What's in is Despair

Chapter 2

“We can go to my apartment to work,” I suggested.

Gee nodded softly, playing with his fingers. It's been a week since he's started here and I've barely heard him speak ten words. He always seemed nervous, shy, and a little sad.

“Do you need a ride?” I asked.

Gee bit his lip. “Yeah, I do.”

“Alright, meet me by Mr. Johnson’s room after last hour,” I said.

He looked at me in confusion. Oh right, he's new. He doesn't know who Mr. Johnson is.

“You know what, I'll meet you by your room,” I said. “What class do you have?”

“Art,” he said.

I nodded, smiling at him.

“See you then, gorgeous,” I said.

The day dragged on until it was finally over. It was finally Friday, too. I stood outside the art room and Gee came out. He was wearing a dark blue long sleeve dress with brown boots that went just below his knees and long white socks poking just out the top of his boots.

“C’mon, sweetheart,” I said.

He followed me out to the car, sitting in the passenger seat. It didn't take long to drive to my apartment and I parked outside it, grabbing my keys and unlocking the door as we went inside. Gee looked around curiously. There were white walls that I never bothered to paint, black leather couches, white coffee table and a flat screen tv on the wall. It was open to the kitchen with a breakfast bar, since I didn't actually have a table. Down the hall was my bedroom and a bathroom. Nothing big or special.

“You live here alone?” He asked quietly.

I nodded my head, dropping my bag on the couch.

“W-What about your parents?” He asked.

“They're total d***s so I moved out a bit ago,” I said.

Gee blushed slightly, sitting down on my couch. i sat beside him and pulled out my notebook.

“Anyways, how do we think of Holden so far?” I asked.

Gee bit his lip shyly. “H-he's not a very good person.”

I nodded my head, writing that down. We worked for a while, talking all about Holden and him at Pencey Prep.

“Pencey Prep is a good name for a band,” I remarked.

“You like music?” Gee asked.

I nodded enthusiastically. I pulled him over to a shelf I had, holding all sorts of vinyls. Gee looked through them and I saw the slightest bit of a happy look on his face. Wow, that's the first time I've ever seen him at all happy.

“I like your music,” he said.

“Yeah?” I asked and he nodded.

I grabbed one of the vinyls, a Nirvana one. I put it into my vinyl player and smiled. Gee looked up at me, the tiniest bit of a smile on his face. God, I've never seen him anything but sad.

“Dance with me?” I asked.

I didn't wait for an answer as I started twirling him around, spinning us and swaying. And then he giggled. He f*****g giggled. I've never heard a more beautiful sound. He looked so happy for the first time ever. I smiled at him as we stopped dancing. Gee was laughing, his Hazel eyes light and happy.

“You're pretty,” I remarked without even thinking.

Gee’s face fell as he looked down, pulling his hands away.

“N-no I'm not,” he muttered.

I furrowed my eyebrows as I looked at him.

“Of course you are,” I insisted. “You're beautiful.”

He shook his head sadly, sitting down on the couch.

“Gee--”

“Can we talk about something else?” He interrupted.

I sighed, sitting beside him.

“Well, we're done for today with our project,” I said. “Do you want me to drive you home?”

He shook his head slowly.

“You don't? Why not?” I questioned.

He shrugged his shoulders, his hands wringing together.

“Gee?” I asked, putting a hand on his arm. “Why don't you wanna go home?”

I heard him sniffle as he looked up at me with watery eyes.

“Hey, it's okay, don't cry,” I whispered.

I wrapped my arms around him and he hugged me back tight. His body was shaking softly as he sobbed into my shoulder.

“Hey there, beautiful, it's okay,” I mumbled.

He sniffled, his face buried into the crook of my neck. Gee pulled away, looking up at me with a quivering lip. I smiled softly and wiped his tears away.

“See? No need to be sad,” I muttered.

I kissed his forehead, squeezing his hand. He pulled his hand away, wrapping his arms around his middle.

“Alright, what do you want to do?” I asked.

“I-I'm just gonna call my brother to pick me up,” he mumbled.

He pulled out his cell phone, typing a number and pressing it to his ear.

“Mikes?” Gee asked. “C-can you come pick me up?...I'm at someone's house...Please, Mikey? I know you're with your friends but--...I can just go hang out with your friends...Okay, thank you.”

I gave him my address and Gee told his brother. He hung up, looking over at me.

“He said he’ll be here in ten minutes,” he told me.

“I'll go wait outside with you,” I offered. “This isn't really the safest part of town.”

Gee grabbed his backpack but I took it from him and slung it over my own shoulder.

“Wh-what are you doing?” Gee asked.

“Carrying your bag for you,” I stated.

Gee blushed as we walked out. Luckily I was on the second floor only. My front door opened to my own little space on the ground floor, about enough room for a coat rack and a rug, with stairs that led straight up to my apartment.

“Why can't I wait out here alone?” Gee asked.

“It's kinda dangerous here,” I said. “I can't watch you from my window so I just want to make sure you're safe.”

