FicWad

"I'll get it" Kelly yelled as the sound of the doorbell echoed through the house. She finished applying her lip gloss then ran down the stairs. She hoped her Mom and Dad had heard her say she'd get the door. She knew it would be Luke. Kara and Bob would use the backdoor and she wanted to greet Luke herself.
Pulling open the door she saw Luke standing clutching a rolled piece of paper that had been tired with a ribbon. "Happy Birthday." He said handing it over.
Kelly looked to make sure they were alone then planted a kiss on his lips. "Thanks." she said stepping back to let him enter.
Luke looked around nervously causing Kelly to laugh. "Kara and Bob aren't here yet. Mom, Dad and Elle are in the kitchen." She looked down at the gift he had given her.
"I kinda hoped you'd open it later. When you're by yourself." He said quietly. "It's not much but I didn't have any money to buy you anything nice."
"You didn't have to buy me anything, you know." She said reaching out and giving his hand a squeeze. "Hold on. I'll take this up to my room."
He watched her run up the stairs.
"Luke"
"Uh, hi." Luke said turning to see Gerard standing in the doorway. He wondered how long he'd been there.
"Kelly took something up to her room." He felt he needed to explain why he was standing alone in the hall.
Gerard nodded, "Come on into the kitchen. She'll find us."
Luke followed him through the house feeling more nervous by the minute.
Monica looked up from the salad she was preparing. "Hey, Luke." She smiled. "Hope you like steaks."
"Yeah, sure." He answered. He hadn't noticed before how much Kelly looked like her mom.
"Uke" Elle said happily.
"Hey, Bug." Luke answered. "Helping with dinner?"
Elle nodded, "Mes big elp."
Monica nodded, 'She is big help." It was hard not to laugh because Elle had lettuce strung across the table. She seemed to have trouble getting the pieces in the bowl.
"I'm gonna go out and light the grill. Wanna come with me?" Gerard asked.
Luke could tell by his tone it really wasn't a question. He nodded and followed Gerard through the sliding door and onto the deck. He took a spot by the railing and watched as Gerard uncovered the grill and lit the burners. When he was done we walked over to where Luke stood. He took out his pack of cigarettes and offered one to Luke. Gerard laughed slightly at Luke's indecisive look.
"It’s okay. I'm assuming you smoke."
Luke nodded and took one of the offered cigarettes. Gerard lit his then handed the lighter to Luke. "I'm not saying I think it's good that you smoke. Actually it's a shitty habit I wish now I'd never taken up."
Luke lit his cigarette glad to have something to do other than look at Gerard. Both were quiet for a few minutes. Finally Gerard spoke.
"You drink?"
Luke had prepared himself for the 3rd degree. He answered honestly, "Yeah, sometimes."
Gerard remained silent.
Luke wanted to explain. "I'm never stupid about it. I've never gotten behind the wheel of a car when I drink."
"Smart." Gerard said taking a drag. "Drugs?"
Luke laughed, "Hell no. I've seen what they've done to my brother."
Gerard looked over at him. "Sorry to hear that."
"I've tried to talk to him. He says he doesn't have a problem. He's wasted most of the day and he doesn't think it's a problem."
"Been there, done that." Gerard admitted. "Only person can change it is him."
They fell silent again. Luke finished his cigarette and put it out in the ashtray on the railing. He was starting to feel less nervous.
"So about you and Kell. She's very special."
"Yeah, she is." Luke said softly. "She's the best person I've ever known." He wanted to make sure Gerard understood how he felt. "I would never do anything to hurt her."
Gerard turned so that he could lean against the railing. "The skipping school thing really was her idea wasn't it?"
Luke nodded slowly. "I tried to talk her out of it. She said she's go without me." To his surprise Gerard laughed.
"She's a lot like her mother. Just when you think how docile and sweet they are they surprise you."
Luke smiled. "I couldn't let her go by herself."
"Yeah, well she better not do it again."
Luke made the decision to tell Gerard what had happened in the lunchroom. "A bunch of Mike's friends started shit with us. Sunshine got upset."
"Sunshine?"
Luke looked down, "It's what I call her."
Gerard smiled, "So that's why she wanted to skip?"
"She said she was tired off all the shit."
"That whole fucking mess with Mike just won't go away, will it?"
"No." Luke answered honestly. "And it's not any easier on her that she's with me."
Gerard had a growing respect for the kid. "Her friends?
"Hate me." Luke confirmed. "I'm the weird, unpopular kid."
"Fuck" Gerard said with a laugh, "Been there"
Luke was suddenly feeling a lot better. He'd been afraid Gerard wouldn't understand a lot of what was going on. Now he realized the guy was pretty cool. "That's why I didn't want to get involved with her at first. I didn't want to cause her trouble."
"I'm learning Kell's a pretty strong girl. She talked to a counselor after what happened with Mike. It's helped her a lot."
"She hasn't told me a lot of what happened with him but from what I do know I'd like to fuck him up." Luke said not able to hold back his true emotions.
"He's fucked up his own life." Gerard reminded him.
"Yeah, I just wish Dylan hadn't had to die. He really wasn’t' that bad of a guy. It was only when he was with Mike he acted like a douche."
Gerard pushed off the railing and went over to check the grill. "As soon as Kara and Bob get here I'll throw the potatoes on." He said more to himself then Luke. When we moved back to the railing he decided to ask Luke about the bruises on this face even though he was sure he knew what the answer would be. "So the fight have something to do with Kell?'
"I pissed off one of Mike's friends."
Gerard figured Kell was probably getting nervous cause he'd kept Luke outside for so long. "Keep her safe." Gerard said meeting Luke's eyes.
Luke nodded, "Always, man."

