You Had Me At Hello

6: Don't Be So Scared

 Time is a strange concept. It could be minutes, or it could be hours. It didn't seem to matter. When I was with him, time just simply didn't exist. I spent almost all of my time with him. Of course, I also spent a lot of it with Mikey. He wanted to remain in the loop, without making it known that he was the mastermind behind the start of it all. Almost a month had passed since Gerard and I got to know each other. In that duration, he hadn't touched any pills. He didn't drink unless it was a glass of wine with dinner. He was becoming himself again, from Mikey's perspective. To me, I saw that he was still the same troubled artist with his heart on his sleeve. He did seem more confident with human interaction. Their parents saw how well he was progressing. Their son was returning to them slowly. He started working on his art again. I gave him ideas on how to handle the urges and cravings. I suggested that he start a daily journal, where he should write one good thing about each day. It seemed to actually be working.

"Hey, sugar," he said as he sat down next to me. I smiled at him. "So, what's on the docket for this evening?"

"Nothing that I know of," I shrugged. "Mikey is going out with Frankie, so I guess it's just us tonight."

"I was kind of hoping for that," he smiled at me. "Can I take you somewhere tonight?" I eyed him suspiciously for a minute. "I can't tell you where, because if you do agree, I want it to be something of a surprise." I thought it over for a second. It's not like I really had any other plans.

"Sure," I agreed. "One condition though." He cocked his brow in mild amusement. "I need to know what to dress for."

"Whatever you want to," he laughed softly. "Just make sure to bring a jacket." I nodded.

"Gee, come help me with something," Mikey called from down the hall. He sighed and got up to go and assist his brother in need. I stood up to stretch my legs, preparing for the walk back home. As I stood, I knocked over a small box. I bent down to pick up its contents when I spotted a small, leather-bound journal. My curiosity got the best of me, and I picked it up. As I flipped through the pages, I smiled. He had been taking my advice on writing about good things from each day. As I skimmed the pages, I found a page marked with today's date. I looked it over, trying to make out the now-familiar scribbles.

Today marks one month since she came into my life. I don't know how, or even if, I could ever express how grateful I am for her, just being who she is.

I heard Mikey complaining loudly. His voice drew nearer, so I hurriedly put the journal and other contents back into the box and slid it back onto the desk. I stepped out of his room, only to collide with him.

"Hey, where are you going?" He asked with a trace of disappointment.

"I'm going to head home so I can shower and change for tonight." His eyes lit up as he remembered our plans.

"Oh, okay. Well, do you want me to walk you home?" He asked. I just shook my head. "Okay... Well, I'll be there around 6:30."

"Okay, that should give me more than enough time to get ready," I said as I headed toward the door. He nodded and followed me out. I lit a cigarette for the walk home and handed another to him. He smiled and took it from my hand.

"I'm really not sure how cold it is going to be later, so please make sure to bring a jacket. I don't want you to get sick," he pleaded. I smiled at him. He leaned forward and pulled me into his warm embrace. I wrapped my arms around his waist and rested my head on his chest. The warm scent of leather, sandalwood, and cigarette smoke clung to him. It had become a rather comforting smell for me over the past month. I pulled back and he held my gaze for a moment before releasing me. He smiled warmly.