Disclaimer: Don't own My Chemical Romance, but I can't deny that I would definitely want to. What fan wouldn't? Well, I guess that's why we write these stories about them. Come, join me in wishing.
Chapter Fourteen
"Happy New Year!!"
They made their toasts as the ball dropped and ushered in the New Year of 1999 and all its possibilities. Everyone took turns kissing, and of course Gerard and Frank started things off. Rita watched them with a quirked brow.
Sometimes, I really wonder about those two..., she thought and laughed.
It was now officially January 1, 1999 and still her parents had not returned. Rita had begun to wonder where they were, but stopped just shy of worry. After all, they were the ones who left her. Why should she care when they so obviously didn't?
"Hey kitten, do you have anymore coffee made?"
Rita looked around to see Breanna, Ray's new girlfriend standing behind her. She smiled at the younger girl and took the mug she held.
"Yeah, I'll go get you some."
Breanna had been a very pleasant surprise. They all had shown up on Rita's doorstep earlier in the evening with food, a bottle of champagne and Breanna hidden behind Ray's back and abundant hair. She was no more than a year younger than Rita with mid-length brown hair and warm brown eyes. She was a few inches shorter and had light tan skin. Rita liked her right away, and had an inkling the feeling was mutual. She and Ray made a nice couple, and Rita could tell right off they truly liked each other.
Still, Rita thought as she made a pot of coffee and set the tray with fresh supplies. I don't know where she got kitten from...
As the coffee perked she moved to the small kitchen window and watched the snow drift soundlessly to the concrete below. It was calming, even soothing and a good way to start the year. A small smile touched her lips and caught up in the warm glow of content as she was, Rita didn't hear anyone walk up behind her.
"Hey."
Rita's eyes went wide and she jumped at the combined shock of the sudden speech and weight of an arm around her shoulders. Her head snapped around and she came face-to-chin with a calm Ray.
"Mundo," she laughed and pushed him playfully. "You just took five years off my fuckin life, I hope you know that."
"What're you doing over here, all by yourself?"
She leaned her head on his shoulder, took a deep breath and let it out in a long, slow sigh.
"Thinking," she replied simply with a small shrug. Ray chuckled slightly and she felt it against her side.
"You know, if you think too much your head's just gonna pop off."
She smiled and together they watched the snow in silence for a while.
The beeping of the coffee maker cut through the comfortable atmosphere. The coffee was ready. With one last longing glance at the window Rita pushed away from the sill, and was suddenly halted by Ray's arms. She laughed.
"Mundo, let go, I have to serve the coffee."
"No, you smell nice." His arms tightened around her shoulders and Rita's laughter grew.
"Thank you, but I have to--gah! Put me down!!"
Any further attempts at protest were lost as Rita dissolved into helpless giggles as she struggled in Ray's arms. There were several squawks, grunts and more than a few giggles as Rita tried in vain to extricate herself from her friend's hold. She was laughing so hard it was becoming difficult to breathe, and in a last-ditch effort, Rita latched onto Ray's hair.
"Ah--! Son of a bitch, oww! Let go!"
"No!" Rita laughed, and tightened her grip. Ray shook her in an effort to release her grip.
"Let go!"
"No, not until you put me down!"
Ray swung Rita around so that her legs stuck straight out from her body. She pulled his hair again, which prompted him to swing her harder and faster. Rita squealed and opened her eyes to come face to face with Breanna.
Bre stared at them with a quirked brow and an amused smirk on her pretty face. The duo returned her stare for a few moments before all three broke into large grins.
"You know, if you were gonna do it in the kitchen, you coulda at least invited me." Bre stated, hands on her hips. "I mean fuck. Threesomes are hot!"
They laughed, and Rita and Ray called a truce. She let go of his hair and he gently set her down on her feet.
That's another thing I like about this girl, Rita thought as she tried to straighten out her hair. She never jumps to conclusions, or gets jealous... She glanced over at the younger girl and grinned deviously. I shall make her mine.
"Breanna Vasquez," The girl turned to look at her just as Rita swept her into her arms and dipped her in one swift motion. "I must have you!" Breanna raised an eyebrow and afforded her that same amused smirk as Ray protested.
"Hey!" He tried to whine, but it was ruined by his amused laughter. "She's my girlfriend!" He moved forward in an effort to reclaim the younger girl.
