I ran into my room as I entered the house, in tears. I disintegrated on the comfortable bed. I called the airport from the house phone, and the earliest flight was Tuesday morning at nine. I guess I could wait that long, I confirmed my ticket reservation and was now left to await going home.
Monday morning came around, the guys didn’t come by like they said they would, which didn’t shock me at all. They were already in Europe by now. I’m sure Gerard and Eliza are already all cuddly-wuddly in his bunk. The sheer thought of that made my skin wanna jump from my body, or my brain from my head. I had another day to kill in the God forsaken town, and I wasn’t about to spend it in my parents’ house.
My mother and father were both at work anyway.
I put on some normal winter clothes and headed out the door, but then remembered I knew pretty much no one in Belleville, NJ anymore. I decided to go to the local tatoo shop, maybe I could hang out there and possibly get a tatoo. I walked inside the not really up to code tatoo parlor around noon.
Some hot dude was tattooing some other hot dude, that’s all that was in there, they looked over upon hearing me come in.
I just waved and sat in one of the waiting chairs, looking through a sort of different magazines they had set up.
They actually had Playboy...a lot of Playboy. I guess most girls don’t come into a place like this.
As the guy finished tattooing the other guy they talked to me.
“So,” the tattooer said. “What do you want?”
I sighed. “To be honest, my boyfriend just broke up with me and I want to just forget about him.”
The guy that had gotten tattooed removed his sunglasses. “Are you Jocelyn Richardson?”
I shrugged. “Maybe.”
He smiled. “It’s me, Micah.”
I smiled and stood up, hugging him. “Hey I didn’t recognize you.”
He shrugged. “Lots of people have changed around here. Like you, dating Gerard Way.”
I looked to the floor. “Actually formerly dating Gerard Way.”
“Since when?”
“Since Saturday. It was this whole big mess, I don’t wanna talk about it.”
Micah nodded like he understood, then walked behind the counter. “This is my partner in crime Adam, Adam meet my ex girlfriend Jocelyn.”
Adam did an up-nod to me. “How’s it goin’?”
I cracked a smile. “Pretty good I guess, well, now it is. Seeing old friends, meeting new ones.” I walked to Micah. “Let me see the tat you got.”
He turned his left arm to the other side, and pulled off the wrapping to show me a tatoo of guy from Saw, which completed his full sleeve.
“Nice.” I stated, lightly gliding my finger across it. I looked at Adam. “Wanna do me?” I immediately had a foot in mouth situation, because I was talking about tattooing but it sounded completely wrong.
Adam grinned. “Sure.”
I opened my mouth, “oh my God.”
Micah nudged him. “She’s not very good dude.” He joked.
I rolled my eyes. “Well, I want a tat, and while I get it I want to catch up on things.”
“Sounds good to me.”
I sat in the chair and picked what I wanted.
A dragonfly on my pelvic bone if you must know.
I laid on the thingy and awaited for the pain, but it didn’t hurt majorly. “So, who are you dating these days?”
“Chloe actually, we’re married.”
I smiled. “No f**king way, you and Chloe got married? I never thought that in a million gazillion years.”
Micah smiled. “We’ve been going strong for about five years now.”
I sighed, all my ex’s were getting married around me, I should be married now, but you know, whatever. “How many kids?”
“Four.”
“Jesus Christ!” I yelled. “You must be pumping some heavy fuel.”
He laughed. “No, we adopted a couple kids from China.”
I cocked an eyebrow. “Angelina Jolie style?”
“Definitely Angelina style.”
I laughed. “Can you believe this Adam?”
He was trying to focus on my tattoo, but answered. “I don’t know. The guy’s really into charity and all that stuff, very much a giver.” He wiggled his tongue out.
I laughed loudly at his perverted gesture, then looked back at Micah. “Well, I’m happy for you two.”
“Thanks.” He grinned. “You should come over after you get this done.”
I nodded. “Yeah, I’ll come with. Only if I get to eat free food.”
He nodded. “Of course ya’ can girl. We need to fatten up someone to boil anyway,” he joked then laughed like a maniac.
“Ok, Hannibal.” Adam said. “Can ya’ let me work on her tat?”
Micah rolled his eyes, but shut up.
Once the tattoo was finished it was prettiful, and after thanking Adam I drove to Micah’s house.
He called Chloe to warn her about me coming over, he said she was super excited.
I hope so.
Getting to the house was a long drive, they lived in a gated community.
“God,” I smirked. “Are you a drug dealer or something?” I joked.
He just lightly laughed, then let it die down.
