FicWad

Chapter 3

“Oh I was getting worried Gabrielle!” Dad told me as soon as I set foot on the house. I laughed, “Why’s that?”
“Well, I’m not so confident on you walking around…I haven’t even driven you around the neighbourhood and….what happened to your leg?”
“I fell on a nail outside the Seven Eleven. It’s okay, I already cleaned the wound.” I explained with a smile. He smiled a bit, too.
“Listen, on Sundays we always go to lunch at the Way’s. Elena is a great friend of your grandpa’s. So they talk while I talk to Donna, Elena’s daughter. They have two sons ‘round your age, and they go to the same school you’re going so we all win. Change and we’ll go” He ordered in a business-like way.
It was sweet of my dad to worry but I still found it a bit hypocritical…Well, as of now I only have to worry about what I’m gonna wear…I walked to my closet and stared at my mostly wrinkled clothes. I retrieved a pair of jeans, a hot pink polo, a purple-and-black-striped hoodie and my pirate-scribbled converse. I walked into the bathroom and applied black eye shadow on the lower and upper lids of my eyes, some mascara, liquid black eyeliner and a bit of blush on my cheeks. I messed up my short blonde hair with hair wax and arranged the electric blue strip of hair on my bangs so it would sort of show, sort of hide.
“Ready” I announced as I walked down.
“Let’s go then” Dad said, motioning me out the door. Apparently Dad had been waiting in the car. So much for patience…



“Donna, Elena, this is my daughter Gabrielle. Gabrielle, this is Donna and Elena” Dad introduced me after they had opened the door.
Donna, a chubby woman with big, curly blonde hair and generous smile hugged me; her mother did so as well. Both of them were so nice, I loved them instantly.
“Would anyone like a cup of tea? Or coffee, maybe?” Donna asked as we were urged to get comfortable on their cosy living room. Grandpa sat on the couch; Dad took one of the armchairs and indicated it was ok for me to sit on the other.
Dad refused politely, Grandpa and I accepted a cup of coffee. I offered Donna to help her, which she let me. We walked into the kitchen and she grinded the coffee while I filled the recipient with water and placed it on the stove to boil. We poured the coffee into two cups.
“Here you go” Donna said as she handed grandpa his cup and a pack of biscuits.
“Donna why don’t you introduce Gabrielle to the boys? She’s going to get bored in here with us old people” Elena suggested between small giggles.
I smiled civilly and Donna led the way to the backyard.
“Gerard and Mikey are with a couple of friends. Hope you don’t mind being with boys…They’re adorable. All of them” Donna uttered as she opened the door.
We walked toward the conglomeration of guys in black leaning on the fence, or lying on the grass, talking.
“Boys!” Donna hollered sweetly. The guys turned around to face her.
“Yeah Mom?” All of them answered.
“I want to introduce you someone!” As she said this they all walked towards us.
“I thought dad said you had two kids”
“Oh, I do” She said, smiling widely, “They just multiply everyday”
The expression on my face must’ve amused her because she started giggling.
“Kids, this is Gabrielle O’Connor. Paul’s kid. Gabrielle this is Mikey my youngest child-“ she said, signalling a skinny guy with jeans and an Anthrax black shirt with glasses slipping down his nose and brown, straight hair “This one’s Ray, a friend of them-“she motioned him forward, he had broad shoulders and a wild, reddish afro, “This one here’s Frank, another friend-“ This time she put a hand on the guy from Seven Eleven, he was only a few inches taller than me, his jet black hair was styled in a faux-hawk and he was wearing pin-covered jean jacket, “And this is my eldest son, Gerard” Gerard looked up and I recognized the guy from the jail, the six-pack stealer. This was going to get…er, /interesting?/.
“Hey” They said in unison.
“So communicative…”Donna sighed, “Don’t let this girlie get bored, okay?”
“Sure won’t” Frank piped. I couldn’t help but smile. Donna left us there and I stared at the guy’s faces: all of them staring back.
“Not too good with girls, I assume…” I commented to break the ice.
“Well…” Ray started.
“No” Mikey finished and they all laughed, except for Gerard.
“So I finally know your name, huh? Who would’ve thought?” Frank remarked as all of us returned to their previous spot.
“Yeahh…” I replied with a huge smile.
“Wait, you already know her?” Mikey enquired, clearly bewildered.
“Yeah, she was the chick Gerard tackled.” Frank responded frankly.
Mikey and Ray looked my way seeking reassurance, I nodded.
“Okay, so you at least know one of us. That’s much less pressure. And you met Frankie, so that means we’re all safe now” Ray kidded.
I grinned at this. “Wadda ya mean?” Frank pouted.
“Actually…I had already seen Gerard, right?” I asked him, looking into his hazel eyes that hadn’t left my face ever since I was introduced.
They all turned to Gerard.
He continued to stare in concentration. I sighed, “Tinkerbell, remember?”
“Tinkerbell? Is that your stripper name?” Frank asked a little too enthusiastically.
“No, dumbass! She can’t be a stripper! She must be an exotic dancer!” Ray interrupted.
“Hell no, she’s a-“Mikey began to say but was shut up by Gerard,
“I remember you now. You looked at me like shit”
“I did not!”
“You did too. Now I know what bothered me even more than your stuck up pose.”
“I don’t /pose/!” I retaliated, finding the insult idiotic.
“Gerard, chill” the guys said behind him.
“I’m surprised you even noticed the way I stared at you, you were so drunk…” I said before I could contain myself.
Mikey’s head spun sharply, “You where drunk? When was this, Gabrielle?” he snapped.
“Don’t-“Gerard hissed, trying to shut me up.
“Yesterday” I uttered.
“Oh shit…” Ray whispered.
“So you drank on a school day? What are you, insane? What’s the matter with you?!” Mikey murmured.
“Why the hell are you telling him shit?! You don’t know even know me! Why’d you even jump to conclusions?! You don’t know shit you fucking stuck-up bitch!” Gerard said as loudly as he could without making the adults hear him.
“Hey man, back off” Frank defended me.
Gerard’s face was contorted in rage as him and Mikey fought. Ray, Frank and I moved away from them to make sure Gerard didn’t slap me or worse.
“He’s not supposed to drink on week days ‘cause Mikey can’t keep an eye on him…Sometimes Gee gets a bit…harsh and idiotic” Ray explained.
“Not that he isn’t like that the rest of the time” Frank commented. Ray snorted,
“Well, you’ve got a point…”



