Bad Management

Frank’s P.O.V

“Everything ok?” Sophia asked as Gerard came out of the bunk area and towards the front where we were. He’d gone into the back to take a phone call and it seemed like he had been on pins for a while jumping every time his phone went.
“Yeah everything is fine.” He breathed out before carrying on. “I have a message for you but you have to promise to listen, not get angry or do anything… Frank.” Gerard told me as he sat down on the sofa in front of me on our bus. We were travelling to Leeds on the first night of our Reading and Leeds gigs and I couldn’t wait for the bus to pull over. I just nodded uninterested in what he had to say, it was probably along the lines of we were pitched near a bar tent and that it was going to be hard or something. “I’ve just got off the phone from Michael.” He paused to see my reaction my head shooting up. It had been two years since the Australian incident and I hadn’t seen George since she was being stretchered off in the back of an ambulance. I’d tried to get into the hospital but Gerard stopped me, told me I’d done enough damage and that I wasn’t welcome. I knew he was right but I also knew I needed to check on her. I rang every day and got the answers I needed but it’s not the same when you don’t see her.
“Oh, everything ok?” I asked quietly trying to make it look like I didn’t care in the slightest.
“She’s fine. We arranged to go watch Deadpool with them, she doesn’t know we are coming this early, she thinks its tomorrow we arrive.” He carried on as I stared at him intently. He knew me so well to know that I didn’t care about Michael, all I cared was she was ok, that she was back to the same George I’d lost. “He’s asked if you want to come. He said it’s been 2 years and he thinks she’s forgiven it all now. He said he doesn’t want it to be awkward and that he understands if you say no.”
“Of course I’ll come.” I nodded, just happy to be given the chance of seeing her again. Of course I knew Gerard and Sophia still saw them, they lived next door to them. But, George had made it perfectly clear that she wanted nothing to do with me and once I got sober I realised that she had every right to feel that. I had done that myself. Back at the Lakes I’d lied to her saying that Amber and I had broken up, when in fact that wasn’t the case; we were stronger than ever as Mr and Mrs Iero. I then went all pissy when she went on a band date with 5 Seconds and called her some horrific names that were so far from the truth it was unbelievable. I then waited until we were in Australia, for her birthday present, ruined all of her dates and then when that didn’t cause problems between them; I rang the record label and told them that she had tried it on with me, told them that she was working against their best interests and that’s why 5 Seconds hadn’t signed to them. I twisted everything to make her look bad, all in hopes that she would finish with Michael to prove to them it wasn’t true. I called her bluff and lost the best person I ever had in my life. Instead they told her she was under investigation and she was advised to quit before she was fired. I then deliberately kissed her when I knew Michael would see it on the night that she ended up getting memory loss because my then wife kicked her so hard she passed out for two days. So yeah she had every right to be pissed at me.
“There’s one more thing Frank.” Gerard carried on breaking me out of my recollection of the biggest screw up of my life.

We’d all got to the cinema earlier than needed and sat in the allocated seats. I was sat in between Gerard and Mikey with the crappy plastic mask resting on top of my head. We were all chit chatting amongst ourselves, Sophia telling the other girls how excited she was to see her best friend get surprised, when Gerard’s phone beeped. “Ok guys there just getting popcorn, masks on.” He told us all as we got them comfortable on our faces, hearing the door open and her amazing giggle coming from down the side of the walk way.
“I can’t believe we actually snuck away to watch this.” I heard her say to him as he pulled her up the stairs to the middle of the whole room where the only two seats that were free. “I was contemplating skipping your set and coming on my own.” She laughed as he stopped causing her to walk into him. They got settled down, his arm automatically going around her shoulders and she leaned into him, I can just imagine her beautiful smile covering her features. “I love you Michael Clifford.” She mumbled and I noticed Gerard’s side way glance at me to make sure I wasn’t going to react, instead I just took a sip of my coke and watched the screen that was showing previews.

All through the film her torturous giggle kept ringing in my ears long after she’d stopped it. I felt my jealousy rise every time she leant into him, every time he stroked through her wavy hair, every time she rammed popcorn into his mouth. I was jealous of him having all that with her, but, I was jealous that they had that at all. Even I can’t deny that since my divorce and my sobriety that my life has become a little lonely. All the other guys have their girls who the take on dates and bring to all the shows and award ceremonies and I had none of that. I knew it was my fault I treated Amber and George wrong, but, I hoped that one day I would find the girl of my dreams who could walk into the studio because I forgot my house key, like Sophia does with Gerard; or just because she was passing and I was having a bad day, like Christa does. When you lose something that’s all you crave and when that something is a person it amplifies the craving tenfold. The film was over and here was the bit I, along with everyone else, was dreading. They were all scared how I’d react and I was scared how she would react. They started to get up to leave when he let go of her hand. “Hang on Britain you dropped something.” He told her, bending down to pick whatever it was up.
“Oh shit what?” She turned round and the shocked look on her face when she saw him down on one knee holding the ring box up towards her, told us she honestly didn’t have any idea. “What are you doing?” She laughed nervously.
“You dropped this?” He grinned up at her as she blushed laughing again. “I’m not down here begging for change so you should know what I’m doing.” He laughed before continuing, “Will you marry me Britain?” Everyone held their breath and I was amazed she’d not noticed that no one had left the cinema, even after the post-credit scene.
“Seriously?” She breathed out, her nerves clearly being heard in her voice as she looked like she was on the verge of tears. “You’re not just saying this are you? You actually want this? You want to do this in the cheesiest way possible?” She questioned as they fell out of her mouth quickly.
“Yes I want this. I’ve wanted this for the past year. You love cheesy remember?” He looked up at her smiling, his nerves now showing because she hadn’t answered.
“Yes.” Her simple answer came out and it took him a few seconds to register before he sighed with relief slipping the ring on her finger and picking her up to kiss her. We all decided it was time to let her know we was here, cheering and throwing our popcorn at them, we took off our hoods and masks as she looked round in complete shock. “You’re all here?” She breathed out, her tears running thick and fast as Sophia dived over the seats pulling them both into a huge hug. George’s eyes catching mine over her best friend’s shoulder.

Notes