My Injuries, Your Injuries (Completed)

Chapter 37

I push myself to run faster down the sidewalk, pushing past kids and teenagers who shout at me afterwards. I swing my arms back and forth in time with my pace and ignore how cold the wind is making me.

I accidentally run into a girl after rounding a corner, we both tumble down and I end up landing on her front, my face smooshed into her chest. Gross. I push myself up and get to my feet, then pull her up because I feel bad for running into her. "I'm really sorry, please, just I'm in a hurry. I'm sorry if I hurt you, just- I have to go!" I run past her and down the sidewalk, my throat getting raw from labored breathing and cold air.

I turn onto the street Gerard lives on and will my legs to go faster, getting me to his house less than thirty seconds after turning onto the street. I run up the porch steps and try to open the door, which doesn't work. The knob turns, but it won't push open. So, I start pounding on the door, the scratch- or scratches- stinging even more. "Donna! Mikey!"

I hear footsteps, but I refuse to stop pounding on the door until it's unlocked and I can get to Gerard.

I hear the lock click, and I stop pounding on the door before I connect my fists with Donna, Mikey, or maybe even Gerard's face.

Donna and Mikey show up at the door, "Frank, what did you do?" Mikey asks, sounding angry.

I shove last them and call say, "I'll tell you later, I'm sorry." I speed up the staircase, slower than I would've liked due to tiredness. I go to Gerard's door and knock on it softly, knowing he has it locked.

"Go away, Frank."

"How'd you know it was me?" I ask, pressing my ear to the painted wood of his bedroom door.

"These walls aren't soundproof." I check my arms and see three more patches of bright pink have been added. What is he doing?

"Gerard, please stop hurting yourself," I whimper through the door. I can't stand it when he hurts himself, it makes me feel like shit knowing that I can't stop him.

"Why? Do you want me to shove that up my ass too?" He asks, sounding completely defeated and miserable. I cringe at the question, regretting what I said more than I did earlier.

"No, Gerard, I didn't mean that. I'm so sorry, I just... I was being nosey and stupid and I got mad, I was being brat and I just... just.. I want to take the whole day back and redo it, I've ruined everything." I move my ear from the door, hoping he comes and opens it. I want to see him, I want to hug him, kiss him, cuddle him, make up my asshole behavior to him.

"So now you care about what you said? Once you figure out that there's a chance of me hurting myself or maybe offing myself, you go out of your way to try to correct it! I hate that. I try not to ruin anything with you, I try to always make you happy. Why is only when I'm sad you-"

"Goddammit, I fucking love you, Gerard, okay? I fucking love you so much I can't explain it. I know you think I don't care about you and maybe that I only care about myself and I'm trying to make you happy so that I don't have to have my body littered with scars any more than it already is, but that is not the case. I don't care about any of that, I don't care about the scars, the hospital trip, any of that, it's because I love you." I'm breathing heavier than I was at the beginning because I ranted all of that in only two breaths and my lungs are tired, and now the only noise is my breathing and the heaters keeping the house warm.

I hear a little creak, his mattress, and light steps. "Really?" He asks, sounding curious and like he does not believe me. "You love me?"

"I love you, so, so much." I press my ear back to the door now that our voices are quieter again.