Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams
Chapter One
It began when I was 14….
“Gerard, Mikey get up! You’ll be late for school!” Mrs Way yelled. Mikey’s eyes fluttered open, his head pounding with an excruciating pain. He rubbed his temples impatiently, instantly regretting the night before. “I really shouldn’t have gone last night.” He muttered angrily to himself. He dragged himself out of bed, a sense of unease rising in his stomach as he pulled on his clothes. He slowly wandered over to Gerard’s room, hammering his fist on the door before walking inside. “Gerard you arsehole get up” He groaned, leaning against the doorframe. He really wasn’t in the mood for his shit today.
Gerard hid under the covers. “Gimme five minutes” he mumbled, closing his eyes. Mikey smiled, a feeling of love swept over him. “Lazy sod” he thought quietly before quietly closing the door. He couldn’t hate him. He did show him a good time last night, it was the most fun he had had in ages; even if the hangover was killing him. He trudged down the stairs and into the kitchen to find his father sitting at the table reading his paper while their mother made them breakfast. A heavy silence hung in the air. Mikey glanced from his mother to his father; hoping one of them would break the silence.
“Morning?” he said uncertainly.
Mrs Way quickly turned, flashing her son a false smile as she wished him good morning. “Is your brother up yet?” She asked, folding her arms against her chest. Mikey shook his head. “He’s probably still in bed” He shrugged, eyeing his father who appeared to be ignoring him. His mother sighed, her smile fading as she walked out of the room and wandered up the stairs; hurling Mikey and his father into an awkward silence. “Dad?” he said nervously, wondering what he had done to annoy him. His father slowly folded up the paper, not daring to look at him.
“Michael, do I look like an idiot to you?” He asked, his voice dangerously calm as his eyes fixed upon his son, staring at him as though he were prey. Mikey figited uncomfortably in his seat, swallowing hard as he found himself unable to meet his father’s gaze. “No” he mumbled. His father smiled, shaking his head. “So why did I catch you at 4:30 this morning sneaking back inside?” Mikey said nothing. He didn’t dare. He knew his father had a temper; he had been at the brunt of it many times before. Instead, he hung his head in shame, silently wishing that this was all a dream and that it would all be over soon.
But it never was.
Suddenly, a large hand grabbed Mikey’s wrist, yanking his arm towards his father as he began crushing his bones. “If you dare disobey me again, I’ll make sure you never leave this house again… understand?” He whispered softly, locking eyes with his terrified son. Mikey quickly nodded, whimpering as a sharp pain flared in his wrist. His father let go, saying nothing as he returned to his paper. Mikey held his wrist against his chest, tears stung in his eyes as he bit his lip. He couldn’t cry now, especially in front of him.
Footsteps quickly thundered down the stairs. Gerard wandered into the kitchen, squinting as the morning sun flooded through the windows. “Nice to see you’ve finally woken up” his father joked. Gerard grinned. “Shut up dad.” He moaned, rubbing his eyes. His father laughed, rising up from his chair and began to pour coffee into a nearby mug. “Here, you look like you need it” he said, offering his son the drink. Gerard accepted it gratefully, sipping its bittersweet taste as he leaned against the counter, cautiously eyeing his brother. He hated the way his father treated him. Mikey was a sweet kid, he could never understand why he hated him so much?
“I’m heading into Parliament today, seems like we’re on track to win this year” Mr Way boasted, smiling proudly at his son. Gerard nodded, “why’s that?” he asked placing his mug on the counter. “This country is finally seeing the light son. By the time we’re finished, fags will be a thing of the past” he replied coldly. Gerard smiled, trying to conceal the horror in his eyes. They both hated their father for his work. The United Conservative Party was one of the most homophobic and racist political parties in England, godknows why people were voting for them.
He quickly glanced at the counter on the wall, moving towards the door. “We’ve got to head of now, let me know how it goes” Gerard said cheerily, leading his brother out of the house.
****
“I’m sorry”
Mikey glanced over at Gerard, dumbfounded by his sudden apology. “What?” He asked, raising an eyebrow at him. Gerard sighed, his eyes falling to the floor as guilt pained across his face. “I’m sorry for the things he does to you” He replied quietly, unable to look at his brother. Mikey smiled, nudging Gerard as they entered the school gates. “It’s not as bad as you think” He lied, offering him a false smile.
