"'Get a summer job at Chuck E. Cheese,' they said. 'It'll be fun,' they said."
Gerard Way mumbled to himself as he made his way across the restaurant. This was how he was going to spend his summer before college. Working at "Chuck E. Cheese's". He always had issues, but from the second that group walked in the door, he knew there would be trouble. It had consisted of two young men, a teenage girl, and a young girl who looked to be in elementary school. He knew this was going to be hell when they walked in and he knew that hell had begun when one of the members of the tag team came over saying 'Hey, there's a chick stuck in the tunnel slide' and walked away laughing. It was the scrawny one that looked like a crack-addict who said it, which just proved that it wasn't good. And now, Gerard Way was tromping through the main room towards the play structure to see what was the matter. He mentally facepalmed as he heard the curses and yells from the slide. Crack-addict stood next to beared-biker-dude as the two laughed, and the small child looked slightly alarmed and scared. Which meant that the teenage Winona Ryder knock-off was stuck inside the slide.
"GET ME THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!"
"Miss," Gerard sighed, knowing this was going to be a long night, "Please, calm down. That language is not appropriate in a children-oriented restaurant."
"DOES IT LOOK LIKE I CARE? OH, WAIT, YOU CAN'T SEE ME BECAUSE I'M STUCK INSIDE A FUCKING CHILDREN'S SLIDE."
"Miss, just let me call my manager. He will handle this."
"I DON'T WANT TO WAIT FOR YOU FUCKING MANAGER, I WANT FREEDOM."
"Miss, please. Let me figure this out. My handbook has nothing on this."
"I DON'T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT YOUR HANDBOOK."
"Give me time to thing, alright? This has never happened before."
"WELL, THERE'S ALWAYS A FIRST FOR FUCKING EVERYTHING."
Gerard sighed, putting his face in his hands and quietly screaming. Why did this always happen to him?
"If this behaviour continues, after you're removed from the slide, I will have to remove you from the premises."
"FINE, I DIDN'T WANT TO COME TO THIS SHITHOLE ANYWAY IN THE FIRST PLACE."
Gerard cringed while a kid climbed up on the play structure. He looked down the tunnel, then to an adult sitting in a booth.
"Daaaad, there's a fat lady in the tube and she won't move."
"WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU CALLING FAT? I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW, BITCH, I EAT CHEERIOS LIKE YOU FOR BREAKFAST."
The kid started crying and climbed off the play structure, running back to his dad. Gerard shook his head and grabbed his walkie-talkie.
"Hey, Frank, where are you?" Gerard asked. He paused, waiting for the reply. He hoped that the tiny freshman he worked with would pick up.
"Cleaning up puke in Party Room B. Save my soul," Frank replied.
"See if someone will take care of that for you. I need help in the main room and I need a small person to do it."
"I don't know whether to be offended that you called me small or feel pride that you actually need help from me."
"Be glad that I'm saving you from the puke-fest. Yo, Ray, are you on the line?"
"I've been listening to you guys the whole time," chimed in the fellow high-school graduate, "I'll cover for Frank. You owe me one, Frank."
"I know I do. I'll be there in a minute, Gee."
"Thanks, guys," Gerard replied. He hooked his radio back on his pants, then called up to the slide, "Help is on the way, miss."
"THANK GOD."
Gerard smirked to himself, deciding to take advantage of the situation and follow Ray's lead.
"You know, you owe me one," he said casually.
"I WHAT?"
"You owe me one. Getting you out of there. I could have left you in there. Had someone else take care of it. Left you in there to do it yourself."
"OKAY, DOUCHEBAG, YOU CAN SHUT YOUR MOUTH."
"I'm just saying," he replied, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet, "You owe me."
"FINE."
Gerard smirked as Frank arrived. He nodded to Gerard.
"'Sup."
"'Sup."
"So, what do you need help with?"
"There's a hormonal teenager stuck in the tube. You get her from the top, I'll do it from the bottom?"
"Wait, hold up. There's a teenager stuck in the tube?" Frank asked, holding back laughter, "Oh my God, that is amazing. How old is she?"
"OLD ENOUGH TO FUCK YOU UP," the girl yelled, "I CAN HEAR YOU."
"Cool," Frank replied, popping his gum, "Good for you. I'll take top."
"Bottom."
Frank ran over and started climbing the play structure while Gerard starting making his way up the bottom of the idiot trap, being careful not to get stuck himself. With as much grace as a baby goat, he manoeuvred his way up the tunnel slide, coming face to face with the idiot in question. She was scrunched up like a ball in the tube.
