Bert McCracken:
I was sleeping, ever so perfectly, until the garage door opened. Who the hell just woke me up from my beautiful dreams? I had been dreaming of the memories from long ago, the ones I would forever cherish. I was dreaming about her again. I could never stop thinking about her. I would never stop loving her.

Frank Izero, as I liked to call him, was the ass who had woken me from my beauty sleep. “Hey,” He paused, looking to see my angry expression. “Whatcha doin’?”

Ah, well this will be fun, I thought as I got an idea. “Well Frank,” I said as I got up off the single mattress that was tucked against the wall, lying in a corner of the garage. “You wanna know what I was doing? Well then, I’ll tell ya.” I said, stepping closer to him. “I was sleeping, dreaming of…it doesn’t matter, but anyway. Guess what?”

He gave me a look. “I’m guessing that I woke you?”

“Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner! Your prize today sir is a kick in the ass!” I quickly grabbed him and kicked him where it hurt.

Frank Iero:
“Ah!” I shouted, doubling over. “You fucking idiot! That really hurt!” I shouted, cupping my hands over where he fucking kicked me.

“Uh, ya think? That’s the point.” He smiled evilly.

“Fine. I’ve learned to never, ever, wake you up again.” I huddled against the wall to support myself, feeling dizzy from the pain.

“Well good then. So you’ll never have to go through that again” He paused for a second. “Well, except for when the poor girl you end up raping someday will turn around and do the same to escape, I’m sure.” He smirked.

I scowled at him. “What the fuck are you talking about you asshole?”

“Well how else are you going to get a girlfriend? No one will actually be willing to date you. You’re probably gonna have to force some poor girl into a relationship with you.” He laughed.

“Like I said,” I shook my head and glared. “You are a fucking asshole. You don’t know what you’re talking about. All this because I accidentally woke you up?” I asked.

“Yup, pretty much.” He shrugged.

What a fucking ass. Bert and I never fully got along. We were only around each other a lot because we were both Gerard’s friends. I tried standing straight, feeling the pain surge through me.

Mikey Way:
Now I was absolutely sure that my mother liked Gerard best, because now she was watching him sleep, which was kind of creepy. An 18-year-old’s mother, watching him sleep…I rolled my eyes and retreated from his doorway and walked into the kitchen. I was getting hungry. As I opened the fridge, my mother yelled to me.

“Mikey, make Gerard something to eat. He’s probably hungry. Poor thing, and why don’t you get your lazy ass to make us all something as well? It’s not like you have anything to do.” She yelled to me.

“Because I’m not fucking Cinderella.” I mumbled to myself and rolled my eyes.

I was surprised Gerard could sleep through hearing her loud annoying voice yelling right next to him as she sat on his bed, but then I remembered he could always sleep through just about anything.

Oh yeah, I could just feel her love for me, oh wait, no. She only had love for Gerard. Never mind me. I wanted to tell her to get her own lazy ass up and do it herself, but I had a crazy feeling that if I did so, I would get the shit knocked out of me. I had no other choice.

I told her I would, shouting back to her, but as soon as I raised my voice just a little so she could hear me, she yelled and told me not to wake up Gerard. Really? I had no control over my life, what-so-ever.

Gerard Way:
Something moved from on top of my bed, and plus the sound of people yelling back and forth, I woke up suddenly. I looked up and screamed as my eyes flashed open. “Ah!” I sat up quickly, surprised to see my mother barely 2 feet away from my face!

She scared the hell out of me! It would anyone if you had just opened your eyes and found your mother right there…in your bed, right after you were making out with your best friend. How long was she even in here? “What the hell?” I shouted at her.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Hun’. I didn’t mean to scare you.” She said as she put her hand over her heart, as if I had scared her too.

Did she actually just let me swear in front of her? “Sorry,” I said for frightening her too, but at least she didn’t have to be that close!

“It’s okay. Are you hungry?” She asked me.

“Uh, I guess?” I raised an eyebrow, because yeah, that’s something you ask someone right after scaring them. I tried not to roll my eyes, wondering why she was still sitting on my bed.

