I'm Not Okay (I Promise)
To Get To The Other Side
Oh, this has gotta be a good life
This has gotta be a good life
This could really be a good life, good life
I can tell by Frank’s face that he was a bit frightened by the behavior I displayed while I was trying to get my car to start. It’s just usually how I get the thing to start, that’s how it’s always been. Frank can get used to it.
As of now Frank is sitting in the passenger seat of Amber’s car. Although his eyes have been fixed on the redhead for most of the drive he now twists around in his seat, staring, fixated at Mikey as if he is forming some plan. Whatever it is I hope it’s not going to ruin my little brother’s morning, it’s been going so well.
“Hey, Mikes?" Frank says, smiling.
Mikey turns to look at him, no expression on his pale face.
"I got a joke for you," when Mikey doesn’t respond Frank continues. “Why did the chicken cross the road?"
Mikey rolled his eyes but I smile knowing the hidden meaning behind this joke. Amber explained the whole thing to me one night while we where both high. At the time we thought it was very funny. I wonder if Mikey will understand it.
"To get to the other side, I know that joke." Mikey scoffs like its just common knowledge, which it is but then again it’s not.
"Is that so, Mikey?" I question, smiling that smile that Amber claims is creepy.
"Yeah, that's the punch line. What of it?" Mikey replies looking confused, narrowing his eyes at me. Frank looks confused as well. Why don’t they get it? How has Amber not explained this joke to Frank? Those two are basically attached at the hip.
Shaking my head as Amber parks, straight, I grab a sheet of paper and a pencil out of my school bag. Quickly I draw a road, then a chicken, then a truck, then a dead chicken. It’s not the greatest but I think it’ll get the point across to my clueless brother and friend.
"Look, the chicken is crossing the road, right?" I start, motioning to the different images as Amber continues to chuckle from her spot up front. "And he's just derpin' along, crossing the road, not noticing the big fucking truck raging towards him, then….”
“Blam!” I get interrupted by that damn cute British accent, “He's on the motherfucking other side. Get it?”
I look at Mikey, hoping he gets it. Being my brother he should be able to but instead his eyes are fixed on Amber who has her chin resting on the back of the seat. Mikey looks utterly confused. Frank, who is also looking at Amber, laughs. He's gotten it. At least someone gets it. All four of us get out of the car. Mikey just takes the paper, plopping down in the parking lot, trying to analyze what I’ve just laid out for him.
“Mikey...what...how can you not...other side...death..." I give my little brother and annoyed look really just wanting him to get it. "Of all people, you should know, with all your paranormal shit. Michael James Way.”
"Mikey...it's okay...you'll get it eventually..." Amber says bends down to pat him on the shoulder as she gives me a ‘be nice to him’ look.
Instead of moving Mikey continues to sit there trying to get my explanation of the chicken joke. My brother studies the picture closely, putting it up to his face, scrunching up his nose then holding it an arms length away. It’s actually rather comical to stand here and watch him, my over achiever brother not able to make sense of something so simple. He’s so set on getting it.
Suddenly I feel someone’s shoulder on my arm, rubbing up and down. What the hell? I turn my head to see Frank trying to lean his shoulder on mine, “What the fuck are you doing?"
Frank shrugs, taking a step away from me. I mean we’re friends but that’s pushing it. Guy friends don’t rub on each other. I know what he was trying to do but how he was going about it was awkward.
"Dude, don't worry,” I say seeing Frank’s face showing his embarrassment. “You're just too short to do that with me. Here…" I wrap my arm around his neck and squeeze. Frank gasps.
"Gerard, fuck, stop it!” Frank chokes out, laughing and coughing at the same time.
I let go, laughing, my arms up in the air, fingers contorting into lame gang signs I’ve seen or read about. I’m glad I’m not drunk. It feels good to be myself for once. Maybe stopping won’t be so hard after all.
"Sorry, I couldn't resist! Mikey's gotten that plenty of times..." We both look over at him.
He is cross-legged on the ground in the parking lot, still trying to figure out the fucking joke. Personally I’m amazed by his dedication…if I was him I would have just given up. Amber sits across him, her head cocked to the side and I can tell she’s holding back laughter.
"How does he not get it?" Frank questions, shaking his head…even I can’t answer that one.
Suddenly, Mikey gets back on his feet, throwing his hands in the air, his head back, looking up at the sky. His right hand is still grasping the paper. His glasses almost fly off behind his head.
"Oh!” Mikey exclaims laughing a little. "The chicken is dead…I get it. I’m such a fucking dumbass.”
“That’s not true,” Amber says as Frank helps her up off the ground.
I can’t help it, I laugh hysterically. Not just at how long it took my brother to get the joke or because he called himself a dumbass or because Amber is trying so hard to be nice to him, it’s not any of that. I laugh because for the first time in months I’m really happy.
I lean onto Frank’s shoulder, laughing in his ear. Eventually he pushes me off.
"Took you long enough..." I say once I’ve managed to calm down a bit.
"Good one, Gee," Mikey comments.
“It wasn’t me, it was Amber.”
Mikey just nods, tossing the paper at my face. As it makes contact I scrunch up my nose pretending that it actually hurt. Seeing the expression on my face Mikey takes off towards the football field with me at his heels.
Once on the field I tackle Mikey, trying not to crush him. I’d hate to ruin our perfect morning with a broken rib. It feels good to be like this…to feel so happy.
Mikey laughs looking up at me with this gleam in his eyes I’ve not seen in forever. This is good…I want this to stay. It will…this morning will be repeated. It’s the best we’ve had in a long time.
