Monroeville Chapter 3: The Enemy Of My Enemy
Title: Monroeville Ch3: The Enemy Of My enemy
Author: seraph05
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: My Chemical Romance
Pairing: Gerard/Frank
Warnings: Swearing, angst, boylove
Disclaimer: The people in this fic are as real as Vin Diesels acting (kissing scenes in particular).
Summary: “Hey Emo. Lunch is in half an hour. Don’t be here when the bell rings or I’ll fuck you up” Gerard warned.
“I’ll see you when the bell rings then asshole” Frank swore back.
Ch 1: http://seraph05.livejournal.com/29670.html
Ch 2: http://seraph05.livejournal.com/30143.html#cutid1
A/N: Yeah it's been aaaaaaaaaages and i'm sorry about that, i lost my mojo. Whenever i felt like writing i did a little bit and so about 6 months later here we are XD Dont know if you all even remember me (Leader Of The Candy Pack, Of Vampires And Rockstars?). Well anyway we last left off with Gerard telling Bob that Ray was 'The Quiet'. And this chap will be Frankie centric, i'm not sure how long it will take me to write another chapter or if i will write it at all, but if anyone is still interested i'll give it a try. Anyway thanks for reading after all this time.
Chapter 3:
The Enemy of My Enemy
Frank Iero lay in the soft sea of grass that separated the castle-like school from its walls and gate, eyes searching skywards. The black and white trimmings of his school blazer cut through the green around him separating him from it. He wasn’t adverse to nature. He actually liked it; trees couldn’t ask you rhetorical questions, skies couldn’t pick out the pallor of your skin or the height of your body. The black halo was to keep the passer-by’s passing by. The un-natural carmine hue that careened around his eyelashes was another barrier from the outside world. It made him different, it kept him different even if the teachers made him scrub it off nearly every day. His last defence lay undone in this moment of calm, ebony locks hung curled by his pierced ears waiting to spring back and cover Franks face the second he sat up. He could hear the occasional murmur about him that trailed behind student’s footsteps as they walked. He didn’t even blink irises completely focused on the clouds the wind carved into shapes thousands of miles above the ground.
Frank Iero had rituals to unwind and maintain his tenuous grip on sanity. Every Tuesday he would read in the courtyard separating east wing and west wing. Wednesday was the day to play Nintendo DS quietly in his bunk, curtains drawn. Every Thursday he would lie in the grass and decide what shapes where appearing in the fluffy white above weather be damned. Frank had once been suspended for lying out in the field while a storm ripped the sky apart above his head and lighting struck the ground in the near distance. Rain drummed a heavy rhythm into his skin and all he could do was smile. Of course no one saw it. Frank was pretty sure no one knew he was capable of something as preposterous as smiles or grins. As far as they where concerned he was an ‘Emo’ and that was all there was to it. Frank had gotten tired of fighting the stereotype so long ago he couldn’t remember the last time he smiled. He stayed away from everyone and generally everyone stayed away from him. He talked to the cafeteria ladies, teachers and staff so they couldn’t understand why the kids wouldn’t have a bar of him. The truth was he wouldn’t have a bar of them.
The only other kid he knew of at school that talked to less people was Ray and even then he had The Addict as a best friend. Frank didn’t have any friends. He wasn’t one to sit around and cry about it or write blogs on how bad it felt to be the only friendless kid in a school of hundreds miles and miles away from civilisation. He silently heard the gossip of the school; he wafted from class to class like a little black ghost. Frank sighed sitting up and pulled his jacket on. He eyed the stone entrance to the school a little over 20 meters away to see if anyone was watching him. Today there was none. Occasionally there’d be kids waiting to taunt him or throw food but today he was blissfully alone. He stood and began making his way back when suddenly he froze. Standing in the shadow of a tree near the school’s entrance was a boy. The boy was taller than him with longer hair and Frank could not recognise his face. His mind cast back to the day about a month ago when two new boys had arrived. He realized this must be one of them and aimed a soft glare in his direction, as he grew closer to the entrance. When he was within arms length he dropped the glare and walked right past. He’d just made it through the entrance when a voice followed him.
“My name’s Gerard” the voice was not what he’d expected; it held no tough or nasty edge. It wasn’t friendly but it wasn’t sharp either and Frank paused “What’s yours?”
He didn’t turn around. He’d heard a lot about one Gerard Way over the last few weeks. He’d roughed up a few kids and didn’t discriminate between social groups either jocks, bullies and the punks had all had one of theirs run into a fight with him. Frank didn’t feel like adding the Emos to the list and kept walking.