I stared at him. “You’re not, are you?”
“No, I own a few tat shops here and there, and Chloe works as an R.N.”
“Oh,” I sat back in my seat. “That’s good to hear.”
We got out of his nice car and went up to the house, he just opened the door and walked in.
“Daddy!” His four little kids yelled, running up to him, and hugging his legs.
I thought that was so f**king cute.
Chloe ran out from a room with an apron on. “Jocelyn!” She squealed and pulled me into a deep embrace.
“Hey!” I squealed back. “How are you?”
“Exhausted,” she forced a laugh out.
“So, you two have four kids.”
“Well, two. The five and six year old’s were made in China.”
“Like everything else in this country.” I laughed.
She laughed as well, but I think out of courtesy. “Do you want supper?”
“Yes please.” I smiled, I walked in the kitchen to see Japanese food in various boxes.
Chloe looked back at me and giggled. “I like to pretend I can cook.”
I giggled back, as we sat for supper I learned that the oldest six year old was named Jackson, the five year old was named Maddux (they really did take after Angelina Jolie), the four year old was Wesley, and the youngest 13 month old was Steven. Which reminded me of Steven off Fuse. They were all boys and surprisingly obedient. I’m guessing Chloe and Micah put the fear of God into their children.
“Jocelyn, what do you do?” Micah asked, digging his fork into some rice.
“Um...for seven years up until December I worked at an...” I let my voice go down for the children’s sake. “Adult store.” I let my voice go to normal level. “But ever since December I’ve been on tour with My Chem so right now I’m kinda unemployed.”
“Why did you and Gerard break up?” Chloe asked, trying to get Maddux to chew his food and not just swallow it.
I sighed, I could tell them they were my friends, from ten years ago but they were still my friends d**nit. “I cheated on him with Paris?”
“Paris Stye?” Micah yelled, shocked.
I nodded. “Yeah, I’m so stupid. And, he found out Saturday, when we broke up.”
Chloe sighed. “That’s pretty rough,” she decided to lighten the mood by telling about how she and Micah started dating. “Well, we met back up in New York when I was going to NYU and he was trying to get his shop going. And, I don’t know, stuff happened and we’ve been together ever since.” She smiled at Micah then looked at me. “We kind of have you to thank for this, if you hadn’t had dated Micah back in the day, we might have never been together.”
I blushed and looked down. “No, I’m sure you guys would’ve ended up together anyway.”
“No Jocelyn,” she said. “It was because of you and we wanna say ‘thanks’.”
I smiled. “Well, I’m so happy to have broughten joy to you.”
I helped Chloe clean up the table after dinner. “I’m so jealous of you two, it’s like, I always thought I would be married with kids way before you. But look at us now, you’re living this Brady Bunch-but with more tattoos-lifestyle. I just got dumped by my...” I stopped to think about how many boyfriends I’ve had over the past ten years. “Eleventh boyfriend over the past ten years.” I smiled, then it faded. “To bad I really cared about this one.”
“Don’t you just miss the old days kinda?” She asked, taking the plates and putting them in the dishwasher.
I grinned. “When all we had to worry about was prom, or if we were gonna pass our driving test, or even if we were pregnant?” I laughed.
“That last one was your problem, I was a proud virgin until I married until Micah.” She smiled.
I smiled back. “Well, lucky you.” I turned around to face her. “I think I’m gonna give up on guys and possibly become a lesbian.”
She laughed because she actually thought I was joking, I guess I kinda was.
All of adults were sitting around the tv, watching Kim Possible with the little ones.
I was now holding Steven and bouncing him around. “Are you a good baby? Yes, you’re a good baby.” I talked to him.
Chloe snapped a picture on her phone of me and him.
I looked at her making a weird face. “Why did you take a picture?”
“Cause it was cute and I love saving memories.”
I smiled. “Can I send it to someone?”
She nodded, “sure,” and handed the phone to me.
I clicked the send, sending the prettiful photo to my bestest friend Mikey. “How you two ugo’s made such beautiful kids is a mystery to me.” I joked with the two of them, handing the phone back to Chloe.
Micah laughed, a very fake one I might add. “Oh, Jocelyn, that was hilarious.”
“I try to be a comedian now and then.” I was soon hearing the sound of Cute Is What We Aim For ‘There’s A Class For This’, indicating that someone was calling me phone. I took it out of my jacket and saw that it was Mikey. “Hey hottie.” I answered.
“Uh, it’s Alicia.” She said.
I laughed. “Sorry, I was just joking around.”
