FicWad

October 31st, 1998
Belleville, New Jersey

Gerard’s POV

It wasn’t all that long ago that I was in Belleville, just over two months? I don’t know, time seems to just disappear when I’m busy at my art school. I let my hands drop from the steering wheel as I stare out into the familiar street. Still dirty and grimy looking, the sidewalk speckled with old unwanted chewing gum, cigarette butts littered the sidewalks too. The bins had probably seen better days, the pain chipping off them, and litter beginning to over flow out onto the streets. People walked up and down the sidewalks, kicking up the old dead leaves that have long since fallen from the trees, making the branches look dead and bare against the greying sky. I sighed as I noticed all of the tacky Halloween decorations that hung up in various shop windows; paper cut outs of skeletons and ghosts hung up. Black bat stickers adorned most windows, along with a brightly coloured sign reading, ‘Happy Halloween!’ Some stores had placed carved out pumpkins onto the street to add to the holiday feel. I glance around to one shop; Barnes and Noble. I smiled before climbing out of my car and locking it and stuffing my keys into my back pocket, before hurrying over to the store, excitement rising as I pushed open the door. The small bell above the door rang out into the store. There were at least two people browsing down the aisles, browsing the many books the store held. The store was brightly lit and warm, compared the harsh coldness of autumn outside. I glanced around the store for a few seconds, before I caught sight of the one person I had come to visit, stood restocking one of the bookshelves; Mikey

Mikey is my younger brother of 18. His mousy brown hair is neat and tidy, I no doubt straightened too. His black glasses are perched on his nose, as his hazel eyes read each cover of every book before he places it into its correct place on the shelf. I smile more as he takes interest in one book. So typical of him and he wonders why he gets called a nerd. I roll my eyes and shake my head slightly as he places the book onto the shelf, before picking up the next one. If anything, he’s more awkward than nerdy. Well, more awkward around people he doesn’t really know. I walk up behind him as he bends down to pick up a couple more books from a book
“Excuse me? I was wondering if you could help me,” I asked. I watched as Mikey dropped the books he was holding, stood up straight and spun around, tripping over a little on the box. I smiled brightly, as recognition passes across his face, before a big grin breaks out across his face, his eyes lighting up
“GERARD!” I pulled him into a hug as he wrapped his arms around me in a tight embrace
“Hey Mikes!”
“Dude, I didn’t think you were coming until later!” Mikey pulled back, his hands gripping my shoulders
“Well, I decided to leave early for my break.” Mikey let go of my shoulders and smoothed out the front of his misfits t-shirt. I chuckled before Mikey turned around and picked up some more books
“Have you been home yet?”

“No, not yet, thought I’d come and see you first.” Mikey flashed me a quick smile before turning his attention to one of the books he had
“So, anything happened while I’ve been gone?” I asked taking a book out of Mikey’s hands and reading the back of it real quick before handing it back
“Not really apart from the usual.” I quirked my eyebrow at him
“What do you mean?”
“Oh, the odd stabbing, someone found dead in the river, you know, the usual.” I rolled my eyes. Belleville never does change
“Hey, fancy getting a coffee or some lunch when I’m done stocking this shelf?” Mikey asked
“Sure,” I smiled, “I could do with a coffee!” Mikey chuckled, placing the last of the books on the shelf

“Great, I’ll be right back, wait here.” Mikey picked up the box and made sure to trip over his feet as he walked away, towards a door, leading to the back room. I wasn’t waiting long before Mikey returned, jacket on, a scarf draped around his neck, while he pulled on his favourite grey beanie
“Hey Alicia?” Mikey called. A girl behind the cashier, glanced up from a book she was reading. Her long black layered hair fell across her shoulders, a silver piercing adorning her nose. Her blue eyes, heavily rimmed with black eyeliner gazed intently at Mikey
“Yeah Mikes?”
“Do you think you could cover for me?” The girl sighed
“But I covered for you last week!”
“Please? I’ll make up to you, I swear.” The girl sighed, staring at Mikey
“I just want to spend some time with my brother.” Alicia looked at me, before looking back at Mikey, before sighing again
“You know I can’t say no when you pull that face.” I looked at Mikey, to find he had put on his big eyes; the kind he used to do at home to mum to get out of trouble. I smirked slightly
“Fine, but as long as you pay me back for it,” Alicia said, her gaze dropping back down to her book
“Of course! Anything you want,” Mikey said readjusting his scarf. Alicia looked back up with a smirk on her face
“Oh, I can think of plenty of things that you can do to make up for it,” she chuckled. Mikey’s cheeks tinged a pale pink, as he let out a nervous chuckle. I had to bite my lip hard to stop myself from laughing
“Uh, sure, look I’ll see you later, at the party.” Party?
“Sure thing, sweet-cheeks,” Alicia winked, making my brother blush even more as he hurried over to the door, me following closely behind
“Sweet-cheeks?” I questioned as Mikey opened the door
“Shut up,” Mikey muttered, while Alicia chuckled
“Bye!” she called, as Mikey gave a half hearted wave before dragging me outside. As soon as the door shut, I burst into laughter