“Well I’ll go get you something.” She patted me on the shoulder and left my room.

“…Okay?”

Mikey Way:
I saw Linda leaving Gerard’s room, grabbing her purse from off the chair and was heading for the door.

“Where are you going L-mom?” I almost called her by her name again.

“Oh, yeah. We don’t need you to cook now. I’m going to get something instead.” She said, about to walk out. “You can just throw that all away.” She pointed to the plates of food in my hands that I had just finished cooking.

Oh, well that’s just real fucking nice! “Well, see you later.” She left.

“Fucking bitch!” How the hell could she just go and do something like that? Really, right after I had just finished cooking? I threw the plates on the floor in rage. I am sick and tired of her treating me like shit!

“What the hell’s your problem?” John, my father asked as he walked in through the front door. He must have just gotten home from work.

“Nothing! Everything’s just fucking fine!” I began to yell.

“Hey, watch it potty mouth!” He pointed sternly at me. “I heard you cussing all the way from outside.” Now I know where Gerard got his sarcasm from. What father would use the term ‘potty mouth’ to his 16 year old son?

I rolled my eyes. “Whatever,” I stormed past him, heading for my room.

“You better watch it!” He yelled, but I just kept walking, rolling my eyes once I had my back to him.

I went into my room, wanting to slam the door closed. I fucking hate my parents, along with my screwed up life! I wanted it all to end, the pain, just being here with everyone who had never cared made me want to give up on everything.

Right then I received a text from someone. It made me jump as it vibrated against the wood on my nightstand. I reached for it and looked to see who it was from. It was my girlfriend Fiona.

“Hey,” She sent.

“Hey beautiful,” I replied. “What’s up?”

“Listen Mikey. I think we need to talk.”

Oh shit…I stared down at the words. Anyone who ever says that, especially over a text message, usually never has anything good to say. It took me a minute before I could even focus my attention back to my phone. My head was spinning with questions on why she would say that. What did she want to talk about? Knowing my fucking luck this wasn’t going to be good.

“Hello, are you there?” She sent after I had forgotten to reply.

“Talk about what?” I questioned. I didn’t know whether to feel worried or already be sad, knowing what was to come.

“Us Mikey…” I could barely see straight. Were these tears that were blurring my vision from sorrow or pain? Why was she trying to break my heart? Wasn’t I hurting enough?

“What about us?” I texted, pressing my fingers too hard against the keys, enough to where they began to cramp as I held down the buttons.

“I’m coming over so we can talk.” That was the last thing she put, ignoring all of the other messages I sent to her, telling her over and over not to come.

I didn’t want to see her. I didn’t want to ever hear from her anymore. I knew what was going on, what she was going to say. I didn’t want to see her face ever again. I just wanted to get up and leave, to keep her from seeing me, so she couldn’t break my heart. I mean, so she couldn’t break up with me, but I knew I couldn’t do that. I knew I couldn’t just run away like a child running from their fears. I had to stay and face what was coming. I had to break up with her before she could even say a word. That way my heart wouldn’t break as easily, like she had planned. I was going to win this, not her.

Frank Iero:
“Dude, get that thing away from me.” I put my hand towards Bert's cigarette that was blowing its smoke in my face, and he wasn’t helping either as he blew it at me as well. I began choking as I could feel the nicotine burn my throat by inhaling the smoke. “Seriously, get it away!” I shouted. “I hate breathing in that shit.”

“Oh come on. It’s not that bad. You act like you don’t smell it every day being with Gerard all of the time.”

I rolled my eyes even though I knew he was right. Gerard even tasted like cigarettes. I got up, not wanting to be around that fucking smell.

That’s when I noticed someone heading for us from off in the distance. When they got closer, I realized it was Bob. He was our new drummer and had replaced Gerard’s friend Matt who had quit because he wanted to finish school first before he could be in a band. Bob was pretty much the oldest out of all of us, being held back and was 19 now. Gerard was 18, along with me and Ray while Mikey was only 16.

I just noticed the way Bob walks. It was funny just watching it. It’s not weird or ha-ha funny, but more cool and badass looking. Like a gansta.

