Heaven Help Us (MCR/Gerard Way Fan-Fic)

Chapter Three

GERARD’S POV

I was sitting at my desk, working on some sketches for a new comic book when I found my thoughts wandering to Eliza. I began to watch the time, waiting for it to turn to eight o’clock, just so Eliza would show up. I tried to not, but she was really interesting, and she was the only student that hasn’t either been a total dick to me or tried to get in my pants. She was into cool things, and she was kind of amazing. I respected her more than I thought I would respect any teenager. 

Twenty minutes passed and it was 7:55, the time at which Eliza as normally here by. Another ten minutes passed and school had officially begun, and there was still no sign of her. At 8:20, I began to worry. It wasn’t until 8:40 that she showed up. 

Immediately, something seemed up. She looked tired, and almost sickly. She had her hair parted so that it covered her face if she tilted her head downwards. She was walking slowly, almost as if it hurt. 

“Eliza?” I ask, standing and walking over to her. She seemed to look up at me as if she hadn’t expected that I would be here. Here eyes went wide for a few moments, then her face fell back into it’s usual smile and politeness. 

“Hi, Mr. Way,” she said, smiling at me. If I hadn’t caught her off guard, I wouldn’t have caught just how forced and fake that illusion of a smile was. “How was the meeting?” There was another trigger. I had been working here for three weeks, and she has never once been interested in the frequent school meetings that I get called in for. 

I looked her up and down, determining my best approach. I decided to just ask.

“What’s wrong?” The question seems to stun her momentarily, but she’s quick to put back on her clever little disguise. 

“What do you mean? Nothing’s wrong. I was just a little later than usual is all.” The crack in her voice and the slight break in her smile told me just how close she was to breaking. 

“Are you okay?” I asked, trying a different approach. This time, she faltered. The smile disappeared and she looked away for a moment. 

When her eyes met mine again, the smile didn’t return. 

“I’ll be fine,” she said. The answer was vague, and didn’t actually answer my question. 

“I didn’t ask if you would be okay. I asked if you are okay.” I crossed my arms, determined to get the truth out of her.

She kept looking away, trying her hardest to look me in the eye and say what she knows isn’t true. After a few moments, she gave in and looked down. Her entire being seemed to drop into a highly depressed state, and in that moment I felt terrible for her.

“It’s just some shit at home,” she explained. “It’s no big deal, it’s just tiring, y’know?” I sighed and nodded. That was all that I would get out of her. 

“Yeah, I think I do.” I glance up and get an idea. “You look really tired. You can take a rest on the chair in my office if you’d like. I’ll wake you up in time for 2nd period, okay?” 

“Really?” she asked hopefully, relief flooding over her features. “You’d do that?” 

I nod. “Of course. I’d rather that happen than you passing out in the middle of class.”  

With that, I led her back into my office and into the backroom where there was a lounge chair thing that was left behind by the previous teacher. I watched as she made herself comfortable, sitting down on it and removing her black pullover hoodie, unintentionally lifting up the long sleeved shirt beneath it. 

I tried to avoid looking, for that would be inappropriate, but something caught my eye, and I couldn’t seem to pull my gaze away. Her entire lower back seemed to be made up of blues, greens, purples and yellows. As well as a few fresher red and faded pink scars. 

I gasped, causing Eliza to whip around and stare at me like a deer in headlights, frantically pulling her shirt back down. I knew she knew what I saw because instead of blushing, her face turned to a deathly pale color. 

“I-eh-Eliza… wha- What hap-”

“Oh my god, Mr. Way, please, you cant tell anyone. Please, I can handle it on my own. Just, please don’t tell.” She was panicking. A lot. This was the first time I’ve seen her be anything but calm and collected. 

“Eliza… Who did that to you?” I demand. “And don’t give me any bullshit. I know that wasn’t an accident. There’s no way.” Then, she started tearing up, but she realized it too, and she turned away from me. She pulled her sweatshirt back on and grabbed her bag off of the floor.

“Whoever did it, it doesn’t matter. I’m fine, and I can handle my own problems. I shouldn’t even be in here anyway.” She started walking past me but stopped and looked me dead in the eye. “But, please, if this is the last thing that you ever do for me, just don’t tell anyone. Please. I have enough things to worry about.”

Then she continued out of the office, leaving me standing there torn and confused. I wanted her to explain, and I wanted to get her out of the situation that she was in, but I also didn’t because I knew the kind of person she was, and I knew that she could handle it. As bad as it was, I knew she could. But, she shouldn’t have to. She was a teenager. She shouldn’t have to be acting like an adult. 

It took me a few moments of internal conflict before I followed after her, preparing to chase her down the hallway if need be. To my surprise though, she hadn’t left. She was in the back of the room, paintbrush in hand, painting something that she has been working on for a while. Her headphones were in, and I could hear it blaring from my place across the room. 

Sighing, I walked over and sat down in front of her, waiting for her to respond before taking the previous conversation further. I knew that she knew I was there. She wasn’t one to be oblivious to her surroundings. 

“I’m sorry.” I was shocked that those were her first words. Why was she sorry? Shouldn’t I be the one apologizing?

She pulled a headphone out before continuing.

“I overreacted, and you were just doing what any normal person would do. I’m sorry. You can tell if you’d like. I can’t stop you from doing it.” She didn’t look up at me the entire time, not allowing me to see what exactly she was feeling. 

I let it fall silent for a while, making my decision. Why did all of this seem so easy for her? I had to physically strain myself to make a choice, when she just made the best decision in the blink of an eye. Why was that?

“I wont tell.” I say finally, and she just nods. “It’s not my choice, so I’ll leave it up to you.” 

“Thank you Mr. Way.” She finally looks up at me, her eyes piercing right through me. 

“I just need to know that you’re going to be okay.” She nods. “And if you ever need anything, or any help, or if you ever need to talk, I’m willing to listen and to help you to my best ability.” She nods again and a small smile plays on her lips.

“I promise, I’m okay. I made it this far, I can make it ‘til the end of senior year.” I smiled back at her.

“Okay.” 

~~

Yay! I finally fixed this! Sorry for that. 

-Shriek