I sat across from Alana at her kitchen table, and helped her with wedding plans.
"What color should bridesmaid's dresses be?" she asked, thinking aloud.
I scribbled on the notebook she'd handed me when I walked into the door, but I hadn't written anything on it, considering there was nothing to write. She had all the ideas, I just sat thinking about Brendon.
"Mel!" she yelled at me.
My head jolted up and looked at her. "Yeah, sorry," I said trying to focus my attention back on the wedding.
"Would you mind calling up one of the circus's in town?" she asked handing me the phone, and a list of numbers, clearly written by Ryan.
"Nope," I said, and dialed the first number, and before I pressed talk I had to ask her, "What date are you doing the wedding?"
Alana shrugged. "I don't know yet."
"Well then I can't call," I stated clearing the number off the phone.
"Why not?"
"They need a date if I'm going to schedule stilt man and what not," I stated.
Alana sighed, "This is the hardest thing I've ever had to do."
I frowned. "I know, but it's going to be the greatest day of your entire life," I said, trying my best to make her happy.
She smiled, and rubbed her stomach, which was now beginning to grow, and form to her growing uterus. "I hope it's perfect," she stated.
"It will be," I said returning the smile.
Later in the day we'd finally gotten invitations figured out, and everyone on the guest list. I was relieved to get back to the apartment, and relax. It was strange how comfortable I was living with Brendon. I don't think it could have ever been like this with Gerard, but what did I know? Things could have been perfect, but I wouldn't have been able to live with him as easily.
"Mel? You home?" Brendon asked, coming through the elevator doors.
"Yeah, in the kitchen," I shouted as I made some cookie dough.
He walked through the doorway, and smiled at me. "Hey," he said sitting down on the bar stool in front of me.
I smiled, "Hi."
"How was your day?" he asked playing with my rings, that sat on the counter.
"Hectic, and emotional," I said pulling out a cookie sheet, and spraying non-stick spray on it.
Brendon laughed slightly, and grabbed a hunk of cookie dough.
"Hey!" I shouted.
He just grinned and shoved the dough into his mouth. He swallowed, and said, "So, how's Alana doing these days?"
I shrugged. "Usual pregnancy stuff. She's got morning sickness pretty good right now. Her tummy is getting bigger, and she's got an ultrasound on Thursday," I stated, rolling out the cookie dough, and placing them equally apart on the sheet.
"At least she's doing good. Ryan has been spoiling her with gift after gift," Brendon said.
I smiled. "At least he didn't run off, because he didn't want to be a father," I stated. "She's probably loves being pampered, I know I would."
Brendon laughed. "Knowing Alana she'd love to be pregnant all the time."
"Just skip the morning sickness," I added.
Brendon nodded. "Very true."
I grabbed the cookie sheet, and threw it in the oven, and set the timer for 8 minutes. I turned back to find Brendon digging in the cookie dough again. "What the hell? You're going to get sick if you eat anymore," I said pulling the bowl away from him.
Brendon frowned. "I'll risk getting sick."
"Whatever. I don't think you want to be in the bathroom all night," I said pulling out two bottles of water from the fridge, and handed one to Brendon.
"Thanks," he said immediately twisting off the cap and taking a large gulp.
"Have you guys started recording yet?" I asked, leaning my elbows on the counter.
Brendon shook his head. "Not yet, we've started writing again, but we haven't gotten into the studio."
"Do you think the second album is going to be like Fever?" I asked taking a swig of my own water.
He shrugged. "I don't know, but I have a feeling it's going to be completely different."
"Just pray you don't lose fans over that," I said as I checked on the cookies.
Brendon sighed, "Yeah I know, but those fans just need to realize no band is going to have the same sound each record."
"That's true, but some fans are a little slow to realize that," I stated grabbing a piece of cookie dough.
Brendon shrugged, and got up from his chair, and went into the cupboard. I watched him grab a wrapped box from behind some cereal boxes. Oh god, I thought.
"Mel," Brendon began.
"Yeah," I said my voice not very stable as I spoke.
"I found this, and I thought that you'd like it," he said, and handed me the box.
I took the box and unwrapped it slowly. I could tell it was a ring, just by the size of the jeweler's box. I carefully took the lid off the box, and saw a moon and sun wrapped into each other, on the surface of the ring. I smiled, and instantly put the ring on my ring finger. "Thank you so much Bren!" I exclaimed, and pulled him into a hug. "You know you don't have to give me stuff all the time."
He smiled. "I know, but I like getting hugs."
I laughed. "Just ask and you can have one," I stated giving him a kiss on the cheek.
