I didn’t look up as I heard his footsteps and the bed shift as he sat down. I felt this hand on my back, but I only clutched the pillow tighter.
“Is she okay?” It was Frank, and he sounded concerned.
“I’m not sure. Beck? Becki??” He shook my shoulder, and I reluctantly sat up, though I still held on to the pillow.
“Yes, Gerard?” I cleared my throat, but I didn’t look at him.
“Becki… Look at me, Becki.” His hand was on my shoulder, and I slowly pulled away, and looked up into his hazel eyes. They were full of worry… My mind flashed, and I saw my mother, happy and smiling, playing with me and ------, who had mom’s hazel eyes, too. That did it.
The tears flowed down my face like a dam had broken, and I buried my face into Gerard’s chest. He froze, but I didn’t pull away, I couldn’t. But the next thing I knew, I felt his arms wrap awkwardly around my shoulders, and he was rocking me.
“It’s okay. It’ll be okay.” I cried for what seemed like days, until I was all teared out, and I finally pulled away.
“I-” I croaked, wiping my face, embarrassed. “I’m sorry, Gerard.” He laughed, ruffling my hair.
“It’s alright. You okay?”
As if on cue, “I’m Not Okay” started playing and I laughed.
“Does that answer your question, Gee?” I asked, as he laughed, too.
“I guess so.” He chuckled and started singing along with his past self.
“I mean it! I’m okay!”
“Trust me!” I heard Frank call from downstairs and I broke into another fit of giggles.
“By the way…” Gerard said as we head down stairs. “You said that your father was convicted yesterday 4 years ago, right?” I nodded.
“Then that means today’s your birthday, right?”
“Yeah.”
“So your 14, officially?”
“Yeah.”
“Happy Birthday.” He smiled at me, and I blushed.
“Thanks, Gerard.”
“No, come here.” He held his arms open. “You’re getting a birthday hug.”
I felt my face go up in flames, and I backed away.
“No-No that’s fine!”
He sighed, and dropped his arms. I felt bad, but before I could reply he looked behind me and yelled,
“Now Frank!” I whipped around, but Frank had already grabbed me, before pressing me between himself and Gerard, them both hugging me.
“Frank! Gerard!! Let go you guys!” I tried to break from their hug, my face bright red, but they held fast.
“Not yet! Mikey!” I heard scrambling from the kitchen as the he scrambled up the stairs, hugging me and Gerard from behind.
“You guys!!” I tried wiggling again, but when I couldn’t get out, I admitted defeat and hugged Gerard and Frank back. Truthfully, I loved it. I hadn’t been hugged in years. They were warm, and I felt safe.
“There.” I pouted, letting go quickly (more like reluctantly “-_-). “Happy?” Gerard, Frank and Mikey laughed, and I heard Ray from the kitchen as well. I couldn’t help grinning, and when they weren’t expecting it, I wiggled free and made a run for the kitchen.
“Help!!’ I laughed, hiding behind Ray, as the others followed me.
“Oh no, you don’t!” Gerard said, running after me as I circled the table, only to get caught by Frank again. He held me up, and I kicked out, giggling.
“I got her, Gee!” Frank yelled, laughing loudly.
“Ray!! Help!” I called out, just as he tackled Frank from behind onto the couch, making me laugh out loud.
“Dog pile!” I heard Mikey yell, and I felt his weight, the Gerard’s. I couldn’t stop laughing, and using all my strength, rolled over, and we all collapsed in a pile, laughing our heads off. I felt myself lying on someone, but I was laughing so hard, I didn’t even look- or care- who it was.
After we calmed down, I finally realized I was lying on Gerard’s chest. I quickly sat up, and leaned back against the sofa yawning loudly. I didn’t say anything, but Gerard, (being a dad, I guess), grabbed my arm and pulled me on the couch. I tried to fight it, but the sleep had me. Frank placed a pillow under my head while Mikey threw a blanket over me. I felt my eyes drooping, and right before I zoned out, I asked softly, sounding like a child.
“You guys won’t leave, right? At least not till I wake up.”
I heard Gerard chuckle faintly, but I heard what he said loud and clear.
“We won’t. I promise.” I smiled, and drifted off.
I woke up to the smell of burning toast.
“Damn it, Mikey!” I heard Frank yell. “Why did you try and grab the toast with a fork!?!”
“I said I was sorry!”
“Shh!” Gerard shushed, lowering his voice. “You’ll wake up Becki!”
