmons.”
“Oh, and Mr. Way?” she added as Gerard waved and was about to leave.
“Yes?”
“If there’s anything I can do…you know, to help…please, don’t hesitate to call me.”
Gerard nodded, smiling. “Thanks. I’ll remember that. Have a nice day.” With that, Gerard was out the door, grabbing Mikey’s hand, and dragging him out to the parking lot.
“Are we going home?” Mikey asked, bouncing in the seat, happy that he wasn’t in trouble, or anything.
“Eventually.” Gerard grabbed his sunglasses off the dash, sliding them on and pushing them up the bridge of his nose.
“Where are we going?”
“Grocery shopping. And you need new shoes.”
Mikey groaned. “I hate grocery and shoe-shopping, Gee!” He crossed his arms, and Gerard smirked for a moment.
“Mikes,” he said, his voice filled with caution. “Remember that talk we had this morning about things we have to do, and things we want to do?” Mikey nodded, uncrossing his arms bitterly. “There.” Gerard nodded, pleased with himself for being able to discipline. That seemed to be his weakest point, he’d noticed. It was hard to tell Mikey no.
“Can we have pasta for dinner tonight, Gee?” Mikey asked excitedly. Gerard pretended to think long and hard about it.
“Hmm…Pasta? Pasta...hmmm...You want pasta? I dunno, Mikes…Pasta…hmm…Sure!” Gerard smirked at his baby brother, who laughed.
“Awesome!”
“How was the museum?” Gerard asked, hoping his ten dollars had at least been spent well.
“Oh, it was so cool!” Mikey excitedly exclaimed. And he was off on a whirlwind about the science museum and planetarium. Apparently, it was the coolest thing ever, and Mikey wanted to go there every day for the rest of his life. Gerard listened closely, knowing it was the worry-free moments like these that he’d want to return to when things didn’t seem so great.
Meh, sorry it took so long to update. I tried to make up for it with an extra-long chapter. Did I redeem myself? Awesome, thanks, I knew you'd understand. Anywho, I'm really likin' the response I'm getting on this story. I'm glad you all like it. It's still called 'Shit,' but now it's ironic as opposed to literal. Anyway, please go comment (subscribe, if you haven't), and I'll get to work on the next chapter. A'ight? A'ight. OverAndOutxx
“Yep,” Gerard said proudly, grinning. The weight that had been sitting on his chest all throughout first period had dissipated, and he’d gone about the rest of his day with a spring in his step. Now, all he had to do was get through sixth hour, and he could leave for senior privilege to cash the welfare check. The day had improved.
“You know,” said Ray, another of Gerard’s close friends at the lunch table. He was a year older than Gerard, but had gotten held back in his senior year for not having enough credits to graduate. He had been in good spirits about the whole matter, joking that he’d only done it so he could be with his friends for another good year before college. “The bank closes at, like, two. You’re gonna have to haul ass just to get out of the parking lot by then.”
Gerard waved his hand, nonplussed. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll make it.”
“Why do you need to cash it today, anyway?” Harper asked.
“Well, you know, normal stuff…Groceries, bills, rent…”Gerard ticked off, thinking. “Oh, and Mikey needs new shoes. And probably some new clothes, too. He’s been growing out of everything, lately. And I have to buy The Importance of Being Earnest for AP Lit…” As he listed the things he needed to buy, Gerard’s stomach twisted tighter and tighter. His brow furrowed, and he wondered if he’d have the time or the funds for all this. He groaned. “I need a break.”
“You need to get laid,” Ray advised, pointing a baby carrot at his friend firmly. Gerard picked his head up out of his hands.
“Come again?”
“Exactly.” Ray smirked. Harper thought about what he said, then punched him on the arm.
“Oh, gross!” she said, glaring at her friend playfully. She stole a carrot out of his baggie, crunching on it and turning to Gerard. “But maybe you do need to let loose. When was the last time you went to a party?”
“Umm…” Gerard feigned thought, not wanting to admit that he hadn’t gone out with his friends since gaining custody of Mikey. “I don’t know…”
“Wrong answer,” Ray told him, shaking his head. “Listen, Bob Bryar is having a party at his house on Saturday night. You’re going.”
“Ray--”
“No buts! You have to go. You’re a teenager; this is your time to let loose! There’s plenty of time for being responsible when you’re an adult,” Ray implored his friend. Gerard groaned.
“I can’t afford a babysitter for Mikey, right now.”
“So make a play-date at one of his little friends’ houses, or something. Come on, man, you haven’t been out with us in forever, and this is the perfect opportunity for you to let loose…and get some.”
“Well…” Gerard really had no desire to go to Bob Bryar’s party, nor did he want to push Mikey off into the hands of one of his friends’ parents for the night. “I’ll think about it.”
“Don’t bail on me, dude!” Ray called as the lunch bell rang and Gerard hurried off to his last class of the day.
The hour seemed to drag on longer than usual, and Gerard kept checking his phone for the time, making sure he wasn’t somehow missing the bank’s hours of operation. He even sneaked a peek at the Internet on his cell to make sure that the bank did, indeed, close at 2:00.
Finally, the bell rang. Gerard sprinted out to the parking lot, yanking open his car door and flooring the gas to the exit of the parking lot before most kids had even gotten in their cars. Despite his speedy getaway, there was still a lot of traffic out on the road, what with parents picking their kids up, and school buses running. Gerard jiggled his knee nervously beneath the steering wheel, chewing on his lower lip. Inch by inch, he made it to the bank, six minutes to spare under his belt.