"Mom, why can't I go outside?" Kelly asked looking towards the deck.
"Cause Gerard and Luke are talking. You knew your dad was gonna talk to him after what happened yesterday."
"But that was totally my fault. He shouldn't blame Luke."
"Kewee did bad ting." Elle had to put her two cents in.
"I don't think he does." Monica told her as she cleaned up the stray lettuce. "You wanted Gerard to get to know Luke, that's what's going on."
Kelly took a seat at the table still looking out towards the deck. She stood up when the door slid open and Gerard followed by Luke entered the kitchen.
"They're still not here?" Gerard asked.
"I called. They're on their way." Monica told him.
Gerard turned to Luke. "Guess we got a few minutes. Wanna see some of the layouts for my comic?"
Luke nodded, "Yeah, man."
Kelly rolled her eyes. "He's gonna take you to the lair."
"Hey, don't forget I gave up part of it for you." Gerard teased her.
Luke joined in, "Yeah, don't forget that."
Kelly rolled her eyes.
"Come on." Gerard said happily. Luke gave Kelly a quick smile and followed Gerard.
Monica stood at the counter laughing. "Guess they bonded." She told Kelly.
"I'm glad." Kelly said honestly. "Think it's okay if I go with them?"
"Yeah, I'm sure you want to show off your darkroom anyway."
"Mes go too?" Elle asked
"Sure Bug" Kelly took her hand.
Kelly surprised her mom by giving her a quick kiss on the way out.
"What was that for?" Monica asked.
"For making this my best birthday ever." Kelly called back over her shoulder.

Kelly snuck into her room while Monica was giving Elle her bath. She quickly crossed over the dresser and picked up Luke’s gift. Many times during the evening she had thought about it, wondering what he had given her and why he had wanted her to open it when she was alone. Now her fingers slightly trembled as she pulled off the ribbon and unrolled the paper.
Her breath caught as she stared down at the beautiful portrait. She realized he had drawn it the second time they had gone to the deserted house. In the drawing she was laying on the sleeping bag with her eyes closed. She remembered how she had laid there listening to his pencil on the paper feeling so content. Slowly she shook her head not believing she was nearly as beautiful as he had drawn her.
“Kell?” Gerard’s voice started her. She let the paper roll back up.
“Yeah?”
“So did you have a good birthday?”
Kelly sat Luke’s gift down and walked over to the doorway. “It was perfect. Thanks” She hugged him then stepped back. “What do you think about Luke?”
Gerard smiled, “He’s a good kid. I approve.”
Kelly laughed, “I’m glad. What about Mom? Think she approves?”
“I think so. Hey, Bob and Kara like him, too.”
“Yeah, Kara had already told me she thought he was okay.”
“Since when do you listen to your sister?” Monica had heard the last part of the conversation as she walked down the hall carrying Elle fresh from her bath. She placed her in Gerard’s arms. “One freshly bathed kid.”
Gerard hugged Elle tightly inhaling the sent of strawberry shampoo. “Hey Bug, time for bed.”
“But mes not tyrod.” Elle said while yawning.
They all laughed. “You always say that.” Kelly reminded her.
Gerard carried her across the hall to Kara’s room. “Kewee” Elle yelled out.
Kelly smiled, “Be right there.” She kissed her Mom goodnight and watched as she went into her bedroom. Quickly Kelly crossed to the dresser for one last look at Luke’s present. She realized that the beautiful girl in the drawing really was her. Luke made her feel that beautiful. She tucked the drawing into her drawer and smiled at her own reflection in the mirror. She’s been right this had been the best birthday ever.