Categories > Celebrities > My Chemical Romance
Whatever Happened to Wonderland?
Drugs, heartbreak and suicide. Welcome to NJ, welcome to Wonderland.
?Blocked
Prologue
The shops and buildings passed by in a blur as we sped down the empty town road. I was sure the driver was going well over the speed limit by this point, but it didn’t matter, there had been no car in sight since we’d departed from the highway. The place was so lifeless and dull, the complete opposite of what I remembered it being like when I had last been there at the age of sixteen; but that was ten years ago. I twisted around in the back seat so I could face the back window of the car, and it made it easier for me to look out at the familiar town I once lived in. Fresh tears sprung to my tired eyes as I watched the faded buildings slipping away into the distance; it was strange to think that I had once been happy here, in fact, the short time I spent here were the best days of my teenage life. But all I felt as we turned a corner into a narrower street – a street I knew all too well – was sadness and my heart broke all over again as the memories flooded my mind. I shifted in my seat to face the front again, and my eyes were instantly drawn to the tattered over-head sign, my heart thudding furiously in my chest as I read the faded black words, ‘Belleville’.
“Where to now, miss?” The driver’s rough, Jersey accent broke the sudden trance I was in and I shook my head, trying to rid my mind of the unwanted memories that place held.
“Oh, sorry, um… Just up this road and then to the left, just drop me when we come up to the church.”
He nodded once and then went silent again. I took a slow, deep breath as we turned another corner to the church. The grand building came into view and I gulped, knowing that within a matter of minutes I would have to face the people I once called friends.
The cab slowed to a stop just outside the church gates and I took my time as I fumbled around in my little black purse for the twenty the driver’s outstretched palm waited anxiously for. I placed the note in his palm and he scrunched it up, folding it into his jeans pocket and I muttered a quiet, “thanks” as I reluctantly opened the door and the cool April breeze made me shiver slightly. The cab sped off into the distance and I faced the great church, bracing myself for what was to come.
As I entered the church hall I immediately wanted to walk right back out when I spotted a young, familiar face. My eyes were wide as I panicked, he looked exactly as I remembered, a different haircut but apart from that, it was as if I had gone back in time to when we were both sixteen.
“Ali…?” I heard his voice question as his eyes met mine. Those eyes, they'd haunted my dreams every night, and I felt like my heart had been ripped open as they stared into mine. They were almost the same as his. I forced a smile onto my trembling lips, “Mikey,” I nodded. He came towards me and locked me in a tight embrace. I clung onto his suit jacket as the tears fell, I couldn’t stop them.
“Alice… Shit, you have no idea how good it is to see you.” He mumbled against my shoulder and I knew then that he was crying too. This is too much already, I thought. I wasn’t sure that I’d be able to appear strong throughout the rest of the day. Mikey let go of me and stepped back, wiping underneath his eyes at the tears that had escaped and smiled with relief. I knew then that I couldn’t back out and go home, Mikey needed me here, and I felt a horrible weight of guilt inside as I thought back to all the times he had called. He’d needed me then and I’d let him down, I wouldn’t do it again.
“It’s been what… ten years?” He said surprised at the honest truth.
“Yeah, but it only seems like yesterday when we were all here-”
“Gettin’ high in my basement?” He finished my own sentence eagerly nodding with a knowing smirk. I laughed a little, and the sensation felt so strange, I hadn’t been able to laugh at anything in a long time. We both stood there in silence and I knew Mikey was too busy reminiscing on happy teenage memories to notice that we were blocking the main entrance to the church, and people had crowded behind us waiting to get in. I nudged him and he glanced over his shoulder with an apologetic nod before walking quickly inside.
I followed him in and tried to remain calm, for his sake. I noticed some of the people sitting in the pews, old Mrs Harrison’s son Johnny – who used to be my neighbour – a few of my high school teachers, and someone I never expected to even still be alive – Teddy. He glanced in my direction as we walked down the aisle between the pews and I snapped my head in the other direction. I did not want anything to do with him ever again.
