Chasing Stars

The Band

After dinner, Gerard asked me to clean up the kitchen while Lindsey, Krista and Jamia got the kids settled into a movie in the livingroom. I finished loading the dishwasher, drying my hands on the towel. Mikey, Frank, Ray and Gerard where all on the deck. I draped the towel and walked towards the back door to join them. Gerard caught my eye as I shut the door behind me.

"Did you finish the dishes?" he asked from afar.

"Yes I did dictator," I replied with an obnoxious grin. He pulled the seat next to him back for me to join the group.

"I'm not a dictator, if I was, you'd be in school everyday. Including Saturdays.," he stated with a smirk. I pulled both of my legs up on the chair and looked at him.

"That's just mean," I said with a smile. His hand came to my hair pushing it out of my face.

"Did you have fun today?" he asked. He was admiring me and I could tell.

"Yeah," I said softly.

"Now lets see if they'll stay quiet," Jamia said as the three girls exited the house. They joined us at the table pulling Gerard's attention back to the group.

We all sat and talked for awhile. Eventually as the night air took over and the guys had had a few more drinks, Mikey, Ray and Christa left to Mikey's house. Jamia and Lindsey had wondered upstairs and the kids where fast asleep. At the moment Gerard, Frank and I where all laying on loungers on the deck. I had spaced out of the conversation at hand to watch the stars above me.

"I'm gonna grab another drink and check on the kids. What anything?," Frank said standing up. Gerard and I both muttered a no and with that Frank disappearing. I stood up and walked over towards Gerard, curling into the chair with him for warmth.

"I though you said this weather is hot to you?" Gerard asked with a chuckle, snaking his arm around my back. I shrugged at the comment.

"I've been thinking about what you said," I admitted.

"About what?" He asked lazily stroking my hair.

"That I can talk to you...about anything," I said simply.

"Is this about boys" he asked sounding bored.

"No," I said with a small laugh. "I'm pretty sure I would never talk to you about boys."

"Well if you just keep them out of the picture, there would never be anything to talk about," he suggested raising his eyebrows.

"Gerard," I whined, shoving him slightly.

"Okay sorry, what's up?" he asked.

"Why does Bandit have to bug me all the time?" I asked. He laughed.

"Ry she looks up to you. She wants to be just like you," he explained.

"So do other people but they don't bug me all the time," I let slip without thinking.

"What?" he asked confused.

"She doesn't stop... ever... not once," I said resting my head on his shoulder. I let out a sigh and continue, "I don't like little sisters."

"There was a time I didn't like Mikey. Eventually it passes and you'll be grateful that you have her," he assured me.

"Can you tell me when that would be?" I asked looking up at him.

"Not that simple kid," he laughed at me. Silence engulfed us again.

"I want to go back to New Jersey, well Derek wants me to go back and I thought I didn't want to but after hearing was Frank said earlier, I really do want to go back...I need to make sure they didn't screw anything up."

"What did Frank say?"

"Josh's band. There are supposed to be restrictions on what bands are allowed to preform there. You actually have to be good and not fall off the stage." Gerard began to stroke my hair again letting me talk. He let me express myself without questioning me.

"I'll look into it," he said giving me reassurance that he wasn't instantly apposed.

"My band will be there," I added nervously. Gerard stopped moving and looked down at me.

"I though you said that you used to be in a band."

"I was... and then I moved here," I stated not quite sure how he would respond.

"I want to hear more about this band," Gerard added with a smile. I rolled my eyes. "No I'm serious, I want to know."

"Well I don't play guitar. I mean, I used to and I used to in a band but I quite trying to preform guitar live. I found something I preferred more," I said.

"And what's that?" Gerard asked.

"I probably shouldn't even be telling you any of this," I said with a sigh, pulling nervously at my sleeves.

"Hey I'm your dad, you can tell me anything," Gerard said giving me a quick tickle on my side. I laughed and looked up at him for a moment. He was eventually going to find out. There was no way around that. I laid my head back on his shoulder, playing with his zipper on his sweatshirt.

"I sing," I said softly. Gerard's other arm came around me, hugging me tightly.

"Stop being shy," he whispered against my forehead giving me a kiss.

"I don't mean choir like my mom, I mean in a rock band," I clarified. "She hated it."

"I love it," Gerard said just as Frank walked back onto the deck.

"Aww, what a cute moment... I am so taking a picture of this," Frank quickly said before pulling his phone out and snapping a picture of Gerard and I. "What happened to being tough shit?" Frank said with a laugh. He took his seat next to us popping open his beer.

"Dude, don't discourage this. I don't get this much longer," he said to Frank making me laugh. Laying with Gerard made me begin to get tired. The conversation went back to venues in Europe. I allowed my eyes to close and drift to sleep.