I Drew You Once in Art Class

Seventy-Eight

Gerard waited a minute for Frank to leave before growling in frustration and walking back into the bar, slamming the door behind him. The music that had been muffled before was now crazy loud and slightly overwhelming. Gerard's breath quickened, and the room suddenly got very hot and practically ear-splitting. He didn't look at the little stage, but he felt Bert's eyes on him as he pushed open the front door and caught his breath on the way to the car.

A light dusting of snow covered the asphalt now, and it blanketed his little red bug. Gerard got in the car, his breath fogging in the chilly air, and pulled out. This whole thing sucked. He was trying to have fun and he was, but Frank said he'd been acting weird. Had he? He thought back to the conversation he, Bert and Frank had had.

"Shut up Bert, he's only 6 months younger than me."

Okay, he hadn't exactly stood up for Frank, but he hadn't encouraged Bert either.

He leaned his forehead on the freezing steering wheel, letting out a single, slow exhale before starting the ignition.
He drove home in silence, the window wipers squeaking against the windshield and the rumble of the tires against wet roads as the only background noise.

He pulled into the driveway. The living room light was on. He pulled out his phone to call Bert, knowing full well Bert was busy. The voicemail-beep sounded, and Gerard cleared his throat. "Hey, man. I'm sorry I left, but I sort of fought with Frank and... I really just wanted to go home. Uh, you guys did great, though. I'm happy for you. Um, sorry for not texting this, and I know you can't pick up the phone, I just... um, I felt like it would be better... more genuine, I guess, if it was my actual voice. Yeah, um, anyway, text me when you get a chance. Bye."
Beep.

He put his phone on silent.

When he walked through the front door, shaking the snow from his hair, Mikey turned around to face him from the couch. He looked kinda cute like that, his hair sticking up all over the place.

"Wow. You look like your night sucked. I'm watching Back to the Future. Wanna join?"

"Sure."

Gerard took off his jacket and sat next to Mikey, who was wrapped in a blanket and holding a bowl of popcorn.

"Want some?" 

Gerard grabbed a blanket himself, snuggled into the couch, and took a handful of popcorn from Mikey.

"Hello? Anybody home? Think, McFly, think!"

Gerard rested his head on the couch and let Frank and Bert slip from his mind.