THE BLACK PARADE.

The Lindsey Ballato Effect

Gerard was on his way from school to home, with a grin on his face probably for the first time in his entire existence. Lindsey invited him to dinner at their house tomorrow evening, and Gerard couldn't help but feel a little bubbly, as if his head was on the clouds. But it was real. They even exchanged numbers.

Holy shit. Gerard thought.

They actually exchanged numbers, and for the very first time (again) he punched a number to his contacts that isn't either the police or the hospital emergency hotline. It was Lindsey Ballato's. And obviously, he couldn't get over it. Also given the fact that he was already head over heels for the girl the very first time they have locked eyes.

The streets were empty just like it usually is . For a split second, Gee stopped thinking about Lindsey and felt something. It was eerie, and he gets it everytime he's on his way home, but never would he ever get used to it. It sent shivers to his spine, like a sudden cold blow on an indian summer. It felt as if hundreds of people had their eyes on him. But the reality was the complete opposite of it, the streets were clear. Yet it felt as if someone was watching every step he made.

New Haven was an odd town, that's what it is.

Sometimes, Gerard has a strong urge to leave, yet he couldn't. It was still home. It was still where Father said he would come back. Gerard sure knows damn well he wouldn't. But the fantasy of someone coming home—

That's what gets him through the day. Roughly.

But now, he's found something new. Someone that might help and take over, or overshadow all the useless pills he ate. Another reason why the world isn't so bad, or more like, another reason to keep telling himself that.

"I'm home." his voice echoed throughout his empty bungalow as he stepped in, and of course, no one answered. He didn't bother to expect, it was just a norm he couldn't get rid of. Once he settled down his bag and got to change, he decided to turn on the small, old fashioned television, with no hope of finding something good to watch, yet he did it anyway.

It was just the usual, news, shows.. nothing that took his interest. He sighed.

The whole house was cold and quiet. Not a creak was heard, even the whole town made no sound.
It was like a ghost town.
The whole town was grey and dull, even the once brightly painted houses seemed to loose all the festiveness in them. It looked as if they were there for decades already and got minimal caretaking. He remembers walking pass them when he was younger and there was even a faint memory of a woman too, she held his hands and guided him as they walked. He figured it was his mother. It was sunny and the town looked as if it was a colorful pastel suburbia, so different from the grey shithole he's stuck in up to this day.

Gee ruffled his platinum blonde hair lazily before stirring up to think of something to do. He's already done his homework since library period, so that left him with nothing other than eat, sleep or watch nonsense on tv. But then his phone buzzed from his pocket, the caller ID, the one and only person from his contacts.

"Hello?" Gee asked.
"Hey!" Lindsey chirped, the background had faint voices, possibly coming from her parents, Gee thought, "Where are you?" she continued.
"At home."
"Well, are your parents home? Cause my mum and dad got over excited and just wanted to ask if you could just come over now."
"Uh no. I mean, uh, sure, yeah I can go there now. That would be lovely."
"Great! See you then, weirdo." with a laugh, Lindsey hung up.
Funny how she can call him weirdo and he won't get offended even for a bit.