Short Of a Breath

|Chapter 15|

The entire time Josh was speaking Tyler slid closer to me, trying almost, to be as far from him as possible. I can understand that. I never once heard him say anything about this chick.
"Her name is Debby. She was my girlfriend, and I loved her very much."
"Why did you never tell me about her then?..I thought...we told each other everything..."
"Tyler...I didn't tell anyone about Debby..not even my mom for a while, I never talked to anyone about her, and yes, I was going to tell you until-"
He sat on his bed and looked up at the ceiling, and I watched as a single tear fell down his cheek.
Then I realized, It got to her too.
"She's dead, Tyler." He stared at a picture of them next to his bed. He picked it up and smiled.
"These are all I have left..of her."
Tyler wanted to comfort him, I could feel the tension and wanting coming off of him, but he didn't move.
"You still should've.."
"She was dying while I was in there Tyler, she had cancer.. she had it for so long...but death finally caught up to her..and she knew...she knew she was going to die. She never- she never said goodbye." Tears fell down his face faster, and at that point I wanted to comfort him too, but I felt as if it wasn't my place.
Oh how I felt the sorrow for him, though.
I pull out the picture of me, Gerard, and Mikey. I smile, the first time in a while, feeling glad I had the time to love them while they existed. I couldn't help it. I cried.
"F-frank?" Ryan, Josh, and Tyler all stare at me with despair and confusion. Ryan knew exactly what was wrong, so he moved to hug me. I thank Ryan silently and move to Josh, and sit down next him. I give him the picture.
"I love them so much, you know. Death can never stop me from loving the lost." I look him in the eyes, and we both try are hardest not to cry, failing soon enough.
"Brothers?"
"Almost. More like..soul mates." I smile at him, patting his leg
"Debby might be gone, Josh, but I promise she's still here, they never really leave you" I laugh at that. Because it's very true.
Right Gerard?
"Right." In that moment my eyes shoot up to the door, and I see him. Gerard Way. The love of my life. Smiling at me. At that moment I break. Crying and just being a complete mess, but I couldn't get up, I couldn't run to him, because... he's not there. I have to realize.
I'm making it happen.
He walks up to me slowly, and carress's my cheek, kissing my head.
"I love you too" my heart stops.
He said it.
He loves me.
What...am I feeling?..
"May death never stop you." He smiles down at me
"Gerard-"
"Frank?"
I look at Josh, and everyone else staring at me, almost scared
"S-sorry. Flash back..." Ryan smiled at me, knowing what happened. Ryan understood. It was a good feeling.
"Tyler... please forg-" before Josh could finish, Tyler jumped on Josh pushing him on his bed.
"Oh, my..you know what, we're just going to...sit outside." Me an Ryan walk out, feeling happy for the both of them, yet I'm still replaying in my head, what just happened.
As we sat in Josh's living room, Ryan smiles at me, putting his hand on my knee.
"So.. what'd he say? Gerard?"
"He said he loved me." I smiled into my hands, feeling stupid.
That couldn't have been real.
But in the end, I knew it was.
I just felt it.
"Hm. You need something in all of this shit, Frank. Hold onto that." I smile at him, putting my hand on his.
"Thanks, Ryan"
"Anytime, asshole"
We laugh, having small talk, trying to calm ourselves of the situation until Josh comes out of his room, now fully dressed.
"So tyler..is going to stay here..with me. He has nowhere else-" I put my hand up.
"That was our plan, Josh, it's fine. Tyler needs you. I know you need him. Please, take care of him, okay?" He smiles, bringing me and Ryan into a hug.
"He's in good hands, i promise you."
Tyler comes running down the hallway, basically jumping on both me, and Ryan, almost killing us.
"I know I didn't talk much, but I do love you guys. Thank you..for making feel alive in there...I'll never be able to thank you enough-"
"Trust me, there's no need, we needed you just as much." We all laugh, coming into a big hug.
"If none of us get caught, We'll see each other soon enough, got it?" We all smile and nod
"Got it"
_________________

After we left Josh's house, we got a middle aged woman to pay for us to get a motel room, begging her for a while, until she finally broke.
Ryan grabbed a towel from a closet.
"I'm going to take a shower, okay? Don't do anything crazy?"
I open the door and walk out.
"No promises" we smile at each other and I walk out to the front of the motel.
I walk down the stairs and put my hoodie over my head, walking down the street
It was nice, taking a late night walk, looking at everything in a shade darker than normal, alone. You needed them sometimes.
As I turned the corner I felt arms on my back suddenly, grabbing my shoulders, pushing me against a wall. I panic, not knowing what to do, so I push the person on the ground, failing to overcome the guy, as they roll me on the ground, pinning me down. I start to kick and punch, but it was no good, the guy held my arms down.
"Hey! G-et off of me!" I don't know what to do.
"Frank, shut the fuck up." I knew that voice from anywhere. I pull my hand away from his and yank his hood from his face, revealing my attacker.
"Party Poison?"
He smiles down at me, his bright red hair, shinning in the street lights glow.
"Hey fucktard. It's been awhile."
I push him off of me and stand
"What the fuck was that for? I thought I was going to get killed"
He laughs, brushing the grass off of him.
"I don't have time for bullshit Frank, I have a story to tell your dumbass." I turn walking back to the motel
"No, Party, I don't wanna here it i-"
"Gerard told me to find you"
I stop. And slowly turn around to him.
"Excuse me?.."
He laughs, walking closer to me.
"How do you think I found you?"