"You got detention with Gerard Way?!" Ebony asked in disbelief as we walked out of the gym (practice was indoors as it was raining).

"Yeah," I said. I'd explained the whole partners exercise and how it had gone badly wrong. "One weeks worth, starting tonight."

"But we have practice on Friday, are you telling me you can't come?"

"'Fraid so," I said glumly. I was in for it now.

"Why the fuck did you let that freak get to you? He's worthless, Evie! No-one cares about him!"

"I was just having a laugh!" I argued, "then he took it all seriously and landed me in it with Boucher!"

"We do not 'just have a laugh' with people like Gerard Way!"

The last two periods came and went. I explained what had happened to Taylor, who already knew half of the story thanks to the gossip that had started to spread from my French class. Who gossips about an argument between two people who don't get along, anyway? I don't care if I was one of the most popular people in school and Gerard was one of the least, it shouldn't happen!

"I heard you were making jokes about his brother being hit by a car? That's low, Evie," Taylor said as we both scribbled down notes on anticyclones.

"He was lying to get himself out of trouble, Taylor..." I sighed, putting my head in my hands. "Does everyone think I'm some sick, inconsiderate bitch now?"

"No," she said simply, putting her pen to her pale pink lips, "they actually think it's pretty funny you managed to make him so angry."

"The worst thing is; I don't know why he hates me so much."

"Uh...because he like, hates everyone, maybe? Don't worry Evie, he's just some drunk loser; no-one cares what he thinks."

Later that day I ended up standing outside the detention room praying for the next hour to pass as quickly as possible. I was called inside before Gerard had even showed up, and as I sat down I was beginning to think he wasn't going to show.

Wishful thinking.

I had been sat tapping my pen on the desk for five minutes when the door opened and in walked the boy himself. His eyes scowled at everything he cast them across from under his thick black fringe before he sat down in the only available seat - next to me. Once the teacher (I didn't know his name) had gotten the 'you're late, you must stay an extra blah blah blah' out of the way, he announced that we would not simply be sitting in silence in these sessions.

"I understand you two have some issues between you," he went on happily, "so I've come up with a few teamwork activities to help combat your problems."

"Fuck sake," I heard Gerard muttered quietly.

The first of our teacher's - Mr Jones - activities was staged in the library. Reorganising books was something I never thought would take as much concentration as it did. Our job was to put returned books back onto the shelves in order. In all honesty, I didn't realise how many people actually used the library, but it turned out to be a lot. I would be one of them if it wasn't forbidden by my friends.

Gerard split the pile of books we were given and disappeared without a word to me. This suited me fine, so I took my pile and set to work. I left him behind to catch up on his time without saying a word to him all session.

"How was detention with Gerard Way?" Taylor asked me in registration the next day.

"It was okay," I said truthfully, Taylor looked worried. "I didn't have to say anything to him, or even look at him."

"Oh," she sounded disappointed.

In our next detention together, we were rearranging furniture in one of the history classrooms. This meant actually working together as some things were too heavy to lift for one of us. It didn't stop Gerard from trying to sit it and out and leave it all up to me, but after dropping a book on my foot whilst attempting to move a small bookshelf, I lost my temper and told him to get up off his arse and help.

We left on a little bit of a high note that night, sharing a few laughs over our fails. Mr Jones seemed happy with the progress we were making.

Day three was Wednesday and Mr Jones was replaced with Mr Baynes, a favourite teacher of both Gerard and myself. He was the art teacher and, although I wasn't particularly great at art, he was still cool and laid back with me. Mr Baynes had suggested we design a collage together. Although he was a cool teacher, I hated him for what he was making us do. I also hated him for treating us both like children. I could understand with Gerard, but I was much more mature.

We both started in different corners of a large piece of blank paper with pencils and materials in front of us. I decided to base my collage on England, while Gerard seemed to have chosen some kind of comic book theme.

By the end of our detention, we had almost completed our collage. Gerard's superheroes had invaded my England, with Batman riding the London Eye whilst Wolverine held it up. Big Ben and the Empire State had merged with Spiderman scaling one side and other heroes that I didn't recognise were scattered about both worlds. It was kind of cool, in a way, and we were both pleased with it.

Once out of the school building, we began on our separate ways.

"I guess I'll uh...see you tomorrow then," Gerard muttered as I turned towards the school gate.

"Yeah," I said, stunned, "guess so."

I watched him briefly as he walked towards his car, then spun around and continued my walk home.

Notes

I hate how fast this chapter moves. Heh.