And I understand that simple truth is deep than is wide
Still I know…
Sometimes it’s harder than it seems
Sometimes it’s harder than it seems
The rest of the day is uneventful. I listened to Amy lecture me all of Biology, then I’m forced to to sit through the next half of a movie on the French Revolution, by English class I just need a nap.

Now it is lunchtime. Just a few days ago I dreaded this period. Now I find myself looking forward to it. I have people that I can sit and actually talk to about things I really enjoy.

Spotting Mikey, who had slipped out of class before me, I link my arm with his. I smile as he glances at me; his eyes wide with surprise. He’s so adorable. I bet all this is new to him.

“You don’t mind if I eat lunch with you today?” I question praying he says yes though I’m really not terribly worried.

Mikey smiles, “Really…you want to eat lunch with me?”

“Of course…I mean I did kinda save your brother’s arse today by calling in Bob, it’s the least you can do.”

Mikey nods in agreement, “Fine, sit with me.”

I smile as we near the steps that Gerard and Frank already occupy. I sure hope lunch today is more enjoyable than the past year of lunches. Today I won’t have Amy rambling on about stupid shit I don’t care about…I will finally be able to be myself.


As we walk up Gerard adjusts a little, his back slouching, his dark hair flopping over his left eye. If I didn’t know the kid I would call over the school counselor to have him helped. I wave, and sit in between Mikey and Frank. In the end it’s Gerard who breaks the silence.

"So," he says, stealing a grape out of my plastic bag. "Explain croquet to us newbie’s."

Frank nods, and adjusts myself so that he is facing all three of us. I only half pay attention…croquet is big where I’m from thus I already know the rules.

"Okay," he says, using hand gestures. "The main point of the game…well it’s simple. You just try to get the fucking ball through all the fucking gates that are arranged on the field."

Gerard and Mikey nod as if they get it so Frank continues, "So. To do this – ” Franks stands up to demonstrate how it’s done – "You take the croquet mallet and you hit the ball."

Obviously Frank does not have a mallet with him. His explanation of the fairly simple game only confuses Gerard and Mikey more. They both have the same expression plastered on their faces, eyes squinted, lips slightly parted.

"Oh. My. God. Guys, it's really simple," I step in, rolling my eyes. "The game is a race around the circuit of hoops. The Blue and Black balls play against the Red and Yellow balls. The first side to get both of their balls through the 12 hoops in order and hit the peg is the winner. Once a ball has completed the circuit and hit the peg it is removed from the game.” Seeing that they still aren’t getting it I try for something simpler. “I need something round.”

Mikey takes an orange out of his lunch bag and hands it to me. Smiling I take it, placing in on the ground a few inches away from my feet.

“Thank you kind sir," I reply with a laugh before continuing. "Okay, so you put the ball in front of you...and you swing the mallet like this...." I swing my imaginary mallet like I’m actually hitting the orange.

"Really you just try to put it through all the metal gates, one at a time, until you go through the last one. Kinda like golf," I finish, and look at them, wide eyed.

Mikey looks bored, his chin in his hands, just staring up at me. Gerard is scratching his head, resembling a rather stupid monkey.

"Okay…no, I got none of that," he says, frowning, “but you looked cute doing it.” Gerard offered me a smile.

I groan and sit back down, placing my head on Frank’s knee. It is so simple. How can he not get it? I’m frustrated. If they’re at practice today I will teach them. Yet another goal I have to achieve. This list is getting longer and longer.

"Look, once we have an actual ball and mallet and gates and shit, we'll show you how to play for real," Frank says.

They nod.

I take the orange off the ground and play with it, tossing it back and forth between my hands. After a while, I accidently over throw the orange causing it to make contact with the side of Gerard’s face. I freeze, what the hell is he going to do?

Mikey snorts and Frank giggles manically.

Instead of being mad Gerard just wipes his face free of the invisible orange juice and rubs it on me like a little kid would. He then smiles, kissing my forehead. What an ass.

“Happy Hanukah, beautiful,” Gerard says with a stupid smile.