“I know, but I was wanting to ask you about the picture of you and a baby. You moved on from Gerard quick.” She joked.
I laughed. “No, it’s my friends’ Chloe and Micah’s creation. I just decided to send it to dear Mikey. Why do you have Mikey’s phone anyway?”
“Him and Gerard are having an intense conversation in the back lounge.” Alicia told me. “Hold on, let me see if I can hear..” she was quiet.
I looked around at Micah and Chloe, who were just looking at me. It’s not like they can hear what she’s saying from staring at me talking to her.
“Ok, I just heard something about you and now I hear something about Eliza. Oh d**n, they’re cussing a lot. Jesus Christ, even the Osbournes would be appalled.”
I giggled at her small joke, then realized Gerard and Mikey were talking about me...and Eliza. I can just see it now. Mikey defending my honor, trying to make Gerard come to his f**king senses, and get back with me. Then, Gerard yelling back trying to be all manly saying that I’m a f**king whore, and I’m not “good enough” for him. What-the f**k-ever. I’m to good for him. That f**king ex drug addict a**h**e, getting fame has really changed that son of a b**ch. I hope he burns until all that’s left are ashes. I got mad and hung up on Alicia without meaning to. I got up and handed Steven back to Chloe. “Thanks, guys. I’ll try and come back to visit, promise. But, I just really have to go before I punch a wall.” I slipped back on my jacket.
“That bad of a talk?” Micah asked.
“Not a bad talk, just a realization came to me, and I really need to figure s**t out.” I hugged Chloe and Micah both. “Bye.”
“Do ya still love me?” Chloe smiled.
“Forever and ever babe.” I grinned, hugging her again, that was a little thing she and I did in high school. It’s nice to know she remembered.
Micah stepped between us. “I’ll give you a ride home, it’s miles away.”
I cracked a smile. “Thanks, but-“
“No buts, it’s way to chilly for you to walk by yourself.”
I gave up, there was no winning with Micah. “Alright. Call me Chloe.”
She waved, then went straight to the kids who were now acting out Kim Possible.
I laughed and got in the car with Micah. “Thanks for driving, I really don’t think I could’ve walked that far.”
“No prob, just being a friend. “
I looked out the window, and sighed. “How is it that I’m surrounded by people all day, but I feel alone?” I believed I could tell Micah anything, considering our history and the fact he’s the only guy that broke up with me because of relationship distance. We had a clean break, not a nasty one-unlike someone that shall remain nameless.
He breathed in the cold air from his rolled down window. “All of us feel that way. Why do you think so many people rape, or cheat,-“ he directed that statement to me son of a b**ch, “-or even start wars? Everybody wants to feel close to someone, everyone’s alone. And in the almost exact words of Donnie Darko ‘we ALL die alone’. So, what’s the real point of going through our lives trying to feel un-alone.” He looked at me. “Get what I’m saying?”
I nodded, and let him continue. If it’s one thing Micah was good was talking and making interesting points.
“It’s like you never think that you’re alone, but you are. Every second of the day you’re alone. People are so distant nowadays. Teenagers have Ipods and TM to drown everyone else out.”
“TM?” I asked. “Sorry I’m a bit stupid.” I laughed. “Text messaging, and society is only gonna get worse. People only care about themselves, that’s why people who experienced Hurricane Katrina are still homeless, or people over here are sometimes over 1000 pounds, and millions of kids all over the world go hungry.”
“So, let me get this straight. You’re saying ‘fatty go put the cheeseburger down and donate some money for homeless kids to eat’.”
He smiled. “Precisely, but I’m not saying it’s wrong to eat. You gotta eat to live, I’m just saying don’t spend mass amounts of money on food you don’t f**king eat and donate to charity. That’s why Chloe and I adopted Jackson and Maddux a few years back. They went every night without food and lived in complete filth, without proper schooling or even shoes on their feet. I really wish I could’ve adopted all those kids that were there.”
I smiled at his kindness. “Micah, you probably made a difference in the world by adopting the two of them.”
“You know what else really p**ses me off?”
I giggled and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I think that’s enough for now. You passed my house 10 seconds ago anyway.”
“Oh s**t.” Micah mumbled and pulled the car into reverse, driving backwards on the road, stopping at my doorstep.
“Jeez, that was some Vin Diesel s**t.” I was kinda freaked by his driving. I walked out of the car, then walked over to his side. “Thanks Micah, for the meal and for a talk that may have changed my life.”
He smiled, showing off his pearly whites. “Just here to help.”
“Bye.” I walked to the front door and used my key to get in.
