Boy In My Class [Gerard Way]

Chapter 19: Colliding

"So I've been feeling really guilty about Annie," I said to Holly as we sat in a restaurant eating pizza together.

"Annie?"

"Yeah," I said. "We didn't keep in touch after I left the states, and I didn't call her after 9/11 to ask how she was doing. I feel like such a crap friend."

"Call her," Holly shrugged. "If you call Annie, you'll probably work out the mystery of where the hell Gerard went."

"Yeah, you're right," I nodded. We finished eating and went back to Holly's place to watch movies together. Before we started, I excused myself and slipped outside to smoke a cigarette. I was smoking more often these days. I picked up my phone and dialled Annie's number.

"Hello?"

"Hey Annie, it's Izzy," I said, wondering why it was making me nervous. "How are you?"

"Izzy, it's been so long!" she said happily, making me feel relieved.

"I know, Annie I'm really sorry," I said. "I feel like I haven't made enough effort to keep in touch with you."

"No worries," she said. "Honestly, it's fine."

"I heard about your brother," I said. "I'm really sorry about that, Annie."

"Izzy, it's fine," she said reassuringly. "Honestly. When are you back in the states? I've missed you."

"I'm back now," I smiled. "I'm in New Jersey with Holly."

"Oh- that's great," she said with less enthusiasm than I was hoping for. "I'm actually out of town now- I'm not due back until February! How long are you there for?"

"Just two weeks," I sighed. I knew she was with the guys because Holly said she left with them. So why wasn't she mentioning it.

"Oh that's too bad," she said. "Listen Izz I have to go, call me soon yeah?"

She hung up the phone, leaving me confused. Was she hiding something? She didn't ask about Gerard so obviously she knew that we weren't talking.

Gerard's P.O.V 

I sat and watched Annie on the phone nervously. She was talking to Izzy. I wanted to talk to Izzy so badly. I missed her like crazy. Since watching the twin towers fall down, I had gone through so many weird stages in my head. At first, I felt the need to make a difference and so I picked up the phone and called Frank, Ray and Mikey as soon as I could to form a band. Since showing them the song I had written, we wrote a few more songs and just started touring. We had little material and we were completely untrained, but it was working. Something special was happening.

I had also felt like I needed to seize the day. By that logic, I wanted to call Izzy and tell her that I was in love with her. That I had always been in love with her. And that we should be together.

But I couldn't.

I had let myself go. My hair was longer and greasier, I showered less, I drank more. Frank had told me that Izzy deserves better.

But as I watched Annie talk to her on the phone, I wanted to talk to her so badly.

"Let me talk to her," I whispered. Annie shook her head and walked out of the room. We were crowded into a tiny dressing room at a venue in Chicago, waiting to play a show. 

"I need to see her again," I sighed. 

"She's in Jersey," Annie said, walking back into the room. "She's visiting Holly for two weeks."

I stood up quickly. 

"We need to get back to Jersey," I said.

"Amen to that," Frank said from his position in the corner. He was playing on his Gameboy and didn't look up from the screen. 

"I need to see her," I said, turning to Annie. "I need to see her again."

****

We played our set and the crowd cheered. About 60 or 70 people filled the room, all jumping in unison to our songs. After the show I went to the bar to get a beer. I was hot from performing, so I needed to cool down. I felt like I needed to explain myself for every drink I had because everyone kept telling me I was drinking too much.

"Hey you,"

I looked to the side to see her leaning on the bar, drink in hand. She looked different- her hair was straight, lighter and shorter. Her face was the same - flawless and beautiful. But malicious.

"Look what the cat dragged in," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Oh c'mon Gee," she said, placing one of her hands on top of mine. "You're not with Isabel anymore, why can't we pick up where we left off?"

"What makes you so sure I'm not with Isabel anymore?" I growled.

"Well, for one- you look terrible. Two; you just snapped at me when I mentioned her name. Three; I heard from my buddy Johnny that she's back in the states and she's...how can I put this...enjoying his company."

"Oh come on, are you kidding me?" called Frank. He came marching towards us. "How many times have I got to throw you out of places, Sophia?"

"You don't," she smirked. "I was just leaving. Great show by the way boys, keep it up." She walked out, leaving me angry and hurt.

"Don't," Frank said to me. "Don't let whatever she said get to you."

"How many times is she gonna appear in my life?" I sighed.

"Whatever she said, don't let it get to you," Frank repeated.

I nodded at Frank but it was too late. She had already gotten to me. I knew she was lying- I knew Izzy had no interest in manipulative guys like Johnny. She knew he was a friend of Sophia's. She was waiting for me, anyway. Wasn't she? I never asked her to wait.

She's not getting together with Johnny. She's not like that. But then how did she know that Izzy was back in the US?

There's only one way to find out.

I stormed out of the bar and got into my car. If I left tonight I could reach New Jersey by morning and talk to Isabel. I could drive back the next day and make it to our evening show in Ohio.

I needed to know.

I started the engine and drove away, ignoring the sound of Frank shouting after me. Pulling out onto the road, I felt angry. Angry at Sophia for trying to wind me up. Angry at Isabel for not getting in touch with me. Angry at the world for being dark and angry at the people who caused the attack on NYC in September. It was pouring down with rain and the sound of the drops hitting the windscreen of the car were louder than I'd ever heard them before. I could barely see through the heavy rain and the tears in my eyes that were clouding my vision.

 I wiped my eyes with my sleeve, determined not to cry. As soon as I moved my sleeve from my eyes I saw it. Headlights. Car headlights. In front of my car. Coming towards me at full speed. All of a sudden the sound of crunching metal and shattering glass filled my ears. My head flew forward out of my control and collided with the steering wheel. The sound of screeching tyres and a few screams in the background echoed in the air. I felt the warm trickling of blood dripping down my face before everything slowly went dark.