In the end Gerard went to his room and the rest of us continued talking.
“So…why did you move here? I didn’t even know Paul had a kid…” Mikey asked me.
“Well….my mom sort of couldn’t care for me anymore…” I shrugged.
“Why’s that?” Frank asked, leaning forward.
“Ugh…she’s…sick” I explained, biting my lower lip.
“Okay guys, change of subject” Ray ordered.
Frank tackled him to the ground and they began wresting.
“So…um, is there a reason for your brother to treat strangers like shit?” I asked Mikey, which sighed.
“You take this you motherfucker!” Frank yelled, kicking Ray on the leg as he stood up.
“He’s not very…social. You see, we’re sort of the ‘freaks’ at school”
“Ninja kick on the nuts!” Frank yelled as he ran towards Ray, which caught his leg and turned him upside down.
Mikey and I looked at them.
“I see your point” I said, smiling.
“Yeahh…” Mikey said, rolling his eyes, “Ray, let him down…”
Ray did as he was told and Frank’s back hit the grass.
“What are you, three?!” Mikey hollered in frustration.
“Frankie’s back hurts! He needs a kissy!” Frank yelled.
“I think that answers my question…GOD”
I walked towards Frank and kissed his cheek, helping him up.
“Gabrielle, it’s time to go!” Dad yelled from the kitchen window. I drained my cold coffee and said goodbye to the boys.
“See you tomorrow at school, then!”
“Sure!” They all replied in unison. They sure do that a lot.



“I don’t think she realizes what she’s just got into…” Mikey said more to himself than to the other two.
“Yeah well…She likes us, and she’s got no one else so she doesn’t really have an option.” Ray replied seriously as he avoided Frank’s blows.
“How can you say something so serious while doing something so stupid? Guess so…” Mikey sighed. He was accustomed to over thinking things too much.