FicWad

I drove past the last exit until I was finally back in Newark. I, being smarter than my best friend Frank, left after I turned eighteen and moved to Miami. I told myself I was never going back, ever. And here I am, driving back to the house where I thought I would never see again to the person I had missed since I left, Frank. He was much cooler now than he was in High School, but not much taller. He was in a band, My Chemical Romance to be exact. He called me and told me he was mailing their first Demo tape about three years ago. Their first cd kicked royal ass and I had it burned eternally into my skull. I then fell in love with their second cd, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge. It was even more kick ass than the first. I got the call from Frank last week, asking me to tour with them, and I happily said yes. The last time I saw Gerard was when I was friends with Mikey in Junior High. He wasn’t as cool then as now, but I still thought he was the coolest guy ever. Other than Frank, of course. I had never met Ray, but Bob was my cousin, and we used to hang out until he moved to Chicago. But, being the sound-guy (lack of memory makes me forget the technical term) for The Used, I was used to backstage fame. I was the one who suggested Bob to them, and frankly it was the best choice of his life. He was so more well known and I found a few Bob Bryer fan clubs online, although not one mentioned me. But, Frank put my in the thanks of their first and second CD, and enough people thought we where dating to rule out Jamia completely. She was married to Frank, obviously. I’d never date my best friend, even if he was single.
My cell phone rang and my heart skipped a beat when I saw it was Gerard. I picked it up off the dashboard, avoiding an accident with an eighteen wheeler, and flipped it open.
“Hey, Gerard, what’s up?” I said, more casually than I expected it would be. I usually got nervous around him, for some reason.
“Hey, Danica, I was just making sure you where coming, not bailing on us. You know how sad Mikey would be if you didn’t come.” He said, sarcastically. Still the same old Gerard.
“Well, I’m coming and I can’t wait to see you,” I paused, and added, “All of you. Mikey especially.”
“OK, then I’ll see you when you get here, which will be…” he meant the last part as a question.
“In about fifteen minutes, if that’s not too long.” I said, still holding on to that new found confidence. I was never this bold or outgoing. Maybe I had changed a lot.
“Can’t wait to see how you look after a decade. Hopefully you don’t look too old.” I could see his smile in my minds eye.
“Well, I know what you look like, your picture is all over the internet.” And it was true, I googled him in seven different ways, along with Frank. I concluded that everyone had grown except Frank.
“I have to go, but I’m still waiting for you to come. Se ya.” And he hung up. I just stood there, well, sat there, and held the phone to my ear. He sounded older, but still sarcastic and nerdy like school.
“Well, Gee, you might be surprised at how much I actually HAVE changed.” I said, snapping the phone shut and tossing it to the passenger seat as I turned onto the exit I was looking for. Newark here I come.