“Too late, Gerard.” I yawned sitting up, rubbing my eyes at the bright afternoon light streaming through the window. I looked over and laughed.
“Morning Becki.” Ray said causally, waving.
Ray was sitting at the table, drinking coffee, while Gerard, Mikey and Frank were gathered around my small stove, where Mikey was holding my poor toaster burnt black around the edges. I sighed, standing up and walking sleepily over to them, looking at my poor toaster.
“Mikey… you killed my toaster.”
“Sorry, Becki… I’ll buy you a new one.” He said, looking almost like a puppy that’d just gotten in trouble. I laughed,
“It’s okay, Mikey. It was a crappy toaster anyways. But next time, let Gerard or Frankie make the toast.” I smiled, and looked at the stove. There were 2 pans, 1 with eggs and the other with some kind of meat.
“Where you guys trying to make breakfast?” I asked, amazed. Gerard and Frank grinned.
“Yeah. I’m making eggs, Frank was cooking the ham and Mikey was supposed to make the toast. But as you can see, he killed the toaster.” Gerard answered, smiling.
“That’s okay. I know a different way to make toast.” I said, grabbing the bread, the butter and a pan. I put the heat on high, put a small slab of butter on the pan, and began buttering toast as the pan heated and melted the butter. Moving the melted butter a bit around in the pan, a quickly threw the bread on the pan, the sizzling almost instant.
“Whoa!” Mikey said jumping. I laughed and flipped the bread, then quickly sliding it onto a plate. I put 2 more in the pan, and soon half the loaf was fried. I turned the heat off, and expertly served us all fried toast, scrambled eggs and ham.
We sat down, Gerard on one end, me one his right, Frank across from me, Mikey on my other side and Ray across from him. I thought it was kinda funny, how we’d established this already. Gerard at the head, and everything. I poured myself a cup of coffee, and looked at Gerard.
“Would you say grace, Gee?” He looked surprised but nodded.
“Sure.” He cleared his throat as we all joined hands. I blushed a little as we lowered our heads. But can you really blame me? I’m sitting here with 4 of the most lusted after guys in the world, holding hands with the cutest brothers ever.
“Umm… Dear God, thank you for this. Thank you for the 4 of us being together, for us meeting Becki and for sending her to save us from the Fan Girl Banshees. You gave us a real Guardian angel here, and I hope, with time, we’ll come to care for her as much as she does for us. Bless this food and thank you again. Amen.”
“Amen.” We all muttered, and as we looked back I smiled at Gerard.
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” He grinned and started eating. Frank stacked egg and ham on the toast, making a sandwich and taking a big bite.
“Again, Becki. This food is awesome.” Mikey said, swallowing a mouthful of egg and toast.
“But remember, Frank and Gerard helped, too.” I said, drinking some coffee.
“Still, the toast is good, Beck.” Frank said, taking another slice from the quickly diminishing pile. “It reminds me of French Toast.”
“It’s a cheaper version of it. I haven’t had actual French Toast since I was 7. I don’t have the money to get everything, or time in the mornings.” I said, munching on a crispy piece of ham. Gerard looked at me, than at Frank, than he turned back to me.
“Becki. We need to go to town for a while. Get supplies from our bus and you need your bike, don’t you?” I chocked on my coffee, but coughed out a “Yeah.”, clearing my throat while Gerard hit my back.
“Yeah, plus my birthday presents are still with it, too.” I bite a piece of toast and looked at the guys.
“We can go, but you’ll have to wear disguises. So you don’t get recognized.” I smiled. “We’ll leave in 10 minutes.” I stood up and said, “There’re clothes in that old drawer if you wanna change. I’ll be down in 5.” I jogged back upstairs, and closed the door behind me. I leaned against it, letting out a deep sigh, smiling. I walked to my closet, and pulled out a tight sleeveless midnight blue shirt, a black leather jacket, a pair of black shorts, and my black converses. I brushed my hair and pulled it back, even though my red streak fell over my eyes. I pulled a small box out from under my bed, opened it, and pulled out a navy blue ray gun in its holster and a blue bandanna. I strapped it around my waist, tightening it and looking in the mirror. I tied the bandanna around my neck and sighed.
I never thought I’d wear these clothes ever again.
I heard Gerard call from downstairs.
“Becki? You ready?” I cleared my throat, and called as I walked down the stairs.
“Coming guys!”
To be Continued.
