The following days passed quickly and it wasn't long before a whole week had passed.

My classes started up, I was forced to wear what was the ugliest uniform in the history of the planet and it came as to surprise to me that I was made to attend mass everyday.

On the bright side of things I at least got to admire Gerard while he'd been talking, otherwise my brain was just filled with a mind numbing buzzing sound...or my iPod earbuds that I'd concealed rather well.

I'd at least thought that anyway until Gerard walked up and took one out, informing me that I'd been headbanging when we were supposed to be praying.

Good thing everyone's eyes were closed then.

As much as I wanted to dislike him for giving me detention I couldn't find it in me to hate him after a few of the favours he'd pulled.

For example I ended up only having to help him out for two days instead of a whole week.

Miss Archer busted me with my iPod one day and he said it was his and I'd been listening to a christian band.

Tiffany had tried yelling at me only to receive an extra week of detention (the look on her face was priceless).

So yeah, I guess he was kinda awesome.

There were a few more factors though, no matter how awesome I thought he was he had a talent for counteracting it every time.

It would either be by insulting me in some Jesusy, it's Gods will kind of way or by making an idiot of me in front of people.

He'd also made a fare few appearances in my recent dreams, everything ranging from us making out in the confession booth to bumping into one another at a concert.

Yeah, you'd be surprised by how many dreams I can have in the space of eight hours.

Thankfully there's been no more monkeys showing up.

Although Tiffany could probably be considered a monkey even if she is one of the more glamorous girls of the school.

Oh and surprise, surprise she's Miss Archers favourite student so the snob gets away with whispering (not so quietly) bitchy things from the desk behind me.

At least Gerard and Iris don't like her and the headmistress doesn't seem overly fond either.

It was amazing just how much stuff could happen in only a week, blink and your life is gone, right down the toilet.

That's at least what I've said to my parents when they called me a couple of hours ago.

I told them I hated it, everyone was an asshole and they fed me human babies, the last part they didn't buy so much for obvious reasons but told me I should stay here anyway.

Personally I didn't care how many friends I have here, I wanted to go back to America where the lingo was familiar and my friends and I could hang out whenever.

Don't get me wrong I really liked Iris and all but she wasn't the kind of person I thought she was originally.

I'd thought she'd be a heart of gold kinda person but instead she's a complete goody two shoes to put all other goody two shoes to shame.

I think it was physically impossible for the girl to say no.

She'd give up every single moment of her free time to help others while I'd be sitting there wondering why on earth she'd want to.

I've never exactly understood the appeal of being helpful.

I have places I need to go, people I need to talk to and a bunch of other stuff on my plate which meant I didn't have time for other people's problems.

That's why there's goody goodies like Iris in the world.

She's the kind of person who becomes a guidance councillor or writes a series of self help books.

There's nothing wrong with those kind of people but I didn't want to ever be one.

My mum and dad had a liking for helping everyone out twenty four seven which actually meant they didn't spend much time with me so I guess they chose their helpfulness over their own kid.

If I ever have a family my kids will come first no matter what and they won't be forced to go to church if they don't want to.

Actually I don't think I'll even make them have a religious upbringing, thats something they should choose for themselves when they're old enough.

Yeah I'll think of some pretty profound shit at times even if I can act like an idiot just as easily.

"So you haven't heard Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Cute Is What We Aim For, Black Veil Brides, All Time Low or Snow Whites Poison Bite? What kind of music have you been listening to? Silence?" Iris had no idea what good music was and had apparently been living under a rock her whole life.

"Christy Nockels is good so is Dave Barnes." She's gotta be joking, I'd be that depressed if I had to listen to all those christian bands.

"And you've never been to a concert?" She shook her head and I felt like face palming, it was so sad to see youth wasted, there was so many concerts she could have been to in her sixteen years.

"Okay, listen to this and prepare to have your mind blown." I grabbed my iPod from under my pillow, earbuds already in and sat on Iris's bed next to her.

I scrolled through my pod, selected the song and handed her one of the earbuds to put in as the music started.

"Saints born together to fight against their holy fables, the streets are where we pray. Hymns for the lonely, wretched and forgotten, the feeling in our hearts won't ever fade away."

She looked a little horrified by the music at first, probably because she didn't seem to have heard an electric guitar before.

Or screaming for that matter.

"We stand tall, watch them fall. Break the chains and now we'll show them all. Fight for all you know, when your backs against the wall. Stand against the liars. Stronger than before, when your life becomes a war. Set the world on fire." She was now nodding her head in time to the music, I believe I've brought someone over to the dark side.

"What's this song called?" Yep, I have officially corrupted her with my 'devil music,' maybe she'll be fun to talk to now.

"Set The World On Fire." I told her with a smile and she grinned back before focusing on the music.

The song ended and I took out my earbud, pausing the song and looking through the pictures I had of Black Veil Brides.

"That's the lead singer." I held up a picture of Andy Biersack and got the pleasure of watching her jaw go slack.

"H-He's very nice looking." Iris stuttered and I laughed a little bit, what she'd said was an understatement.