The two of us sat on the curb, waiting for his brother. Gee picked some dandelions that were growing in the cracks of the cement. Gee’s black hair blew in the wind, his fingers were painted perfectly black, the glossiness shining in the light. It looked so much nicer than my matte, chipped black nail polish.

There was a squealing of tires from somewhere as someone drove fast. A nice car pulled up, music blasting through the speakers. It came to a fast stop and Gee stood up. Someone got out of the front seat. He was tall and slim with glasses and brown hair. He went to the back, opening the trunk and stepping over.

“Hey, man,” he said, but I wasn't sure if he was talking me or Gee.

He took gee’s bag into the trunk and slammed it shut. Some girl in the passenger seat reached over and hit the horn twice. The brother got into the driver’s seat, rolling down the passenger window that faced us.

“What are you waiting for?!” He called.

Gee looked hesitant but stepped forward and got into the backseat. I watched how Gee barely had his door shut before his brother was speeding out of there, tires squealing and making a small track.

I frowned, going back inside up to my apartment. His brother was odd, Gee was odd. He didn't want to go home at all, which seemed weird. His brother, Mikey, I think his name was, seemed reckless. Gee didn't seem to want to go with him that much. And to be honest, I didn't want him to either with how much of a shitty driver he is. God, how hasn't he died in a crash already? I don't know if he's older or younger than Gerard, but I've never seen him around school.

I was concerned, actually. Gee seemed scared to go home. His brother seemed unreliable and insensitive, if I were to be honest. He seemed to care more about the girl in the passenger seat and his friends he was going to hang out with than his own brother that was clearly sad and scared.

I sat down on my couch, flipping on the tv. I turned it onto some funny show, looking at the time on my phone. It was starting to get a bit late, maybe I'd order a pizza soon. I got up and went to the fridge, grabbing a can of Pepsi and going back to the couch.

My house is really open. There this area with my two couches, coffee table and tv. The kitchen was right next to it, which is good because that means I don't have to walk farther for snacks. And most of the stuff in my cupboard and fridge was junk food. I've got money and the choice of what food to buy, what else do you think I'd get?

My phone rang and I saw Gee’s contact as I answered it and pressed it up to my ear.

“Hey, what's up, beautiful?” I asked.

I could hear muffled loud music before he hung up again. I frowned in confusion, figuring he just butt-dialed me. I tossed my phone aside and laid down across the couch as I watched the screen.

I ordered a pizza, which came in about twenty minutes. I finished about half and left the rest on my kitchen counter. It was late at that point, nearing almost midnight when my phone rang again. Gee was calling me.

“Hey, gorgeous,” I said.

I again heard the loud music but this time I could also hear Gee crying too. I sat up, furrowing my eyebrows in concern.

“Hey, what's wrong?” I asked.

“A-are you able to pick me up?” He asked.

“Yeah, of course, where are you?” I asked.

He told me the address and I drove there quickly. It wasn't far but I could hear it as I was coming up. Music was blasting, people shouting and partying. Some of the windows were broken and there was trash covering the lawn. The whole house looked pretty shitty. I didn't have to be inside to know that there were probably drugs in it. I saw Gee sitting right on the curb in the dark. I pulled up and Gee got in, shaking and crying.

“How long have you been out here?” I asked.

“A-a few hours,” he cried.

I looked at him in shock. “A few hours?! Baby, you should've called me earlier.”

He looked down at his lap and I sighed.

“Where's your brother?” I asked.

“Inside,” he mumbled.

“Shouldn't you tell him you're leaving?” I asked.

“He's too stoned to even notice,” Gee whispered.

I scowled at the house, driving back to my place. We walked up to my kitchen.

“Have you eaten?” I asked.

He shook his head. “A-all they have there is drugs and alcohol.”

I grabbed a plate and put two slices of pizza on it. We sat down on the couch and I turned my tv on.

“What do you wanna watch?” I asked.

“It doesn't matter,” he mumbled.

I flicked something on and we watched as Gee ate. He finished soon enough and I brought him back into my bedroom. Gee looked around at the light grey walls and dark blue comforter. I opened my closet and tossed him a shirt.

“Here, you can wear this to sleep,” I offered. “And sleep here in my bed.”

“N-no, that's okay,” Gee denied. “I can sleep on the couch.”

I shook my head, turning around so he can change. I heard rustling and Gee told me he was done. The black shirt went down just above his mid-thigh since I was a little bit bigger than him. He kept on his white knee high socks but nothing else. Well, probably underwear but I couldn't see those, even though I'd really like to.

“Here, you get the big bed,” I said. “My couch has a pull out bed so I'll be fine there.”

“But--”

“Sleep here,” I interrupted.

He crawled into the bed nervously. I tucked him in and he blushed.

“Get some rest, beautiful,” I whispered.

I wanted to lean down and kiss his forehead or something but I'm not sure if he would be comfortable with it. Instead, I turned and shut off the lights, closing the door behind me as I walked out down the hall. I pulled the couch out, grabbing a throw blanket and a couch pillow as I slept there.