“Hey!” He waved. I responded back the same way as he started walking faster to get to us. I guess he saw Bert with a cigarette. He must have run out again. He finally got to us. “Give me some of that shit.” He put his hand in front of Bert.

Bert looked up at him and shook his head. “Dude, you really need to stop ‘borrowing’ from me. Buy your own damn cigarettes and booze.”

Bob just looked down at him and shook his hand. Bert just lifelessly handed it over and sighed. He and I both knew Bob wasn’t going to change. “Yeah, right.” Bob took a long drag as he sat down on the curb next to Bert and handed it back. “Next time, I’m just going to have to steal a pack from my mom.” He said as he exhaled the smoke, away from me.

It turns out I like Bob, a lot more than Bert. Though, I never really like Bert before.

BAM! A loud sound echoed against the trees of the Way house’s front yard. The guys and I were sitting out on the curb in front of their drive way waiting on the others to show up.

“Get the fuck away from me Fiona!” We heard Mikey yell.

I looked back and saw him walking off their porch and away from his girlfriend. They must have gotten into a fight. Maybe he knew…

She began to follow him, trying to talk but he continued to walk away. “No Mikey! We need to talk!” She ran after him some more. He stopped and quickly spun on her.

Mikey Way:
“You know Fiona, just for the record, I saw this coming. I knew you were going to cheat on me. You could have just told me you wanted to break up so you could date other people, not just go and cheat on me!”

I was about to turn away, but she caught my arm. I shoved it back and made her let go. “Mikey, please, just listen to me.” She begged. “I have to tell you something.”

“No Fiona, telling me that you cheated was enough. I don’t want to hear anymore!” I shouted.

“But-” She began.

“Just go! It’s over Fiona! I never want to see your sorry-ass face ever again!”

“Mikey!” She scoffed.

“No! Get the hell off my property!” I pointed down the sidewalk to the street where her car sat in front of the house.

“Fine,” She huffed, leaving finally.

I never felt more relieved to see someone leaving. I was glad she was out of my life, for good, but wait…If I was so glad, then why did I feel so miserable? As soon as she drove off, everyone started to clap and began cheering, walking towards me.

“That was fucking awesome!” Gerard said, coming from standing on the porch. I guess he saw the whole thing. He held his hand out for a victory high five.

I rolled my eyes and left him hanging. “What’s your problem? You should be happy that you dumped that bitch.” He said.

“Shut up,” I told him as I headed for the garage.

“Okay then,” He said as he held up his hands up in defense.

I walked into the garage, heading straight for my bass guitar.

“You guys ready?” Bob asked us all as he got to his drums.

“Wait for me!” Ray yelled as he came running in.

Ray Toro:
I took my awesome black guitar off the stand and strapped it around myself. “Ready,” I nodded at Bob as everyone else got into place with their instruments and Gerard stood in front of the mic stand.

“Took you long enough.” Mikey grumbled.

“What’s your problem?” I asked. It wasn’t usually like him to remark at anyone like that.

Gerard shook his head and shrugged. “I ask that question every day.”

“Can we just get on with it already?” Bob asked, getting impatient.

“Ready,” Bert turned on the video camera that we always used to tape our performances.

I was the intro for the song we were starting on, and then we all came in together, performing our song I’m Not Okay (I Promise). Gerard came up with the title. It was one of my favorite songs of ours.

I’m sure anyone who would really listen to it would love it too. It was just an awesome song. Anyone could tell that we all loved playing it, just by how much we really got into it. We were almost to my favorite part, my solo, but that’s when Bert shouted for us all to stop.
Frank Iero:
“Cut, wait, stop!” Bert yelled out to everyone.

“What is it now?” I groaned in annoyance.

“I stopped you because, well that was just fucking awful!” He bluntly told us. “Y’all can do better than that, I’m sure.” Gerard sighed and I rolled his eyes. He turned the camera back on. “Now maybe if you get it right this time, I won’t have to stop…Frank.” He fake-coughed that last part. I shot my head up and glared at him.