"There's some more on my iPod if you want to look at them, feel free to listen to some more of the music too. I'm going outside." I stood up, going to my nightstand, pulling top draw open and retrieving a small packet.

"What are you doing?" She asked as I grabbed a jacket from the end of my bed.

"Goin' outside for a smoke. You can join me if you like." I might have been able to get her to like a bit of Black Veil Brides but I seriously doubted I could convince her to try a cigarette.

"No thank you, I don't smoke. You shouldn't either, it's not good for you and it's like midnight." I made a sound in response that meant 'duh' before pulling my jacket on and walking to the room door.

"If you are gonna do it be careful, night guards patrol the dorms and you can get in huge trouble if you're busted." It was nice of her to warn me, especially after the minor chiding.

"Thanks, dude." I told her, slipping the packet of cigarettes into my jacket pocket and sneaking out of my room.

The hallway was a lot darker than I expected but my eyes quickly adjusted and it wasn't long before I found myself moving quietly down the hall.

I totally feel like a ninja right now.

Despite what Iris said about the security guards it took only two minutes for me to get outside without alerting anyone.

I had a particular place in mind as I jogged across the slightly dewy grass, anticipating the thought of getting a cigarette fix. I was far from and addict and it was more the thought of blowing smoke out my mouth that had me hooked.

I stepped up the gazebo steps, barely managing to see an inch in front of me and having to feel my way over to a seat.

Once comfortable I pulled my packet of smokes out along with a lighter and stuck a cigarette between my lips, going to light up.

No flame appeared, just fucking typical.

The second I get a moment to myself it gets completely ruined, would it kill my lighter to work for just fucking once?

"Ugh." I groaned, wanting to drop on the ground and have a screaming fit, I didn't come out here for nothing.

"What are you doing out here?" I screamed like a sissy when I heard a voice even though my brain immediately recognised it, the cigarette dropping to the ground.

I didn't like being surprised.

A light came on, the white glare of a mobile phone screen held up to an incredibly pale face, framed by messy, inky black hair and offset by electric green eyes.

In case you haven't caught on yet it was the school priest.

Gerard was stretched out on the gazebo bench, legs up on the seat and stretched out luxuriantly in front of him.

His usually priest outfit with a black shirt, collar and skinny leg jeans was replaced with a loose band top, black cardigan and well, he was wearing the same jeans anyway...and the same shoes.

I could see the cord of an earbud disappearing into his hair with one dangling, swinging back and forth.

He didn't look anything like the priest I'd seen earlier today in mass, he looked like a guy I'd hang out with at a party or a concert.

He was looking at me with an arched eyebrow as if he wanted a response even though he'd just scared the shit out of me.

"I could ask you the same thing, Father." I'd learnt very quickly that the easiest way to get a reaction was by calling him Father Way, Father Gerard or just Father.

I'm not sure whether it was because the title annoyed him or he had some pervert liking for it he would listen to me afterwards.

He lifted his hand, my eyes flickering to the cigarette held in between his fingers and noticing it for the first time before he brought it to his lips.

So he was out here smoking then, I'd thought he was too priesty for that, apparently not.

"I was admiring the stars, you can see them well from our here." He said, blowing smoke out the side of his mouth and looking out a gap in the side of the gazebo.

"What are you doing?" He asked again and I sighed, putting the lighter back in my packet of cigarettes.

"I was planning to have a smoke but my lighter's fucked so there you go." I sighed for a second time, knowing he was about to tell me off for swearing at any moment.

5...

4...

3...

2...

1...

"Don't curse please, come over her for a second." He held up the hand holding the cigarette, beckoning me closer with a finger.

I'd considered my options, so far it'd end up with him dobbing me into one school authority or another so I figured what more do I have to lose?

I stood up and shuffled over to where he was sprawled out and sat down. Gerard continued to look at the stars, the cigarette hanging out the side of his mouth before lifting a hand and putting it in my lap.

He left it there for a moment then took it away, I looked down to the pleasant sight of a lighter.

"Thanks." I mumbled, pulling my cigarettes out and not believing I'd just been given a lighter by a priest for smoking purposes.

"No problem, keep it if you want. I can get another." I nodded and lit up a cigarette, I should probably ditch the habit before it kills me, I'm not quite ready to go to hell just yet.

"You said you wondered what music I listen to once, right?" I looked at him, he'd switched his gaze from the sky to me.

"Yeah that's right." I mumbled around the cigarette, blowing smoke into the air that was only lit by the light of his phone and the glow of our cigarettes.

"Wanna listen?" He held up the dangling earbud and I considered his offer for a moment, there was the chance my ears would be violently attacked by music praising Jesus but I really wanted to know just what it was he listened to.

I moved a little closer to him and took the earbud, put it in and watched at he pressed play.

"Time takes a cigarette, puts it in your mouth. You pull on your finger, then another finger, then your cigarette. The wall-to-wall is calling, it lingers, then you forget. Oh, you're a rock 'n' roll suicide." A smile invaded my face as I heard the all too familiar music.

