I Drew You Once in Art Class

Forty-Nine

Gerard stood frozen at the register, one hand holding his wallet, his eyes still wide in shock. Why, why, why did he have to be wearing too-small pajama pants right now?

"Hello? Is anyone in there?" Bert waved a hand across Gerard's face, leaning on the counter with one hand, which was too close for comfort, thank you. He had a green apron with the store logo imprinted on it, and his hair had gotten longer, now falling a little past his shoulders. It was as greasy as it had always been, and Gerard was surprised the store had hired him with it looking like that.

His face was the same, though.

A small amount of facial hair, a smirk that could be friendly, could not. You could never tell.

A smirk Gerard had kissed, and never would again.

Gerard pushed away Bert's hand, which felt much too close to his face. 

"Just ring up the damn cereal."

"You don't need to be aggressive," Bert said, scanning the cereal boxes and coffee pods.

"Mikey still likes Lucky Charms?" he grinned, holding up the box.

"Don't talk about him," Gerard said, reaching for the box.

Bert pulled it out of his reach and put it into a plastic grocery bag. He handed it to Gerard and gave him a grocery-store-cashier smile as Gerard snatched the bag from his outstretched hand, slapping a twenty on the counter.

"Keep the change," he grumbled.

"Have a nice day!!" Bert called after him, adhering to his grocery-store-cashier etiquette. Gerard swung around the door, pushing past the girls selling cookies, scowling. He trudged to his car, sat down, and  turned on the radio, cranking up the volume, letting the song that was on blast loud enough that every car in the parking lot could probably hear it. He let his head fall against the steering wheel, groaning in frustration under the music pounding through the speakers.

I left my baby and it feels so bad

Guess my race is run

I fought the law and the law won

I fought the law and the...