Let Me Teach You A Thing Or Two

We arrive at Starbucks, finally. Ray shuts off the ignition as I pop out the CD. They say it's bad to leave CD's in the CD player because it could get stuck or ruined. I'm not risking that. Right when I was about to ask Ray where to case was to the CD was the door slams, which makes me jump. I turn around in my seat to see that everyone is either confused or surprised by the sudden slam of the door. Next thing you know there is Ray by Jada's door opening it for her. She blushes and gets out leaving her bag. I look at the guys with raised eyebrows, they just shrug and open the other door and climb out. I turn around back in my seat and continue searching for the case. In the background I hear Bob and Mikey tease Ray. Shaking my head I finally find the case, place the CD in, then get out of the car. Ray is standing there day dreaming. I shut my door and lean against it. We watch as Bob and Mikey catch up to Jada.

"I've never seen you act this way," I speak up to break the silence.

"I've never felt this way before," Ray confesses, as he looks at the ground, kicking a rock before looking up again.

"Looks like someone is starstruck," I joke with a chuckle. I slap his back and begin walking towards the building.

I don't hear any foot steps following me so I turn around to see what he was doing. I open my arms up wide, "C'mon dude!" I need my coffee goddammit. He laughs and jog up next to me. I turn around and next thing I feel is Ray's arm go around my shoulders. I pull open the door and stop in my spot.

There he is, Mr. Iero. He has his laptop out and he seems really into something. Has his ear buds in so he's very wired in. I should say something to him, maybe like hi? No that's so stupid. Ugh, c'mon Gee you are his student not his friend! Not that I wouldn't mind that… He seems really cool.

I get cut out of my trance by getting knocked into by Ray, "What the hell dude?"

"I…uh nothing," i mumble as I walk over to guys, including Jada just because she's a girl doesn't mean I won't call them the 'guys'. I don't want to sound sextist but… yeah.

"Did you guys order?" Ray ask's as I grab a chair because there aren't enough at the table, thanks guys. I place it between Bob and Ray, but I place the back of the chair in the front and put my legs on either side of it. I find it comfortable personally.

"Nope, we waited for you," Mikey responded, wow what a gentleman.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Lets go order!" I say as I get up. Mikey and Bob walk up with me to order. I look at Mikey hoping he'll have some cash to spare.

"Hey Mikey, can I borrow a few bucks? I'll pay you back," I beg with puppy eyes, he just snorts.

He pulls out his wallet and hands me a 10,"Your the best Mikey!"

"I know."

Mikey and Bob order their drinks then sit back at the table. They begin talking to Jada and soon enough the guy calls their orders. I just take them and order mine. Once I received my drink I put it in one of those coasters along with theirs just to make it easier. I turn around to head back when I almost bump into someone.

"I'm sorry, I was-" I pause when I see who it is I am talking to.

"It seems we have a tendency of running into each other," Mr. Iero acknowledges, his hand still on the arm with coffee in my hand so it didn't spill.

"I… uh…. sorry sir, I just didn't see you behind me," I apologize like a fool. Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid…

"It's okay Gerard," He replies with a smile that makes me melt on the inside.

"Well I uh, better get back to my friends," I say shyly.

"Alright, I'll see you around," He replies and laughs. That laugh, it will forever echo in my mind.
I walk back to the table and sit down. I rest my head on the back of the chair. By this time Mikey and Bob are drinking their coffee.

"You okay Gerard?" Jada asks.

"Yeah, I just bumped into Mr. Iero for the umpteenth time," I explain.

"Dude you are over exaggerating," Bob states.

"Shut up," I laugh and throw a napkin at him. I take a sip from my coffee and begin to daze.
I don't think I ever said if I was gay or not. To be honest I am Bi, I don't like to tied down to one gender. Mr. Iero makes me question if I'm more gay then actually bi. He is such a beautiful man, with his tattoos on his hands. The one's on his knuckles spell something but I have no idea what. I'm kinda determined to find out… WAIT GERARD WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? A hand suddenly appears in front of my face which brings me out of my daze.

"Hello! Earth to Gerard!?" Ray yells sarcastically.

"Huh?" I reply, "Shit, sorry dude. Were you talking to me?"

"No one was, where is you mind at?" Bob asks before taking a sip of coffee.

"Ugh, I don't know dude," I sigh, you don't want to know, I look at my coffee and swig it around in my hand before taking a sip. I have to get my head together.

"I'm sorry but I have to get going," Jada apologizes standing up ready to leave.

"No sweat I'll unlock the car so you can get your bag or I can drive you to your house," Ray suggests, I look over at Jada who is pushing her chair. I'm just sipping my coffee watching this all play through.

"Um… you can just unlock the car so I can get my, my mom is actually here," she says, wow what a party pooper.

"Alright, I'll be right back guys," Ray and Jada head towards the door. I look over at the guys, we all look at each other then check if they have left yet. We all have the same idea, we run over towards a table close to a window looking out to the parking lot. Mikey leaning over the table, Bob is in one chair, and I in another. Ray pulls out his keys and unlocks the car. Once he hands her, her bag she seems to say something. Out of no where Ray takes her hand and kiss the back of it, his eyes never leaving hers.

Mikey, Bob and I all look at each other with utter surprise written on our faces. I certainly had my mouth wide open. I focus back on Ray and Jada, he says something to her. She slowly backs away hitting the car a bit. Ray replies to what ever she said and slides on his shades. Jada runs over to a car and slams the door. Ray starts to walk back towards the building.