“So how’s you and Lydia” He asked quietly as they made their way over to the old oak tree which stood grandly in the center of the courtyard, the summer breeze rustling the leaves as the sun shone down upon them; warming them with its midday glow. Gerard took out a pair of dark sunglasses from his blazer pocket and sighed; trying to avoid Mikey’s gaze. “We’re ok I guess” He said unconvincingly. Mikey raised an eyebrow, opening his mouth to speak before Gerard walked on ahead of him, striding behind the tree. Mikey followed him and found Gerard and Lydia sitting on the benches. Mikey took a seat next to Gerard, who wore a scruffy uniform without a tie. “Got dressed in the dark did we?” Lydia joked said as she undone her top button, loosening her tie. Gerard said nothing, grinning as Mikey her the finger.
He glanced over to Zoe and Ciara, who still hadn’t noticed he was here. He wasn’t surprised; usually when they were together Zoe couldn’t keep her eyes off her. “Hi Zoe” Mikey called out. Zoe stopped, combing her fingers through her hair as she turned her head to face him; a crooked smile sprawled across his face. “Hey Mikes, sorry I was a bit preoccupied” She smirked, nudging Ciara’s arm. She gasped, giggling as she nudged her back. “Shut up” She laughed, her dark green eyes sparkled in the sunlight as she smiled.
The bell rang shortly after, signaling the beginning of the school day. Mikey walked off, pushing his hair off his face as he headed over to the art department; at least there he could get some peace. He opened the door to find the class empty except for a young, dark headed boy who rested his head on the desk. “Erm art class is on right?” Mikey asked, slightly warily. The dark haired boy raised his head, shrugging as he slumped back in his seat. “No one was here when I turned up” He replied, his eyes fixed on Mikey. Mikey shifted uncomfortably, he was always awkward around new people. He ran his fingers through his hair as he slowly walked towards the table; clearing his throat. “I’m Mikey by the way” He said, sitting down beside him and dumping his bag on the floor. The boy smiled, nodding in reply. “I’m Frank.” He said, linking his hands together on the table.
And that’s how I met Frank Iero.
Looking back, I sometimes wish I had made a different decision that day. If I had said goodbye to my friends, if I had taken a different route to class, if I hadn’t wanted to get there so damn early… then maybe none of this would ever of happened.
“Gerard, Mikey get up! You’ll be late for school!” Mrs Way yelled. Mikey’s eyes fluttered open, his head pounding with an excruciating pain. He rubbed his temples impatiently, instantly regretting the night before. “I really shouldn’t have gone last night.” He muttered angrily to himself. He dragged himself out of bed, a sense of unease rising in his stomach as he pulled on his clothes. He slowly wandered over to Gerard’s room, hammering his fist on the door before walking inside. “Gerard you arsehole get up” He groaned, leaning against the doorframe. He really wasn’t in the mood for his shit today.
Gerard hid under the covers. “Gimme five minutes” he mumbled, closing his eyes. Mikey smiled, a feeling of love swept over him. “Lazy sod” he thought quietly before quietly closing the door. He couldn’t hate him. He did show him a good time last night, it was the most fun he had had in ages; even if the hangover was killing him. He trudged down the stairs and into the kitchen to find his father sitting at the table reading his paper while their mother made them breakfast. A heavy silence hung in the air. Mikey glanced from his mother to his father; hoping one of them would break the silence.
“Morning?” he said uncertainly.
Mrs Way quickly turned, flashing her son a false smile as she wished him good morning. “Is your brother up yet?” She asked, folding her arms against her chest. Mikey shook his head. “He’s probably still in bed” He shrugged, eyeing his father who appeared to be ignoring him. His mother sighed, her smile fading as she walked out of the room and wandered up the stairs; hurling Mikey and his father into an awkward silence. “Dad?” he said nervously, wondering what he had done to annoy him. His father slowly folded up the paper, not daring to look at him.
“Michael, do I look like an idiot to you?” He asked, his voice dangerously calm as his eyes fixed upon his son, staring at him as though he were prey. Mikey figited uncomfortably in his seat, swallowing hard as he found himself unable to meet his father’s gaze. “No” he mumbled. His father smiled, shaking his head. “So why did I catch you at 4:30 this morning sneaking back inside?” Mikey said nothing. He didn’t dare. He knew his father had a temper; he had been at the brunt of it many times before. Instead, he hung his head in shame, silently wishing that this was all a dream and that it would all be over soon.
But it never was.
