I managed to go the rest of the week and the weekend without seeing Gerard again. Oh, I went to school… I just skipped his classes. After the cruel things he said to me, I couldn’t face him. He makes me feel so angry and sad and annoyed. If I end up failing Art, it wouldn’t be the worst thing to happen.

On Monday morning, Delilah met me outside the school again – a regular routine now – and she asked if I was going to Art today, “I can’t Delilah… That guy… I can’t work in that way.” It was getting harder and harder to lie to Delilah, but I had to keep quiet about it. Although I had threatened Gerard that I would go to the police, it was probably something I wasn’t going to do. If Delilah knew, she would make me go.

She nodded, “Yeah, I understand… But don’t think he hasn’t noticed, Sam. Remember how he was with Evan last week?” I nodded, “Well, it’s like that. I don’t think anyone else in class has realized, but I have… It’s because you’re not there.”

I stopped and stared at my friend, panicking a little. Did she already know? “What do you mean?”

Delilah sighed, and I panicked a little more, “Call me crazy, Sam. I know Mr Way is an ass – well he’s much more than an ass – and I know he doesn’t like human beings, but… I think he likes you.”

I raised my eyebrows, almost wanting to laugh. I knew more than anyone that Gerard Way did not like me, “What do you mean?” I repeated.

Delilah seemed amused by this herself as she giggled, “I know! Like I said it’s crazy. But before you came to this school, how he was with Evan was how he was with everyone… He had calmed down when you got here. I realize it’s creepy to think about it, because he’s our teacher, but that’s not what I mean when I say he likes you. I just mean that… Oh! I don’t even know what I mean!” She laughed before continuing, “Look, Mr Way definitely likes you. I don’t mean he-has-a-crush-on-you way, just that… You’re the only human on this planet he can at least tolerate, even if it’s only a little bit.”

That wasn’t true. He has Mikey and Frank who he appears to get on really well with, but Delilah wasn’t to know this. I just forced a smile, “Well don’t I feel special.” Delilah laughed a little more and we went to class.

Up until lunch, it had been a very unproductive day – but to me that was good. I needed boring. It felt nice after everything that had gone on with Gerard. I welcomed boring.

I sat at the regular table that Delilah, Tom, Suzanne and I sat, where Tom was already waiting, “Hi!” he greeted me with a large smile on his face. I felt bad, with everything that had been going on, I hadn’t spent any time with my friends. And I certainly hadn’t had the chance to talk to Tom about what happened before Christmas – the kiss we shared on the same day my parents met Gerard and had a personality transplant.

I smiled back at Tom then noticed he looked slightly nervous. Oh no, not again, “What’s wrong?” I asked.

It took him a while to speak, but when he did, I wasn’t surprised, “I was wondering if… if you wanted to… go out… sometime? A movie or something… Just the two of us?”

I liked Tom, I really did. He was a great friend to me, and was just a great guy. But I didn’t feel that way about him. Everything about Tom said ‘perfect boyfriend’ but I just wasn’t looking for anything right now. So I told him as much. He was hurt, I could see it, “I’m sorry, Tom.” It was better to tell him no now instead of going out with him then telling him this was how I felt.

Tom shook his head, “No, it’s fine. It was a long shot anyway…” He shrugged and went back to his food, just as Delilah and Suzanne came over to join us.

“So have you changed your mind about Art today?” Delilah asked as she sat down, not noticing the tension between Tom and me. I shook my head, “C’mon, Sam! I can’t stand it without you. Please?”

I shook my head again, “Not today.” She looked disappointed, “Look, there’s been an entire weekend since last class; maybe he’ll be better today. If he’s not, tell me, and I’ll go tomorrow… I promise.” Delilah reluctantly agreed.

I left school after my English class finished, as I was skipping Art. I was surprised Gerard hadn’t attempted to contact anyone about my absence. The more I thought about it, the more I thought how out of character that was of him to just let me skip his class. Maybe my threat had really gotten to him and decided to let it go?

I made it home just in time, as it had begun to pour with rain as I closed the door, and I didn’t have an umbrella with me. This was nice. I liked it when I rained, seeing other people rush by with newspapers or coats over their heads. I found it amusing.

My parents arrived home at their usual time of six. Although my mom didn’t work, she had been spending a lot more time with my dad at his office. Their behaviour had begun to annoy me. Surely whatever was bothering them about Gerard would have passed by now. They acknowledged me with a hello then went to the kitchen to make dinner, although I wasn’t really feeling hungry.

While my dad was cutting up some vegetables for dinner, my mom knocked on my bedroom door, “Sam, you remember what today is?” I looked at my calendar and nodded. It was my late Uncle Tim’s birthday, “Have you been to the cemetery yet?” I shook my head and my mom sighed, “Well, could you go please?”

I gazed outside for a moment and thought my mom was joking, “It’s pouring mom and I don’t have a car. Can’t I just go tomorrow?”

My mom had a look of hurt in her eyes. She was very close with her brother, and so was I. I loved my uncle more than any other family member besides my parents. It was horrible when he died, “But you always go on this day,” she said, like she didn’t hear most of what I had said.

“I know. But like I said I don’t have a car, the walk to the cemetery is at least a half hour.” It was frustrating that I had my licence but didn’t yet have a car, and I was very rarely allowed to use my mom or my dad’s car.

But my mom surprised me this time and threw me her keys, “Take my car… You are going, Sam. He was your uncle.”

When I arrived at the cemetery, it rain had not stopped at all, but I had my umbrella with me this time and a coat. Before arriving here, I stopped off to get some flowers, though it seemed pointless as the rain would only ruin them.

As I walking toward my uncle’s gravestone, I saw a man dressed all in black – pants, shirt, tie, shoes and blazer. No umbrella, no coat. He was drenched. Only on a second glance at the man did I realize that it was Gerard. My walking slowed as I stared. He looked so sad; his hands stuffed in his pockets, some new flowers were on the ground in front of him. He looked as though he was crying.

He then looked up and saw me, and my walking speed increased again. I didn’t mean to stare, but he looked so lost and alone, and I found myself feeling sorry for him.

I quickly dropped off the flowers and said ‘happy birthday’ before leaving again. I would normally spend more time here, but didn’t want to run into Gerard. As I walking back up the path, I no longer saw Gerard. He had left. I was the only person here now.

So, I was really surprised when a hand gripped my arm and turned me towards them. I screamed and dropped my umbrella. The hand released me and I stumbled back to see that it was Gerard. Of course. It’s always Gerard.

In those few seconds, I had now become extremely wet from the rain, but I didn’t care as I stared at Gerard, in the same broken mess I saw him just moments ago. He didn’t say anything for a while. We just looked at each other.

When I thought enough time had passed, I went to pick up my umbrella, but his voice stopped me, “I never used to be like this.”

I stared back again confused, “What?” I must have heard him wrong.

He stepped closer to me and grabbed my shoulders, “I never used to be like this. This… poor excuse of a man. There’s a reason I am the way I am… And I want you to know.” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Was this really it? After all this time of trying to find out why he was so horrible all the time, he was just gonna tell me?

He pulled me closer to him in an awkward hug that probably wasn’t meant to be a hug and he spoke softly in my ear, “I wanna tell you everything.”