Come Back Here

We all plopped down in our--well Renae, Gerard, and I's--usual lunch spot in the far corner of the lunch room. We try to stay as invisible as possible. Our school is filled with jocks and preps, so we don't necessarily fit in. We don't give a shit though.

Andy sat across from me, while Renae and Gerard were next to each other. I kept my head low; I don't really have high self esteem, and I am overly self-conscious right now. I tried not to make it obvious that I was sneaking glances at Andy, but when I was, I noticed something; he was glancing at me too.

I pulled out my lunch--it was just protein bar and water. I don't eat much, because truthfully, I don't really get hungry. I know I should eat more than I do, but if I eat too much I feel immobile because my body can't handle it, so I eat small snacks throughout the day.

"Ah!" Renae shrieked. I looked over to see Gerard nipping Renae's ear. "Not in public, Gee!" She shrieked.

"PDA!" I added.

Gerard turned to me and stuck out his tongue. Renae just laughed as I shook my head shyly smiling. It occurred to me that Andy probably thinks we're complete weirdos.

I glanced back his way to see that he was staring at me. He blushed and looked away. Okay that was adorable, but what the hell?

"What?" I asked shyly. "Why were you looking at me?"

He looked at me, "Because you're beautiful." His response was quiet, but definitely audible, and he was sure of himself.

My heart raced, and Renae and Gerard stopped and looked at the two of us. Andy and I locked gazes. I couldn't tell how long we stayed like that, but it didn't matter. I was trying to comprehend if what he said was real.

We were all silent at the table, and it was starting to make me panic. I began to blink rapidly to prevent me from taking deep breaths and, and I had to look away. I thought the silence would last an eternity, but Gerard came to my rescue.

"Andy, wanna hang with us after school? My house?" Gerard suggested, which caused me to sigh of relief. I don't do well with compliments, they frighten me.

"Uh," Andy began, focusing back into reality, "sure. Where do you live?"

"How about I drive you? You can sit in the back seat with Celeste."

Gee, I'm going to be the reason you stop breathing someday. Okay, that is a bit harsh, but really, Gerard?! Not that I wouldn't mind sitting next to Andy, it's just...I know he's recommending it to remind me of the event that just took place.

"Okay, sure."

We ate lunch in not complete silence, but neither Andy nor I spoke. Renae and Gerard talked as always, Gerard tried to attempt more PDA while Renae scolded him. It was like any other lunch, just Andy was sitting across from me, and goddamn it, I could not get him out of my mind. Granted, he was right across from me, but I had to restrain myself from looking at him, because I thought that if I did, I wouldn't be able to stop.

Before I knew it, the bell rang and it was time to head to class. I used my hair to shield my face as I rose from my chair. I grabbed my backpack, and looked up slightly so I would know where I was going, and to see Gerard and Renae. Suddenly though, Andy was in front of me, and he swept my hair out of the way, saying, "You shouldn't hide your face."

Damn, how many times was I going to blush today? In his presence?

***

The rest of the day seemed to fly by in a blur. I was a little cloudy from lunch and my concentration would not focus on one thing. Luckily, the only hard class I had after lunch was history, the other class was an elective. We have block scheduling at our school, so we only have four classes a day (long ass classes might I add.) It was nice, though, because you didn't have a bunch of subjects to focus on at once.

I met Renae at my locker after my foods class--she was in the same class, actually. We would wait for Gerard, and find Andy so we could go over to Gerard's house. Throughout the week, we would alternate going over to Gerard and Renae's houses after school and hang out.

"ROAR!" Gerard's distinct voice broke through Renae and I's conversation about frying fruit.

"You, sir, are a dork." I said as Renae laughed.

"I come with a human." Gerard said as Andy stepped to the side of him.

"Actually, I'm Batman, so..."

"Yesssssss, I've always wanted Batman as a friend." Renae added.

"Onward my minions." Gerard said, "Or should I say army?"

"Gerard, if anything," I began, "you are the minion."

"What if I want to to be the leader of the broken, the beaten, and the damned?" He whined as we walked through the halls.

No one could respond, because before I could comprehend it, I was on the ground, and Brent was laughing. One of his groupies shoved Gerard into the lockers, and another took Renae's books and threw them down.

"Cunt." Brent spat in my face.

I just let it happen, because I didn't know what else to do. It didn't take long though, before Brent and his friends left us there, cackling at our humiliation. It then hit me that they hadn't done anything to Andy. I looked up at him as he held out his hand to help me up. Gerard was trying to gather Renae's books.

He held up one finger to signal one minute. He stalked over to Brent and his group. I was confused as to what he was going to do, until it hit me like a massive yellow school bus. He was going to confront them. No no no Andy don't they'll eat you alive.

I didn't have the opportunity to say anything, because it was too late. Andy tapped on Brent's shoulder. I didn't want to see this, but I couldn't look away.

"What do you want, fag?" Brent seethed.

It looked like Andy was going to say something, but instead, he decked Brent in the face. "That's no way to treat a lady, you asshole."

