Gerard waited patiently for Lionel to come home. He was going to get to the point quickly. Once he heard the door open he realized he had not actually planned out what he was going to say to Lionel once he saw him.
"I'm home!" He hears Lionel say.
"Welcome home!" Gerard answered
Lionel smiles once he sees his friend sitting on the couch. He doesn't know why Gerard looks angry though.
"Well you look happy to see me," Lionel says sarcastically.
"Your maid says you have a boyfriend."
"I don't have either of those things."
Jen had not left yet and she was listening to the entire conversation. She couldn't believe that Leo was denying his relationship with Neymar.
"There's a girl who said you were dating her brother.. I'm not going to judge you, Leo, but last time I checked you were still in love with your dead wife."
"It's complicated.."
"You can't go around dating people when you're still not over Anto."
Lionel can't get a word out because standing right in front of him is Jen. She doesn't look too happy to see him.
"Leave Neymar alone. He doesn't deserve to compete with a ghost."
She walks out without letting either of the men say another thing. Gerard can't help but grim a little. This is a sticky situation.
"She's feisty."
"She's a kid."
"Oh so she's really 18?"
"No shes about to turn 21. But she's a kid Gerard. She's focusing on school and in all the years I've known her she has never let a guy get in between that so don't become the first."
"I think you're the one that sees her as a kid, Leo."
Lionel remembered what Neymar had said. Could it be that she had been crushing on him the entire time? Maybe that's why she had never introduced a guy to him. He met her when she was still really young so of course she's a kid in his eyes. He can't imagine ever seeing her as something else. That doesn't mean that other people have to be like him.
"I messed up. I keep messing everything up."
"Relax. When did you start seeing her brother?"
"Just recently.. we kissed.. that's it.. we haven't even talked about it or what it really meant. We both said we liked each other and just left it as that."
"How soon is she turning 21 though?"
"Gross.."
"I'm just kidding..."
For some reason Lionel did not believe that. It's not that he cared. They were both adults. In fact, she was probably more mature than he was and at least she wasn't a high schooler. But she wasn't 21 yet and that meant he couldn't even take her to a bar and that was not okay with Lionel.
"She has an older sister. Maybe try to hook up with that one but Jen is too young for you."
"we are like 6 years apart .. it's not weird when you're old," Gerard pouts like a child.
Lionel sighed.
'Wait.. didn't we celebrate her 21st birthday a few months ago?' Lionel thinks
"Uh... either way.. it's weird! I don't think it's a good idea to peruse her."
Lionel didn't know why he was lying. Gerard was his best friend and a good guy. But if he got with Jen then whah would happen to their relationship? Lionel did not want to see her dating anyone. Or did he not want to see her dating anyone who wasn't him?
