I want to take you through
A wasteland I like to call my home
Welcome to paradise


I woke up extremely early; I can tell that without even looking at the clock, I mean the sun isn’t even up yet. Searching for my glasses, I glance over at the glowing red numbers on the clock which only confirm what I already knew, it’s like two in the morning. I’m still worried about Amber. She had some kind of a freak out last night. Although I’d offered to let her stay here with me, she’d opted to go to Frank’s. At the time her decision really crushed me, but now, looking at it with a fresh brain, it was probably the better choice. Frank knows how to handle Amber in ways that I just don’t. As I continue to look around my dimly lit room, I spot my beautiful bass, resting in its’ case. A smile spreads across my face as I remove the bass from its’ case and strap it on. I feel ten times cooler with this thing on.

I spend at least two hours just messing around with it, finding the chords, making up my own riffs and such. I could get very used to this. Finally, I decide that it’s time to learn a new song. I flip through my MP3 player, trying to find the exact one; Welcome to Paradise by Green Day. It’s one of Amber’s favorites

I sit on my bed, headphones in, studying every inch of the song, holding onto every note that Mike Dirnt's bass put onto the record. I listen to it on repeat, trying to get the sound stuck in my head so I can attempt to duplicate it on my own bass. It is a bit of a stretch, but it is completely worth it in the long run. After listening to Welcome to Paradise about a thousand times, I try and play what I heard out on my bass, referring back to the song whenever I get stuck. Once I’d managed to get through the first half of the song with no mistakes I check the clock. It’s nine in the morning. Holy fuck. I get so lost when I play the bass. It’s amazing.

Wandering down into the kitchen, I spot Gerard sitting at the table coffee in one hand, a cigarette in the other. He looks extrememly hung over. I didn’t think he drank that much last night. Then again, Ray did end up driving us home. I frown a little at how blotchy my memory of last night is.

I let out a cough to get my older brother’s attention. He puts out his cigarette in the ash tray before turning around. He frces a grin when he sees me. “Morning.”

“Morning Mikes. Sleep okay? Frank called a few minutes ago, he’s bringing Amber back over.”

“How is she?” I question, sinking into one of the chairs around the kitchen table.

Gerard shrugs, “Frank said she didn’t sleep at all last night. Apparently, she cleaned most of his house and kept going on about all sorts of things that didn’t really conncect. He thinks it might’ve just been because she was drunk.”

I frown. This is nothing like the Amber I’d met. I wish there was more I could do for her, but Amber seems to be holding me at an arms distance, only telling me what she thinks I need to know. As the bell rings, Gerard gets up and pulls the door open.

Amber and Frank walk into the house. Frank’s arm is thrown over my girlfreind’s shoulder, their hands held together. I feel a pang of hurt run through my body but it instantly disappears when Amber moves away from Frank, her arms wrapping around me best they can. She seems totally fine, which puts my mind at ease.

"Hey, Mikey, how's the bass treating you?" Frank questions.

"I’ve learned two Green Day songs already, man," I respond, wrapping my arm around Amber’s waist. She beams up at me.

He looks surprised, "In two days? Shit!"

I laugh, nodding and rubbing the back of my head, "Yeah...I woke up at two in the morning, so..." I looked at the clock, and cough; it’s almost ten. I look at my hands, stretching them, feeling the blood rush to my fingertips again. They hurt.

Frank giggles, “Yeah any kind of stringed instrument will do that to ya bro.”

“Wear tape on your fingers so they don’t bleed Mikes,” Amber says, linking her fingers with mine.

“That’s cheating, Amber,” Frank says, exaggerating her name.

The redhead just glowers at him before showing him her middle finger.

“Same to you,” Frank responds with a laugh.

Just as Amber goes to reply, the front door swings open and in walks Ray. He gives us all a big smile. “Hey, I saw Amber’s car outside so I figured everyone was here.”

“Is that Ray I hear?” Gerard calls from the living room.

“Yeah!” I call back, leading everyone into the living room, the five of us squeezing onto the couch, Amber half on my lap half on Frank’s.

"So," Frank says, rubbing his nose with his hand. "I was thinking...now that we all play instruments, and Gerard sings...." He pauses for dramatic effect; Gerard hates that.

"Dude…” Gerard says but is cut off by Amber who seems to hate dramatic effect as well.

“Fucking spit it out already, Frankie,” she whines a little, making the cutest puppy dog face ever. I kiss her nose as Frank chuckles.

Frank continues, “We should start a band."

Frank looks at us hopefully, smiling with all his teeth showing. Holy fuck, my dream is coming true. Frank is an angel sent from the same heaven as Amber. I think about this as I twirl strands of Amber’s bright red hair around my middle finger.

"You mean, like, a legit band?" Gerard questions, looking like he is actually considering it, his eyes on the ceiling, biting on his lip; something he only does when he’s really thinking about something.

