Running Like Forever [Frank Iero][1]

Part 45

*

I sighed. There were only two more days of school and then it was Christmas break and then the guys were going to be flying to California to start off their tour. I hated waiting, but this was something I could wait for forever. I sincerely dreaded the day that they would once again leave. I looked over a Mikey as he scribbled notes down in his notebook; mental note: I would have to copy those later. My mind had distracted me from the lesson our physics teacher had been going on about, but I guess anything could distract me from these equations.

The bell rang, Mikey and I got up out of our seats and exited the classroom before heading for my locker. Normally Mikey would leave me at this point, but Gerard had sent out a mass text saying for everyone to meet by his car after school. What could he be planning? I shut my locker and smiled up at Mikey.

He smiled back. "Shall we?"

I nodded and we headed off down the hallway toward the main doors. We finally made it to the student parking lot to find Gerard and Bob already standing by the car talking about something. I saw Ray and Frank coming from the other direction and I waved at them, happy to see all my friend together.

Once congregated by Gerard's car, everyone just stood there quietly before I decided to speak up. "So Gerard, what are we doing here?"

"Well Lennox, we're here for you."

I gave him a weird look, raising my eyebrows in question. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"I mean..." He paused and looked around at all the guys, a smile forming on his lips. "We decided that it would be good to give you your Christmas present now instead of later."

"My present?"

Gerard's smile only grew. "Your surprise."

My eyes widened with anticipation. Was this it? Was this the surprise Gerard had told me about before?

I nodded my head excitedly. "Okay."

Gerard pulled an envelope from his bag and handed it to me nonchalantly. I looked up at him skeptically but took it anyway, unsure of the entire situation at this point. I ripped open the back of it and pulled out the card and folded up pamphlet. I opened the card first to see that all it said was, 'Merry Christmas from all your boys.' I smiled as I turned over the pamphlet and looked at it.

My eyes narrowed in concentration. "Newark airport?"

I looked up at them and then back down at the little folder, opening it. Inside there was a little card about safety tips and then there it was, a plane ticket. My heart began to race at the idea of what this could possibly mean. I didn't say anything for a few moments and neither did the guys.

"Is this-"

"A plane ticket to California? Yeah," Gerard finished for me.

I gulped and looked up at everyone. "What does this mean?"

Frank grabbed my hand giving it a reassuring squeeze and smiled at me. "This means we want you to come on tour with us!"

I bit at my bottom lip. I couldn't say anything. I couldn't believe that these five guys appreciated me enough to want to have me come out on tour with them. My mind was flooded with hundreds of other questions, but instead of asking any of them I jumped on Frank and hugged him tightly, kissing him before I moved on to all the other guys.

"You guys, this is amazing but-" I looked down at the ticket sadly. "My mom would never just let me up and leave, especially now."

"Just asked her, Lennox, and see what she says," Mikey chimed in. "It couldn't hurt."

I nodded. "I think I'm going head home and just get it over with."

They all nodded and I turned away, heading for my car. I felt Frank's fingers lace with mine and I smiled over at him sadly as we walked quietly to my car. We drove in silence; the only thing heard was the sound of the music playing through my car's speakers. Frank got out of the car and walked over to meet me by my door once we had parked outside my house.

He kissed my cheek sweetly. "You'll be fine, okay?"

I nodded. "I'm nervous."

"Don't be." He kissed me again. "I'll call you later."

I nodded again and watched him as he jogged to his house to get out of the cold air. I walked inside to find my mom sitting at the kitchen table reading an article in a magazine. My whole body was tense as I thought about how I should go about asking her if she would allow me to leaving for I don't even know how many months on end.

She looked up at me and smiled, unknowing of what I was about to ask. "Hi honey. How was school?"

"It was fine," I paused and took a seat across from her. "Mom, I have something important to ask you."

She put down the magazine, hearing the seriousness in my voice. "Okay, what is it?"

"Well you see, I have this plane ticket..."