"Bowie." I breathed and a smirk tugged up the corner of his lips in response, he looked proud that I could guess the singer.

"You're too old to lose it, too young to choose it. And the clock waits so patiently on your song. You walk past a cafe but you don't eat when you've lived too long. Oh, no, no, no, you're a rock 'n' roll suicide."

I'd honestly had no idea what music he would listen to so this was a pleasant surprise.

So a private, English, christian boarding school priest who had a tendency for playing mind games and being weird liked Bowie?

Cool.

"Chev brakes are snarling as you stumble across the road. But the day breaks instead so you hurry home. Don't let the sun blast your shadow. Don't let the milk float ride your mind. You're so natural - religiously unkind."

I originally had all of his songs on my iPod but I deleted them by accident and haven't had the opportunity or the internet to get them back.

"Oh no love! you're not alone. You're watching yourself but you're too unfair. You got your head all tangled up but if I could only make you care."

I closed my eyes, listening to the music and enjoying it.

"Oh no love! you're not alone. No matter what or who you've been. No matter when or where you've seen. All the knives seem to lacerate your brain. I've had my share, I'll help you with the pain. You're not alone!"

I leant my head against the wall of the gazebo, it was nice to hear some Bowie when I'd been deprived of it for so long.

"Just turn on with me and you're not alone. Let's turn on with me and you're not alone. Let's turn on and be not alone. Gimme your hands cause you're wonderful. Oh gimme your hands. Gimme your hands cause you're wonderful. Oh gimme your hands."

The song drifted off and I opened my eyes, sighing and reminding myself to download the album the second I got access to it.

"You right there?" Gerard asked and I realised that the wall I'd been leaning against wasn't a wall, it was his shoulder.

"Uh, yep, I'm good, I'm very good." I said quickly, standing up and taking a final puff of my cigarette then grinding it out under my heel on the gazebo floor.

It was now part of the halo of cigarettes based where Gerard was sitting, he'd obviously been responsible for them.

"How's your hand?" He was obviously talking about the bruises on my knuckles that he'd noticed last week when I'd helped him clean out he church attic.

That'd been a very uncomfortable moment I'd rather avoid repeating if I could help it.

"It's fine, the bruises are gone." I told him hastily, planning on going back to my room now that my smoke was finished.

Gerard stood up, flicking his burnt out cigarette onto the ground.

"Good, I don't want to see you getting in any more fights, understand?" I didn't like how he talked down to me like I was a little kid, it was insulting.

"Okay." I mumbled, beginning to turn around only to stop when I heard his voice.

"One more thing," he put his hands on my shoulders, making me face him, "please do up your jacket, you don't want to catch a cold. I wouldn't get to see your face at mass everyday."

He grabbed the zip on my half done up jacket and pulled it up all the way to my neck, his face getting closer to mine in the process.

Gerard looked up, his hair falling in his face slightly making him look exactly like the kind of boy I'd want be with back in America.

His face got even closer, only a few inches of space between us.

"Goodnight, Lainey. Have a safe trip back to your room." He gave me a huge grin before walking around me and leaving the gazebo.

Did. I. Just. Get. Hit. On. By. The. Priest?

Feeling slightly dazed I stumbled out of the gazebo, taking a few cautious steps down the stairs and onto the grass.

My heart's going too fast, I need to go back to my room right now and calm down before I have a full fledged panic attack.

I did not expect that to happen.

I immediately started running back to my dorm, stopping just as I got to the doors so I wouldn't crash.

"What the fuck?" I muttered to myself, opening the door and going to walk inside...only to be stopped by a hand on my shirt, pulling me back.

What the hell, I turned to see Tiffany standing there, stopping me from going inside.

"Take your fucking hands off me." I commanded her, she didn't listen and I broke her grip by smacking her hand away.

"What are you doing out here this late?" She sneered and I internally groaned, I dealt with girls like her all the time in America.

"It's none of your business but I will give you a warning though." The look on her face got even uglier when she put her hands on her hips.

"Oh yeah? Like what?"

"Currently you're on a three strike rule. The first strike was touching Iris, the second one is you stopping me just now, you hit number three and I'll hospitalise you." I warned her, my voice sounding darker than it had at any other time in my life.

"Ya see I'm not usually a bad person but I don't go by that christian thing of turn the other cheek. So take this to heart, annoy me one more time or lay another hand on Iris and you won't even be able to feed yourself." I growled but it didn't change the nasty look on her face.

Might as well give her a taste of what would happen if she tries anything, after all it's her word against mine.

In one quick motion I brought my hand up and snapped it forward, hitting her hard in the face, enough that she stumbled and fell onto the ground.

"You bitch you hit me!" She yelled and I smirked in response, Tiffany deserved it.

"And you didn't even do anything then, imagine what'll happen of you try to stir up some drama." I winked at her, inciting a furious expression before turning and heading inside.

I hope she attempts something soon.

Notes

Rock 'n' Roll Suicide by David Bowie