He wasn’t a stereotypical band geek; he made fair grades in school and had a circle of close friends. The only real problem Gerard had – and he knew it – was that he had nothing to be excited about. He was an average high school sophomore, with no real plans for a career or for college. On the other hand, some kids had planned out their lives for at least ten years after graduation; a few took summer courses just to boost their grades. It was a situation that was hard to swallow, and every now and then Gerard found himself thinking, “Am I going to be left behind?” * * *