Brent grabbed his nose. I was in complete shock. I didn't take Andy for the violent type, but it didn't look like he really cause much damage, or put too much into the punch. Still, he was doomed.

"Now you're dead." Brent spoke with a vile tone as he and his groupies encased around Andy. Panic started to set in, I didn't want to see this. I don't do well with violence, and I didn't want to see Andy get hurt. It made my stomach churn into knots just thinking about it.

"Andy!" I yelled, "Run!"

Andy looked back, but soon doubled over as one of Brent's groupies punched him in the stomach. It caused me physical pain to watch, so I grabbed Gerard and looked him right in the eyes. "Help him!"

Fear was filling his eyes, "What am I suppose to do?" He had taken countless beatings from Brent and his groupies for Renae in the past, but those had stopped last year. I don't think he was too keen on jumping into the bloodbath again.

"Anything, Gee, please. I can't watch this, help him!" I shoved Gerard forward, my voice pleading. I realized Renae was shoving him as well.

Gerard stepped in between Andy and one of the groupies as they were about to go for a face blow. They got Gerard right in the eye, and I heard Renae gasp at my side. People had started to crowd around us, chanting "Fight! Fight! Fight!"

My blood boiled, so instead of watching, I looked away. Renae pulled on my sleeve, urging me to walk with her. More like run, actually. Gerard had grabbed Andy out of the circle and we had to run. We were bolting down the hallways, trying to escape Brent and his groupies. I could heard Brent swearing at us as his friends were chasing us. Lucky for me, I'm a fast runner, and seeing that Andy is tall, he can run at a fast pace as well--as for Gerard and Renae, they're used to running as well.

We barged through the doors of the school and headed into the parking lot, searching rapidly for Gerard's car. I could still hear the guys chasing us, but that wasn't important, we had to find that car, quick, so Gerard ran in front of us all. We were sweating and cold air felt heavenly against my skin.

Gerard spotted his car and pulled out his keys. He reached the car first and quickly unlocked it, sliding into the front seat, turning the key in the ignition. Renae was second to get in, and by now the guys had stopped chasing us, so that was a plus, but that didn't mean that we shouldn't bolt.

Andy opened the door and slid into the back seat, keeping the door open for me as I basically leaped into the seat, slamming the door shut behind me. I was panting, as was everyone else as Gerard drove out of the parking lot and began the journey to his house.

***

When we walked through the front door, Gerard's brother, Mikey, was sitting on the couch. "God, Gee, what the hell happened?"

"Nice to see you too, Mikey." Gerard answered. He doesn't like to tell Mikey about what happens to us in high school, he doesn't want his little brother to worry.

"Who's he?" Mikey asked, pointing out Andy.

Gerard glanced at Andy, "A friend. If Mom asks, tell her we're in the basement."

"Don't you mean your room?" Mikey teased. Gerard has claimed the entirety of the basement as his room. Not that isn't a bad thing, because all there is is his actual room connected to a small den, and a bathroom.

We followed Gerard down into the dark basement. Renae reached for the string to turn on the main light. Renae plopped onto the small grey couch, while Gerard went into the bathroom and grabbed a damp cloth to set on his eye, before grabbing another for Andy. Andy graciously accepted the cloth and began wiping off the little bit of blood on his cut lip. He didn't get beaten too bad, just a couple cuts is what it looked like. It still caused me pain to think that he did that for me.

"Andy, you know you didn't have to do that, right?" I asked him as he wiped his lip again.

"Someone had to. That's no way to speak to a lady."

I looked at him sorrowfully. He didn't understand, that to them, I wasn't even human. It didn't matter if I was a girl or not, they looked at me as the scum of the earth, and I learned to deal with it.

"Hey, how about we not talk about our depressing day." Renae suggested, patting the seat next to her for Gerard to sit.

This seemed to be the best option out of the two that were currently unspoken of, but known. We could talk about Brent and his idiot friends, or forget about it. I'd rather do that latter.

I took my spot on the recliner next to the couch. The thing was older than balls, and blacker than black itself, but it was comfy as hell. This left the only open seat, on the other side of Renae, which Andy took without hesitation. I should say, that it was fairly close to me.

"What should we do?" I asked.

"You know, since we know nothing about you, Andy, and you know nothing about us, does truth or dare Way style sound good?"

"Way style?" Andy asked.

"Gerard has a special way of playing truth or dare, so he named it after himself." Renae responded.

Andy nodded, "I guess we could. Who wants to start?"

Gerard shook his head, "No, that's not how it works. We have a game maker, and they chose what you do, by picking a slip of paper from a hat that has 'truth' and 'dare' written in equal amounts. They also choose who asks you what. So first, we need a game maker."

"Gerard, just get the damn hat, we all know you're going to win whatever little contest you hold to determine game maker." Renae said.

Gerard laughed, "You have little faith in yourself, young grasshopper."

"Because you always choose something impossible for Celeste and I to do, like convincing Mikey who the better singer is when I know for a fact that you bribed him with pizza rolls."

I burst out laughing. She wasn't wrong, which made all the more hysterical.