“One, two, three,” Gerard counted and we started the song from the beginning, instead of where we left off.

We practiced the whole day until it got dark. That’s when people started heading home. We practiced a lot of our songs here in Mikey and Gerard’s garage.

“Later,” Ray's said as he started to leave.

“Tomorrow, same thing.” Gerard reminded him, pointing at him and Bob as they walked off in one direction, as the rest of us went the other way, but for some reason Mikey decided to stay behind.

“You gonna be okay?” I asked him before leaving.

“I don’t know.” He shrugged, so I sat down next to him on the curb outside of his garage. “Do you think I did the right thing by breaking up with her?” He asked me softly without looking up from his feet.

“Well, let’s see,” I said, tapping my chin. “She cheated on you, she lied to you, and she even told you that she loved you, which was a total lie.” I reminded him as I counted my list on my fingers.

He looked up at me as his the corner of his mouth turned up into a small smile. “Yeah, she was a real bitch, huh?” He chuckled.

I laughed along with him. “Yeah, that and a whore, wasn’t she?”

He nodded. “Most definitely,”

“Don’t worry,” I said, throwing an arm over his shoulder and began to ruffle his hair. “We still love ya.”

He tried to push me off. “Hey, watch the hair!”

“Oh, sorry,” I rolled my eyes. “Come on, let’s go inside.” I said as I patted his back before standing.

He nodded and we walked back into the house, talking about how we both dreaded tomorrow, our first day of going to an academy. None of us wanted to go, I was for sure of that. Why would we anyway, with having to wear that stupid uniform and damn tie? Tomorrow was going to be hell…

Gerard Way:
“Boys, wake up!” I heard Linda yell but I refused to open my eyes. Damn it, so much for sleep…

Here goes another fucking morning where we get up early and get dressed, just to go somewhere we really don’t want to be. I’m going to try my hardest to sleep in as long as I can.

“Get up!” She yelled again from in the living room.

“Dude, get up.” Frank grumbled, tugging on my long black hair.

He stayed the night last night and had shared my bed. My mother wouldn’t have thought anything of it, but it meant more than just two best friends sleeping in the same bed to us.

He began to slowly kiss me on my neck, trying to wake me up, and played with my hair. I was trying to pretend to still be asleep, but I couldn’t help but let out a giggle as his kisses tickled.

“Ah, that’s what I thought.” He chuckled.

“Please, don’t stop.” I looked up at him.

“Okay,” He smiled as he got back up on the bed from standing and pulled my face in closer.

I grabbed him by his hair this time, lying and pulling him down with me. He was halfway draped over me, but I didn’t want to be underneath him this time. So, I gripped his shoulders tightly, almost hurting him and quickly flipped him over.

His eyes widened as his head hit the pillows. “What was that for? I thought you didn’t want to stop?” He asked me in confusion.

“I don’t,” I answered to the second part, but I was going to respond to his question by showing him why I did it.

I grabbed his shirt with one hand, and with the other I ran my fingers through his hair, messing it up to look like sex hair. We were kissing for what felt like eternity, that is, until my mother walked in!

“Gerard!” She yelled in shock to what she just walked in on.

We both sat up quickly. “Ah mom! What are you doing in here?” I shouted, feeling my heart beating nervously against my chest.

“I could ask you the same thing young man!” Her voice shrieked as she just found her son making out with one of his best friends.

“I-uh…” That was all that would come out of my mouth before I had to think fast. “It’s not what it looks like?” I shrugged unconvincingly.

“Are you…?” She began to ask me if I were gay or not.

“No!” I yelled as we both stood from the bed.

“Oh, thank goodness.” She sighed in relief.


“Why? Would it really matter to you that much if I was?” I asked. “Would you have a problem with it?” I kept asking.

How would my mother feel about her own son if he actually was gay? I wasn’t, but for the sake of knowing how she felt, I wanted her to answer me before I told her who I really was.

If she did stop loving me because of who I fell in love with, I don’t think I could ever forgive her. I couldn’t stand it when people were against anyone who wasn’t straight. It isn’t anyone fault. The heart wants what the heart and wants and there was no changing the way you felt, no matter how much you wanted to. Believe me when I say, I never wanted to be this way.