"What about kisses?" he asked.
I rolled my eyes. "Don't push you luck Brendon."
He laughed. "Mel, you're no fun."
"Sure I am," I smirked.
"I would know," he said with a wink.
"Sadly that's true," I frowned.
The phone started ringing, and the two of us looked at each other and quick did a game of rock, paper, scissors. He won.
"Hello," he said happily. "Yeah, she's right here."
"Hello?" I asked, looking in the oven quick.
"Mel?" Gerard's voiceasked.
"Yeah?"
"I-I don't know how to tell you this, but I—"
"Out with it!"I exclaimed.
"Igot married,"He stated.
"What?!" I nearly shouted.
"Yeah, we went on Projekt Revolution for the rest of the summer, and I got along really well with Lyn-Z,"he said hesitantly.
"So you thought youcould get married, just because you got along really well?" I asked, nearly appalled.
"Yes, but we are 100% positive that we're meant to be together,"he said, completely confident of himself.
"Well, I guess good luck with that," I said.
"Thanks Mel, I'm sorry I didn't invite you to the wedding, but it was the last day of the tour, and we had someone who was a licensed minister wed us," he explained.
"It's fine, don't worry about it," I said a little hurt, but didn't let it show completely. "Well, congratulations."
"Thanks, I suppose I will talkto you later," he said.
"Yeah, bye," I said and hung up before I could hear his last goodbye.
I slammed the phone back on it's charger, and the timer on the cookies went off. I quick took them out, and threw them on the counter, and ran into my room. Brendon was in theother room, and didn't see me disappear. Ihid behindmy bed, and slid down thewall, and buried my face in myhands. I couldn't believe that he went and got married after knowing her for what3 weeks? He knew me for nearly 5 months! He was the old him in that phone call, and now I really missed being with him. He cared somuch that he didn't go too far with our relationship, and that itmoved at a reasonable pace, and now he goes and gets hitched! I didn't understand the newGerard, it was as if he didn't have a common sense.Maybe now I could move on,maybe I could finally get over breaking up with him, and have someone else in my life.
"Mel?" Brendon asked loudly as he peeked into the room. "Mel, what's wrong?" he asked as he spotted me in the corner.
I shook my head, and sobbed louder, as I tried to control my breathing.
He sat down in front of me, and grabbed my shoulders lightly. "Tell me," he said trying to make eye contact, but I avoided his eyes as best as I could.
"G-g," I stuttered, but couldn't force his name into the open.
"Gerard?" he guessed. I nodded. "What aboutGerard?"
"He g-got m-m-ma-ma," Igasped, but I just couldn't say it.
"Ma what?"
"Ma-mar-marri," I said, trying my best so I wouldn't have to sayit out loud, in hopes that Brendon would understand.
"Married? He gotmarried!" he shouted.
I didn't sob, I bawled. Brendon scooted over to me, where it would be easier to comfort me on his shoulder. I just sat there and cried in his arms. I knew there was nothing I could do about Gerard's marriage, but nothingcould stop the memories from flooding back. I remembered singing with him onstage, him being with me at the hospital, and everything, and I mean everything we didtogether. I even remembered him beingmad at me when Frank kissed me.Evenhim being mad at me,brought us closer, but after the whole popularity ofThe Black Paradeincreased, and what not, that justmade it end.
"Shhh," Brendonwhispered, as I gasped for breath. "Take it easy."
"I love you," I blurted.
"I love you too," he whispered, and carefully, kissed me. Not a friendly I understand kiss, but a loving, caring kiss. His lips carefully went frommy lips to my forehead. "Why don't you get some shut eye? You've had a long day."
I nodded as he helped me up off thefloor, and held my hand as I slid into the bed. I already had on comfortable clothes,mostly stuff I wear to bed; a pair of sweats and a tank top.Brendontucked me in tobed, and kissed my forehead once more.
"Thank you," I whispered, as he shut off the light.
"You're welcome," he replied.
I slept for awhile, and was surprised when I woke up to daylight shining through my window. I looked at the clock, andknew instantly Brendon wouldn't be up. He'dprobably be up within the hour, and knowing that I got up and made some breakfast. Imixed up somepancake batter, and made some bacon for myself. I poured the batter on the hotpan, and waited impatiently for the bubbles toincreaseon the pancakes.
"What smells good?" Brendon moaned as he walkedin, in his boxers, into the kitchen.
"Breakfast," I stated, yawning as I spoke.
He smiled. "Thank you for making pancakes," he said, nearly drooling as he sat down.