Gerard grabbed the hat on top of his dresser. I had a feeling it was rigged, that either we were going to mainly receive truths or only get dares. Gerard likes doing that, but maybe he won't just to make the process easier for Andy.

"As Game Maker," Gerard began, "I say Andy, you will be the first to go..." he shuffled through the papers, and grabbed one, "with truth. Now, Celeste, ask him a truth."

"Ummm..." My mind went blank. The first that popped into my head wasn't really a truth or dare question but I asked it anyways. "What's your favorite color?"

"No no no, Celeste, you know better, that is not a good question. That's for outside the game. Here, I got one. Andy." He looked Andy straight in the eyes, "Are you a virgin?"

Renae laughed, and I gasped, "Gerard!" I scolded.

"No, it's fine." Andy assured me, "And no. Care for the details?"

"Maybe later."

This actually caught my attention. I felt sick to my stomach that he had had sex with some girl. Granted, I don't know the details, but it makes me sick to think about. I'm good at hiding things though, and I hid my feelings and expression from Andy when he looked at me.

"Now, I declare that Renae is next." He grabbed another piece of paper from the tattered, fraying navy blue hat, "Dare. Now, as Game Maker, I have the opportunity to give out dares to each player, once. I will be using my dare on you, Renae. I dare you to take off your pants, and keep them off for the rest of the game."

"When did this become a stripping game?" She joked.

"Since I like seeing you naked, but there are people around, so partially will suffice for now."

Renae, to my surprise, took off her pants. She had on a large shirt, though, so it covered her enough just to show off her long legs. I wasn't phased by it, but Andy wouldn't look her way. That is respect, Celeste.

"Celeste, you are up, with...truth. Andy, you may ask her any question you please. Just nothing lame like Celeste first did, that's for a different game."

"Uh..." Andy looked back and forth from me and Gerard. It would be an understatement to say that I was internally freaking out. My heart was racing, and my mind went a million miles a second.

"Don't take this the wrong way...but why purple hair?" He asked curiously.

Gerard nodded, as if agreeing that it was a decent question.

"Well, it expresses my personality. Purple is my favorite color, and it's the color of creativity, deep thinking, and it's just freaking awesome."

"Now, Andy, it is your turn. You get...dare. I will use my one dare on you...And I..." Oh shit oh shit fuck fuck, no no no no Gerard I know what you're thinking. "I dare you to kiss Celeste. Don't worry, you won't be stealing her lip virginity."

Fucking called it. F-n-a, Gee.

Not that I don't want to kiss Andy, but it's already freaking me out. I want to kiss Andy, badly now that I think of it, but I wouldn't have wanted it to be by a dare. I would've preferred he did it of his own free will. Then again...he could back out of the dare...but that would not be pretty on his part, because as part of Truth or Dare Way Style, backing out of a dare has severe consequences.

My skin drained of color, and heat rose in my cheeks, probably making me look like a clown. Andy looked nervous as he contemplated accepting or not. I glanced at Renae as she silently held back her laughter.

"Andy, do you accept?" Gerard asked.

"I-I guess." He stuttered, and it showed that he was way more nervous than he was letting on. Honestly, it was adorable.

"Perfect." Gerard said with an evil grin. "Why don't you come stand in my spot here, and I'll sit down so we can watch the show?" Gerard teased. "Kidding, but you do have to come up here to fulfill the dare."

It seemed to take me forever to pry myself out of the chair, and to not shake violently at the same time. This was happening. I was going to kiss Andy when I had only known him for not even five hours.

Andy and I slowly met to the left of Gerard--who stood back to give us more room. Andy seemed even more nervous up close. I felt I should tell him that it wasn't too late to back out, but he quietly declined, saying a dare is a dare, and he doesn't back out.

I nodded and looked up into his eyes that I could just drown in. In an instant, everything was forgotten, and I did not even remember why I was standing up here. All I knew was that I was face to face with the most beautiful man I had ever seen. Is that the right word to use? Oh well, who cares.

In another instant, it all came back to me as Andy swept my hair out of my face and cupped my face in his warm hands. His touch sent tingles through my flesh and nerves. It turned me on, and I'm not one that gets turned on easily.

I didn't even realize it was happening until it happened. His lips brushed against mine and I felt myself kissing back instantly. His lips were warm and soft against mine, and I could feel his cut, but yet they still felt smooth.

All too quickly, it ended and I was left speechless. Damn, he knows how to kiss. The only thing that went through my mind was that I wanted more, but knew I couldn't have more, that I had to sit down. There was no doubt in my mind that I was blushing when I walked slowly back to my seat, in a haze. In that instant I accepted that I definitely had strong feelings for Andy. I just wonder if he had the same for me.

"Renae," Gerard continued, but I wasn't listening. Well, my attention averted back to reality when Gerard called my name.

"Celeste, you have to ask Renae a truth, stop thinking about how awesome I am."

"Oh... Um... Renae, when did you know you loved Gerard?"

She looked at me intrigued that I had come up with a decent question. "The first time he kissed me." She asnwered, smiling at Gerard.

Oh fuck.

Notes