"Fuck that, I ain't sharing." Rita balanced Breanna on her knee and pushed Ray away with her foot. Determined, Ray tackled Rita and the three ended up wrestling on the kitchen floor. In the middle of the mock-melee Rita happened to look up only to find the rest of their friends standing in the kitchen doorway, watching. She blinked, suddenly realizing her position. Rita lay cross-wise on top of Bre with one arm wrapped around her leg, while Ray was on Rita's back with his arms around her waist.
"Having fun?" Gerard asked, an amused smile tugging at his lips. There was a moment's silence.
"Coffee's ready!" Rita replied cheerfully and grinned.
The next day (or afternoon, really) found everyone asleep in their respective rooms throughout the apartment. Gerard again shared Rita's bed, while Frank and Mikey shared the guest room, with Ray and Bre in the master bedroom. It being both a holiday and a Friday, everyone had decided to skip work and school in favor of 'bumming out,' as Gerard had put it.
Gerard awoke to the feel of warm sun on his face, and a warm back against his chest. After taking a few moments to untangle himself from his bed mate's long hair, Gerard propped himself up on his elbow and studied Rita's face as she slept peacefully. His eyes tracked the high arch of her eyebrows, how the pout that was her lips relaxed in sleep. He frowned when he noticed that she pressed her left arm against her stomach protectively. Gently he took her arm and studied it under the soft golden rays that drifted in from the window.
The scabs had completely fallen away, and the sick tracks that had covered her arm had healed to become brownish-silver scars. His eyes widened at the sheer number of them, some of them deep enough to have cut through to the vein. These, he realized were much older than the rest. They cut across her wrist, right over the vein where none of the other scars reached.
With a sigh Gerard ran his fingers over the scars, then replaced the arm at her waist. For a while he simply watched her sleep, soothed by the unhurried rhythm of her breathing. He brushed the hair from her face and stroked it back from her brow.
"You're my angel of the morning, angel. Just kiss my cheek before you leave me, baby..." he sang softly as the sun moved to warm Rita's placid face. Outside, the world continued to run at its usual insane pace as time marched on. But inside apartment 4-A on Bay Ridge avenue, time ceased to be, if only for that moment.
When Rita finally woke, it was past two in the afternoon and everyone else was already up. At first confused to find herself alone in the bed, the sleepy girl glanced around the room to see Gerard sitting at her desk, paging slowly through one of her sketch books.
Ah. There he is.
A few seconds passed. Suddenly her mind registered what she was seeing.
Oh fuck!
Rita darted from the bed and snatched the book from Gerard's hands, completely ignoring his hiss of pain as her hasty action inflicted innumerable paper cuts over his supple fingers. She breathed a silent sigh of relief as she closed the book and held it to her chest. Gerard stared at her as if to say, "What the fuck?" and Rita smiled nervously.
"I, um... didn't want you to see how shitty these sketches are..."
Yeah. Cuz that's believable.
Despite the questionable sincerity of Rita's excuse Gerard smiled.
"That's bullshit, m&m. You draw really well, and I don't wanna hear you say otherwise."
Rita smiled slightly.
"Have you eaten yet?"
He nodded the affirmative. Rita stashed the book in one of her drawers and told her guest she was going to shower.
As the hot water cascaded over her body, Rita thought. About school, about work, but mostly about Gerard. She knew they had made up, but things still seemed strained between them. It went beyond her mild doubt in his trust, despite what had happened she still trusted him. At least, to a degree. It just seemed as though he was acting differently around her. Almost as if...
"Hey, I didn't know you were up!"
Rita's eyes flashed open and she had just enough time for the dread to sink in before the shower curtain opened.
"Bre! What the fuck do you think you're doing?!"
Rita grabbed a towel and managed to cover herself before Breanna's head appeared where the curtain had been mere seconds before. She brushed Rita's inquiry aside with a dismissive wave and attempted to climb into the shower beside the older girl.
"Relax, it's nothing I haven't seen before."
Rita bristled and tried to push Bre out of the shower with her foot. She managed to keep her from advancing any further, but that was all.
"I don't care if you've 'seen it before,' you don't need to see it on me! OUT!"
"Rita, you're out of soda--" Ray stopped short when his eyes settled on the scene before him. Rita stood in the shower, mostly covered by a soaked towel while she held Breanna --clad in naught but her panties and a smile-- at bay with one foot. "I know we were joking about it before," he said slowly, eyes widening. "But I really didn't think you'd try to steal my girlfriend. And uh, I don't wanna share.."
"Ray! Get your fuckin mind outta the gutter and help me!"
He blinked. "Did you just call me--"
"Now!"