Gerard walked out of the bank, counting the cash he’d gotten, making sure it was the right amount…yes. He’d made the mistake a few months ago of not counting, and he hadn’t noticed until leaving the bank that the teller had miscounted, giving him $20 less than he should have gotten. Gerard had beaten himself up about it for weeks afterward, and he wasn’t too keen to let it happen again. It was all there, though, and Gerard didn’t have time to recount, just to be sure.
“Hey, Mikes,” Gerard said cheerily when his little brother opened the car door.
“Hi, Gee. My teacher wants to talk to you.” Mikey looked in at his brother, cocking his head to the side.
“Why?”
“I dunno. She just asked me if she could talk to you after school.” He pushed his too-big frames up the bridge of his nose with the palm of his hand, looking just as perplexed as his elder. Gerard sighed, revving up the car.
“Okay. I have to park, then. Go back inside. I’ll see you in there.” A parking spot was pretty difficult to find, but Gerard eventually got one in back. Nervously, he walked up to Belleville Elementary, running a hand through his shaggy hair.
Mikey was just inside the doorway, waiting, as he’d been instructed. He led his older brother to his classroom, pointing at the door. “We’re not allowed in the room when there’s a parent-teacher conference going on,” he whispered. Gerard didn’t bother telling the boy that he wasn’t, of course, his parent, but didn’t bother.
Walking in, Gerard noticed how familiar the room smelled; like paint and chalk, baby wipes and hand sanitizer. The room was sunny, with a big window that depicted the courtyard outside, and finger-paintings and writing assignments taped up on the walls. Sitting behind a desk in the back was a woman that Gerard assumed to be Mikey’s teacher. She was relatively young; perhaps late-twenties to early-thirties. She looked the way one would imagine a second-grade teacher. A kind face, a few premature gray hairs and wrinkles caused by the stress of caring for children, and a pleasantly rounded figure. Not knowing what else to do, Gerard cleared his throat loudly. The woman looked up.
“Umm…I’m Gerard Way…Mikey Way’s brother?” It sounded like a question; why was he there?
“Ah,” the woman said, standing. She removed her wire-framed glasses, setting them gently on her desk. “I’m Ms. Simmons.”
“Nice to meet you,” Gerard said, taking the hand she offered and shaking it.
“I asked you in here today because, excuse me for saying this, you don’t look a day over eighteen. And when I asked Mikey why he was late, he said it was because you had gotten him up late, and would probably also be late to school.”
Gerard stared at her, not knowing how to respond. “Yes…?” he said, still not quite sure why she’d called him in.
“The permission slip for the field trip was supposed to have been signed by a parent. You are obviously not Mikey’s father.”
“Oh!” Gerard said, the reason for his being in a second-grade classroom finally dawning on him. “Well, I’m Mikey’s legal guardian.”
“Is that so?” The teacher looked skeptical, and Gerard sighed. For the second time that day, he began to explain his home situation to a teacher. Ms. Simmons nodded as he explained, remaining silent until he’d finished.
“I see…Alright. Thank you for coming in.”
“No problem. Thank you, Ms. Simmons.”
“Oh, and Mr. Way?” she added as Gerard waved and was about to leave.
“Yes?”
“If there’s anything I can do…you know, to help…please, don’t hesitate to call me.”
Gerard nodded, smiling. “Thanks. I’ll remember that. Have a nice day.” With that, Gerard was out the door, grabbing Mikey’s hand, and dragging him out to the parking lot.
“Are we going home?” Mikey asked, bouncing in the seat, happy that he wasn’t in trouble, or anything.
“Eventually.” Gerard grabbed his sunglasses off the dash, sliding them on and pushing them up the bridge of his nose.
“Where are we going?”
“Grocery shopping. And you need new shoes.”
Mikey groaned. “I hate grocery and shoe-shopping, Gee!” He crossed his arms, and Gerard smirked for a moment.
“Mikes,” he said, his voice filled with caution. “Remember that talk we had this morning about things we have to do, and things we want to do?” Mikey nodded, uncrossing his arms bitterly. “There.” Gerard nodded, pleased with himself for being able to discipline. That seemed to be his weakest point, he’d noticed. It was hard to tell Mikey no.
“Can we have pasta for dinner tonight, Gee?” Mikey asked excitedly. Gerard pretended to think long and hard about it.
“Hmm…Pasta? Pasta...hmmm...You want pasta? I dunno, Mikes…Pasta…hmm…Sure!” Gerard smirked at his baby brother, who laughed.
“Awesome!”
“How was the museum?” Gerard asked, hoping his ten dollars had at least been spent well.
“Oh, it was so cool!” Mikey excitedly exclaimed. And he was off on a whirlwind about the science museum and planetarium. Apparently, it was the coolest thing ever, and Mikey wanted to go there every day for the rest of his life. Gerard listened closely, knowing it was the worry-free moments like these that he’d want to return to when things didn’t seem so great.
Meh, sorry it took so long to update. I tried to make up for it with an extra-long chapter. Did I redeem myself? Awesome, thanks, I knew you'd understand. Anywho, I'm really likin' the response I'm getting on this story. I'm glad you all like it. It's still called 'Shit,' but now it's ironic as opposed to literal. Anyway, please go comment (subscribe, if you haven't), and I'll get to work on the next chapter. A'ight? A'ight. OverAndOutxx
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