A Chance Encounter
Chapter 15
The next day I decide to go over to Mikey’s. I haven’t been there for a while. He probably thinks I replaced him…God, did I really start ignoring everything for a girl who I don’t even like anymore? What’s wrong with me?
I knock on the door, which is answered by Gerard. He’s only wearing pajama pants, and I can’t seem to take my eyes off his chest. That is, until he snaps at me, “Mikey’s in his room.”
I look up at his face and see that he’s glaring right before he walks away. I feel like an ass. Why did I even make him angry in the first place? Jamia. Who do I barely even think about now? Jamia. “Gerard, wait!” I say.
He turns around, but doesn’t look very patient, “Yes?”
“I’m…sorry. I shouldn’t have acted like I did…I still don’t know what I want out of life, but I know I want you to be my friend. As far as that girl is concerned…”
“You mean your stepsister?” he cuts me off.
I blush, “Uh, yeah, well, she wasn’t actually my stepsister yet…And we started dating, but…we figured out that was a mistake. So it’s done, and you don’t have to worry about it.”
To my surprise, he smirks, “I knew you were lying about that, doofus. I asked Mikey when I got home.”
“What? But Mikey never got mad at me. I was sure he would…”
“I told him not to. It was between me and you. Speaking of which, apology accepted.”
“Really?”
“If you give me a hug.” He holds out his arms expectantly.
My cheeks flame red immediately. He wants me to hug him? While he’s shirtless? Nuh-uh. No way is that happening. He can just stay mad. No…I don’t want him to stay mad. I want him happy. I slowly step towards him and allow his arms to wrap around me. Without my consent, my eyes close and my arms mimic his. He’s so warm and soft…
“Frank? What are you….doing?” Mikey’s voice comes from behind me.
The trance releases me and I jump back, “I…uh…it was the only way he’d forgive me.”
Gerard starts laughing, “Actually, I would have anyway. The hug was nice though.” He winks and heads off toward the basement.
“I can’t believe you fell for that,” Mikey says.
“Huh?”
“Gerard’s the most forgiving person I know. He was probably just waiting for your apology.”
“But, then…Why was he glaring at me when he opened the door?”
“I said forgiving, not trusting. He probably didn’t think you actually would apologize.”
“Oh, well, whatever. At least we’re back on good terms.”
“Hmmm, so where’s Jamia? I thought you two were joined at the hip.”
Crap, he was upset about it, “That’s an interesting story actually.”
He crosses his arms, “I’m all ears.”
I sigh and tell him all about the previous night. it’s really hard to actually voice the humiliation of it. I mean, it’s not every day that you find what should be your dream girl and then feel nothing when you kiss her. Mikey just slaps me on the arm.
“Of course you didn’t feel anything, idiot! I told you she was wrong.”
“Uh…” No he didn’t, “No, you didn’t.”
He huffs, “Well, I should have. I knew it all along.”
I shake my head, “Whatever. Let’s go watch TV or something.”
…
“Mikey! Frank! Get your little asses down here! We have important business to get to!” Gerard yells up the stairs after a couple hours.
“Important business?” I ask Mikey.
“He probably just wants to flirt with you,” he shrugs.
“Seriously! Down here! Now!”
“Let’s just go,” I stand and walk down to the living room. Gerard’s actually out of the basement for once. He’s sitting on the couch with a laptop, “What’s so important?”
He pats the cushion next to him, “Come sit and see.
I sigh and do as he says, with Mikey following suit. I just don’t see any way out of this. When i sit, I see that his computer screen is filled with an online costume shop. I raise an eyebrow at him, confused.
“For your birthday! Our costumes gotta be sick.”
I blink. I had totally forgotten he wanted to do that, “Oh. Right. But I don’t think those are in my price range…”
He waves a hand in the air, “It’s on me. I managed to sell a couple paintings, so I have it covered.”
“Oh. But…I’d feel better if I paid for it.”
He sighs, “Fine. You pay what you can and I’ll pick up the rest. I’ve already picked mine, so it’s just you and Mikey left.”