“Ali, you wanna sit up here with me?” Mikey asked as he sat down in one of the very front pews. I nodded eagerly and sat down next to him, wanting to keep close to him. I didn’t want to have to ask the awaiting question, but the sudden awkwardness between us was becoming too much.
“So, um… Where are the others?” I asked hesitantly and winced as soon as it was out in the open. Mikey kept his head low, “They couldn’t m-make it.” He took a deep breath, “Ray is at an important business meeting he swore he couldn’t get out of, he’s really beaten up about it though. He didn’t want to miss this for anything…” I nodded, understanding. “And Hayley… well Hayley’s not exactly doing too well at the moment, obviously…” He looked away from me as he mentioned her name. I couldn’t believe she wasn’t here, at her own husband’s funeral. She was never the caring type but I never thought that she’d stoop so low to get drugged up enough that she wasn’t even able to make the funeral.
“What about Emma and Frankie?” I asked, breaking the tension. His face lightened up a little bit.
“Oh, well Emma’s on her way to pick up Amy from the airport, she’s coming home today,” He stopped suddenly to note the confused expression on my face.
“Amy?” I questioned, completely unaware of who this person was.
“Amy, our, um… our daughter.” His voice shook slightly and he whispered the last word. Daughter. They had a daughter… They were together. He coiled away from the look of shear surprise and shock that I gave him and shrugged, “I tried to call you, a lot actually, but you never once answered or called back.” I shut my mouth at that point. I just couldn’t get over the fact that he and Emma were together. “And as for Frankie, I don’t know. I haven’t heard from him in years. I have no idea where he is.” Mikey sighed.
“I’m right here.”
Both of our heads snapped up at the sound of his voice. And there he was, little Frank Iero, not as little as he used to be, smartly dressed in a black suit and red tie, piercing’s still present.
“Frankie!” I gasped and pulled on his arm, forcing him to sit down next to us and I hugged him tightly. His familiar smell of cigarettes and whiskey enveloped me and I was so happy in that moment I could have cried. But I didn’t want to ruin it. I had my best friend back and that was all I needed to stop ay stupid tears from falling. I let him go reluctantly and watched as he sat back with sad eyes and a slight smile on his perfect lips.
“Hey Alice.” He said quietly.
I suddenly lost it. “Don’t you ‘Hey Alice’ me! Where the hell have you been all these years?!” I demanded answers. I hadn’t heard from him in so long and all those years I had felt alone and angry had been bottled up inside me, and it took every ounce of my well-being to stop myself from hitting his beautiful face.
“I told you, I moved to New York with my uncle-”
“You know damn well that’s not what I mean! Of course I knew you were moving, but you’ve never once called me, or visited, I gave you my address-”
“I’m sorry…” He sighed. “I couldn’t… I didn’t want to.” I bit my lip and looked into his watery eyes, I didn’t know what to say to that, I felt defeated. Mikey soon spoke up, “Look, I know this is hard for all of us, and I would like some answers too Frank.” He nodded his head sharply and continued, “but for just now, can we please just forget about all of this crap and try to remember the good things?” He pleaded. I didn’t know how to forget.
“Please… for Kurt’s sake?” He whimpered and nodded towards the glossy, wooden coffin, covered in beautiful white lily’s, placed in the centre at the front of the church. Before any of us could say another word, the murmuring from the others around us stopped and the priest stepped up to the stand.