“Is there something going on between you two?” Mikey scowled and shoved his hands in his pockets
“I don’t know what you mean,” Mikey mumbled
“Oh I think you do,” I chuckled
“Come on, there’s two more morons we need to get before we go and get a coffee,” Mikey said, before heading off towards my car. Seriously, I do wonder at times whether my brother is bipolar

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

After wrestling my keys out of my back pocket, we pull up, five minutes later, outside of the local music shop, Mikey scrambling out of the car and again, tripping over his own feet as he slams the car door shut. After locking the car I follow after Mikey into the music shop, almost bumping into him as he stands right in the doorway
“Why’d you stop?” I ask, but my question was answered
“Oh come off it Toro, you suck at Guitar Hero!”
“I do not!”
“You so do! How come every time we play, I kick your ass at it?” Two guys appeared in a doorway; one was fairly tall, with one very fluffy brown afro, his hand holding a firm grip on a guitar as his brown eyes stared down at the other guy. The other guy, being slightly shorter, brushed his strawberry blonde side fringe out of his face, his blue eyes staring at the other, while he cradled a box in one arm
“You don’t always, ‘kick my ass’ at it!” the guy with the afro exclaimed

“Things never change around here,” I chuckled, as Mikey nodded in agreement, looking rather amused at the two guys. Both guys turned their attention towards us
“Hey guys, back me up here,” the blonde guy said, walking over to the counter to place the box down, before spinning around and heading back towards me and Mikey
“You’d think that someone who plays guitar, would be able to beat anyone at guitar hero?” the blonde questioned
“You would think so, Bob,” Mikey said. Bob, the blonde hair guy smirked and turned back around to face the other guy
“See, I told you Ray!”
“You would take his side, ‘Mickey Mouse’ because you know he’ll beat you up if you didn’t,” Ray said placing the guitar down
“Hey! No one gets to call my brother Mickey Mouse except me!” I exclaimed as Bob glared at Ray

“Don’t call me that!” Mikey whined, crossing his arms back across his chest. Ray giggled, before walking over and pulling me into a one armed hug
“Hey dude! It’s good to see you!” Ray said patting my back before stepping back. I grinned back at him
“And you!” I nodded towards Bob, who saluted back at me, making Mikey laugh
“So, what brings you two, to our wonderful domain,” Bob asks, walking back over to the counter and opening up the box and pulling out what look like music magazines
“Me and Gerard were going to go get coffee, you wanna join us?” Mikey asked
“Sure,” Ray smiled as he wondered back over to Bob and snatching a magazine out of the box. Bob scowled at him, before snatching the magazine back, picking up the pile and walking over to a shelf
“Hey! I was going to read that!”
“If you’re gonna read it, then you can pay for it,” Bob said smugly, dumping the magazines in their spot before turning around
“Dick,” Ray mumbled before walking off back through a door

“You’d think at the rate they fight, that they’re a married couple,” I giggled. Mikey chuckled as Bob glared at me and I raised my hands defensively
“What was that?” Ray called out
“Nah, we all know Toro has the ‘hots’ for Christa,” Mikey said, air quoting before pushing his glasses back up his nose
“Yeah, but the ass hasn’t got the guts to go up and talk to her,” Bob said rolling his eyes
“How long has he been crushing on her again?” I asked
“Too long,” Mikey replied, while Bob reached behind the counter and grabbed hold of his bag and coat. Ray reappeared, with his coat on, while another worker followed him out and took their place behind the counter
“Be back in an hour Wentz!” Ray called as we headed out the door

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

“So, what’s new with you two?” I asked, sitting down on one of the comfy chairs at the back of the coffee shop, cradling my cup of coffee in my hands.
“Not-” Bob began
“Bob got banned from one of the clubs,” Ray said down opposite me, while Mikey sniggered. I chuckled as Bob scowled at Ray. Ray raised his eyebrows
“What? It’s true!”
“Fuck you Toro,” Bob muttered, while taking a sip of his coffee. I laughed with Mikey while Ray smirked
“Besides, getting banned,” I chuckled, “Anything else?”
“Not really, not a lot has happened, apart from the odd mugging,” Replied, inspecting the contents of his coffee

