2- The Truth

“So..why are you so twitchy all the time, Frank?” Mikey asked. The younger Way didn’t even notice how mean the question sounded.
“No reason..” Frank said, clutching his comic to his chest as they stood by their lockers.
“Oh, wow!” Gerard said, breaking the silence.
“How‘d you get that first edition of Batman?? I‘ve looked everywhere possible and couldn‘t find it.”
“Uh..” Frank hesitated. “I won it..at a Batman competition in Florida on vacation once.”
“Ah, that‘s cool, man. Look, I have like, the whole collection of Batman in my locker.” Gerard grinned, fiddling with the locker door.
“Gerard…you know someone‘s gonna steal them!” Mikey complained once again.
“Oh, shut up Mikey.” Gerard rolled his eyes and slammed the locker closed.
Gerard gasped as he turned around.
“Aww, did I scare you, tubby?” a tall, dark figure leaning against the neighboring lockers grinned.
“What do you want today, Will?” Gerard muttered, forcing himself not to make eye contact.
“Ohh, just wanted to say hi to the new boy. Your quite thin, aren‘t you?” Will jeered, grabbing Frank by the collar.
Gerard couldn’t help himself. Suddenly, he dug his nails into his right arm, which was holding Frank off the ground. The smaller boy’s feet dangled helplessly as he tensed with every second that went past.
Finally, Will couldn’t take it anymore. He had enough.
“Ahh!” Will yelped, dropping Frank into a shaking heap on the ground by his feet. Immediately, Mikey and Ray ran over and helped him up, pulling him back to safety.
“What the fuck??? You asshole!” Will screeched, staring at the blood that had started oozing out of the small slits in his arm.
Gerard turned around and smiled thinly to the three waiting on him, “…Run!!” Gerard screamed, running down the corridor.
“I‘ll get you for this, you fucking wanker!” Will called down the long corridor.

After about 3 minutes of sprinting, Gerard lead the three into a out of order bathroom. All three flopped on the floor of the dark bathroom, while Gerard went to look for the light switch.
“Ah, light!” Gerard smiled, locking the door and walking over to sit beside Frank.
“I‘m sorry I let him near you, Frank..” the oldest male sighed.
“I-It‘s o..okay..I‘m not h-hurt or any..thing…” Frank smiled.
“That‘s Will Turpin. He‘s a fucking menace. He has a friend, Joe Carlson, but his sick with the stomach flu.” Gerard informed him.
Frank nodded slowly, taking everything in.
A few minutes passed of silence…except for the harsh breathing of all four boys.
“So…you gonna tell us why your all twitchy now, Frank?” Mikey asked curiously.
“Leave him alone, Mikey!” Ray sighed, lightly thumping Mikey’s arm.
The younger Way murmured something under his breath, but too low for anyone else to hear.
“Okay…but p-promise you won‘t tell any-anyone.” Frank hesitated.
“Promise.” Ray, Gerard and Mikey said at the same time, leaning in to listen.

“Well…my mom walked out on my dad and I when I was four, so I felt very vulnerable and insecure about not having a female figure in my life as well as a male figure, which was my dad, of course. I was an only child and was given everything I didn’t need or ask for until my dad started going out drinking at night when I was 6..” Frank took a deep breath while arranging the story in his head.

“Then, my dad came home one night, very drunk. I asked him if he was alright and needed help, but he said he was fine. He told me to go get him something to drink from the kitchen as he lay down on the sofa. I went into the kitchen and got his a glass of water and took it in to him. But dad didn‘t want water. He wanted beer. I refused to give him any more alcohol, so he took off his belt and lashed me until I was…uh…bleeding violently. This went on until I was about 10. One night, my dad picked up the fire poker and whacked me across the head. I was unconscious on the floor, bleeding to death. My dad freaked and ran. Luckily, my mom had decided to come home and check on us-but instead found me on the floor ten minutes after my dad ran for it. I was rushed to hospital and just barely made it. My dad was caught three months later and jailed. My mom and I had lived in Florida for a while, then Chicago, a couple of towns in New Jersey, but then we settled in Belleville. My mom had decided to home school me all the years we were traveling, but she‘s very ill now and is being looked after by some nurse that comes around every 2 hours to check on her. That‘s why I hate people touching me.”
The whole room went quiet when Frank had finished. This was not what Mikey, Gerard or Ray were expecting. Infact, the room was so quiet, you could hear Mikey wheezing from shock.
“Frank…I‘m so sorry…” Mikey whispered.
“S‘okay..” Frank said, pulling his knees up to his chest.
“I…think I‘m gonna stay here a while…you go on to class, guys.” Frank sighed.
All three boys nodded, and one after the other, they left. Except for Gerard. He hid behind the door, just as the younger Way and Ray had walked out. Quietly, Gerard locked the door again and listened carefully.
Frank sighed and mumbled, “Why the fuck did you just do that, Frank?? You don‘t even know those guys well…”
Another sigh came from Frank’s chest, and he quietly began sobbing. Gerard put his head in his hands and knelt down to think.

