Summertime (Frerard)

32: Old Habits Die Hard, But I Am Too Young To Die

The coffee place Gerard takes us to is a small independent place that's huddled on the corner of a high street with generic coffee shop music that you can hear through the door even before you step in; the building is pretty small with only about six or so tables, and with only one of them being occupied by an elderly couple, I agree that this is the perfect place.

I guess I just have to trust in Gerard that their coffee's good, because that's one thing I can't tell from stalkerish observation- well, perhaps the fact that the aforementioned couple are quite complacently sipping upon their beverages without any obvious signs of disgust or poisoning aids Gerard's words a little, but old people are kind of weird, you know. I'll let myself be the judge of the coffee.

I start to think that perhaps all of this excessive observation is simply so I don't have to think about what we came here to discuss, because despite as much as my curiosity should want me to know everything about him, Pete's words have really stuck and honestly I would rather be in the dark about some things, especially if they're bad, but with Gerard today, it really doesn't seem like I have all that much choice.

"Hey, Frankie?" He squeezed my hand, causing my attention to drift up to meet his gaze, leaving all rampant thoughts regarding the coffee shop and the conversation that was destined to occur inside discarded. "It's okay, I promise."

I forced myself to nod in response, despite the fact I very much doubted that just about anything would be okay right now, but I was just a little keen upon ensuring that Gerard didn't make a big fuss or anything, because then we'd have another problem to deal with, and I really wasn't in the mood for that. 

"Yeah I know." I added, forcing my cheeks upwards to make way for a stubbornly stony faced smile.

"Good," he paused, momentarily glancing back towards the coffee shop, before turning that mildly suspicious gaze back to me, "let's go in then, shall we?" He grinned at me, tugging me by the hand to the door before I could even answer him, let alone protest in any way shape or form. Not that he'd let me anyway.

The first thing that hit me was just how pungent the smell of coffee was; I suspected they were fucking pumping that shit out through the air con or something weird like that. I squeezed my face up as I attempted not to splutter and cough out my insides, as I doubted that would improve an already pretty shitty day by any means.

Gerard just laughed at me, taking note of my minor discomfort and finding just a little too much amusement in it, "really, Frankie?"

"Fuck off." I rolled my eyes at him, yet still allowing him to drag me up to the counter to order our coffee, because he was Gerard and I really just couldn't be bothered right now.

"The coffee better be good for the amount it smells of the shit." I leaned closer to Gerard, whispering my words harshly against his ear before I took the time to glare spitefully at the barista and see how long it took them to be uncomfortable by it, needless to say, today wasn't exactly the best of days.

He smirked at me in response as I pulled away. "Trust me, Frankie." Yeah, great fucking idea.

And before I could make any kind of protest the barista had noticed us and launched into a conversation with Gerard.

"Gerard, hey you haven't been for a while, everything good?" Gerard simply nodded in response to her queries, as if this was utterly normal for the two of them. Seriously who the fuck was she? And then her gaze trailed over to meet mine, a smile lapping over her lips, "Gerard, who's this then, huh?" She winked at the both of us, rendering me completely and utterly uncomfortable.

"Hey Lindsey, this is Frank, my boyfriend." Gerard introduced me in a very nonchalant manner, leaving me to run frantically through my head to try and remember any previous mention of a 'Lindsey'.