mindset • g.w.

one: pretty boy

I pulled out my small mp3 player that I had awarded myself after having a really good tip night at work, playing my playlist titled "favorites". The playlist consisted of songs that I related to only in the most obscure ways.

Ways in which the artists who produced them probably never intended, but still.

An hour into listening to music a body appeared into my peripheral vision, sliding down the wall and taking a seat beside me.

The smell of cigarette smoke hit me and I turned my head slightly to see strikingly white hair and tan looking skin. I immediately turned my head back when the man's eyes darted over to me.

Of course I recognized him, he had been a huge part of my teen years leading up to now.

I wouldn't describe myself as a fan, but my heart beat definitely sped up quite a bit when I registered that Gerard Way had just firmly planted himself next to me.  

He chuckled a bit and let a stream of smoke roll out of his lips.

"Please don't ask me for a picture, I'm really not in the mood." My eyes widened and I felt myself let out a breath of air I didn't realize I was holding.

"Don't flatter yourself. The only thing I'd be asking you for right now is a hit off of that cigarette." Eyebrows raised in a slightly surprised position, he handed me the toxic item.

I raised it to my lips and took a deep breath, letting the familiar taste of tobacco sit on my tongue for a moment before breathing out again. 

I handed it back to him, looking straight ahead.

"So what brings you to this shitty wall staring out into the parking lot, looking like you would rather be anywhere else but here?" I laughed at his question but no traces of humor could be heard in the empty sound.

"Well you are correct in that I'd rather be anywhere else but here, but I have to have a drink before I rip my hair out." He didn't say anything for a few moments, probably so he could formulate a witty response.

"Why not go in and get it, or are you still a kid?" Something about the way he said that made me want to punch him square in the jaw.

"Nineteen actually, two years off sadly." He looked to be deep in thought before standing up and looking down at me with an amused gleam in his eye.

"I'll get you something, but don't think I care about getting you something specific." Despite his shitty holier-than-thou attitude I felt grateful that I wouldn't be going home empty handed.

I simply nodded at him, giving him my best attempt at a smile which he probably saw right through.

He walked into the store leaving me alone again, this time with something to look forward to.

Resting my head against the wall and closing my eyes, I put in one ear bud and continued listening to music.

A few minutes later Gerard walked out of the store with two bags in his hands, sitting beside me once again. He handed one of them to me and was about to say something when a loud voice from the other side of the parking lot yelled at us.

"Hey you two! Stay right there!" A police officer was getting out of his car that had been resting inconspicuously in the shadows.

Gerard shot up, pulling me along with him. I immediately jerked my hand back and was about to say something before he grabbed me by forearm, pulling me behind him as we began running from the officer.

"Are you fucking crazy? We can't just run from a cop!" We darted down an alleyway and he let out a genuine laugh.

"What does it look like we're doing dumbass?" I groaned and hid behind a large dumpster with him.

We were both breathless but when we realized that we had lost the officer we started laughing together.

"Jesus Christ, I almost got my ass arrested because of you. The least you can do is thank me."  His voice was light hearted and sarcastic and I just shook my head.

"You're the one who offered." He shrugged and stood up again, pulling a phone out of his pocket.

He hit a few buttons before holding the phone up to his ear and looking at me. I gave him a questioning look and he rolled his eyes before speaking to the person on the end.

I tuned him out and messed with the ring that I always wore, it was too big to wear on my fingers, so I just put it on my thumb.

When he slid his phone back in his pocket I looked at him.

"That was my friend. He is going to pick me up...uh, do you need a ride or something?" I could tell his offer was genuine but he sounded awkward and unsure of himself when he asked it.

"Yeah sure, that'd be cool thanks." He nodded and lit up another cigarette before running a hand through his hand like he was stressing about something. 

It wasn't my place to ask, I didn't even know him. So I of course kept my mouth shut.

After a little while of awkwardly standing in silence a tour bus pulled up kind of taking me by surprise.

Of course I knew that he and his band had a tour bus, it was just weird seeing it for whatever reason.

I had never seen the inside of one, or even met a band.

I guess today is my lucky day.