Just Remember You Will Always Burn As Bright (Gerard Way x Reader)

(Chapter 16) Things Were Looking Up...

*RING RING* 

Our saving grace, the dismissal bell chimed, releasing us from a rather boring lecture by our teacher. I slipped my materials into my backpack and ambled towards the doorway. I weaved my way through the sea of sweaty students to my locker where I dropped off some of my books. I sighed and shut the locker door, only to be tackled to the floor by an exuberant Frankie.

"Well hello there," He greeted casually, still pinning me to the nasty hallway floor. 

"Hi," I responded, slightly winded from a short man lying on top of me. 

 I was used to this by now from him. He was just an overexcited hyper being, and to onlookers, it might have been perceived as I was being jumped or something. But, I just pushed him off with a breathy chuckle. 

"So did you have a good day?" He asked, creating small talk as we waited for our friends. 

"Actually I did for once. Y'know you just have to succumb to the fact that school is a shithole that you can't escape until ya graduate and move on. After you do that, it kinda works a little better for you," I replied. 

"School is nothin' compared to those couple weeks before and after the funeral," I added before he spoke up. 

It was about a month and a half since I awoke from my coma, meaning I'd been in school for a few weeks. Things seemed to make a turnaround, which shocked me greatly. I wasn't one to get over things quickly, and something like my sister's death would seem like it would take me longer to recover. 

"Yeah guess your right, I mean I can't relate to what you went through but I get the other part-" He said before getting cut off.

"Hey! You guys ready to head out?" Gerard hollered as he approached the two of us, swinging his keys around his finger. 

"Yep," We all said in response before heading to Gee's car and joyriding down the road to the Way household.

~Time skip~

The afternoon was filled with laughter and merriment as it always did, but it had come to a close. Gerard and I were on our way to my house. The walk was quick as usual; All of us lived on the same street which made it even easier to hang out. 

We made our way up the driveway towards the door, engaging in a parting kiss. 

"Are you staying tonight?" I asked hopefully, keeping my arms wrapped around his neck.

"Sorry I can't, Darling. I can tomorrow if you'd like?" He proposed, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. 

"Alright then, I'll see you tomorrow," I said, kissing his cheek before he turned saying an 'I love you' and wandering home. 

My mouth held a small smile as I swung the door open. As I entered, my eyes darted around the room to Mom pacing back and forth, her arm balanced on the other, holding her cheek with her hand. My jovial footfall faltered, making me stay in place as I read her facial expression. Her eyebrows furrowed and I could swear I saw her eyes glossed over that could only indicate tears about to fall. 

"What's going on?" I asked, bewildered. 

"Um..." Mom hesitated, "Why don't you come sit on the couch and we'll talk?" She finished, which only grew my confusion.

As I sat down there was a thick seriousness looming in the air, so thick you could cut it with a knife. Meanwhile, my mind was going crazy. Did I do something wrong? Did something bad happen? What is going on? It must be something serious, what did I do? The thoughts whirled around my head, building up my worry.

As my mind was buzzing, I hadn't even noticed Amy in the recliner. Her face was drained of color, her eyes slightly wide and her mouth held a solid frown. Distressed would be an understatement to describe them both. 

"Well," Mom glanced at Amy before continuing, "Amy had a doctor's appointment today..." 

"And?" I egged on, the anticipation of the words she was about to speak becoming almost unbearable. 

"They think Amy might have a brain tumor," She finally spoke out, saying the word 'might' to make it sound better, to give false hope. 

"What?" I said in a whisper, my brows furrowing and my mouth open. 

Those words seemed as though they were in a foreign language, they didn't seem real. Nothing felt real, it felt like a nightmare that I would have on any given night. But alas, it was reality and there was no waking up. 

"She has to do more scans tomorrow just to make sure, but they're pretty positive." She added, snapping me back and affirming that I heard her correctly. 

"Did you have any symptoms or anything? Or was this just a surprise?" I turned toward Amy. 

"I had terrible headaches since two months before we moved, they started getting really bad. Also, recently I've had dizzy spells and nausea. Finally, I  went to the doctor today," she summed up. 

"So you're telling me that you had this going on and you didn't think to inform us?" I said, hot tears rolling down my cheeks as I stood up, everything set in.

 "Yes, but I didn't know. I just thought I had bad migraines, but I was wrong. I didn't want to worry anybody." She responded. 

"I just wish you told us! Your tumor could have grown in that time," I said back, gaining a little aggression that I wish I could have taken back.

"Young lady your mother has been diagnosed with fucking cancer! It's no time to point fingers here, it's too late to talk about her speaking up sooner. Show some sympathy," Mom spat which I deserved greatly. 

I walked hesitantly over to Amy, kneeling down and resting my hand on her kneecap.

"I'm sorry, I was being inconsiderate and I wasn't thinking straight," I apologized to which she wiped my tears and gave a halfhearted smile. 

"It's okay, I understand kiddo," she replied and combed her fingers through my hair. "Now there's no use in moping around, we just have to figure out a way to deal with it," She said dismissively. 

And with that, she got out of the recliner and got to work in the kitchen. I still stood there confused at how she could go on with that fact weighing on her shoulders. I found it rather admirable, she showed tremendous bravery. If I were in her shoes, would just go and cry.

 I climbed the stairs and entered my room. Getting one of my pet rats, Crookshanks out of his crate and laying in bed. I leaned against the headboard, petting the small animal as I pondered the circumstances. Of course, tearing up again at the fact that she might not beat this devastating disease.