As I push open the school doors there is no turning back, I run and don't stop, I run past the park, the cemetery, my house, the convenience store, I keep running until I get to the comic store.

I reach the black store "Way Comic's"
And I lean on the wall, regaining breath I had lost running, I take my hair out of the messy bun situation it's in and push open the door and hear the little jingle as I step in, I head right to the back where I can see Gerard sorting out the stock, I stride straight to him, I tap him on shoulder, he turns around and smiles
"Hey you" he grins his signature grin
"Hey Gee" I giggle lightly
"What happened to your cheek?" He asks cupping my cheek in calloused a hand
"Oh nothing" I say avoiding his eyes
"Babe, I mean (y/n) you can tell me" he says looking flustered
"Can we go outside and talk" I ask looking at the carpeted floor
"Mikey I'm going for a break!" He shouts to his brother in the store cupboard
"Groovy, want anything I'm away to get coffee?" He shouts back
"Two flat whites" he shouts back
"Two? Ohhhhhhhhhh ok" he laughs as he shouts back.

I giggle as Gerard leads me out the back, he pushes open the bar on the door to a small carpark and a row of dumpsters. He walks over to the dumpsters and pulls out a pack of cigarettes, he hands me one and I place the sweet rush on nicotine In-between my chapped and faded lips, his hazel eyes are gazing off into space as he leans his body against the graffitied wall

"Earth to Gerard" I say waving my hand in front of his face
"Oh woah sorry, I tend to zone out" he smiles
"It's cool I just thought you died" I laugh
*Buzz*buzz*buzz*
"Oh sorry I need to take this" he says as he pulls out his phone

"What lynz?" He barks into the phone

"No, I've told you already, we are over, it's been three months get over yourself!" His eyes look steely

"I'm sorry, I don't love you ok" he looks dead

"Goodbye, don't call again" he hangs up the phone and shoves it into his pocket and fixes his hair

"Ex?" I ask sympathetically

"That obvious?" He giggles

"She's clearly not over you, i would struggle getting over you" I blush slightly, he notices and scoots closer to me

"Anyone ever told you how cute you are?" He ask tangling his fingers in mine

"No" I whisper

"Well you are very cute" he flickers a smile

"You're a charmer" I snort, taking a drag of the cigarette betwix my lips

"Well you are a pretty gal" he squeezes my hand

I smile awkwardly "you're not the worst"

"I'll take that as a compliment" he pushes his hair out of his face

"Now, about that bruise" he drops his hand from the grasp of mine

"It's nothing... really" I say trying to hide behind my hair

"Come on (y/n) you can trust me" he looks into my eyes softly

"My stepdad slapped me" I say quickly

"Oh, (y/n) I'm really sorry" he looks concerned

"It happens all the time, nothing new" I say laughing lightly

"That's no laughing matter, please tell me everything" he says stubbing his cigarette out

So I did just that.

We took the coffees Mikey had bought and walked to the park, we sat at the top of the rocket slide.

"So what's the story at home?" He asks wrapping an arm around my shoulder

"I'm, Dad left when I was right, mom became alcoholic and isn't round enough when she is sober, Zach my stepdad is a grade A douche, I have to look after my younger brother Kurt and sister Zoe, my friend violet help out a lot and mom is amazing when she is sober, but she's not sober too often" I say fiddling with the band on my wrist

"That sounds like shit, I'm so sorry, Zach seemed cool when I met him at the hospital" he says with a hint of something in his voice

"Well he's not, I do one thing wrong and I'm a punch away from being in a coma" I laugh

"I want to strangle him, I can't believe he would hurt you" he's seeing red, it's easy to tell

"It's fine, I can't be bothered to fight back" I say leaning my head on his shoulder

"I just want to break free" I say with a grin

"If it makes it any better I didn't leave my room for a whole six months after my grandma Elena died, she was my best friend and closest relative and her leaving killed me and I'm not really close to my parents" he looks saddened

"How's your head anyway kid?" He cups my chin and looks at the scars, changing subject quickly

"I'm so sorry Gee, my head's fine, dingus" I mumble

"You got some sick battle scars" he laughs

He looks into my eyes, he places his hand on my neck and moves forward slowly

He is going to kiss you
Oh shit
Oh god
Breathe

I feel his presence closing in and.....he hugs me

I hug him back tightly, smiling widely as I do so, he gives me a quick peck on the forehead then pulls off.

"You are a cool kid, you are really brave, you need to know that if you ever need my help or just want a coffee I'm here" he pulls a pen out of his jean pocket and scribbles on a ripped piece of paper

"My number" he slides it to me
I take it gratefully and place it in the pocket of my shorts

We take turns running around the park and pushing eachother down the slide, laughing and forgetting about all troubles, it felt like it had been forever I had known him, hours passed and it was dark

"Hey we should probably get you home" he says looking worried

"I'm not a kid" I say stubbornly

" I know, kid, I just don't want Zach to lose his shit" he says pulling himself of the floor

"I'm not going home" I say looking worried

"Well, what about your siblings? They need you" he says trying to get me to see clearly

"They'll be fine mom is usually sober on Fridays, she has meetings on Fridays and she usually has movie night with the kids" I smile

"Well if you really don't want to go home you can crash at mine, I'm sure Mikey won't mind" he shivers as a gust of wind fly's past

"It's freezing" I whine

"Take my hoodie" he pulls it off and brushes off crumbs

I pull the Misfit's hoodie over my head and snuggle onto it, the scent of cigarettes and strong coffee mixed with the smell of comic books was oddly comforting "thank you" I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear

"Suits you, Keep it" he says pushing open the park gate

"I couldn't possibly" I say embarrassed

"(Y/n) it's no problem" he takes my hand as we walk back to the store, Mikey had locked up and was sat outside playing with a stray kitten beside the dumpster

"Hey where have you been?" Mikey asks cuddling the kitten to his chest

"Park, with (y/n) she is crashing tonight" he says as I watch the little black and white kitten roll in Mikey's lap

"Ok that's cool, hey (y/n) you're violet's friend right?" He ask tickling that cats chin

"Yup, what's with the cat?" I giggle

"I've named her Esmeralda, Esme for short, she lives around here, she's a stray I feed her and keep her company" he smiles proudly

"That's so cute" I reply, kneeling down and giving the cat a stroke

"Right you two, home time" Gerard says walking over to the car after locking the back of the store

Mikey asks with his cutest pleading face "can we keep her?"

"She's definitely stray?" Gerard asks with uncertainty

"Yeah, I got her checked at the vets, her mother abandoned her it seems" he says looking all sad and caring

"Fine we can keep her " he smiles as he leads me to the car

We all pile in the car, Esme included and head back to the Way abode