"You're welcome," I said flipping thepancakes.
"You doing okay this morning?" Brendon asked, pouring himself a cup of coffee.
I nodded. "Yeah, and thanks for being with me last night," I said, plating two pancakes for him.
"I wouldn't have let you just sit there and cry. I had to do something," he said pouring syrup on his cakes.
I smiled slightly, and finally looked at him since he walked in the kitchen. "Thanks," I said munching on my bacon.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Sure," I said, with a mouthful of crunchy bacon.
"Did you mean what you said last night?"
"What?" I rose an eyebrow as I poured myself some pancakes.
"I love you," he said blatantly.
I should have known he would question it. I had to think for a minute. Did I really look at Brendon as more than a friend? Did I want a relationship with him again, or would it end up the same way as it had before? I sighed, I couldn't fight the feelings that I felt for him, so I nodded.
He smiled, but made it seem like he had something stuck in his back molar. Then truly smiled at me. "I knew it. I didn't think you actually meant it in the bathroom that one night, but then I watched you closely around me," he explained with the smile plastered on his face.
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, yeah, sure you knew," I said.
"Does this mean..." he trailed off.
I sighed, "Bren, I don't know, can I please think about this?"
"I suppose," he said, slightly bummed.
Perfect timing, I thought as my phone began to vibrate wildly on the counter.
"Hello?" I answered.
"Mel!" I heard Alana scream.
"What?" I said, holding the phone away from my ear.
"I need your help asap!" she yelled.
I sighed and looked at Brendon. "With what?" I asked, looking bored.
"Writing addresses on the stupid envelopes," she said with a loud, impatient sigh.
"You're hand writing them?" I asked.
"It's a hell of a lot cheaper than having the company print them, it was $2.00 a card!" she exclaimed.
"Holy shit! Yeah, I'll be over soon, I've got to shower, and get dressed," I said glancing at the clock.
She sighed, "Okay, just hurry up!"
"I will," I said quickly.
"Bring Brendon too, I'm desperate," she said, and before I could say anything she hung up.
"Get ready," I told him, as I passed by and headed to my bedroom.
"Why?" he asked.
"We've got to help with wedding invites," I said, grabbing my towel off the chair in the corner of my room.
He rose an eyebrow. "She wants me to help? I have the worst handwriting in the world," he stated.
I shrugged. "She said she's desperate, and your handwriting isn't that bad," I said, and walked into the bathroom, Brendon of course following.
"Thanks, I guess," he said, and grabbed his razor from his side of the bathroom counter. "Are you showering in here?" he asked.
I nodded. "Yeah, the other bathroom is all gross and grimy," I said cringing and the thought of actually being naked in a bathroom like that.
"Well sorry," he laughed. "I'll clean it this week."
"Good," I said, and started to shoo him out of the bathroom. "Go get ready!" I exclaimed, and closed the door on his smiling face, and made sure to lock both the one leading to his room, and mine.
I finished up my shower, and unlocked, and opened both doors, to clear the steam from the mirrors. I grabbed my blow-drier from the cabinet below the sink, and dried my hair. As I was running a brush through my hair Brendon walked in with a towel wrapped aroundhiswaist.
"Forgot to grab a pair of boxers," he stated, as he looked at me in the mirror.
I rolledmy eyes, and grabbed my eyeliner, and carefully lined my eyes.Out of the corner of my eye, Inoticed Brendon standing in the doorway carefully watching me.
"What?" I asked.
He shook his head, and pulled on a pair of jeans, that were in his arms.
I shook my headslightly,andmoved onto mascara. I lifted the brush and ran it over my eyelashes, bothtop and bottom lashes. I sawBrendon watching me again, and this time he grinned.
"What?" I asked again.
"Nothing," he said.
I looked down at my shirt, it was pretty low, and if I leaned forward...
"You perve!" I shouted.
Brendon laughed, "It took you that long to realize what I was looking at you for?"
"Oh fuck you," I said throwing my mascara on the counter, and chased him through the apartment.I stopped in my tracks when I realized he wasn't in front of me anymore. "Okay, Brendon I give up," I saidloud enough so he couldhear mein any room.
I heard a slight laugh from in his bedroom closet. Ipulled open the doors, and he tackled me to the ground.
"Hey!"I shouted. "Not fair!"
"What's not fair is you not saying anything to this," he said, and kissed me passionately.
I pulled away and looked at him. He looked nervous, but he knew I wouldn't snap. I grabbed his neck and brought his face closer, and kissed him back. "I want you," Isaid in his ear.
Hegrinned, and nodded. "Me too."
