Never Coming Home // Frerard

Chapter 18

after finishing my words to Lindsey, I stood up, pulled my bag back over my shoulder, and turned around, spotting Frank under a tree close by. I walked over and slid my down down the tree until I was sitting on the grass. I smiled at Frank and took out my sketchbook, flipping to a clean page and outlining the scene of gravestones in front of us.

"How's Mikey doing?" Frank asked.

"He's doing really well. He's even talking about coming back to school soon. I think he just hates the piles of work I bring him to do all at once."

"Awesome! There's this new kid in my art class that I think Mikey would like. His name is Pete."

"Cool, maybe he can eat lunch with us tomorrow. I'd love to meet him," I smiled.

"Gerard?" Frank asked after a moment of silence.

"What's up, Frankie?"

"Do you remember when you told me that you were falling in love with me?"

My focus instantly shifted from my drawing to Frank, and to what he just said. "Of course I do."

"Did you mean it?" He asked shyly.

"Frank... Not much in my life is permanent, and I don't usually care about what is and isn't, but that changed when you came along. I want you in my life forever. The only thing about that feeling that's changed is that it's gotten stronger. I absolutely am falling in love with you, and I don't want it any other way."

Frank didn't say anything at first, just looked into my eyes.

"Can I kiss you?" He asked. I nodded, and he wasted no time running his fingers into my hair and pressing his soft lips to mine.

~

"Guys," Frank's voice startled me slightly, and I turned away from the lunch table to face him, "This is Pete. He just moved here. Can he sit with us?"

"Yeah, of course he can," I replied. I flashed a friendly smile to Pete, who had sleek black hair with streaks of red in it. His eyes were rimmed with eyeliner, and he sported a grey and black striped hoodie. He sat down across from me with his lunch tray, and Frank sat next to me, his hand brushing against mine on the seat. Feeling adventurous, I intertwined my fingers with his.

"I never caught your name," Pete said.

"It's Gerard way," I said, my voice friendly. Pete looked as if he was about to choke.

"Way?" He asked. I nodded. "Do you have a brother?"

"Yeah, actually. His name is Mikey. He isn't here today, but he'll probably be back by next week, at the latest."

"No way! I used to know Mikey back in middle school before you guys moved! You guys used to live in New York, right?" I nodded. "Dude, Mikey and I should totally catch up sometime!"

"Yeah, you guys should!" I agreed. "I'll tell him you're here when I get home."

"No, it should be a surprise!" He enthused.

"Yeah, okay," I agreed.

The rest of lunch consisted of chatting amongst the table, but most of my conversation was with Frank.

~

"Mikes, I'm home!" I yelled into the house when I opened the door and walked in.

"Up here!" Mikey yelled from his room.

"You want coffee?" I asked.

"Sure!"

I walked to the kitchen, made two Star Wars cups of black coffee, and carried them up to Mikey's room.

I walked in and saw that was practicing a song on his bass, so I placed the coffee on his bedside table and leaned against the doorframe, listening to him play. He was strumming an Anthrax song, though I couldn't remember the name of it because I was never into Anthrax like Mikey.

When he strummed the final chord, he swiveled around in his desk chair and jumped a little when he saw me.

"How long were you listening, creep?" He joked as he stood up and set his bass back on its stand.

"Just a minute or so. Your coffee's right here," I pointed to the cup on his black night stand.

"Thanks," He smiled gratefully as he picked up the mug and took a sip.

"So, you know when you wanna start school again?" I asked as we sat on the floor and leaned back onto the wall.

"Tomorrow," He responded. "I already talked to Mom about it, and she said it was fine as long as you watched me to make sure I stay stable or whatever."

"How are you feeling?" I asked.

"Mentally?" I nodded. "A bit better. They taught us how to cope with stress and depression better in the hospital, and I've surprisingly been taking that advice. It helps."

"That's good. I'm really proud of you, Mikes."

"Why?" He turned his head to look at me.

"Because you're talented, you're smart as hell, you know how to be good and bad with people at the same time, and you're brave as fuck."

"Brave?" He laughed. "I'm anything but brave."

"Don't talk like that."

"Why not?"

"Because what you're saying is a lie. You're the bravest bastard I've ever known."

"How?"

"It took me a long-ass time to go back to school after Lindsey died, and here you are a week after you get home, telling me you're going back tomorrow."

"Well, I wouldn't exactly call that bravery."

"When the doctor said you needed to go to an inpatient hospital, you didn't argue. When Lindsey died, you protected me, even at the cost of your own mental health. When I had my problems with alcohol, you didn't give up on me, even when I relapsed. Don't fucking tell me you aren't brave."

His shoulders slumped in defeat, and he sipped at his coffee with a small, hidden grin on his face.

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Whoa two chapters in a day wHAT IS THIS

~XoxoSpark