Always

“You can’t be serious!” Frank yelled. The two of us were sitting in my yellow 1984 Honda. Frank hit his head against the seat angrily.

“Frank, stop,” I chuckled, grabbing his shoulder. “I outweighed the pros and cons.”

Frank glared at me. “The cons must outweigh the pros. Or the pros must be the cons,” he yelled again.

“Frank,” I grabbed the side of his face with my two hands. “That doesn’t even make sense. Besides, Frank, I’m not going out with him on the date or whatever the fuck it is. He asked me and I kindly declined.”

Frank exhaled in relief. “Well, good,” Frank sighed. He pushed my hands away and looked out the window.

“Well, good,” I mocked. “Besides, your show is this Saturday so I told him that. I said Friday is better if we want to go out.”

Frank whipped his head back to me. “What?” Frank questioned. “So you are going out with him?” I rolled my eyes.

“No,” I said. “As much as I want to get laid, he has feelings for me. Ew. I would rather have a one night stand with no consequences or feelings or whatever.” I looked away from Frank.

“A one night stand?” he asked. “You have slept with more people than I have.”

“Shut up, Frankie,” I said, furiously. “I like to have sex just as much as the next person. Just because I am female doesn’t mean shit. Guys don’t seem to mind it when I offer anyway.”

Frank exhaled loudly. “That’s not my problem,” Frank said.

"Then what is your problem?” I questioned, glowering at Frank.

He was fidgeting with his fingers. “Let’s get to class, Danielle,” Frank sighed.

Frank opened up the passenger side door and ran around my car to get my door. I stepped out of my car and looked at Frank who glanced away. He seized my hand immediately and walked me to the school steps where we saw the rest of our friends. Gerard was the first person to run up to me and hug me.

“Danny!” he screamed, excitably. “Gerard,” I whispered in his hair.

“What’s up, man?” Gerard released me from the hug and then hugged Frank. The rest of the crew got up – Ray and Mikey – and came over to hug me.

“Please don’t go out with that asshole,” Ray said, lowering his eyes at me.

I stared at Frank. “You told them?” I asked.

Frank didn’t say a word.

“I’m not going on a date with anyone,” I said. “I think you guys know me well enough to know I don’t date and I don’t fall in love and I would rather just have a one night stand and move on with my life and I’m done with this run on sentence.”

Frank grabbed my wrist and forced me inside our high school. He held me wrist all the way to our lockers, which we shared.

“Okay, Frank,” I roughly said, “I know it’s Monday, but knock off this grumpy Monday bullshit. I’m going to your show on Saturday with the guys and I’m not bringing anyone. I’ll be your biggest fan like always.” I bumped by hips into Frank.

“Yeah, Danny,” he mumbled. “I just don’t need to see you get hurt or sleep with another guy for the amusement or whatever you get off from it. I’m here for you, Danny. We have been friends since toddlers. I worry. I’m like a dad to you.”

I shoved Frank playfully. “Come on!” I laughed. “That’s just gross. And besides, you know how I am. I don’t fall in love. Love is stupid and pointless. I’d rather just follow you in My Chemical Romance for a life time.”

“Well, you know how I worry about you,” Frank smiled. “You’re the only girl in our group. What do you expect me from me?”

I chortled, “I don’t know. You know I’m okay with being alone as long as I got you guys.”

Frank hugged me. “We love you,” Frank murmured into my ear. “You’re our one and only Danny.”

My first class was actually with Gerard Way. He and I were rather closer to each other. We knew each other for seven years now. I taught Gerard how to play guitar actually, but singing and writing was more his thing. Gerard was the only one who didn’t worry about me when I was drunk and trying to get laid at parties or even their shows. That’s what I liked about him. He accepted me for who I was. He only made sure I got home on time since I lived with the Way’s. My parents kicked me out of their home as a freshman in high school since my mom couldn’t choose between me and my stepdad. Anyway, Gerard was okay with my weirdness. We met at comic book store and he said I was the only girl he met that read comics. From there we were best friends. I walked into the classroom and saw Gerard in the way back with his head down. He was focusing on his drawing.

“Gerard, hello,” I greeted him, ruffling his hair then sitting down in my seat.

“Dan,” he smiled. “It’s not even noon and you and Frank got in an argument already?

“You got to be kidding me,” I whined. “How do you know?”

“We have Mikey, Bob, and Ray in our group who gossip more than a group of hens,” Gerard chortled. He looked up from his drawing and stared at me. “So, who are you sleeping with this weekend?”

“No one, asshole,” I stated. I threw my pen at Gerard. “I’m going to be at your show on Saturday and if I leave with someone I’ll let you know. But now, I’m really not planning on it because Frank is being a little girl.”

“Did you guys hug out it and say I love you?” Gerard handed my pen back and his greasy hair fell in front of his eyes. I pushed his hair behind his ears.

“Always,” I said. “It’s like our tradition. We argue, get really angry at each other, and then we hug it out. We fight about something usually every morning. It’s just how we are.”

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure he meant ‘I love you’ a little bit more than you.” Gerard raised his eyebrows.

I looked at Gerard sternly.

“I’m serious!” he screeched.

“I’m serious when I say shut your mouth. How many times have we talked about this?” I asked, putting a finger to Gerard’s mouth when he tried to speak. “I don’t fall in love. I don’t love. I don’t believe in love. Frank and I are best friends until the end. That’s final.” I put my finger down and dropped my head to my desk.

“Stop acting tough, Danny,” Gerard whispered, not trying to get caught by the teacher. “I know you, actually a little bit more than Frank. You aren’t as tough as the show you put on. Be yourself. Stop trying so hard.”

I sighed and lifted my head up to look at Gerard. “Gee, darling, I just want to have a good time and prove myself wrong.” I dropped my head to the desk again.

Notes

Thanks for reading and comments are always very much appreciated. (:





-christy-