“We are gathered here today, to honour and pay tribute, to the short but precious life of Kurt Cobain…”
Ooooookay, so first of all, whoever reads this, thank you! So I know there's little background information in this and you're all probably like WTF IS GOING ON?! - but it's just a prologue after all. I promise everything will come together eventually, I just hope you stick around for the end! But yeah, Kurt Cobain is in it, and I know there would be a huge age gap in reality between him and the other characters, but this is just a story and I look up to him a lot, so I really wanted him to be a part of this:) And yes, Gerard will be in the story, you'll just have to wait and see;) The next chapter will be up soon! Also please let me know what you think, R&R xo
The shops and buildings passed by in a blur as we sped down the empty town road. I was sure the driver was going well over the speed limit by this point, but it didn’t matter, there had been no car in sight since we’d departed from the highway. The place was so lifeless and dull, the complete opposite of what I remembered it being like when I had last been there at the age of sixteen; but that was ten years ago. I twisted around in the back seat so I could face the back window of the car, and it made it easier for me to look out at the familiar town I once lived in. Fresh tears sprung to my tired eyes as I watched the faded buildings slipping away into the distance; it was strange to think that I had once been happy here, in fact, the short time I spent here were the best days of my teenage life. But all I felt as we turned a corner into a narrower street – a street I knew all too well – was sadness and my heart broke all over again as the memories flooded my mind. I shifted in my seat to face the front again, and my eyes were instantly drawn to the tattered over-head sign, my heart thudding furiously in my chest as I read the faded black words, ‘Belleville’.
“Where to now, miss?” The driver’s rough, Jersey accent broke the sudden trance I was in and I shook my head, trying to rid my mind of the unwanted memories that place held.
“Oh, sorry, um… Just up this road and then to the left, just drop me when we come up to the church.”
He nodded once and then went silent again. I took a slow, deep breath as we turned another corner to the church. The grand building came into view and I gulped, knowing that within a matter of minutes I would have to face the people I once called friends.
The cab slowed to a stop just outside the church gates and I took my time as I fumbled around in my little black purse for the twenty the driver’s outstretched palm waited anxiously for. I placed the note in his palm and he scrunched it up, folding it into his jeans pocket and I muttered a quiet, “thanks” as I reluctantly opened the door and the cool April breeze made me shiver slightly. The cab sped off into the distance and I faced the great church, bracing myself for what was to come.
As I entered the church hall I immediately wanted to walk right back out when I spotted a young, familiar face. My eyes were wide as I panicked, he looked exactly as I remembered, a different haircut but apart from that, it was as if I had gone back in time to when we were both sixteen.
“Ali…?” I heard his voice question as his eyes met mine. Those eyes, they'd haunted my dreams every night, and I felt like my heart had been ripped open as they stared into mine. They were almost the same as his. I forced a smile onto my trembling lips, “Mikey,” I nodded. He came towards me and locked me in a tight embrace. I clung onto his suit jacket as the tears fell, I couldn’t stop them.
“Alice… Shit, you have no idea how good it is to see you.” He mumbled against my shoulder and I knew then that he was crying too. This is too much already, I thought. I wasn’t sure that I’d be able to appear strong throughout the rest of the day. Mikey let go of me and stepped back, wiping underneath his eyes at the tears that had escaped and smiled with relief. I knew then that I couldn’t back out and go home, Mikey needed me here, and I felt a horrible weight of guilt inside as I thought back to all the times he had called. He’d needed me then and I’d let him down, I wouldn’t do it again.
“It’s been what… ten years?” He said surprised at the honest truth.
“Yeah, but it only seems like yesterday when we were all here-”
“Gettin’ high in my basement?” He finished my own sentence eagerly nodding with a knowing smirk. I laughed a little, and the sensation felt so strange, I hadn’t been able to laugh at anything in a long time. We both stood there in silence and I knew Mikey was too busy reminiscing on happy teenage memories to notice that we were blocking the main entrance to the church, and people had crowded behind us waiting to get in. I nudged him and he glanced over his shoulder with an apologetic nod before walking quickly inside.
I followed him in and tried to remain calm, for his sake. I noticed some of the people sitting in the pews, old Mrs Harrison’s son Johnny – who used to be my neighbour – a few of my high school teachers, and someone I never expected to even still be alive – Teddy. He glanced in my direction as we walked down the aisle between the pews and I snapped my head in the other direction. I did not want anything to do with him ever again.
