Boy In My Class [Gerard Way]

Chapter 8: Christmas

The end of the week would mark the end of term at NYU, meaning that Christmas was only a few weeks away. New York was beautifully decorated with classy lights and decorations and a fresh thick layer of frost every morning. My essays for the term had been submitted and I was enjoying relaxing lectures where I didn't have to worry about deadlines. Holly and I had been hanging out regularly despite our brief argument about Gerard. Annie and I had made plans to take a road trip after the Christmas holidays. Gerard and I had been hanging out at least every other day. I had no idea whether or not he was still seeing Sophia, but I decided not to ask. Our friendship was strong and I didn't want to ruin it by making him think I was jealous.

Things were going well.

"Hey History geek,"

I looked up from my notepad to see Gerard smiling in front of me.

"What are you doing in my Postwar America lecture?" I smiled.

"I don't know what you're on about!" he laughed. "I've always been the boy in your class."

He sat next to me and started trying to distract me from my lecture. I ignored him for as long as I could before playfully smacking him in the face with my notepad. 

"Some of us want to learn," I said, shaking my head at him. "You're missing class to distract me?"

"No," he replied. "I'm missing class to take you for lunch."

"Well you're gonna have to wait for another ten minutes," I said. "I need to take notes on this."

Ten minutes later, we snuck out of my lecture and went to our usual nearby Starbucks. We ordered our coffees and Gerard ordered some cakes and sandwiches. We sat in our usual spot by the window where we would sit and stare at other people, making up stories about their lives.

"Oh this guy," Gerard said through a mouthful of blueberry muffin. He pointed at a stern looking businessman walking past the window. "He's gay, in the closet, doesn't want to tell his friends."

"Can't tell his parents," I added through giggles. "But he has a boyfriend."

"Lucky him," Gerard sighed.

"You want a boyfriend?" I asked, quickly worrying that Gerard was gay and I had never noticed before.

"No," he laughed. "Just companionship! It' s Christmas- it sucks to be alone at Christmas."

"Yeah," I nodded. "It's worse for me! I'm away from home and I can't afford to fly home for Christmas, so I'm gonna be alone in my dorm room on Christmas day!"

"No way!" he almost shouted. "Are you being serious?"

"Deadly serious," I said. "I'm gonna spend the two weeks working on my dissertation."

"You're not," he said, shaking his head furiously. "You are not spending Christmas alone."

"I can't afford to go home!" I repeated.

"You're coming with me," he insisted. "You're gonna have a Way family Christmas."

"Are you serious?" I blushed.

"Deadly serious," he grinned. "Don't worry about it. My family are nice but to outsiders they're super weird. I'm going on Friday- getting a ride back home from my buddy Frank. You are so welcome to come Izzy."

"G, I don't want to intrude-"

"Please come," he said, taking my hand, which gave me goosebumps. Despite our new close friendship I was still into him and sometimes couldn't shake the feelings that he gave me. 

"Alright," I nodded. "I'll spend Christmas with you."