Suddenly, a large hand grabbed Mikey’s wrist, yanking his arm towards his father as he began crushing his bones. “If you dare disobey me again, I’ll make sure you never leave this house again… understand?” He whispered softly, locking eyes with his terrified son. Mikey quickly nodded, whimpering as a sharp pain flared in his wrist. His father let go, saying nothing as he returned to his paper. Mikey held his wrist against his chest, tears stung in his eyes as he bit his lip. He couldn’t cry now, especially in front of him.
Footsteps quickly thundered down the stairs. Gerard wandered into the kitchen, squinting as the morning sun flooded through the windows. “Nice to see you’ve finally woken up” his father joked. Gerard grinned. “Shut up dad.” He moaned, rubbing his eyes. His father laughed, rising up from his chair and began to pour coffee into a nearby mug. “Here, you look like you need it” he said, offering his son the drink. Gerard accepted it gratefully, sipping its bittersweet taste as he leaned against the counter, cautiously eyeing his brother. He hated the way his father treated him. Mikey was a sweet kid, he could never understand why he hated him so much?
“I’m heading into Parliament today, seems like we’re on track to win this year” Mr Way boasted, smiling proudly at his son. Gerard nodded, “why’s that?” he asked placing his mug on the counter. “This country is finally seeing the light son. By the time we’re finished, fags will be a thing of the past” he replied coldly. Gerard smiled, trying to conceal the horror in his eyes. They both hated their father for his work. The United Conservative Party was one of the most homophobic and racist political parties in England, godknows why people were voting for them.
He quickly glanced at the counter on the wall, moving towards the door. “We’ve got to head of now, let me know how it goes” Gerard said cheerily, leading his brother out of the house.
****
“I’m sorry”
Mikey glanced over at Gerard, dumbfounded by his sudden apology. “What?” He asked, raising an eyebrow at him. Gerard sighed, his eyes falling to the floor as guilt pained across his face. “I’m sorry for the things he does to you” He replied quietly, unable to look at his brother. Mikey smiled, nudging Gerard as they entered the school gates. “It’s not as bad as you think” He lied, offering him a false smile.
“So how’s you and Lydia” He asked quietly as they made their way over to the old oak tree which stood grandly in the center of the courtyard, the summer breeze rustling the leaves as the sun shone down upon them; warming them with its midday glow. Gerard took out a pair of dark sunglasses from his blazer pocket and sighed; trying to avoid Mikey’s gaze. “We’re ok I guess” He said unconvincingly. Mikey raised an eyebrow, opening his mouth to speak before Gerard walked on ahead of him, striding behind the tree. Mikey followed him and found Gerard and Lydia sitting on the benches. Mikey took a seat next to Gerard, who wore a scruffy uniform without a tie. “Got dressed in the dark did we?” Lydia joked said as she undone her top button, loosening her tie. Gerard said nothing, grinning as Mikey her the finger.
He glanced over to Zoe and Ciara, who still hadn’t noticed he was here. He wasn’t surprised; usually when they were together Zoe couldn’t keep her eyes off her. “Hi Zoe” Mikey called out. Zoe stopped, combing her fingers through her hair as she turned her head to face him; a crooked smile sprawled across his face. “Hey Mikes, sorry I was a bit preoccupied” She smirked, nudging Ciara’s arm. She gasped, giggling as she nudged her back. “Shut up” She laughed, her dark green eyes sparkled in the sunlight as she smiled.
The bell rang shortly after, signaling the beginning of the school day. Mikey walked off, pushing his hair off his face as he headed over to the art department; at least there he could get some peace. He opened the door to find the class empty except for a young, dark headed boy who rested his head on the desk. “Erm art class is on right?” Mikey asked, slightly warily. The dark haired boy raised his head, shrugging as he slumped back in his seat. “No one was here when I turned up” He replied, his eyes fixed on Mikey. Mikey shifted uncomfortably, he was always awkward around new people. He ran his fingers through his hair as he slowly walked towards the table; clearing his throat. “I’m Mikey by the way” He said, sitting down beside him and dumping his bag on the floor. The boy smiled, nodding in reply. “I’m Frank.” He said, linking his hands together on the table.
And that’s how I met Frank Iero.
Looking back, I sometimes wish I had made a different decision that day. If I had said goodbye to my friends, if I had taken a different route to class, if I hadn’t wanted to get there so damn early… then maybe none of this would ever of happened.
Notes
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Oh my goodness this is really good! Please, please update soon!
1/11/15