“Really? What’s yours?” He pulls it up, and I regret asking. It’s some sort of vintage Robin costume. The problem? It’s extremely tight. You can see the mannequin’s bulge, so I don’t even want to imagine it on him. Hopefully he’ll be wearing compression shorts. Because otherwise, people are going to get an unwanted show.
“Oh, sweet!” Mikey obviously doesn’t see the same issue as me, “You’re gonna need a Batman, right? Let me do it! Please, Gee?”
He laughs, “I actually don’t need a Batman. If you get a costume that matches mine, Frankie will be all alone. We can’t exclude the birthday boy.”
“He can be Joker!” Mikey really seems desperate for this.
“Joker just doesn’t fit him. I want these to be perfect.”
“Oh and Robin just suits you so well, huh?”
“Well, he does have the black hair and slim, toned body,” I offer, “No offense, Mikey, but you wouldn’t be a very good Batman, either.”
He pouts and turns away just as Gerard says, “Ohhhh, Frankie! This one’s perfect!”
One look tells me all I need to know, “No way! I am never going as Frankenstein’s monster again! I made that mistake once and I never heard the end of it.”
Gerard pouts, but goes back to searching. He really does want this to be perfect. Strange.
Three hours later we finally settle on a mad scientist for Mikey (complete with one of those static orb things) and an undead soldier for me. I have no idea where that one came from. We just sort of saw it and felt it calling to us, I guess. This birthday is gonna kick ass.
“So, Frank, what do you want for a present?”
I choke on my coffee, “No. not happening. You’ve spent too much money on me already. Just drop it.”
“I haven’t spent any money on you. I sent money on your party. That was for me. What do you want?”
“Mom would never allow it anyway…She’s super against any sign of rebellion lately…”
“Tell me what it is.”
“I’ve wanted a lip piercing for a while now…Or a tattoo that says Halloween across my knuckles. But Mom said the only ink I get is my scorpion.”
He thinks for a bit, “You still need parental permission for that tattoo, but she really can’t do anything about a piercing. We’ll get it about a week before your birthday so you can adjust before the big night.”
“Are you serious?!” he nods, and all I can do is grin. I have awesome friends.
I knock on the door, which is answered by Gerard. He’s only wearing pajama pants, and I can’t seem to take my eyes off his chest. That is, until he snaps at me, “Mikey’s in his room.”
I look up at his face and see that he’s glaring right before he walks away. I feel like an ass. Why did I even make him angry in the first place? Jamia. Who do I barely even think about now? Jamia. “Gerard, wait!” I say.
He turns around, but doesn’t look very patient, “Yes?”
“I’m…sorry. I shouldn’t have acted like I did…I still don’t know what I want out of life, but I know I want you to be my friend. As far as that girl is concerned…”
“You mean your stepsister?” he cuts me off.
I blush, “Uh, yeah, well, she wasn’t actually my stepsister yet…And we started dating, but…we figured out that was a mistake. So it’s done, and you don’t have to worry about it.”
To my surprise, he smirks, “I knew you were lying about that, doofus. I asked Mikey when I got home.”
“What? But Mikey never got mad at me. I was sure he would…”
“I told him not to. It was between me and you. Speaking of which, apology accepted.”
“Really?”
“If you give me a hug.” He holds out his arms expectantly.
My cheeks flame red immediately. He wants me to hug him? While he’s shirtless? Nuh-uh. No way is that happening. He can just stay mad. No…I don’t want him to stay mad. I want him happy. I slowly step towards him and allow his arms to wrap around me. Without my consent, my eyes close and my arms mimic his. He’s so warm and soft…
“Frank? What are you….doing?” Mikey’s voice comes from behind me.
The trance releases me and I jump back, “I…uh…it was the only way he’d forgive me.”
Gerard starts laughing, “Actually, I would have anyway. The hug was nice though.” He winks and heads off toward the basement.
“I can’t believe you fell for that,” Mikey says.
“Huh?”
“Gerard’s the most forgiving person I know. He was probably just waiting for your apology.”
“But, then…Why was he glaring at me when he opened the door?”