“Ali, you wanna sit up here with me?” Mikey asked as he sat down in one of the very front pews. I nodded eagerly and sat down next to him, wanting to keep close to him. I didn’t want to have to ask the awaiting question, but the sudden awkwardness between us was becoming too much.
“So, um… Where are the others?” I asked hesitantly and winced as soon as it was out in the open. Mikey kept his head low, “They couldn’t m-make it.” He took a deep breath, “Ray is at an important business meeting he swore he couldn’t get out of, he’s really beaten up about it though. He didn’t want to miss this for anything…” I nodded, understanding. “And Hayley… well Hayley’s not exactly doing too well at the moment, obviously…” He looked away from me as he mentioned her name. I couldn’t believe she wasn’t here, at her own husband’s funeral. She was never the caring type but I never thought that she’d stoop so low to get drugged up enough that she wasn’t even able to make the funeral.
“What about Emma and Frankie?” I asked, breaking the tension. His face lightened up a little bit.
“Oh, well Emma’s on her way to pick up Amy from the airport, she’s coming home today,” He stopped suddenly to note the confused expression on my face.
“Amy?” I questioned, completely unaware of who this person was.
“Amy, our, um… our daughter.” His voice shook slightly and he whispered the last word. Daughter. They had a daughter… They were together. He coiled away from the look of shear surprise and shock that I gave him and shrugged, “I tried to call you, a lot actually, but you never once answered or called back.” I shut my mouth at that point. I just couldn’t get over the fact that he and Emma were together. “And as for Frankie, I don’t know. I haven’t heard from him in years. I have no idea where he is.” Mikey sighed.
“I’m right here.”
Both of our heads snapped up at the sound of his voice. And there he was, little Frank Iero, not as little as he used to be, smartly dressed in a black suit and red tie, piercing’s still present.
“Frankie!” I gasped and pulled on his arm, forcing him to sit down next to us and I hugged him tightly. His familiar smell of cigarettes and whiskey enveloped me and I was so happy in that moment I could have cried. But I didn’t want to ruin it. I had my best friend back and that was all I needed to stop ay stupid tears from falling. I let him go reluctantly and watched as he sat back with sad eyes and a slight smile on his perfect lips.
“Hey Alice.” He said quietly.
I suddenly lost it. “Don’t you ‘Hey Alice’ me! Where the hell have you been all these years?!” I demanded answers. I hadn’t heard from him in so long and all those years I had felt alone and angry had been bottled up inside me, and it took every ounce of my well-being to stop myself from hitting his beautiful face.
“I told you, I moved to New York with my uncle-”
“You know damn well that’s not what I mean! Of course I knew you were moving, but you’ve never once called me, or visited, I gave you my address-”
“I’m sorry…” He sighed. “I couldn’t… I didn’t want to.” I bit my lip and looked into his watery eyes, I didn’t know what to say to that, I felt defeated. Mikey soon spoke up, “Look, I know this is hard for all of us, and I would like some answers too Frank.” He nodded his head sharply and continued, “but for just now, can we please just forget about all of this crap and try to remember the good things?” He pleaded. I didn’t know how to forget.
“Please… for Kurt’s sake?” He whimpered and nodded towards the glossy, wooden coffin, covered in beautiful white lily’s, placed in the centre at the front of the church. Before any of us could say another word, the murmuring from the others around us stopped and the priest stepped up to the stand.
“We are gathered here today, to honour and pay tribute, to the short but precious life of Kurt Cobain…”
Ooooookay, so first of all, whoever reads this, thank you! So I know there's little background information in this and you're all probably like WTF IS GOING ON?! - but it's just a prologue after all. I promise everything will come together eventually, I just hope you stick around for the end! But yeah, Kurt Cobain is in it, and I know there would be a huge age gap in reality between him and the other characters, but this is just a story and I look up to him a lot, so I really wanted him to be a part of this:) And yes, Gerard will be in the story, you'll just have to wait and see;) The next chapter will be up soon! Also please let me know what you think, R&R xo
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