Categories > Celebrities > My Chemical Romance > Almost
Chapter Ten- I Know We Had Our Problems
“Do you look out for Mikey much?”
“Yeah, a bit. Used to a lot more when we were younger. I’ve got an older brother complex…mainly cause I am a big brother.”
Flashback- 2nd August 2000
She looked older. Or was it younger? He couldn’t decide but she looked good. She was as slim as ever; her hair falling in chocolate waves on her shoulders. Her eyes were sparkling with excitement. Was she excited by life? It was the only rational conclusion he could come to. Her mouth was quirking up into a smile as she crossed the café and almost every male in there turned to look at her. His eyes continued to travel down her body; stopping at her chest. Damn that top was tight. She was dressed in a plain white t-shirt that, as Gerard had noticed, emphasised two of her best assets, dark jeans and black sneakers. He watched as she sashayed across the café, hips swinging, sexiness and confidence seeping out of every pore. He took a drag of the cigarette that he held in his right hand as she sat down in the seat his brother had vacated a couple of minutes earlier.
“Gerard,” she frowned. “What the hell is that in your hand?”
“A book,” he replied, languidly and sarcastically.
“No kidding,” the woman gasped mockingly, taking the cigarette off him and stubbing it out in the ashtray between them, on the Formica table. He regarded her coolly before simply reaching for another. She rolled her eyes. “You never called,” she told him reproachfully.
“When I got over you I thought my girlfriend might object, /Leah/.” The amount of emphasis he poured onto her name was incredible.
Her face brightened. “You’ve got a girlfriend? Is she here? Can I meet her?”
“Yes, no, no,” he told her icily.
“Okay, I get it. You don’t want me here. Just to warn you though, I’m here for another two weeks. One last question,” she started. He sent her a curious look. “Did Mikey like the picture?”
He gestured behind her with his free hand to his brother who’d been standing there for the last minute. “Ask him yourself.”
She turned in her seat. “Mikey!” she beamed. “Did you like the picture?”
He nodded, dumbstruck. She leapt up and hugged him; her perfume clouding his senses for a moment, then she released him and grinned at the brothers. “Later,” and she bounded out of the café, the male population’s heads following her once more.
“Was that-“
“Leah Watkins, yes.” Gerard growled at his stunned brother. “Now sit down and shut your mouth before flies go in it.”
_______
He knew why she seemed different. She’d acted nicer. She wasn’t the ice queen that he’d once known. Didn’t hurt that she was good-looking as well. Actually, stuff good-looking, she was hot. So maybe in the two weeks that she was here he could seduce her…or the other way round. Whichever, the end result was the same. His brother was surely over her by now…? And even if Gerard wasn’t, all’s fair in love and war. Right?
________
After a week Gerard was fed up. After a week of Leah being everywhere he was. After a week of her always having a legitimate excuse for being there. After a week of her flirting with Mikey.
Gerard was standing outside the building, waiting impatiently when she turned up.
“Leah!” he barked. “Need to talk to you.”
She smiled apologetically at the girl she was with. “I’ll meet you inside Jen.”
Gerard grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her down the dark alley that was at the side of the building.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing with Mikey?!” he exploded, trapping her against the wall.
She looked at him confused. “What do you mean what am I doing with Mikey? And can I get away from the wall? This is my favourite jumper.”
Gerard grudgingly took a couple of steps back as she moved forward. “Leah, you’ve been flirting with him all week. That’s what you’ve been doing with Mikey.”
“A devilish grin spread across Leah’s face.” Oh that. Come on Gee, I flirt with everyone. And anyway, it takes two to tango and all that shit.”
Gerard’s face was as black as thunder. “Just stop it. Kay?”
She made a face at him. “I promise not to flirt with Mikey unless he starts it.”
“Fine,” Gerard snarled. “Just-“ He never finished his sentence as his phone went off.
“Hey babe.” His whole demeanour changed. “You’re at the door? I’m just round the corner. Yeah, I’ll meet you outside.”
“Do you realise what your girlfriend is going to think when you walk out from a dark alley with your ex?” Leah commented.
“Liv’s not like that,” Gerard snapped.
“Oh she is,” Leah assured him, folding her arms. “All girls are.” She sighed. “You go. I’ll come in a bit.”
Gerard muttered thanks unwillingly, before sprinting out of the alley. Leah watched him go. “Mikey?” she muttered. “Why would I do anything with Mikey? You’re the one that I want.” She laughed, before singing a snatch from Grease. “You’re the one that I want, ooh ooh, honey.” She laughed once more. “Just call me Sandy.”
_________
When she walked in there were seven people sitting round a table in the colourful pizza parlour.