"Shit," I mumble. We all stumble trying to get back to our spots before he notices that moved and spied. Well technology you can see what happened from where we sit now but not as well as where we were. Ray slides into his chair and looks over at me. My eyes are opened wide and my mouth begins to open slowly.

"What?" He asked confused, OH COME ON LIKE YOU DON'T KNOW.

"DUDE THAT WAS TOTALLY SMOOTH AS FUCK!!!!" I freak out. The guys start slow clapping, only quietly though so no one stares at us.

"Dude, tell me your ways," Mikey says.

"I have no words Toro," Bob states, by this point they have stopped clapping and went back to their coffee.

Ray slumps down in his chair slinging one arm over the back of it, "Well boys, you can actually learn a thing or two form me."

I don't think you can teach me how to flirt with a teacher. I giggle to myself and shake myself, knock it off Gerard! A. You barely know Mr. Iero. B. HE'S YOUR FUCKING TEACHER.

"C'mon guys lets head back to my place," I say as I get up and throw away my garbage. I see Mr. Iero sitting right in front of it and peak over his shoulder to see what he is working on his laptop. All I can make out is the name Pencey Prep. Under that was a picture was a bunch of dudes, one of them being him. By the looks of it he is/was the lead singer. My eyes are wide as I walk back to the table.

"What's wrong Gee? It looks like you've just seen a ghost or something," Bob says. I just wave my arm as if saying 'c'mon lets leave already'.

We leave Starbucks and go to my house, I run up the front steps and unlock the door. The guys follow behind, I head up stairs to my room and open up my laptop. I open up a new window and put YouTube in the URL.

"What's going on Gerard?" Mikey asks as he sits on my bed and falls backwards so that way his legs are hanging off.

"AH HA!" I exclaim excitedly. Ray leans over my shoulder to read what i found.

"Pencey Prep," Ray reads out loud, "Why are you looking up this band?"

"Because I looked over Mr. Iero's shoulder in Starbucks like a nosey nelly I am and I saw a picture of him in this band so I was curious of what they sound like," I explain.

"SO THATS WHY YOU LOOK LIKE YOU SAW A GHOST!" Bob yelled like he figured out clue or something.

"Yes Sherlock," I reply sarcastically.

"Well, lets hear it," Mikey says propped up on his elbows.

"Alright, I'll pick 19," I say out loud. I turn up the volume and the song starts to fill the air.

'I wear myself too thin
Can't help myself this time
I'm on the outside looking in
Can't see my self this time
Don't wanna go
Don't wanna go
Don't wanna drive back home
There's nothing left for me
It's 1 AM
It's 2 AM
It's 4 in the morning
Did I think she'd be here?
Did I fool myself again?
I think I did
I think I fooled myself again
Again, again, again
I've fooled myself again
If I spend just one
Just one more night
Just one more night
Being mediocre
Just one more night
Just one more night
Then I'll scream at the top of my lungs
Just one more night
Just one more night
Being mediocre
Just one more night
Just one more night
Then I'll scream at the top of my lungs
But it falls on deaf ears
I wear myself too thin
Can't help myself this time
I'm on the outside looking in
Can't see my self this time
Don't wanna go
Don't wanna go
Don't wanna drive back home
There's nothing left for me
It's 1 AM
It's 2 AM
It's 4 in the morning
Did I think she'd be here?
Did I fool myself again?
I think I did
I think I fooled myself again
Again, again, again
I've fooled myself again
If I spend just one
Just one more night
Just one more night
Being mediocre
Just one more night
Just one more night
Then I'll scream at the top of my lungs
Just one more night
Just one more night
Being mediocre
Just one more night
Just one more night
Then I'll scream at the top of my lungs
I scream out loud,
but no one hears a sound.
I take my life with lack of sleep.
I believe the things I feel,
The things I see are fooling only me.
scream out loud,
but no one hears a sound.
I take my life with lack of sleep.
I believe the things I feel,
The things I see are fooling only me.'

The song finally ends and we all sit here in silence. I close my computer and spin around in my chair to look at the guys. Ray is leaning against a wall, Bob is sitting on the floor leaning against the bed with his legs close to his chest and Mikey is back to laying flat on his back.

"Whoa," Mikey was the first one to break the ice.

"I did not see that coming," Ray spoke up.

"Your telling me," I mumble. I look over at my clock its only 4. Jeez time flies when you are having fun.

"Hey Ray, I think you should learn the guitar parts to this song and Mikey you should learn the bass parts," I think out loud.

"Why?" Ray asks.

"Because we should surprise the fuck out of him one day," I explain.

"Meh, I don't see why not," Mikey finally speaks up.

"What are you going to do?" Bob asks.

"Sing it," I say as a smile grows on my face. For the next hours we spend our time learning the song, until it was time for the guys to leave.

"Yo, I can't wait to see Mr. Iero's face when he sees slash hears what we learned," Mikey says.

"Neither can I," I reply.

"Welp I'm going to catch some Z's" Mikey yawns, I say my good night and he leaves my room shutting the door behind him.

I stand up from sitting so long and stretch out everything. I open a draw and search for my star wars PJ bottoms. Once I get changed I hop into bed and hope that tomorrow will go by smoothly.

Notes

okay so this chapter wasnt going to be as long as it came out to be it originally was suppose to stop at the coffee shop but then I was like nah my readers deserve more. It's 11:45 pm and last night I only got 4 hrs of sleep so I'm hoping to get more tonight. Drop a comment, I love reading each one. Btw 19 is my favorite song by Pencey Prep.

~Liz (song atm: Hello, Brooklyn by ATL)