Magnetic stars. (Frerard, Petekey)

Chapter eight - Reggie and the partial effect

Chapter eight - Reggie and the partial effect

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Grenville House had lost the song competition, and although a part of Gerard was a little bit furious at the judges, he reminded himself that they were only teachers, after all, which made him feel slightly better about the results. Of course if the competition been judged by the Misfits instead then Grenville house would have won in a heartbeat. More than that, they'd have got a standing ovation and a free Misfits concert, just for them. (Maybe that was being a bit excessive, but Gerard felt a bit excessive today. His levels of excessiveness came and went, and today they were disturbingly high, and without discernible cause, as usual. He was becoming accustomed to it, though– and so was Mr Iero, it seemed, to his dismay.)

Instead of attending a free Misfits concert with a VIP pass, however, Gerard was leaving Belleville for Cornwall, to die. The class had already begun the 'art' element of the art trip before they had even been on the bus for ten minutes, as the entire group had been instructed to draw what they could see out the window.

Naturally, Gerard ignored the teacher, and started eating the sandwich his mom had packed for him. The sandwich was slightly deformed from being squashed under all of his art supplies (maybe this was the reason his mother had told him to pack the sandwich last instead of first), and it tasted weird, probably due to the fact that the ham had sort of melded into the compressed bread, but Gerard carried on eating it anyway. He knew he would be able to catch up with the art easily, he was far more advanced than the other kids on the trip.

Again though, his 'modesty' got the better of him, and just as he decided that it was time he started drawing, the bus pulled out onto the freeway at breakneck speed, and his sketchbook fell from where he'd balanced it on his knees and skidded down the bus floor. Perhaps this had been why the teachers had wanted them to sketch while they were on minor roads. Perhaps his teachers did have some sense after all.

Gerard tugged on his seatbelt until it extended as far as possible, then tucked it under his arm so he could lean under the seat in front of him without getting strangled. Somehow, he managed to strangle his armpit, which was unexpectedly painful, but he supposed that it was better than breaking his neck. He could feel his brain getting compressed and crushed, just like his sandwich, except by the blood rushing to his head rather than books and pencils. Gerard could just see his sketchbook, a few rows ahead of him on the floor. Some kid gave it a kick, and he hissed in irritation, filing away the image of the kid's shoes so he could find out who to be angry with later. Then, blessedly, the bus lurched and accelerated at alarming velocity, and Gerard's sketchbook was launched back towards him, sliding across the gritty sheet floor and coming to rest at the feet of the kid sitting in front of him.

The kid bent forward to pick up the sketchbook, then twisted around in his seat and stuck his face through the gap between the two seats in front of Gerard. It was the perfect picture of the scene in The Shining when Jack smashed a hole in the door and pressed his face into it. Right before attempting to kill everyone. Gerard twitched in faint apprehension, but took out an earphone nonetheless. "Hello," he said uneasily.

"Hey," the kid grinned. He slid Gerard's sketchbook halfway through the gap between the seats, and nodded down at it. "This yours?"

"Yes." Gerard took the sketchbook, then plugged his headphones back in.

The kid turned around again, looking slightly put out. Gerard felt a little guilty, but only five minutes later the guy was grinning and pushing his face through the gap again.

Gerard reluctantly pulled both earphones out. "What?" he asked.

"What's your name? I'm James, but only my mom calls me that. Everyone else calls me Dewees."