"Yeah, dude," Frank says, still smiling. “Amber plays drums so we don’t have to worry about that. If we get big she can act as our manager as well. She’s good with all that organization shit.”

"Fuck, I'm in!" Ray says, nodding.

. Frank pumps his fist, "Yes! Thank you, Ray!"

“I’m in too, it’s not like I’ve go anything better to do,” Amber says.

Frank nods, "Mikey, you seem to be a quick learner, from what you've told me. What do you think? You in?"

I think about it. My choices are either continue to live my same boring, mostly pathetic life or do something about it. The choice is pretty fucking obvious. “Fuck, I’m in.”

Amber smiles at me, her lips crashing against mine for a second, “Yay!”

Frank then turns to Gerard who looks anything but excited or happy about the idea.

"Gerard," Frank says, grabbing Gerard's wrist. "Come on!" Gerard shakes his head.

"I hate people." Is all he says, jutting out his jaw.

Frank rolls his eyes, groaning, “So does Amber but she’s doing it. Besides, who gives a fuck what people think about you, Gerard?”

Amber looks at Gee, “You are the loving, caring brother of Mikey Way; the quiet one. A friend of Ray Toro, the afro man. Frank fucking Iero! And, best of all, best friends with me…Amber, the fucked English one. Ya know what….that’s all that fucking matters. Screw all the other people who are gonna judge you. They won’t matter one day. One day they’re going to be standing in the crowd at one of our shows wishing they hadn’t been such dicks. I’m doing it so you should too.”

I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything more inspiring come out of that girl’s mouth.

Gerard still doesn’t look amused, “Okay, Amber, Frank; even if we did form a band, or whatever, we have a shitty, reluctant singer, two badass guitarists, a shy as fuck bassist that just started playing less than a day ago, and a drummer who, no offense Amber, but a drummer who looks like she should be on the pole." He runs a hand through his hair, and slaps his thigh with it.

“So we’ve got a pole dancing drummer,” Frank laughs, “Maybe it’ll draw more people to listen. Besides, it’s not like we’re going to start doing shows tomorrow. You’re excuse for not wanting to do it is fucking stupid, Gee.”

Ray nods, looking at Amber, “We could have a pole dancer in our band. Like one of those back up dancers.”

Amber laughs, getting up off the couch and practically molesting our lamp, sliding her body up and down it, twisting around and whipping her hair. The tank top she’s got on rises up a little, revealing the top of her hip tattoo.

“That’s hot,” Frank mumbles and I hit him in the arm. I have no problem with what Amber is doing, I just don’t want her doing it in front of three other guys.

“Shut the fuck up man,” I grumble as Amber comes and sits back down on Gerard's lap, smiling at him while she adjust her black thigh highs. Whatever issues they had yesterday seem to be forgotten.

“I thought you promised not to tell anyone about my after dark job.”

Gerard laughs looking over at Frank, chewing on his lip. The tattooed boy lets out a sigh as Amber moves over to me. He looks defeated. This all changes quickly when he remembers the task at hand.

"So....is that a yes...?" Frank questions, wrapping his arm around Gerard, looking at him with puppy dog eyes. He looks like a six year old begging his parents for candy.

"Frank, you're pathetic," I say.

He just turns his head around, winks at me, and then turns back to Gerard. Finally, Gee rolls his eyes. "Fine, Frank, it's a yes…."

Frank hugs him and Gerard looks like he is going to die, he is so surprised. His eyes are wide, his mouth open in a silent scream, his arms up in the air.

"Fuck man, I can’t breathe,” Gee gasps, and Frank let him go, smiling.

"Thank you so much man,” Frank says kissing Gerard on the forehead before sitting back against the couch.

"So...what’s the next step?” Ray asks, making everything serious again.

"Bob Bryar has a recording studio at his house,” I announce, only knowing cause Amber told me once.

They look at me, and I hide my face in Amber’s hair. This is too much attention at once and it makes me kinda uncomfortable.

“We must find where he lives, kidnap him, and give him a list of demands until he lets our band record there." Frank half-jokes with a crazed smile.

I chuckle, wondering if he temporarily forgot that a member of the Bryar family is sitting in this room. I don’t say anything though. I’ll let him remember on his own.

“Oh, fuck, Amber I apologize. You can bring him here or just ask him for us cause I mean, you kinda live with him,” Frank laughs.

“Oh, of course,” Amber responds, continuing to draw on Gerard’s exposed forearm with a marker she’d found on the coffee table.

"But seriously guys, if we had a guy like him with us all the time; no one would try shit on us anymore,” I announce, remembering how big Amber’s brother is.

Gerard nods, standing up, “Good point, Mikes. Well, I'll talk to him tomorrow at school or I’ll hold one of you at gun point and make Amber do it…whatever I feel like, but until then...who wants to play Mortal Combat?"

Gerard grins, and we all raise our hands, racing down into Gerard's room once again.

Notes

Enjoy lovelies :)