XOXO// Frank Iero

Four

Kit

Thursday

It had been three days since I took initiative to befriend Mikey Way. He had been calling in to my place of work since the mid May, and it was now the beginning of July, he probably thought something was up. I guised it to Marlowe has help to get them together after our talk last Saturday. She told me that Mikey had countless friends in school, and desperately wanted to know why I was asking. I broke down and told her I wanted to "surprise her by setting them up through some friends." I'm really bad at thinking things up on the spot.

However, on this day, before work I sat with Mikey in the coffee house by my bus stop. I had told Mikey that I too loved The Smashing Pumpkins, and told him Marlowe and I saw them two summers ago, he really liked that and that helped our case a lot. I was getting a few steps closer to diary boy, and Marlowe was getting closer to Mikey.

"Oh, Kit, I meant to ask you something..." Mikey begins, taking a sip of his Americano. "I've got a buddy who's looking for that blue hollow body in the window of Joey's. Any way you could slip him a discount?"

I got a flashback to diary boy. I knew he was a guitarist and my stomach did flips. I got 20 percent off for myself at Joey's, and 10 percent for friends and family, but if I could buy the guitar myself with this guy's money, I could get him the 20. I was willing to do that for diary boy.

"Sure. I can get 20 percent off for him. I'm working tonight and tomorrow, but if he wants to catch me next week, I work every week day." I drum my fingers on the table.

"Okay, cool. His name is Tony. He's actually in a band, his old guitar is completely broken from playing too hard at his last gig, so he's taking it as an excuse to treat himself to a new one instead of paying a fuck ton in repairs."

In a band? Broken guitar from playing too hard? It was diary boy. Without a doubt. Tony. That was his name. I started to imagine what he might look like. I bet he was brunette, or maybe black haired, pale with blue eyes. Like the singer from Ice Nine Kills. Not that that image was particularly my type, it was just the only thing I could picture. I didn't imagine his name was Tony though, I thought something more cute like Elliott or Milo or something.

"Cool, that's no worries. I'll put his name on it tonight, and if you wanna give me his number or something.. I can buy the guitar with his money and get double the discount." I explain, sipping my hot chocolate, coffee far too bitter for my immature palette.

I was getting Diary Boy's number... I couldn't believe it! I didn't even have to call him that anymore, he was Tony. Tony and Kit, that had a ring to it.

I typed it into my phone and titled it "Tony (Guitar)" It wasn't as if I was going to forget who this was, it was just a facade for Mikey.

"What's Tony's band called?" I asked. Maybe I'd even seen them play. The thought of that kind of made me feel a bit woozy.

"Pierce The Veil." Mikey answered. I'd never heard that name before, but he went on to say that they were quite a big deal, especially in NYC. They did a lot of travelling, apparently. He described them as metal-core, rather than Punk as Tony had written in his diary. I understand, misinterpreting of genres, happens all the time.

Once it hit 5:40, Mikey and I headed outside. He walked me to my bus stop and gave me an awkward fist bump before I hopped on, quickly returning his hands to the pockets of his skinny jeans. I looked at him and understood why Marlowe liked him. I didn't feel the same way, but his lankiness, awkwardness and shy demeanour was exactly what Marlowe liked. The complete opposite of herself.

I settled into my seat and rested my feet on the one beside me. I pulled out the diary and smiled while I read. I had some sort of clarity now, it was Tony writing this.

Dear Diary.
I've done enough complaining for a year now, so I'll focus on the good. Marina and I are done, she started dating some new guy called Peter. I feel bad for him, but at least I'm free now. Dad has started working longer hours, so that means less time around him and more money for me to take from him. Maybe I can even get a new guitar. On top of that, I hear Lagwagon are playing in Rockwood in August. I hope I can get down to that. I've been obsessed with those guys since god knows when, me and the guys at school pass around their debut album like a blunt. All in all, my life has been picking up in little ways all throughout the week and I've been happier, doing dumb things like picking flowers, skipping rocks and actually spending full days at school instead of leaving early to hang out at the skate park with Mikey.
Happy days.
XOXO-Me

I smiled as I read this time. I liked to hear that he was doing well. I was, of course reading this after it had been written, so of course things could still get bad for him as I read on, but I know that he was doing well at least at this point, and I could be content with that for now.

The bus rumbled to a stop across from Joey's, and I made it to the door just in time for 6 o'clock. Paul was patiently waiting for me, and I ran inside.

"Lovely weather we're having!" I called back when he walked out the door.

He looked confused, probably because I don't really interact with him that much, but my newfound discovery of Diary boy had put a pep in my step.