“You should go to the police.”

“Definitely not.”

“But -”

“It's not that simple, mum.”

We were sitting at my kitchen table with Gerard holding bits of tissue to his bleeding skin. My mum had offered to help him (entering full-on nurse mode), but he had refused, stating he got it all the time. I sat back, not wanting to pressure him too much. A pressured Gerard is a nasty Gerard.

“But surely you'll let me look at you,” my mum went on, “you could have internal bruising, broken ribs, a collapsed -”

“Mum,” I said plainly, patting her hand, “he said no.”

She gave a defeated sigh and pushed herself away from the table to stand up. I stood too, signalling to Gerard to follow. We may as well get out of my mum’s hair. She would probably only try to bother Gerard more if we stayed.

I ascended the stairs silently, Gerard following behind me. The only noises came from the rattling of kitchen equipment and the whistling of the wind as it pounded the front of my house. In that moment, I felt incredibly awkward. I didn't know what to say, and I felt like I barely knew Gerard at all. It was almost as if we’d gone back to that time after detention when Gerard had spoken civilly to me for the first time in a year.

I was still trying to shake my emotions as I shuffled into my bomb-site of room. Quietly, I mumbled, “sorry for the mess,” before flopping onto my unmade bed. Gerard stood in the doorway for a moment, shifting his weight awkwardly from one foot to the other. Slowly, he entered the room, casting his eyes around my belongings.

As he sat down carefully next to me, I continued the internal battle of feelings. I couldn't help but feel awkward, as if I'd just invited a stranger into my room. I figured this was because I felt partly responsible for what had happened to him, and felt more distant from him than ever before. The likes of Gerard Way should not be in my bedroom, but I couldn't help but want him there.

“You're quiet,” he said after a while. I shrugged slowly but kept my mouth closed. “What’s up?”

It took me an age to answer, mainly because I didn't know what was up with me. I felt guilty for what had happened to him, but I’d also been reminded of the rift that should exist between us. He was so different to me; I wouldn't have the first clue what to look for in a comic book store. The nerdiest thing about me was my love of Pokémon, and even that didn't reach further than a few games and plushies. We had no overlapping interests and I was suddenly at a loss of what to say to him.

“I’m sorry,” I said finally. When he gave me a quizzical look, I explained, “for what happened today. I wanted to warn you - I really did - but I didn't get a chance.”

“Wow,” he said slowly, “Dean was right; you care way too much.”

“Would you rather I didn't care at all?”

He thought about it for a moment, pursing his lips together, before saying with a smirk, “yes, actually.”

Something snapped inside of me then. All the sympathy and guilt I had been feeling dissipated and was replaced with a burning anger that instantly boiled over. How could he say that? How could he just shrug someone off like that?

“Well maybe you don't realise, Gerard, but people actually care a lot about you - whether you like it or not. Maybe when you stop being such a self-centred twat you’ll actually start to feel grateful for people like your parents, and Mikey, and me.

“You know, we don't just look out for you because we feel like it. We do it because it hurts us to see you get hurt. But then you're too fucking dense to see that, aren't you?”

I sat glaring angrily at him, my breaths coming in short stabs. In return, I was rewarded with a blank stare - no retaliation or any other kind of response. I laughed humourlessly and shook my head, staring at my feet. After a few short moments of silence, I was about to continue my ranting when I was suddenly pushed onto my side. I flipped myself onto my back and scowled menacingly at Gerard, who had propped himself up above me. The words that were about to bubble out of my mouth we cut off by a quick kiss. It lasted only a couple of seconds, but was enough to melt away any anger.

I didn't know what was happening, and I couldn't believe that Gerard had actually kissed me (and he couldn't deny that it was him this time), but I knew that I wasn’t going to let this moment go to waste. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer, and attached my lips to his. To my surprise, he responded, sliding his hand underneath to rest on the small of my back. My fingers became tangled in his hair as my lips moved with his. He pulled me up to a sitting position, biting hungrily at my lower lip. I bit back, and he took his opportunity to slide his tongue inside. I started and almost pulled away, but he kept me in place by the arms he had wrapped around my waist. He chuckled against my lips and I found that only made me want him more. I felt the both of us fall towards my pillows, soon finding myself laying atop him.

I broke away then, panting for breath, and slid to the side of him, resting my head in his shoulder.
“So Evie,” he said after a while. I looked up at him lazily, “do you still hate me?” I made a defeated kind of noise before returning my head to its original position.

We laid like that for a long time. I’d lost track of what was happening; one moment I was feeling like I didn't even know him, then I was screaming at him, then I was kissing him and then I was lying next to him as if we a couple. The speed in which those events had occurred dizzied me and I wished I could read Gerard’s thoughts to see that he felt the same. He expression was always so hard to read, it infuriated me. Did he have a motive for what he just did? Is he going to use it against me in the future?
We were brought back to reality by mum announcing that dinner was ready. As we were making our way down the stairs, my dad came in through the front door. After rushed introductions, we were all hurried into the kitchen by my mother where an array for Chinese food was waiting for us on the table.

“My mum goes all out when we have guests,” I muttered to Gerard as we sat down. He nodded, looking longingly at the food. I handed him a pair of chopsticks before splitting my own and helping myself to the huge bowl of rice.

Half way through my food, I heard a clatter and a badly disguised curse.

“Gerard, what are you doing?” I asked quietly as he battled with his food. My parents were busy talking.

“I just,” he started, pinching a piece of chicken between his chopsticks and almost firing it across the table, “can't seem to...get these things to work!” I watched him struggle for a few more seconds before leaning back and plucking a fork out of the drawer.

“Better?” I asked, handing the fork to him. He stabbed the chicken happily and grinned. I shook my head before returning to my own food, a smile lingering on my face.

Soon it was time for Gerard to leave. My mum offered to drive him, but he insisted on walking. I’d given him my number and forced him to promise he would text me when he got home; after what had happened that day, I was not taking any chances.

When Gerard had finally left the house, I turned away after closing the door and came face-to-face with my mother, who was wearing an overly smug grin.

“Mum...you okay?” I asked cautiously.

“You like him, don't you?” Was her reply.

I rolled my eyes and shook my head, “he’s just a friend, mum.”

“Not your usual type of friend.”

“Yeah, well, I’m branching out into other cliques,” my statement was one that ended that particular conversation, but I knew this discussion was far from over.

Notes

Is this an update?!

Yes, yes it is.

For once I have a pretty good excuse to the lack of updates. The house I have just moved into has recently been refurbished and the landlord forgot to put an Internet line in. I know, who forgets about Internet?!

So we've had to wait for BT to come and fix our ailment and, believe me, they took their sweet time.

To save myself the insanity of not being able to play League of Legends and not being able to Google things at will, I've been concentrating on my writing (and reading). I've almost written the next chapter of this series but it'll take a while to edit (I come up with some weird, incomprehensible ideas when I'm on a roll). I'll have it up by next week; that gives me more than enough time to edit, and also gives you time to grow a little impatient ;)