Three Cheers for Tyranny

Chapter 9

Gerard was jarred awake out of his nap by an annoying buzzing sound. It took a solid 7 seconds for him to realize it was his phone and it was ringing.

"Fuck" he murmured under his breath as he rolled around to try and get the phone out of the pocket of his abnormally tight jeans. Without even looking at the screen he just pressed ANSWER and mumbled a "hello" while half his face was still smooshed in his pillow.

"What's up, fucker!" He heard a familiar voice yell from the other end and it made him smile.

"Lindsey, how are you?" He tried to sound excited because honestly he hadn't heard from his friend in weeks, but he was also really fucking tired. That nap was clearly a bad idea because it made him more groggy than he was.

"I'm great! I'm in Copenhagen today actually. Figured I should check in, make sure you haven't been institutionalized or anything". Lindsey knew Gerard was putting a lot of pressure on himself over the last year and she tried to help the best she could, but when she was sent to Europe to tour it made it hard for her to check on her best friend as often as she would have liked.

"That's so fucking cool" Gerard sighed as he rolled over to stare up at the ceiling.

"So how is your piece going?" Lindsey jumped right in. She rarely beat around the bush.

"Terribly". Gerard couldn't lie to Lindsey even over the phone, she would always know. "It's lacking Linz, and I don't know how to fix it".

"Come on, Gee. You never struggle like this" Lindsey said with concern clearly in her voice.

"It's stressing me out" Gerard said as he sat up in bed. "I really ..." his voice trailed off because what he really wanted was in his past and he had grown from that part of his life.

"Gerard" Lindsey said sternly.

"I really want a line, Linz" he whispered, tears prickling his eyes.

"I know Gee. But you're stronger than this." Lindsey was there when Gerard hit rock bottom, and she practically locked herself in with him in his apartment while he sobered up. Since then she's always been scared he would get overwhelmed and turn back to cocaine.

Gerard sighed. "I just need to get out of this hellhole" he murmured.

"Whatever, your apartment is nice as shit" Lindsey protested.

"I'm not in my apartment I'm ... in ... Belleville."

Lindsey paused. "Oh my god" she started laughing. "You're back there?!"

"Yes" Gerard whimpered. He knew Lindsey hadn't been back to Jersey in years either. After she left for college her mom chased a boyfriend to California. Lindsey has friends in New York and Los Angeles, she never really needed to go back to Jersey.

"Well how fun is that" Lindsey joked.

"It sucks and  smells like horse shit" Gerard replied, causing Lindsey to erupt in another fit of giggles.

"So have you run into anyone you know?" She asked.

"Um, yeah I saw Ray at the coffee house".

"Aww, Ray!" Lindsey squeaked. "How is he?"

"Uh well I think he's good. We only chatted for a minute".

"Aww man, I always liked Ray. Ok who else who else" and Gerard knew what she was asking. After all these years, all the fame and glory and money, Lindsey still held a flame for Jamia.

"No I haven't seen satan's mistress, but I did see his brother" Gerard smiled.

"Oh my god. Frank?! You saw Frank? Please tell me he got fat. Or bald, is he bald?" Lindsey blabbed. She always didn't like Frank, aside from the fact that he tormented Gerard relentlessly, he held Jamia's heart even if he didn't want it.