“You lot still going to the party tonight?” Bob asked, placing his coffee down on the old rickety oak table
“Yep,” Mikey replied smiling slightly
“Only so you can see Alicia,” Ray mumbled. I laughed as Mikey flushed red
“Is not!”
“It so is dude,” Bob laughed. I cocked an eyebrow at my brother, who diverted his gaze down to his shoes
“Aww, poor ickle Mikey, getting all embarrassed,” Ray cooed before bursting into laughter with Bob
“Shut up!” Mikey snapped, scowling down at the floor even more, causing me to smirk
“Mikey you’re so easy to wind up,” Bob laughed, picking up his coffee mug again. Mikey said nothing and continued to stare at the floor
“Look, Mikey, if you and this chick have something going on, I don’t really care,” I chuckled, patting his shoulder. Mikey glanced sideways at me, though I could see the small smile forming on his face. He let out a sigh before looking back up again
“Anyway, she’s the one who invited us,” Mikey mumbled

“Anyone mind telling me what this party is all about?” I asked looking around
“Do you know Billie Joe?” Ray asked. Billie Joe; the name sounds familiar, but I can’t put a face to the name
“Come on, you must know Billie!” Bob exclaimed
“The name sounds familiar,” I said
“You know Gerard, Billie Joe as in ‘Two Dollar Bill’ Billie Joe,” Mikey said. AH! That Billie . . .
“Oh yeah, Billie Joe, I remember him, well known in high school as the rebellious punk kid and dealer,” I said. Bob nods his head
“Yeah, well him and his mates have organised this big Halloween party for tonight. Alicia,” Ray said, glancing at Mikey and smirking slightly, “Got invited to it, and she got all of us invited too.”

“Sounds cool,” I nodded, finishing my coffee and putting the mug down on the table
“And before you say anything, you are coming,” Mikey said. I laughed
“What makes you think I wouldn’t?” I asked glancing at Mikey
“Oh, I don’t know, your tendencies to turn down most social events, so you can stay in your room and paint or draw or even read.”
“Hey! I don’t ‘always’ turn down social events,” I air quoted
“Do too.”
“Do not!”
“Do too!”
“Do not!”
“And you think it’s bad when us two argue,” Bob commented, eyebrow raised, staring at the both of us
“You do too, and you are coming tonight and that is final!” Mikey stamped his foot down to emphasise his point. Ray snorted with laughter, while Bob shook his head a grin breaking out across his face

“Like I’d turn down an invite to go to one of Billie Joe’s parties,” I said. I turned my attention back to Ray and Bob
“Where is it anyway?”
“Think Alicia said that he’d rented out this apartment for the night, down Warren Street,” Mikey said. I nodded my head
“It starts at eight,” Ray commented, drinking his coffee, all the while pulling a face
“It should be good,” Bob said, staring at Ray
“As long as you don’t start a bloody fight, it will be good, and this isn’t decaf,” Ray said getting up. I stared after him, while Mikey and Bob laughed
“I really don’t get how you can drink decaf coffee, it’s not even coffee!” I stated, while Ray flipped me off. I scowled as Mikey and Bob laughed even more. I stuck my tongue out behind his back
“Real mature Gee,” Mikey choked out
“Oh, and like you are,” I retaliated, crossing my arms
“I’m more mature,” Mikey argued. I laughed
“At least I don’t get all flustered over girls,” I said smugly
“Dude, that’s because you don’t even like girls,” Bob laughed. Bob did have a good point; I dated one girl in high school . . . . never again.
“Did you have to announce that to the whole coffee shop?” I complained

“Calm down, there’s hardly anyone in here,” Mikey said, “Hey, puff-head, get me another coffee!”
Bob giggled as Ray stopped mid-sentence, glared at Mikey before continuing his argument with the girl behind the counter
“But still, you know how homophobic this whole country is,” I said, dropping my voice
“You know, I’d deck any homophobic asshole before they’d even lay a finger on you,” Bob said shrugging his shoulder. I smiled a little. Although Bob was fairly short with his height, he was quite strong. And he would pretty much ‘deck’ anyone who’d so even look funny at any of us, even if he did end up worse off at times
“Thanks dude,” I mumbled
“Anytime, Gee-freak,” Bob chuckled, while winking. I laughed a little, as Ray marched back over, and sat down, handing my brother his second coffee
“You owe me,” Ray said taking a sip of his fresh coffee and smiling
“Whatever,” Mikey said, blowing the steam that was rising effortlessly into the air from his mug of coffee. I swear Mikey is more of a coffee addict than I am. I chuckled as his glasses steamed up
“So,” Bob began
“RAY!” Mikey squealed, after spitting out a mouthful of coffee
“Yes?” Ray asked, a smirk spreading across his face
“It’s fucking decaf!” Mikey slammed the mug down onto the table
“Well, you asked for a coffee, you didn’t specify what kind of coffee you wanted,” ray replied innocently, though I could see the corners of his mouth starting to curl into a devious grin. I burst into a fit of laughter along with Bob
“Twat,” Mikey mumbled under his breath, as Ray too cracked up laughing.



*******



I did say it would take me about a week to post up the first chapter and that is quite possibly how it maybe :-) that I post a chapter once every week. I hope you guys do like this. It may take a few chapters in order for the story to get going, but hopefully it won't take too long