This has gotta be a good life
This could really be a good life, good life
I can tell by Frank’s face that he was a bit frightened by the behavior I displayed while I was trying to get my car to start. It’s just usually how I get the thing to start, that’s how it’s always been. Frank can get used to it.
As of now Frank is sitting in the passenger seat of Amber’s car. Although his eyes have been fixed on the redhead for most of the drive he now twists around in his seat, staring, fixated at Mikey as if he is forming some plan. Whatever it is I hope it’s not going to ruin my little brother’s morning, it’s been going so well.
“Hey, Mikes?" Frank says, smiling.
Mikey turns to look at him, no expression on his pale face.
"I got a joke for you," when Mikey doesn’t respond Frank continues. “Why did the chicken cross the road?"
Mikey rolled his eyes but I smile knowing the hidden meaning behind this joke. Amber explained the whole thing to me one night while we where both high. At the time we thought it was very funny. I wonder if Mikey will understand it.
"To get to the other side, I know that joke." Mikey scoffs like its just common knowledge, which it is but then again it’s not.
"Is that so, Mikey?" I question, smiling that smile that Amber claims is creepy.
"Yeah, that's the punch line. What of it?" Mikey replies looking confused, narrowing his eyes at me. Frank looks confused as well. Why don’t they get it? How has Amber not explained this joke to Frank? Those two are basically attached at the hip.
Shaking my head as Amber parks, straight, I grab a sheet of paper and a pencil out of my school bag. Quickly I draw a road, then a chicken, then a truck, then a dead chicken. It’s not the greatest but I think it’ll get the point across to my clueless brother and friend.
"Look, the chicken is crossing the road, right?" I start, motioning to the different images as Amber continues to chuckle from her spot up front. "And he's just derpin' along, crossing the road, not noticing the big fucking truck raging towards him, then….”
“Blam!” I get interrupted by that damn cute British accent, “He's on the motherfucking other side. Get it?”
I look at Mikey, hoping he gets it. Being my brother he should be able to but instead his eyes are fixed on Amber who has her chin resting on the back of the seat. Mikey looks utterly confused. Frank, who is also looking at Amber, laughs. He's gotten it. At least someone gets it. All four of us get out of the car. Mikey just takes the paper, plopping down in the parking lot, trying to analyze what I’ve just laid out for him.
“Mikey...what...how can you not...other side...death..." I give my little brother and annoyed look really just wanting him to get it. "Of all people, you should know, with all your paranormal shit. Michael James Way.”
"Mikey...it's okay...you'll get it eventually..." Amber says bends down to pat him on the shoulder as she gives me a ‘be nice to him’ look.
Instead of moving Mikey continues to sit there trying to get my explanation of the chicken joke. My brother studies the picture closely, putting it up to his face, scrunching up his nose then holding it an arms length away. It’s actually rather comical to stand here and watch him, my over achiever brother not able to make sense of something so simple. He’s so set on getting it.
Suddenly I feel someone’s shoulder on my arm, rubbing up and down. What the hell? I turn my head to see Frank trying to lean his shoulder on mine, “What the fuck are you doing?"
Frank shrugs, taking a step away from me. I mean we’re friends but that’s pushing it. Guy friends don’t rub on each other. I know what he was trying to do but how he was going about it was awkward.
"Dude, don't worry,” I say seeing Frank’s face showing his embarrassment. “You're just too short to do that with me. Here…" I wrap my arm around his neck and squeeze. Frank gasps.
"Gerard, fuck, stop it!” Frank chokes out, laughing and coughing at the same time.
I let go, laughing, my arms up in the air, fingers contorting into lame gang signs I’ve seen or read about. I’m glad I’m not drunk. It feels good to be myself for once. Maybe stopping won’t be so hard after all.
"Sorry, I couldn't resist! Mikey's gotten that plenty of times..." We both look over at him.
He is cross-legged on the ground in the parking lot, still trying to figure out the fucking joke. Personally I’m amazed by his dedication…if I was him I would have just given up. Amber sits across him, her head cocked to the side and I can tell she’s holding back laughter.
"How does he not get it?" Frank questions, shaking his head…even I can’t answer that one.
Suddenly, Mikey gets back on his feet, throwing his hands in the air, his head back, looking up at the sky. His right hand is still grasping the paper. His glasses almost fly off behind his head.
"Oh!” Mikey exclaims laughing a little. "The chicken is dead…I get it. I’m such a fucking dumbass.”
“That’s not true,” Amber says as Frank helps her up off the ground.
I can’t help it, I laugh hysterically. Not just at how long it took my brother to get the joke or because he called himself a dumbass or because Amber is trying so hard to be nice to him, it’s not any of that. I laugh because for the first time in months I’m really happy.
I lean onto Frank’s shoulder, laughing in his ear. Eventually he pushes me off.
"Took you long enough..." I say once I’ve managed to calm down a bit.
"Good one, Gee," Mikey comments.
“It wasn’t me, it was Amber.”
Mikey just nods, tossing the paper at my face. As it makes contact I scrunch up my nose pretending that it actually hurt. Seeing the expression on my face Mikey takes off towards the football field with me at his heels.
Once on the field I tackle Mikey, trying not to crush him. I’d hate to ruin our perfect morning with a broken rib. It feels good to be like this…to feel so happy.
Mikey laughs looking up at me with this gleam in his eyes I’ve not seen in forever. This is good…I want this to stay. It will…this morning will be repeated. It’s the best we’ve had in a long time.
Notes
Author's Note: Remember to R&R :)Song: Good Life by One Republic
@KidFromYesterday
Yay!!! Thank you, this story has been really great, as well as your others!!
10/2/16