“I said forgiving, not trusting. He probably didn’t think you actually would apologize.”
“Oh, well, whatever. At least we’re back on good terms.”
“Hmmm, so where’s Jamia? I thought you two were joined at the hip.”
Crap, he was upset about it, “That’s an interesting story actually.”
He crosses his arms, “I’m all ears.”
I sigh and tell him all about the previous night. it’s really hard to actually voice the humiliation of it. I mean, it’s not every day that you find what should be your dream girl and then feel nothing when you kiss her. Mikey just slaps me on the arm.
“Of course you didn’t feel anything, idiot! I told you she was wrong.”
“Uh…” No he didn’t, “No, you didn’t.”
He huffs, “Well, I should have. I knew it all along.”
I shake my head, “Whatever. Let’s go watch TV or something.”
…
“Mikey! Frank! Get your little asses down here! We have important business to get to!” Gerard yells up the stairs after a couple hours.
“Important business?” I ask Mikey.
“He probably just wants to flirt with you,” he shrugs.
“Seriously! Down here! Now!”
“Let’s just go,” I stand and walk down to the living room. Gerard’s actually out of the basement for once. He’s sitting on the couch with a laptop, “What’s so important?”
He pats the cushion next to him, “Come sit and see.
I sigh and do as he says, with Mikey following suit. I just don’t see any way out of this. When i sit, I see that his computer screen is filled with an online costume shop. I raise an eyebrow at him, confused.
“For your birthday! Our costumes gotta be sick.”
I blink. I had totally forgotten he wanted to do that, “Oh. Right. But I don’t think those are in my price range…”
He waves a hand in the air, “It’s on me. I managed to sell a couple paintings, so I have it covered.”
“Oh. But…I’d feel better if I paid for it.”
He sighs, “Fine. You pay what you can and I’ll pick up the rest. I’ve already picked mine, so it’s just you and Mikey left.”
“Really? What’s yours?” He pulls it up, and I regret asking. It’s some sort of vintage Robin costume. The problem? It’s extremely tight. You can see the mannequin’s bulge, so I don’t even want to imagine it on him. Hopefully he’ll be wearing compression shorts. Because otherwise, people are going to get an unwanted show.
“Oh, sweet!” Mikey obviously doesn’t see the same issue as me, “You’re gonna need a Batman, right? Let me do it! Please, Gee?”
He laughs, “I actually don’t need a Batman. If you get a costume that matches mine, Frankie will be all alone. We can’t exclude the birthday boy.”
“He can be Joker!” Mikey really seems desperate for this.
“Joker just doesn’t fit him. I want these to be perfect.”
“Oh and Robin just suits you so well, huh?”
“Well, he does have the black hair and slim, toned body,” I offer, “No offense, Mikey, but you wouldn’t be a very good Batman, either.”
He pouts and turns away just as Gerard says, “Ohhhh, Frankie! This one’s perfect!”
One look tells me all I need to know, “No way! I am never going as Frankenstein’s monster again! I made that mistake once and I never heard the end of it.”
Gerard pouts, but goes back to searching. He really does want this to be perfect. Strange.
Three hours later we finally settle on a mad scientist for Mikey (complete with one of those static orb things) and an undead soldier for me. I have no idea where that one came from. We just sort of saw it and felt it calling to us, I guess. This birthday is gonna kick ass.
“So, Frank, what do you want for a present?”
I choke on my coffee, “No. not happening. You’ve spent too much money on me already. Just drop it.”
“I haven’t spent any money on you. I sent money on your party. That was for me. What do you want?”
“Mom would never allow it anyway…She’s super against any sign of rebellion lately…”
“Tell me what it is.”
“I’ve wanted a lip piercing for a while now…Or a tattoo that says Halloween across my knuckles. But Mom said the only ink I get is my scorpion.”
He thinks for a bit, “You still need parental permission for that tattoo, but she really can’t do anything about a piercing. We’ll get it about a week before your birthday so you can adjust before the big night.”
“Are you serious?!” he nods, and all I can do is grin. I have awesome friends.
8/11/13