_____________________________________________________________________


I smile at the thought of the four of us at croquet practice. Usually it’s just me, Frank and sometimes Ray. Having more people will make the game a lot more fun. I head towards the locker room at the end of the day to get the croquet equipment. Practice today should be, at least, interesting.

Once I've changed out of my high heels and into more practical black combat boots, I grab five mallets, just incase Ray shows up, the ball bag and, hooking the metal gates over my shoulder, head towards the lacrosse field. Today is absolutely perfect. It’s not hot but it’s not cold either.

I laugh to myself as I drop the equipment on the field. Once there I shrug out of my school jacket and slide my Raybans off the top on my head so they rest on my nose, shielding my eyes from the sun; Gerard, Mikey and Frank are already waiting for me.

Gerard smirks, “Our princess has arrived.”

“Ha. Ha,” I fake laugh, rolling my eyes. “Behave yourself Gerard Way.”

I feel like I’m repeating myself. Ignoring Gerard’s puppy dog face I move over to Frank, resting my elbow on his shoulder, a mallet resting on my left shoulder. I eye my victims.

Today will most definitely be interesting.

“Frank, will you set the gates up?” I question. “Make Gerard help, he looks too pleased to be just standing there.”

Frank nods, before moving away, pulling Gerard after him.

Once they are out of earshot I motion for Mikey to come over. At first he looks confused but eventually he does come to stand next to me, mallet in hand.

“Did you get my picture?” I question.

“I did, you’re competition for my brother,” Mikey comments, shifting his weight.

“Do I make you nervous?”

I’d hate for that to be. I want all my new friends to feel comfortable around me; Mikey especially. He seems willing to talk to me about things and I don’t want that to go away. He obviously needs someone to be there for him.

“Um…people make me awkward,” admits Mikey, blushing slightly.

I shake my head, “They shouldn’t.”

Mikey blushes again, “I’ll take your word for it…princess.”

I gently punch Mikey in the arm, scrunching up my face, “I’m no princess, Mikey.”

Mikey eyes his brother, who is goofing off across the field, “You’re my brother’s princess. He’s got like an entire sketch book dedicated to you.”

“That’s pretty fucking weird,” I laugh as Frank and Gerard cross the pitch, having finished setting everything up.

Frank comes to stand next to me, linking our elbows together.

“Alright so now I can show you for real how to play. Okay, so you start...here –" I step away from Frank putting my ball on the ground – "and you can take a few practice swings if you want–" I let the mallet swing through the air, stopping it just before it makes contact with my ball – "and you swing the mallet...like this...."

I swing the mallet, making contact with my ball causing it to emit a low clink sound, traveling through the first metal gate Frank and Gerard set up. I straighten up, and look at them.

"It's that easy," Frank says.

Gerard nods.

He walks up to where I had set up my ball, and puts his down. He lifts the mallet above his head. His hair is in his face and his legs are in an awkward position. Swinging it he misses. The mallet swings around too far, hitting him in the shoulder. He hops around in pain, letting out every swear word in the book. I try not to laugh.

"God damn it! Mother fucking son of a cunt! Fuck! Asshole! Shit!” he yells, trying to walk off his pain. Gerard is such a drama queen. Yeah, I’m sure it hurts but not that much.

Mikey looks at me, his eyes full of concern for his brother. I shrug, rolling my eyes.

"What you did there, Gerard," I say, watching him rubbing his shoulder, "is not advised in the sport of croquet."

He looks at me, hair in his face, angry. He then runs his hand through the dark mop to move it away. Gerard sighs.

"No shit," is all he manages, setting himself back up to try again.

“Put your foot on top of the ball Gerard. It makes it easier,” Frank says, a mischievous grin across his face. Frank’s pranks are the reason we don’t have too many people stick around on the team for too long. I’m beginning to wonder if that’s his whole plan.

Gerard listens to Frank’s advice as I glance over at Mikey who looks like he knows where this is going. The older of the Way boys swings the mallet again, connecting with his foot.

As another string of curse words escapes Gerard’s lips I know it is going to be a long afternoon teaching the Way brothers how to play croquet.

Notes

Song: Harder Than It Seems by Guardian