"Hello."
"Fuck you."
"Maybe later. Frank, you here?"
Frank popped in from behind the brunette, giving Gerard a thumbs up. He nodded in reply and grabbed onto the girl's arm while Frank got prepared to push from the back.
"Ready?"
"Not really," she admitted.
"Three, two, one."
"Fuck."
"Go!"
With that, Gerard pulled the girl while Frank pushed. The three soon became dismayed as their attempt revealed to be futile.
"God damn it," Frank cursed. Gerard groaned as the girl huffed and crossed her arms to the best of her ability. After an awkward manoeuvre, Gerard grabbed his radio once again.
"Um, Ray?" he asked, his voice cracking.
"What's up, G-Slice?"
"We're stuck."
"Oh my God, did you and Frank get stuck too?"
"Yup."
"Oh. My. God. I'll call Mikey. We'll be there in a bit."
Gerard sighed and hooked his walkie-talkie to his pants. He looked to the grumpy teenager and the curious midget.
"So," he started, "I don't know how long we'll be here, but how are you today?"
"I want to punch you in the fucking face," the girl replied.
"Are you always like this or is it just because you're stuck?"
"I'm like this around people I don't like."
"I have done literally nothing to offend you or anger you. For once, I am innocent."
The girl rolled her eyes.
"Sure. Whatever, Gerard," she said, reading off his nametag. He went quiet until Frank broke the silence.
"Where's Ray?"
"He'll be here soon," Gerard answered. The three returned to silence before they heard movement at the top and bottom of the tube. Gerard was greeted by his brother climbing up the tube to the rescue while Ray climbed in the top.
"Hi, Gerard," the little brother said.
"Hi, Mikey."
"Okay, greetings aside," Ray interrupted, "let's get you guys out. Mikey, you'll be the weight. Grab onto Gerard. Gerard, you'll push Mikey loose while grabbing onto Whatsername-"
"Lindsey," she corrected, "My name is Lindsey."
"Alright. Lindsey, you push Gerard while grabbing onto Frank-"
"Hey," Frank said, scooting closer to Lindsey. She swatted him away.
"Frank, grab onto me. Push Lindsey and I'll push you."
The four complied to Ray's instructions.
"This outta work. Ready? 3."
"Ray, this better work."
"I think it will. 2."
"How the hell did I get stuck in between 4 different guys?"
"Gang bang."
"Shut up, Frank."
"1."
"Oh shit."
"Push!"
With a loud 'pop', the five slid down the tube and tumbled out the bottom. Mikey rolled off to the side, Frank landed on his face, Ray landed on Frank, and Lindsey landed on Gerard. The five stood up, to the laughter and cheers of the strange squad. Gerard looked to Lindsey, who was smoothing down her skirt. She glanced over at him. Now that he was able to actually see her, she wasn't that bad-looking. She had a mysterious and curious air about her, with a hint of arrogance and cockiness. It may have just been the remaining energy from the preceding incident, but she still seemed to be an interesting person. Plus, Gerard really wanted to know how she got stuck.
"Miss, I'm going to have to ask you to leave the premise."
"I was just leaving."
"But I wouldn't mind seeing you after my shift."
"Excuse me?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. She tilted her head and gave him a look.
"Well, you do owe me. And I'd like a date."
"A date?"
"Yeah," he replied, rubbing the back of his neck, "If it wouldn't be too much to ask."
"You assume that since you rescued me and I'm the 'damsel in distress', you can be my 'Prince Charming' and sweep me off your feet, don't you?"
"No, I'm just lonely and I think you'd be a great partner for laser tag."
"Oh."
"See?" Gerard sassed, "Don't make assumptions."
Lindsey gave him a sly smile.
"Alright. Fine. When do you get off your shift?"
"About an hour."
"Alright. I'll wait out front. See you then?"
"See you later. And no loitering out front."
"Fine, fine," she said, "Where do you want to meet, then?"
"I don't know. McDonald's? I have to change clothes first. Then I'll be over there."
"Sounds good."
"Alright. See you later."
"See ya."
Gerard watched as Lindsey walked over to a booth and grabbed a purse, looping it around her. She turned back to give him a smile and waved. Gerard waved back, as she walked out of the Chuck E. Cheese's. He sighed and looked over to the remaining hooligans. The crack addict and biker were laughing, while the small girl looked confused and slightly bored.
"So, explain."