Another Way | Adopted by Gerard Way (Book Three)

8

Harley felt even more nervous than she had when Andy, Pond, Finn, and Remi were standing over her after she'd almost gone headfirst into the fence at the skatepark. She thought summer break— and summer break at Gerard's house, no less— was supposed to be relaxing. Obviously, she'd thought wrong. She couldn't stop bouncing her leg up and down as she sat on the stone steps of the place Mason told her to meet him when they were texting until late the night before.

So much for an early night like she had planned.

Mason was worth keeping Gerard from knowing her whereabouts to meet up with him. As far as he and Lindsey knew, she was at the skatepark with the group she couldn't shut up about the previous day. She'd go and see them again soon, but for now she wanted to keep talking to Mason. And, besides, he was the one who had suggested they meet up, so if something went wrong it wasn't completely her fault. She just didn't want him to keep talking about skateboards. Mason knew every little thing about skateboards anyone could possibly know. Harley even quizzed him.

Who was the first professional female skateboarder? Mason knew it was Patti McGee.

Where does the name 'Ollie' come from? Well, the trick was named after some guy called Alan Ollie Gelfand in 1978.

What are skateboards made out of? Typically, several layers of maple plywood, and the wheels are made of a material called polyurethane. But early wheels were made out of clay or metal.

Harley quickly ran out of questions to ask about skateboards and she was pretty bored of it after about fifteen minutes, especially since she still hadn't processed everything he'd told her in person when they met at the shop, but she let him go on. She just hoped she'd get a turn to talk about something she was interested in.

When there was finally a lull in their text conversation, she took her chance.

Harley: I can't play any instruments or anything, but I really like music. What's your favourite band?

Mason: Good question. I really like Fall Out Boy. Do you know about them? They're kind of old now, but you've probably heard some of their songs.

Harley stared at that message for at least a minute before typing out her reply. She typed slowly and chose her words carefully, avoiding at all costs mentioning she'd actually had the opportunity to meet the members of that band when she was very young, and that her parents had had the opportunity numerous times.

Harley: Yeah, I know about Fall Out Boy

Mason: My favourite song of their's is Irresistible. You?

Harley typed without hesitation, Tiffany Blews.

Mason: That's off Folie à Deux! I'm impressed.

Harley: Oh it's really nothing to be impressed about

She wanted nothing more than to reveal why it was that knowing a few older Fall Out Boy songs was nothing impressive, but she took all the strength she could muster to prevent herself from talking about all the things she really wanted to say. All about meeting them (or what little recollection she had of the event as she was only five years old at the time), about all the concerts she'd gone to, all the opportunities she wouldn't have gotten if it wasn't for her family.