“Leah! Jen called waving. “Over here.” Leah smiled and slid into the only empty seat which was next to Mikey and opposite Jen.
“Kay, intros,” Jen said with an almost childlike excitement. “Guys this is Leah or Lee. Lee, you already know Mikey,” Jen began, going round the table. “Next to him is Sarah and her girlfriend Laura-“
Leah nodded at the two girls. “Hey.”
Sarah smiled as Laura replied with, ‘hi.’
“Opposite Laura is Gee, as you know. Next to him is Olivia-“
“Liv,” Olivia cut in. “Preferably.”
Leah beamed at her. “Nice to finally meet you.”
“Same,” Gerard’s new girlfriend replied.
“And this is Liam,” Jen continued. “My boyfriend, and then, in case you hadn’t realised this is me.”
“Is it?” Leah asked. “Are you sure?” the table broke out into easy laughter.
“You know, Mikey and Lee are the only ones who aren’t part of a couple,” Laura commented.
“Well maybe we can change that, yeah lee?” Mikey smiled. Leah shot a significant glance at Gerard as she replied, ‘in your dreams.’
Mikey looked mock thoughtful. “Well…”
Leah elbowed him as the table broke into laughter once more. Apart from Gerard. He was watching helplessly as Leah kept her word and only flirted with Mikey when he started it. Which was every single time he spoke.
______
At the end of the night it was Mikey who gave Leah a lift back to her parents’ house. The others had gone on to different places with their significant others.
Leah turned in her seat after taking off her seatbelt. “Thanks Mikes.” She smiled at him and was about to get out of the car when he spoke.
“You’ve got something in your eye,” Mikey told her softly.
“I have?” She bent down to retrieve her compact mirror from her bag as Mikey leaned over, so he ended up kissing her hair.
She straightened up. “Mikey don’t.”
But…I though-“
She shook her head. “I’d flirt with a dish mop if there was no-one else around,” she told him gently.
So I’m dish mop?” he asked, not actually upset. Yeah she was not but had he wanted to do that to his brother? Not when he actually thought about it.
“A very cute dish mop,” she teased, opening the car door. “Night lil’ Mikey.” She paused. “And tell Gee I kept my word.” She watched as he drove off and then giggled quietly. Bless him. You’ve got something in your eye? She hadn’t heard that one since high school. But he meant well. Dear little Mikey.
“Do you look out for Mikey much?”
“Yeah, a bit. Used to a lot more when we were younger. I’ve got an older brother complex…mainly cause I am a big brother.”
Flashback- 2nd August 2000
She looked older. Or was it younger? He couldn’t decide but she looked good. She was as slim as ever; her hair falling in chocolate waves on her shoulders. Her eyes were sparkling with excitement. Was she excited by life? It was the only rational conclusion he could come to. Her mouth was quirking up into a smile as she crossed the café and almost every male in there turned to look at her. His eyes continued to travel down her body; stopping at her chest. Damn that top was tight. She was dressed in a plain white t-shirt that, as Gerard had noticed, emphasised two of her best assets, dark jeans and black sneakers. He watched as she sashayed across the café, hips swinging, sexiness and confidence seeping out of every pore. He took a drag of the cigarette that he held in his right hand as she sat down in the seat his brother had vacated a couple of minutes earlier.
“Gerard,” she frowned. “What the hell is that in your hand?”
“A book,” he replied, languidly and sarcastically.
“No kidding,” the woman gasped mockingly, taking the cigarette off him and stubbing it out in the ashtray between them, on the Formica table. He regarded her coolly before simply reaching for another. She rolled her eyes. “You never called,” she told him reproachfully.
“When I got over you I thought my girlfriend might object, /Leah/.” The amount of emphasis he poured onto her name was incredible.
Her face brightened. “You’ve got a girlfriend? Is she here? Can I meet her?”
“Yes, no, no,” he told her icily.
“Okay, I get it. You don’t want me here. Just to warn you though, I’m here for another two weeks. One last question,” she started. He sent her a curious look. “Did Mikey like the picture?”
He gestured behind her with his free hand to his brother who’d been standing there for the last minute. “Ask him yourself.”
She turned in her seat. “Mikey!” she beamed. “Did you like the picture?”
He nodded, dumbstruck. She leapt up and hugged him; her perfume clouding his senses for a moment, then she released him and grinned at the brothers. “Later,” and she bounded out of the café, the male population’s heads following her once more.
“Was that-“
“Leah Watkins, yes.” Gerard growled at his stunned brother. “Now sit down and shut your mouth before flies go in it.”
