Bulletproof Heart

Gerard's POV (Thursday Afternoon)

Normally I like this English class, although I'd probably never admit it. My teacher, Mrs. Kelly, cracked the corniest jokes and was forced to teach an outdated curciculum. But she worked in authors like Stephen King & Michael Crichton as she could. She never called on students who weren't paying attention in the hopes of embarrassing them. She likes us and you can tell. How many teachers can you say that about? She is the teacher that made me like reading stuff other than comics and Arthur C. Clarke. But today, I can only glower at the clock on the wall.

I chose to sit in the back row of desks, the one furthest from HER. Just a few more minutes until summer break. I couldn't wait to be away from the heartless "thing" who had broken my heart less than 12 hrs ago. Not that I would admit that either, to Ray or even Mikey. They know I'm hurt, angry, humiliated. But I don't think they know that I actually thought I loved her. How stupid. They think the devastation stems mainly from the details of the break up, if you can call it that. It was more like a public execution.

********** Flashback

It was our one yr anniversary so I picked out the nicest restaurant I could afford. Our food came, but I was too excited to eat. I gave her the diamond necklace I had worked so much overtime to afford. Of course, it was only one tiny diamond pendant on a 24K gold chain. But it was real. It had taken me months to save up but I didn't care. A happy look on her face was all I wanted. And her face DID light up when she saw it. She loved getting things and I always put her first in everything. I helped her put it on. But then what I recieved in return was both unexpected and unwanted. The unvarnished truth, apparently for the first time. I wasn't ready to have sex yet but she didn't want to wait. It was an issue we had discussed many times. So, instead of waiting with me, she found what she wanted elsewhere.

"So, there have been at least 10. Can't remember exactly," she recalled, shrugging in a cavalier manner.

"At l-l-least? W-What does that mean? You don't know? Or just don't want to say?" I asked, sniffling badly and shaking.

"I SAID, I don't remember. Are you judging me?"

"Well," I said in a small voice, pausing to try and collect my emotions, which at this point were wildly spinning out of control.

"Well WHAT?"

"Well, first off, its a lot to dump on someone. Someone who thought they were the only one." Deep breath. I know where this is leading anyway so I might as well be the one to dump this cheating bit...

"So, we both know where this is heading, Gee."And the kick in my balls is complete. I can't even dump my lying, cheating..."You're not giving me what I need to stay in this relationship, which forced me to go elsewhere. I just don't see us making a go of this anymore. The screwing around, its been going on since the first month. Sorry. Thanks for the necklace though. You always know how to give the best gifts. Really, thats why I stayed with you as long as I did. But it feels good to finally have all this off my chest. I should probably go now, huh? Don't want to make it anymore awkward than it already is."

She got up and left, leaving me alone with an entire table of food uneaten at a fairly expensive restaurant. She didn't even look back. When she didn't return, the waitress rushed over to "make sure everything was alright". Everything was most certainly NOT alright.

*********** End of Flashback

There was a light bump on my right elbow causing me to jump slightly. I looked up and saw my teacher had been weaving in and out of the row of desks. I gave Mrs. Kelly my best sheepish, lopsided smile as an apoligy. See what I'm talking about? Any other teacher would have made me look stupid by asking me something they were sure I didn't know. She'll probably just ask me whats wrong on my way out.

"Jane Austen's work survives today. Maybe more widespread than you think," the 30ish teacher said "Most probably know that books like Pride and Prejudice have been re-made into movies countless times as written. Emma and Sense and Sensibility too but less often. Who knows of any remakes that were either inspired by or used to make a modern day remake of Jane Austen stories?"

Hands went up, mostly girls but Mikey's too. My younger brother is 2 yrs younger than me but skipped a few grades. And, as if I needed another reminder of my stupidity, hes in almost all of my classes. At least he isn't a dick about it. Most humble guy I know. He was currently sitting to my left and two rows up.

"Just shout out the answer and the story its based on if you can." She starts out, grabbing the dry erase marker and hovering near the dry erase board.

"Bridget Jones' Diary is Pride and Prejudice," Mikey answered. Really? I didn't know that. Not that I watch those chick flicks like Mikey does. But I did find that a bit interesting.

"Clueless is Emma", a girl named Devon I've never spoken to. No way. Everybody has seen Clueless. Right? I was with my girlfriend at the time....

"I saw one called Scents and Sensibility. Where Scents is like, smells. You know as in perfume?" No idea who that was. I really don't pay attention as much as I thought.

This went on for another minute or two until there was a sizable list. The discussion when on to movies that modified the stories like some lady who ended up going into her book. Suddenly, I had an idea. My hand shot up before remembering I could just shout it out.

"Pride and Prejudice and Zombies! Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters" I answered triumphantly. I was able to mix my secret love of literature with my love of horror movies. I can't believe I actually chose to answer in class! Apparently neither can Mikey by the shocked look him gave me. In fact, everyone in class turned to give me a shocked expression. I swallowed rather uncomfortably. Maybe that wasn't such a good answer after all.

Notes

Well, I finally took the plunge. My first fic! You'll notice right away that my writing style is very different than most. I won't curse much. I'm undecided on the amount of smut (sorry). This doesn't mean there won't be any love/sex scenes and the rating may change. Almost forgot, I do have 3 more chapters finished already and a great deal of this story mapped out. So I will be updating often, maybe even twice a day if there's enough interest.


I would absolutely LOVE feedback, even if its constructive criticism. Please comment, just try not to make my cry. ;)