When We Part (on hold)

497 Days

My breathing was labored as he walked toward me. I felt like someone had reached down my throat and stolen all the air from my lungs. That was particularly frustrating. It was my air. I had the right to my air, and yet this boy had taken it from me. Who did he think he was? He made me nervous, almost scared. He was just so intimidating. I always knew I was socially inequipped, but he just made it a thousand times worse. I don't know why. Maybe it was because he had approached me, seemingly for no reason. 

He was dressed in a Joy Division t-shirt and jeans. His hair was a lot cleaner than last night, and he was clean shaven. I couldn't be sure, but I think he was wearing a bit of black eyeliner.

"Hello," Gerard said, sitting down on the swing next to me.

I nodded at him, trying to bring myself to say something.

"Thanks for coming," he said. "I didn't think you would actually do it."

I raised my eyebrow at him curiously.

"Hm," he said, "well I don't know. You seemed nervous when you agreed. I thought you might get too chickenshit and bail"

"Oh," I said, looking back down at my feet.

We sat in silence for a few moments

"Why a park?" I blurted. "Uh- I mean um- why did you want to meet at a park? We could have met any number of other places and-"

"One thing you must know about me Frank," He interrupted, "I am a very intolernant person. And coming with intolerance is often a hatred toward most people."

My eyes widened in surprise. Was he implying I was one of the poor, unfortunate souls he would turn his hatered upon out of spite or intolerance? Was the boy I met last night a drunken protagonist and a sober antagonist?

"Most people," he said, reading the look in my eye, "Not you. At least, I don't think it's you.Actually I'm rather fond of you. You intrigue me. I just don't want to deal with any of the people in this town. You see, if we went somewhere where these drug addicts and crack sluts went, I'd have to deal with them, and you'd get probably far more anxious, which in turn would make it more difficult to discover you."

I felt my face flush. No doubt I was deep scarlet now.

"U-umm is that-uh- is that so?" I stammered, silently cursing my inability to speak like a normal human being.

"Indeed it is," he smiled. "You're not like the others."

The sarcastic drawl of his voice mixed with the cheesy cliche made me grin like an idiot.

"Well what can I say to that," I replied, staring at my lap. My face hurt from blushing and probably just talking to him.

He started kicking his legs, getting the swing to rise higher with each one. I watched as his ratty sneakers scraped the ground and shot into the air. His fingers wrapped arounded the chains, and his smile was still ever present.

"Well Frank," he said. "I have interrogated you enough for the past four days I have known you, so I will tell you many a thing about me, if that's quite alright."

I loved the way he said Frank, putting more emphasis on the k than most anyone. It had a way of enveloping me, and making my skin feel like sand paper against that soft voice.

"So," he started. "My name is Gerard, but you already know that. I'm eighteen, and I have just recently graduated from high school. Actually I'm turning nineteen in a week and four days. Since I have no friends I was hoping I could spend that day with you. That is, if you are not too busy getting up in the club and picking up chicks."