Ray rushed into the room and tried to pull his girlfriend from the shower, but it proved difficult. Breanna was not to be moved. Sometime during the struggle, all three of them ended up in the shower together with Rita pushing, Ray pulling and Bre giving them both a run for their money.
Oh my mother fucking god, Rita thought as she realized the water was beginning to go cold. How could things get any worse?!
As luck would have it, the universe decided to answer her.
"Oh, that's it. I'm fuckin moving in!"
"FRANK!!"
They ordered Chinese for dinner and everyone laughed themselves into stomach cramps watching Rita try to teach Frank how to use chopsticks, with little success. The atmosphere was warm and comfortable. Everyone smiled, happy to be among friends.
Then the knock came.
Rita set down her chopsticks and frowned.
"I'll be right back," she rose and walked most of the way to the door, expecting it to be a neighbor belatedly wishing her a happy new year. "Who is it?"
"Why the fuck is the police lock on?!"
It wasn't a neighbor.
Rita smiled as she unlocked the door and opened it to see her parents. Her father stood with a frown on his serious face. He didn't seem to be happy to see his daughter, but that wasn't much different than usual. Still Rita hugged him, and he allowed it. He looked two inches down his nose into her happy eyes, and his frown softened.
Alejandro Rodriguez had hard hazel eyes that often shifted to yellow when he was angry and black curly hair that was pulled into a short ponytail at the nape of his thick neck. His mustache was peppered with gray hairs that made him look distinguished, while his left ear sported a single gold hoop that spoke volumes of his attitude.
Alejandro stepped back out of the hug, and Rita turned to her mother. Anita Martinez had waist-length wavy auburn hair and warm brown eyes. She, unlike Rita's father, hugged her daughter tightly, happy to see her after so long.
"Hi mama," Rita murmured into her mother's thick hair.
"Hello, mijita."
The moment was broken again by Rita's father, who had stuck his nose in the air with a frown of distaste.
"Did you order something?"
"Yeah," Rita replied as she disengaged herself from her mother and closed the door. "Chinese."
Alejandro rolled his eyes in disgust.
"What, it was too hard to make something?"
Rita took a deep, calming breath and elected not to reply. Still, her father couldn't let the subject drop.
"We finally come home and the least you could do is have dinner ready."
Rita bristled. She felt her ears heat dangerously and tried to control her temper.
"Well considering the fact you've been gone for two and a half weeks and didn't even think to call, dad, I don't think you really have the right to complain."
Before he could reply Rita took her mother's hand and led her down the hall toward the livingroom.
"Come on, there are some people I want you to meet."
"People?" Anita frowned slightly. "Margie, you know how we feel about you having company when we're not he--" Her eyes widened and Rita heard the suitcase her father had been carrying hit the floor behind her.
"What the fuck is this."
Rita turned to look at her father, who's eyes were awash in what looked like fury. Confused, she looked back into the livingroom to where her friends sat, slightly unnerved by Alejandro's greeting. Gerard and Bre glared at the dark-skinned man, who turned his anger on the bewildered girl before him.
"These are my friends, the ones I wanted you to m--"
"You've been in this apartment alone with a bunch of fucking men?!"
"What?" Rita's eyes narrowed, uncomprehending. "What the fuck are you--"
"And what were you doing," he asked in a dangerously gentle voice as he turned to address the room. "Taking turns fucking my daughter?!"
"Alejandro!" Anita exclaimed, aghast. Yet, she did not defend her daughter. She looked at her with disappointment and anger on her pretty face.
"Ai dios, Margarita!" Rita's face was a study in black rage, eyes darkened by the emotion as her hands clenched into fists so tight, the knuckles were white with pressure. "Que es lo que esta en sando en tu cabesa, eh?!"
Rita's eyes narrowed in a glare that would melt the ice caps.
"What do you mean, what's going on in my head?" she hissed through clenched teeth. "There's nothing fucking going on in my head, you fucking moron!"
Anita's eyes widened and she recoiled as if slapped. Alejandro turned on the infuriated girl.
"How dare you talk to your mother like--"
"And you." Despite Rita's diminutive stature, she managed to look down on the man. "You fucking puta madre. How dare you talk to my friends like that? How fucking dare you even imply--" she cut herself off and took a deep breath. Without taking her eyes off of Alejandro she grabbed her jacket with one hand.
"Where the fuck do you think you're going."
"Out."
Alejandro sneered.
"What, you think you can come and go as you please? You don't fuckin pay rent here!"
"Of course not," Rita laughed. "I'm too busy paying for my fucking education!"