She wouldn’t give me an answer and only stared at me as she remained in shock to what she just walked in on. “Mom, I am not gay, but-”

Bert McCracken:
“Whoa!” I blurted as I had just walked in to Gerard’s room and overheard a very awkward conversation.

Everyone looked up at me and I instantly saw Gerard’s saddened face as he looked to his mother. She was expressionless and almost looked as if she wasn’t even breathing. No wonder, I think Gerard just told her about us.

Frank Iero:
I chuckled slightly as Bert had just walked in. He wasn’t expecting to hear that as he came into Gerard’s bedroom. Bert did know and all, but nobody expected him to admit it to his mom so suddenly.

“Well that was interesting.” Bert mumbled as he wrapped an arm around Linda’s shoulder. “Wow mom, how do you feel about that?” He asked her. Mom? Has he always called her that?

She looked as if she didn’t know what to say.

“Who knew, huh?” Bert asked with too much sarcasm in his voice.

She shrugged his arm off. “I’m going to take a nap,” She told Gerard, without even looking up to meet him in the eyes.

“O-okay mom,” Gerard called after her as she ignored us and headed for her room.

Poor Gerard. Now he doesn’t feel like the favorite now. I wonder who will be her favorite now. It wasn’t Ger’ anymore, and I couldn’t help but laugh out loud when I thought about Mikey, but by the way she treated him, that was a definite no.

When I laughed out loud, I received weird looks from both Gerard and Bert as if I were crazy.

“What?” I shrugged.

“You are so…weird.” Bert shook his head at me.

“No I’m not.” I glared at him before leaving Gerard’s room and headed for the bathroom so I could take a shower. I had to get ready for school….kill me.

Gerard Way:
“Ha-ha, you mother doesn’t love you anymore!” Bert sang and pointed at me as he did a little dace.

“Shut the fuck up Bert. You can just…suck it.” I said as I grabbed his finger and shoved it into his mouth. “Cause that’s all you ever knew how to do.” I smirked before I grabbed my bag off the floor and made a quick exit before he could retaliate and kick my ass.

I didn’t really want to deal with his shit right now anyway, or ever. But was he right? Did she not accept me for who and what I was? And if she did, would she ever look at me the same?

Mikey Way:
Beep, Beep, Beep! My alarm clock went off again, but this time I was actually asleep, until it woke me. Thankfully it had torn me away from my dream, my nightmare. I dreamed of Fiona. Weirdly enough, it wasn’t about me. I really hope it didn’t mean anything because, well…it was about Gerard.

Gerard and Fiona? Nah, that’s not possible…is it? Well at least I don’t think so. I couldn’t be because it was just a nightmare, and it didn’t mean anything. Besides, Gerard would never do that to me.

I got up to get dressed. I really wanted to take a shower though, but yet again, I think Gerard was in there. Maybe he won't be so long this time and I can wait. We’re probably going to be late to school anyway…

Bert McCracken:
“I’m going to take a nap myself.” I told Frank, smacking his back as hard as I could without making it seem on purpose.

“Ow,” He grunted and glared at me some more.

“Later,” I waved over my shoulder as I left.

Since I was out of school, especially because I dropped out, I didn’t have to go anymore. That and I was a couple years older than the others. I left and headed for the small mattress in the garage that wasn’t even mine to sleep on.

“Don’t you have your own home to go to?” Linda asked me as I walked for the front door, knowing exactly where I was going.

“Yeah, but I prefer to spend time with you Linda. If I were to go home, I wouldn’t be able to do that, now would I?” I loved messing with her, and everyone else for that matter.

She rolled her eyes at me and walked back into her room. I started for the front door again and went outside. When I finally got to go through, I stopped and felt as though I was being watched. I turned around, searching for whoever it was, when suddenly, I was attacked me! It jumped down from a tree branch and started hitting me with the acorn in its hand!

I yelled, trying my hardest to catch it. That’s when I got the idea to take its acorn away and threw it as far as I could. There, that should do it.

Notes