“Frank..” Gerard cooed, walking around the corner. Shit, what was I thinking?! This is terrifying…shit! Gerard thought.
“Oh, hey…I thought you left.” Frank sniffed.
“No, sorry if we like..pushed you into saying about your family..” Gerard mumbled, sitting down beside him under the sink.
“I‘d really like you to be my friend, Gee.” Frank smiled.
“I‘d like you to be my friend too…Frankie?” Gerard laughed. “Where did you get the name ‘Gee’ anyways?”
“Uh..I just made it up, actually..” Frank laughed unsteadily, scratching his head.
“Cool! So…do you want to go back to class? Geography next…” Gerard asked.
Frank sniffed, mulling it over, “Well, okay..”
Both boys stood up, rubbing the dirt off they’re jeans. When they were finished, they looked at each other, grinning stupidly.
“Oh, Frank…your lace is undone..” Gerard mumbled, looking at Frank’s shoes.
“Oh..hehe. Thanks.” Frank smiled, kneeling down to tie his shoelace again.
Gerard stood beside the other awkwardly for a while, wondering if Frank could actually tie his shoes. Gerard actually doubted that Frank could, because he was taking so long!
“Uh..Fr-” Gerard said, leaning over his friend.
“Done!” Frank smiled, lifting is head up.
Suddenly, Gerard was on the ground, screaming and covering his nose.
“Shit! Gee, what happened!?” Frank screeched, kneeling down beside him.
“You hit my nose with your head, Frank!” Gerard gasped.
“Okay…well, let‘s see it..” Frank breathed, calming down.
Gerard took away his bloody hand and squinted, “Well?” Gerard asked..
“Oh…o…fuck..” Frank muttered, falling back.
“Oh shit..” Gerard groaned. Slowly, he stood up and looked at himself in the mirror. The conscious male walked into one of the cubicles and grabbed a handful of tissues, walking back to the mirror and cleaning up all the blood around his nose.

After a couple of minutes, Gerard had completely stopped the bleeding and stuffed two tissues up either nostril incase of another accident.
“Now, to deal with Frank..” the male sighed, kneeling down beside the unconscious Frank Iero.
“Frank…Frank..come on, get up. You okay, man?” Gerard cooed, holding Frank in his arms, slightly shaking him.
“Mmm…Gerard..” Frank smiled lightly, rolling over in the other male’s arms so that his nose was just pressing on his chest.
Gerard’s eyes widened,  noticing his name being repeated  over and over.
“Guh..Gerard…Hehe..” Frank laughed innocently, turning over again.
“Frank! Frank, get up!” Gerard hissed.
“Gerard..?” Frank said, opening his eyes.
Gerard bit his lip and raised his eyebrows, “Do you dream about me often, Frankie?”
“What?!” Frank snapped, sitting up and smoothing down his dark blue t-shirt.
“Uh…You were calling my name..a lot.” Gerard smiled, scratching the back of his head.
“Oh..uh..well..eheh..” Frank laughed timidly.
Have I actually fallen for this boy? Frank thought to himself, Maybe..if I just…kiss..him..?
Frank hesitated, leaning in…ever so close to the other boy’s lips. Frank felt himself tingling, but he wasn’t sure if it was nervousness…or love.

Gerard didn’t know what to make of it either, if he actually felt enough about this boy who he meerly met hours ago, to actually kiss him or have a relationship with him…but the relationship, Gerard was not ready to think about.

^{Slowly..ever so slowly, Frank and Gerard’s lips came closer and closer to touching…}

…
But, Frank couldn’t take it anymore. Quickly, the smaller boy turned his head to the side, closing his eyes, trying to stop the tears running down his face.
“Come on,” Frank croaked, noticing the existence of the lump which had formed in his throat, “We‘ll be late for Geography.” Frank quickly glanced back at his friend, who sat on the ground beside him, smiling thinly.
“Okay, let‘s go, then..” Gerard said calmly, patting Frank on the back as he stood up and walked out the door.

Quietly, Frank followed, wiping runaway tears from his cheeks and catching up with the other‘s fast pace.


What had Frank just done?