"Education my ass!" He bellowed in her face. "Art school ain't no kind of fuckin education! What you need to do is quit that bullshit school and do something real with your life!"
"Something real". Rita smirked and raised an eyebrow at her father. "What, like throwing my life away working at some fake-ass factory making 16,000 dollars a year like you?"
His eyes grew impossibly wide. Unable to respond, Alejandro turned to look at the people occupying the livingroom.
"GET OUT!" he rumbled, and they were happy to oblige. As they passed Gerard, Frank and Breanna each gave Alejandro a glare.
"Pendejo," Bre muttered just loud enough for him to hear, and it made Rita smile.
"You're just like him."
"No, he was the smart one. He got out." Rita raised an eyebrow, but didn't turn. "I want my car keys back." she said then turned to follow.
"You're not going anywhere." One look over her shoulder, and it was obvious who was in charge of the situation.
"Fuck this." Rita said, and slammed the door behind her.
It was kind of surreal, watching Rita and her parents like that. The way they treated her... and the shit her father said, it really put everything into perspective. I was so fucking lucky to have my parents... and she was lucky she wasn't sleeping in a room with rubber walls.
"What an asshole!" Frank kicked the parking meter outside the coffee shop we usually went to when we picked Rita up. We were gonna wait for her outside the building, but if her dad came after her it probably would've been bad. "I mean, fuck! Did you hear that shit?!"
I lit another cigarette and passed the pack around. The feeling of my lungs contracting as the smoke rushed into them soothed me, like it usually did.
"What the fuck do we do now, man?" Ray took a cigarette and lit it from Breanna's.
I looked up at the dark sky as the snow began to fall.
"We wait."
It was all we could do.
It was cold. But of course it was cold, it was fuckin January. Which is why I felt like such a complete idiot at the moment.
"I can't believe they didn't wait for me."
I was walking aimlessly through the streets in the growing darkness. It was no warmer than 25 degrees, so it was absolutely brilliant that I was wearing nothing but a t-shirt and a leather jacket. I was completely pissed as it was, but when I walked out of my building expecting to see my friends and was in stead greeted by empty sidewalk, I was beside myself.
I can't believe this shit.
I stopped at the crosswalk and watched the sign blink.
After everything that happened, he leaves me! And worse than that, he acted like nothing happened...
Yeah, I remembered. I had actually remembered a few days ago, but I hadn't said anything because I'd been waiting for him to make a move. But he hadn't. I felt a little smile touch my lips and chuckled.
"I guess he only kissed me because he was drunk, after all."
God damn you, Gerard, I kept walking, head down against the snow that had just begun to fall. And damn you too, mistletoe. Nothing but the spokes weed of broken hearts.
I walked like that for a while, and thought I'd keep going until the sun rose or I turned into a human popsicle. Fortunately, I was wrong on both counts.
"Ah--!"
I stopped cuz I was knocked on my ass.
"Fuck, are you okay?"
I knew someone was talking, but I was kinda distracted by the wet snow soaking into my ass. And of course, these happened to be my favorite jeans.
If it was raining, I'd know God was pissing on me.
I opened my eyes expecting to see snow and a black sky above me. But in stead, I found a pair of concerned --and strikingly familiar-- brown eyes. I blinked.
"J... Jay?"
His eyes widened.
"Margie?" He helped me up and took the chance to look at me more closely. "Gigi? That can't be you... you're nine!"
I laughed and hugged him tight as I could. This was defiantly the Jason Garcia I remembered. He was older of course, and he'd cut his hair short. But everything else was the same. He even smelled the same, kind of like cologne and warm puppy.
He put his arm around me as we walked and talked about old times. I filled him in on what he'd missed since he moved away, and he did likewise. It was a long walk back, and if anything the temperature fell. But with Jay beside me in the falling snow, I was warmer than I'd been in a long, long time.
***
We waited a long time, but it didn't look like Rita was gonna show up. So we were getting ready to pile into the car when I got hit.
I felt something cold slide down my neck and pulled what was left from my scarf. It was a snow ball.
"Got ya!"
I smiled when I heard her laughing, turned around to throw the remains of the snow ball at her... and froze.
Rita was standing there with some tall guy, who had his arms around her. He smiled and whispered something into her ear, and she kissed him lightly on the lips.
My smile was gone.
"Okay peoples, there's someone I want you to meet."
Fuck.
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And there you have chapter 14. Mucho thanks to Lindsay and Bre for the kick-ass banners. You rock!
Well, do what you like. Messages would be appreciated. See ya.