_______
He knew why she seemed different. She’d acted nicer. She wasn’t the ice queen that he’d once known. Didn’t hurt that she was good-looking as well. Actually, stuff good-looking, she was hot. So maybe in the two weeks that she was here he could seduce her…or the other way round. Whichever, the end result was the same. His brother was surely over her by now…? And even if Gerard wasn’t, all’s fair in love and war. Right?
________
After a week Gerard was fed up. After a week of Leah being everywhere he was. After a week of her always having a legitimate excuse for being there. After a week of her flirting with Mikey.
Gerard was standing outside the building, waiting impatiently when she turned up.
“Leah!” he barked. “Need to talk to you.”
She smiled apologetically at the girl she was with. “I’ll meet you inside Jen.”
Gerard grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her down the dark alley that was at the side of the building.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing with Mikey?!” he exploded, trapping her against the wall.
She looked at him confused. “What do you mean what am I doing with Mikey? And can I get away from the wall? This is my favourite jumper.”
Gerard grudgingly took a couple of steps back as she moved forward. “Leah, you’ve been flirting with him all week. That’s what you’ve been doing with Mikey.”
“A devilish grin spread across Leah’s face.” Oh that. Come on Gee, I flirt with everyone. And anyway, it takes two to tango and all that shit.”
Gerard’s face was as black as thunder. “Just stop it. Kay?”
She made a face at him. “I promise not to flirt with Mikey unless he starts it.”
“Fine,” Gerard snarled. “Just-“ He never finished his sentence as his phone went off.
“Hey babe.” His whole demeanour changed. “You’re at the door? I’m just round the corner. Yeah, I’ll meet you outside.”
“Do you realise what your girlfriend is going to think when you walk out from a dark alley with your ex?” Leah commented.
“Liv’s not like that,” Gerard snapped.
“Oh she is,” Leah assured him, folding her arms. “All girls are.” She sighed. “You go. I’ll come in a bit.”
Gerard muttered thanks unwillingly, before sprinting out of the alley. Leah watched him go. “Mikey?” she muttered. “Why would I do anything with Mikey? You’re the one that I want.” She laughed, before singing a snatch from Grease. “You’re the one that I want, ooh ooh, honey.” She laughed once more. “Just call me Sandy.”
_________
When she walked in there were seven people sitting round a table in the colourful pizza parlour.
“Leah! Jen called waving. “Over here.” Leah smiled and slid into the only empty seat which was next to Mikey and opposite Jen.
“Kay, intros,” Jen said with an almost childlike excitement. “Guys this is Leah or Lee. Lee, you already know Mikey,” Jen began, going round the table. “Next to him is Sarah and her girlfriend Laura-“
Leah nodded at the two girls. “Hey.”
Sarah smiled as Laura replied with, ‘hi.’
“Opposite Laura is Gee, as you know. Next to him is Olivia-“
“Liv,” Olivia cut in. “Preferably.”
Leah beamed at her. “Nice to finally meet you.”
“Same,” Gerard’s new girlfriend replied.
“And this is Liam,” Jen continued. “My boyfriend, and then, in case you hadn’t realised this is me.”
“Is it?” Leah asked. “Are you sure?” the table broke out into easy laughter.
“You know, Mikey and Lee are the only ones who aren’t part of a couple,” Laura commented.
“Well maybe we can change that, yeah lee?” Mikey smiled. Leah shot a significant glance at Gerard as she replied, ‘in your dreams.’
Mikey looked mock thoughtful. “Well…”
Leah elbowed him as the table broke into laughter once more. Apart from Gerard. He was watching helplessly as Leah kept her word and only flirted with Mikey when he started it. Which was every single time he spoke.
______
At the end of the night it was Mikey who gave Leah a lift back to her parents’ house. The others had gone on to different places with their significant others.
Leah turned in her seat after taking off her seatbelt. “Thanks Mikes.” She smiled at him and was about to get out of the car when he spoke.
“You’ve got something in your eye,” Mikey told her softly.
“I have?” She bent down to retrieve her compact mirror from her bag as Mikey leaned over, so he ended up kissing her hair.
She straightened up. “Mikey don’t.”
But…I though-“
She shook her head. “I’d flirt with a dish mop if there was no-one else around,” she told him gently.
So I’m dish mop?” he asked, not actually upset. Yeah she was not but had he wanted to do that to his brother? Not when he actually thought about it.
“A very cute dish mop,” she teased, opening the car door. “Night lil’ Mikey.” She paused. “And tell Gee I kept my word.” She watched as he drove off and then giggled quietly. Bless him. You’ve got something in your eye? She hadn’t heard that one since high school. But he meant well. Dear little Mikey.
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