Chapter 9
Four days had passed since my first night at the mansion, and I already felt like it was my house as much as anybodies. Mikey and I had been training for hours upon hours every day. But he was strictly business now; he talked only of certain stretches or techniques that I could use. Very rarely would he smile at me, or even look at me. I knew it had something to do with Gerard and his talk on Tuesday, but I saw no new bruises on his flesh, so hopefully it was just words being exchanged.
Last night Mikey actually was able to get me to fit into two feet by two feet box, at first I felt extremely claustrophobic; but Mikey had told me to take even, steady breaths, as I did that I started feeling better. By the end of the night I was able to get in and out of the small box without any help from Mikey which actually made him smile, we were making progress.
Today was Friday and tonight would be the first show that'd I would be here for, I would not be performing in this weekend's shows, Mikey said I still wasn't anywhere close to being ready.. Everyone was already up and in the training room. They were practicing their acts for the show; Mikey was actually with Frank this time for the opening act. Ray was working on his escape artist act; Skye and Annie were both working on a snake act. Skye was holding the snake as Annie was making sure the python would not injure her. Skye looked nervous as the snake contracted around her body, only to uncoil quickly.
Mikey's and Frank's act was the one that probably scared me the most. Only because it was the first time both of them had done it. Gerard thought that it would be a great idea to give the audience a scare for the first act. Mikey was supposed to run from stage left in a panic, next came an angry looking Frank behind him. Frank would then shoot fire at Mikey; Mikey had to be able to dodge the fire until the end when supposedly Frank would finally hit him. Mikey would then disappear. I was just thinking many things could go terribly wrong, especially for Mikey, he could get seriously burned. But I kept my thoughts to myself, if Mikey didn't think he'd be able to pull it off, then he wouldn't had agreed to it in the first place.
I heard the sound of someone sitting beside me; I looked to my right and saw Gerard drinking from a water bottle.
"Hi Gerard," I mumbled.
"Good morning Brook, you excited for tonight?" Gerard smiled at me; I felt my stomach flip as he showed off his perfect grin.
"Yeah, well sort of." I shrugged.
"Are you upset that you are not part of it?" Gerard asked with a confused look.
"No, I understand why I'm not, you guys don't want me getting hurt….." Gerard cut me off; he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close. He smelled strangely of cigarettes and coffee.
"That's right, we couldn't have you getting hurt, and when yours and Mikey's act is finished you two will be the talk of the town." Gerard explained grinning the entire time, "And if you got hurt, well then that would get us off schedule, I would like the act ready to perform by the end of next month."
I nodded, "I know you don't want me hurt….but that's not why I'm not particularly excited for tonight's show. Don't you think Frank and Mikey's act is quite dangerous?" I looked up and Gerard, who was eyeing his brother and Frank.
"Honey, all the acts are dangerous, in every single one something could go completely wrong, but these guys are trained. They can handle basically anything. I wouldn't make anyone do something that I didn't think that they could handle, okay?" Gerard stated with a chuckle.
I sighed, "Okay,"
Gerard got up and said, "Glad you understand now, well I need to go to the theater now and get it ready for tonight. Would you like to come and help me?"
I bit my lip, thinking it over, suddenly I found myself nodding my head, "Sure why not? I have nothing better to do." I took Gerard's offered hand and he helped me into a standing position.
"Great, why don't you get yourself ready and I'll meet you outside." Gerard beamed.
I smiled back and left the room, I could feel someone's eyes on me the entire way out. Before reaching the door I turned around and saw Mikey staring at me with a scared expression. Frank noticed this and walked up to him, I saw Frank whisper something into his ear. Mikey shook his head and looked away from me quickly. I looked down at the ground and tried to come up with a reason why Mikey could be scared. There were none that I could come up with.
I went up to my room and took out a pair of blue jeans and a white tank top. I took a quick shower and hurriedly applied make-up. I pulled on my shoes and grabbed my phone before leaving my room. As Gerard said he was waiting for me outside. He was standing by a big black truck, he grinned when he saw me.
"Ah you're ready I presume."
"Yeah," I got in the passenger seat and check my phone. This was the first time I'd checked my phone since I had ran away.
I had 28 missed calls. 10 voicemails. And 52 new messages. I bit my cheek and started going through my messages.
Most were from Melody, all consisted of a: Where the hell are you? Brook are you in trouble? Hun I miss you, and I'm fucking worried. Text me back Damnit.
And one was from my mother: Baby I'm so sorry that I hit you. Brook I love you and I am really worried about you, baby come home. Things will be different. Just come home…please.
I didn't expect reading those messages would be so hard, people missed me. I wasn't a nobody to them. Gerard noticed I was having trouble with this.
"Brook, I know this is hard for you. I know you miss them but you have a new family with us. You belong with us." Gerard said trying to comfort me.
"Maybe I could go see them? Just tell them where I am." I mumbled.
"No, unless you don't want to come back. If you see your friends and family again they won't let you out of their sights. You will never see us again." Gerard explained.
"But maybe they would? If I just explain my situation." I looked to Gerard who shook his head.
"You and I both know if you go back…they won't let you see us again. Look I wish people understood that people like you need a place to feel normal. But they don't and they never will. I'm sorry." Gerard glanced at me, those hazel eyes showed all the emotion he was feeling.
"You're right; they wouldn't let me come back here. They might even call the police on you, and then where would we be?"
"My point exactly." Gerard nodded and he was smiling like the fucking Cheshire cat.
I deleted all my messages and voicemails. Gerard pulled into the theater's parking lot and we both got out. But as soon as we got out I froze. Someone was standing at the entrance, someone I knew very well.
Melody.
