Short Of a Breath

|Chapter 16|

I didn't believe him at first but when he described him completely and told me that Gerard knew I wasn't going to believe him, I had to at least trust him for now.
When we got back to the motel, Ryan was watching TV, only wearing boxers.
"Yeesh, Ryan, didn't know you liked sleeping naked." Party let out as soon as we shut the door, laughing.
His head jolted straight towards Party, not even noticing my existence what so ever.
"Party?! Holy shit!" He basically fell off the bed, running towards us both.
" I thought you were dead. What the fuck happened?"
Party didn't say anything, only moved past me and Ryan, to the the kitchen. We followed him, wondering what he was doing.
"Hey, twirps, you got any potatoes?" I roll my eyes taking my jacket off, sprawling out on the bed.
"No, we don't" Ryan joined me on the bed, still looking extremely shocked.
"Frank, id like to talk to you." He leaned on the wall, staring down at me, expressionless.
"I'm all ears"
"Alone" we both stare at Ryan.
"Fine! It's not like I'm important or anything."
"You're not" party mumbled as Ryan was walking out.
"Fuck you."
"Yeah yeah, maybe later." He shut the door, leaving me and Party, in a pile of uncomfortableness.
"So why did you run?" I sit up and stare at him.
"I can ask you the same question"
"I was done with that place, so I left. Simple."
"Uhuh, because that's an amazing excuse."
"Listen, Frank, I didn't come here for small talk, I'm here because your boy toy was able to reach me, and things aren't making sense."
"He's not my-"
"Oh, shut it, you should see your face when you talk about that kid."
"Whatever" I get up to get a glass of water, surprisingly nervous for what he had to say. I don't think I have the mental capacity for any of this anymore.
"So you've established that Gerard's dead, right?"
Ah, there it is.
"Yes, something like that.." I didn't want to argue or talk about it at all, especially in my thoughts. I don't know what to think, so I try not to.
"After I left the institute, I ran to the house I use to live in, and I was getting ready to flee this city and never look back, until I started to hear singing."
I stayed quiet
"He came up to me, putting his hand on my shoulder, basically telling me to stop what I was doing." He smiled, and continued.
"His voice sounded exactly like Mikey's, but more, angelic. It was as if he was trying to sing me to sleep."
I laugh under my breath.
"Yeah, he does that."
"He scared the living shit out of me, I didn't quite remember the picture of him you showed me, but the moment i saw him, I knew it was the boy you could never stop fussing about."
I was annoyed but I didn't say anything.
"After a long silence, I asked him If he was your boyfriend, only joking, it was surprising how fast his expression changed. I'm guessing he never knew you talked about him alot. He laughed then went straight to the point."
I was basically on the edge of my seat, I didn't know what to say.
"He seemed pretty sad, not speaking for a while. I was waiting for him to tell me something like I had expected, until he glanced at all of the drawings and paintings I had taken from my room, filled with Mikey and the killjoys, and battery city."
I wasn't really informed about everything, Party had Invisioned for the past 10 years. So, I tried not to pay attention to his small world. In the end, he'd do the same.
"He picked up my art, looking at them all one by one, smiling brighter and brighter, looking down at everything. All I heard him say was, 'oh, Mikey', not really saying anything else"
I felt terrible. Knowing that Gerard was alone, in a sea of despair, but then again. That's what started all of this.
"He hugged me, thanking me for qoute on qoute, 'taking care of my brother'. He knew, Frank, he knew I was seeing Mikey, and he knew..that I didn't realize..that he was dead.."
I didn't want to say anything. I wanted to cry. Knowing that even a stranger, not even growing up with Mikey, could fall in such intence despair and love with him.
It was beautiful.
It was..tragic.
"I cried for a while, to be honest with you. And so did he, I talked about him for a while and he just sat there, smiling. I did hope that Mikey would show up to meet him. Unfortunately he didnt."
I looked into his eyes, seeing how sad he was, I had to speak.
"So is that all that happened?" He looked up at me, tears starting to dissolve in his eyes. He put his hands in his jacket pocket.
"Well, Frank..I didn't want to tell you, and I didn't think he wanted to either.."
"What?"
"I don't know, Frank.."
"Party, fucking tell me, I'm not a child" he smirked
"Well technically-"
"Tell me, dammit!" He fell silent and emotionless.
"Frank, Gerard...he told me."
He was mumbling, not making eye contact
"What? What did he say?"
Party put his head down, staring at the floor.
"He said you're going to die, Frank"
I couldn't say anything. I didn't look at him either. I merely sat back and smiled.
I realized Ryan was near the doorway, trying to hide, obviously as soon as Party said what he said, Ryan reacted.
Ryan started to yell at Party, causing them to both go into a fit of rage and pity.
But I didn't pay attention.
I only kept my eyes on the ceiling, a smile plastered on my face.
He got what he wanted, and in the end so did I.
I'm coming for you, Gerard