A Chance Encounter
Chapter 6
Mikey doesn’t come near me for the whole next week. I don’t understand why, because he didn’t do anything wrong. It was Gerard. All of it was Gerard. I just want to spend time with someone I actually relate to. What’s wrong with that? Why does everything have to be so complicated?
Eventually, I can’t take the silence anymore. I decide to confront Mikey, since he clearly isn’t doing anything to break the tension. I walk up to his locker while he’s digging for books and wait for him to shut the door. When he does, he looks really surprised to see me.
“Uh, hey Frank,” he half-mutters, “What’s up?”
“Why are you avoiding me?” oh, nice one, Frank. Jump straight to the point. That’ll make him answer!
“What? I’m not…I thought you were avoiding me.”
“Why would I be—?! Oh, right, the Gerard thing…” I punch his arm.
“Ow! What was that for?”
“For being a complete imbecile! I wasn’t talking to you because you weren’t talking to me! be more vocal next time!”
“Well…that makes you an imbecile too, because I was doing the same thing…”
“Yeah, but who talked first? Huh?” I put harshness into the words, but I know I’m grinning. I’m so relieved that he’s not upset at me.
He scratches the back of his head, “True…So, you wanna come over and play Halo after school?”
“Um…” what do I say? I don’t want to be around Gerard anymore, but I don’t want to disappoint Mikey.
Thankfully, he saves me from a response, “Or I could come to your place. I mean, whatever’s cool.”
“Yeah, my house would be good. See you after class,” I wave at him before walking to history (shudder). I hate history.
…
“That’s, like, the fiftieth time you’ve respawned. What’s going on in that dinky brain of yours?” I ask Mikey after obliterating his player yet again. We’re playing Halo 2 (the only one I currently have) and he’s been really distracted. He’s barely even touched my mom’s cookies.
He sets down his controller and lets out a chuckle, “You’re just really good at this, I guess.”
“Bull to the shit. I saw the online rankings; you’re, like, way up there.”
He gives me a skeptical look, “How’d you know my username?”
“You told me, dolt! Now what’s wrong, really?”
He sighs, but doesn’t answer me. It’s really irritating, because he should be able to talk to his only friend about his problems. I don’t say anything past that point, just stare at him. His face slowly grows more and more anxious looking. I can tell he’s about to crack.
“I need you to call Gerard!” he blurts out suddenly.
“Um…what?!” I say. That was so not what I was expecting.
“I’m sorry…I…he’s been so depressed ever since that night, and….I know it’s because he scared you away, and I can’t take his moping! That’s why I invited you over today…I wanted Gee to be able to see you.”
I stare at him, dumbfounded, “Wait…wait…let me get this straight. You were trying to hook me up with your brother, after all that complaining about him liking me.”
He blushes, “Not…really. I just want you to talk to him. You don’t have to date him.”
“Good, cuz I won’t. And I don’t really want to talk to him either. He creeps me out, Mikey!”
“Yeah…I know…But he needs you. I’ve never seen him crush on a guy this hard before. Usually he plays by the rule that if they aren’t interested, you back off. Instead he’s holed himself up in his room drawing morbid pictures and writing songs about heartbreak.”
I can’t help but be a little flattered…And the image of Gerard pouring his heart out in song is kinda cute…No, not cute. Stupid brain. Admirable. I must have meant admirable, because I do the same thing. Except mine are usually about how pissed at the world I am. Trust me, I’m pretty pissed at the world. But calling Gerard is not on my to-do list.
“Fine, just one call,” okay, my mouth has got to stop working without my permission. This is getting ridiculous.
His face perks up, “Really? You’re the best!” he flings his arms around my neck.
“Yeah, whatever,” I mumble. I go over to my desk and start rummaging through drawers. Mikey gives me a confused look that clears up when I eventually hold up the worn little slip of paper. Xog why does that seem so…personal now?
Eventually, I can’t take the silence anymore. I decide to confront Mikey, since he clearly isn’t doing anything to break the tension. I walk up to his locker while he’s digging for books and wait for him to shut the door. When he does, he looks really surprised to see me.
“Uh, hey Frank,” he half-mutters, “What’s up?”
“Why are you avoiding me?” oh, nice one, Frank. Jump straight to the point. That’ll make him answer!
“What? I’m not…I thought you were avoiding me.”
“Why would I be—?! Oh, right, the Gerard thing…” I punch his arm.
“Ow! What was that for?”
“For being a complete imbecile! I wasn’t talking to you because you weren’t talking to me! be more vocal next time!”
“Well…that makes you an imbecile too, because I was doing the same thing…”
“Yeah, but who talked first? Huh?” I put harshness into the words, but I know I’m grinning. I’m so relieved that he’s not upset at me.
He scratches the back of his head, “True…So, you wanna come over and play Halo after school?”
“Um…” what do I say? I don’t want to be around Gerard anymore, but I don’t want to disappoint Mikey.
Thankfully, he saves me from a response, “Or I could come to your place. I mean, whatever’s cool.”
“Yeah, my house would be good. See you after class,” I wave at him before walking to history (shudder). I hate history.
…
“That’s, like, the fiftieth time you’ve respawned. What’s going on in that dinky brain of yours?” I ask Mikey after obliterating his player yet again. We’re playing Halo 2 (the only one I currently have) and he’s been really distracted. He’s barely even touched my mom’s cookies.
He sets down his controller and lets out a chuckle, “You’re just really good at this, I guess.”
“Bull to the shit. I saw the online rankings; you’re, like, way up there.”
He gives me a skeptical look, “How’d you know my username?”
“You told me, dolt! Now what’s wrong, really?”
He sighs, but doesn’t answer me. It’s really irritating, because he should be able to talk to his only friend about his problems. I don’t say anything past that point, just stare at him. His face slowly grows more and more anxious looking. I can tell he’s about to crack.
“I need you to call Gerard!” he blurts out suddenly.
“Um…what?!” I say. That was so not what I was expecting.
“I’m sorry…I…he’s been so depressed ever since that night, and….I know it’s because he scared you away, and I can’t take his moping! That’s why I invited you over today…I wanted Gee to be able to see you.”
I stare at him, dumbfounded, “Wait…wait…let me get this straight. You were trying to hook me up with your brother, after all that complaining about him liking me.”
He blushes, “Not…really. I just want you to talk to him. You don’t have to date him.”
“Good, cuz I won’t. And I don’t really want to talk to him either. He creeps me out, Mikey!”
“Yeah…I know…But he needs you. I’ve never seen him crush on a guy this hard before. Usually he plays by the rule that if they aren’t interested, you back off. Instead he’s holed himself up in his room drawing morbid pictures and writing songs about heartbreak.”
I can’t help but be a little flattered…And the image of Gerard pouring his heart out in song is kinda cute…No, not cute. Stupid brain. Admirable. I must have meant admirable, because I do the same thing. Except mine are usually about how pissed at the world I am. Trust me, I’m pretty pissed at the world. But calling Gerard is not on my to-do list.
“Fine, just one call,” okay, my mouth has got to stop working without my permission. This is getting ridiculous.
His face perks up, “Really? You’re the best!” he flings his arms around my neck.
“Yeah, whatever,” I mumble. I go over to my desk and start rummaging through drawers. Mikey gives me a confused look that clears up when I eventually hold up the worn little slip of paper. Xog why does that seem so…personal now?
8/11/13