FicWad

Part 24
Gerard’s POV- ‘This. Is. So. Messed. Up.’
I don’t know why I was so bitter last night with Frank. I should have let him call off the bet. It would make life a lot easier for everyone. I wouldn’t have to worry about his intentions, Amy wouldn’t have to find out, and maybe it would make the uneasy feeling in my stomach go away. The one that always rears its ugly head whenever I see them two getting close.
They’re just kids. That fact has been haunting me for a while. Maybe I should find some friends of my own age, who have jobs and can drink legally, rather than hanging around with people who’s biggest worries are GCSE’s and prom dates. I shouldn’t care so much.
I’m in the park now even though it’s a Sunday so by routine I should be locked away at home with my paints. My neighbour pays Mikey to walk their dog when they’re away (quite often) but he didn’t come back from Charli’s last night so now I’m walking aimlessly around the two big fields that surround the kids play park that me and him used to play at when we were little trying to control a dog. I’d had a text off Mikey waiting for me this morning, it told me not to worry, that he hadn’t been ‘Mikey-napped’, and that he’d be safe. I decided not to think too hard over the statement as the thought of Mikey doing anything with a girl was hard to get my head around without feeling a bit ill, let alone him doing anything that requires him to be ‘safe’. I kick a stone along the path, hands in pockets, looking up occasionally to check the dog was still somewhere in the near vicinity. It wasn’t that I wanted Mikey to go through life with a girl. It’s just that it’s him, my little brother, I mean I’ve shared baths with the guy! It’s odd to think of him as an almost grownup. It doesn’t help that he acts like a 10 year old half the time.
I look up from the stone to search for the dog and instead come face to face with Emma. “Gerard.” She says as if she’s pleased to see me. I immediately check for signs of intoxication. “I haven’t heard from you in so long!” She complains in the way she always has done, pulling a face she knows I can’t say no to and shuffling her feet as if this is all highly distressing to her. I don’t see any warning signs but then it was never me she was trying to hide things from. Masks were easy to see past if you knew they were being worn.
“You said you didn’t want us to be friends.”
“Oh but you must have known I didn’t mean it!” She says looking as if I’d just slapped her. For the first time I notice a guy about our age walking slowly over to us. He was good looking well dressed, completely her type. I feel a stab of jealousy and hatred somewhere near my stomach. She sees me looking and explains uncomfortably that “This is Max.” I didn’t care to be honest. I just wanted to know what right he had to put his arm around her when there was no way he could love her as much as I do, did.
Bex, next doors dog, comes charging over, obviously thinking I’d found her some new friends. She trots up, sniffing Emma’s leg and sticking her nose into her hand then turns on ‘Max’. Growling and snapping at his legs.
“Bex! Stop!” I say half-heartedly as Max shouts obscenities at the dog and Emma squeals. I manage to get Bex on her lead but don’t bother apologising to Max who is still sat on the floor. What a tw*t.
“I’m jut going to have a quick word with Gee Ok?” Emma asks then leads me a little way down the path out of Max’s earshot without waiting for an answer from either of us.
“Gee look I’ve been thinking…” I just look at her and wait for her to continue. I’d been praying for this conversation to happen for over a month but now it’s actually happening… well the phrase ‘be careful what you wish for’ springs to mind. “Maybe we could go back to yours and somehow sorts things out between us?” She has a suggestive gleam in her eyes and I wonder how she thinks ‘we’ could be saved by lousy make up sex. For one she was with Max, and I… I was involved in a bet to see who could get with a 16 year old first. This is so f*cked up.
“Sorry, Mikey’s home so you know…” I lie.
“He won’t mind.” She smirks, forcing me to remember all the times I ditched Mikey to have a drunken or drug fuelled fumble with her. Many of the times while he was in the room just next door.
“He did.” I say quietly. An overwhelming love for my brother wells up in me as I realise how much of my sh*t he has put up with.
“What?” She looks confused and beautiful and I hate her for it.
“Don’t worry.” I just want to leave but before I know it she’s kissing me, full on. I don’t want this but I kiss back anyway. I may not like her very much but I do love her. At least a little. Then I taste it, carefully disguised vodka right there on her tongue. In that moment I realise that this is just another of her drunken mind games that she would have forgotten by tomorrow morning. Like that time she told me she wanted a kid. I can’t pull away quick enough.
“I’m not doing this again.” I say then walk away leaving her and her drunken tongue to deal with Max’s angry words.
I let Bex pull me home while I let go of all my memories of Emma and finally decide to get on with my life.

Charli’s POV- ‘I’d end my days with you in a hail of Bullets.’
Amy and Frank are odd. Last night they had blatantly enjoying being together, according to Mikey who’d been texting Frank this morning they’d even kissed goodbye. Now here they were today trying to look like they’re perfectly fine with being just friends. It made me want to scream.
We’re at Amy’s watching a DVD. Gerard is coming round later which cheered Mikes up a hell of a lot but seemed to p*ss Frank off. Bob’s here already, sat in between Amy and Frank, poor guy. Me and Mikey are curled up in a chair together and Ray’s in the other one.
Last night was amazing. Gerard drove back to mine first and Mikey had come with me to my door and we’d been saying goodbye when I remembered that no one was going to be home all night. I mentioned it to Mikey and asked if he could stay for a little bit until I felt safe. Well we talking and had coffee, then Blade come on so we sat watching that. Then we talked some more and it had gotten pretty late so I said he could stay over if he wanted to. He offered to sleep on the sofa but I wanted to fall asleep with his comforting body heat next to me. He obviously accepted and we went to bed.
Well you know… one thing leads to another and all. Next thing I’m waking up in his arms, looking up to see him smiling down at me. Possibly the best moment of my life. Second only to actually sleeping with him of course. Wow.
I’m dozing in and out of sleep now. Planning revision for later then letting my thoughts run off to other less important but more interesting things. Frank and Charli are pretty stressed. Their first exam is Friday. They’re watching the DVD with us then going upstairs to do more revision. It was cute. I could remember last year, thinking that the world revolved solely around the GCSE’s; getting through them, then getting the results. Your entire world closes down to them few months. Anything outside of that seems years away. Bob’s going to answer the phone now so Amy stretches her legs out on the sofa. Careful not to touch Frank. They share a significant look and she places her feet on his lap. Soon enough he’s stroking her ankle and they are looking more relaxed than they have all day. Young love….
Gerard’s here now. I watch through sleepy, half closed eyes as he makes Frank squidge up to sit next to Amy so that he could have room on the sofa. He apologises for ‘last night’ what ever that meant. I smile to myself as Amy takes great delight in having Frank sat right next to her. She still has her legs over his, only difference is that now he’s stroking her leg rather than her ankle.
“Stop staring it might be contagious.” Mikey whispers, pressing a kiss into my temple.
“It’s nice.” I reply with a sigh. Not sure 3 seconds later if I was referring to Amy and Frank or just to the whole situation in general. It was so peaceful and there was such companionship and togetherness between everyone, marred only by Bob’s absence as he’s still on the phone and by Gerard’s sour face as he keeps his eyes fixed firmly on the TV and anywhere but on Frank and Amy. Oh….