“Guess I’ll just have to think up some names for you then, kid” Gerard called louder than before and Frank flinched with gritted teeth.
“Join the club, they might as well have goddamn tee-shirts” Frank muttered angry and jaded.
* * *
Frank had come to discover many things about this school in the four years that he’d been here. He’d discovered, for example, the square stone courtyard separating the east wing and the west wing of the school was a perfect place for many fun activities. If the teachers weren’t prowling it was a great place for quick game of down ball or catch. It was ideal to bask in the sun during the summer either in the shade of the single tree that resided there or on the small grassy section to the right of the yard. His most recent personal preference in activity there had been reading. The thick ivy that moved like bottle green waves across the high walls and dripped to the ground letting only the windows show through set a strange kind of atmosphere that seemed to let him draw further into his books than anywhere else. His spare periods over the last few weeks had been spent there in solitude offering Frank some form of peace. There was nothing Frank really liked more than being alone, which is why when the new school creep breezed into the yard, disturbing his seclusion with an expression of annoyance plastered on his face Frank knew his peace was about to be shattered.
“So Emo, is this where you hide?” Gerard said coldly leaning against the far wall and wasting no time in beginning an altercation. Frank attempted to continue reading and ignore him “Thought you’d be off crying somewhere or listening to muse”
“Not all of us cry, some of us just prefer to slit our wrists” Frank said without looking up sarcasm nearly undetectable though his last sentence came out a little more bitterly than he’d intended “To kill the pain of this misanthropic world filled with bastards like you” Gerard snickered and Frank let his eyes flick up.
“Are we worth wasting that much of your miserable time and effort on?” Gerard asked, “Get a life” Frank scoffed and looked back down to his book.
“What are you reading?” Gerard asked.
“You don’t give a fuck and I get the feeling that you aren’t the type to appreciate lit anyway so why don’t you just fuck off,” Frank snapped.
“You didn’t answer my question” Gerard pressed. Frank groaned internally feeling the pointlessness of conversation with Gerard grow greater in him.
“Emo, I asked you what you where reading” Frank thought maybe he’d be able to shut him up by disregarding him but it seemed as though Gerard had come specifically for him today. He heard Gerard’s footsteps across the courtyard stones but did not look up. The printed words where whipped away from him and Frank leapt off the bench as Gerard held the book by the top of it’s spine and inspected it. He walked backwards eyes not leaving the book, Frank following close behind.
“Heart of Darkness?” Gerard said as though it where something disgusting holding it out of Franks reach.
“Give it back it’s not mine” Frank snarled.
“I know it’s the library’s” Gerard sneered mirthfully at the sight of the tell tale stamp on the cover, dodging as Frank snatched at it “If you bring it back in pieces there’ll be the fine, the mistrust, the mark on your record…of course you could always tell them you decided to take you’re hate of a hateful society out on this book instead of yourself. They might forgive you then”
“You’re such a fuckwit! Give it back!” Frank shouted and Gerard held it out of his reach “How old are you?! This might have worked in primary school but it’s year 10 now Way” Frank prepared himself to give Gerard a slug in the stomach when Gerard spoke up again.
“This is heavy stuff for an Emo, though I suppose the themes of the darkness of the soul and barbaric jungle juxtaposed by the light of morals and civilisation which by the end have been brought into question would be the kind of light material you’d enjoy” Gerard pondered out loud.
“You’re twisted you know that? Don’t give me shit for reading it when you’ve read it”
“I hadn’t gotten around to giving you shit for reading it, I meant that it’s stupidly tragic for reading in the courtyard, haven’t you heard of comics. I was forced to read Heart Of Darkness” Gerard continued dropping it. Franks hands shot out and caught it “It was part of the curriculum at my last school” Frank glowered up into Gerard’s face.
“I don’t care” Frank snarled and returned to his bench. Frank could feel Gerard’s eyes on him for quite a while after he spoke.
“Hey Emo. Lunch is in half an hour. Don’t be here when the bell rings or I’ll fuck you up” Gerard warned.
“I’ll see you when the bell rings then asshole” Frank swore back but Gerard’s expression was not the anger or even arrogance he’d expected. His expression melted into a blasé if not slightly melancholic gaze and he turned away. Frank watched him till he was out of sight. He tried to continue reading thumb beating on his knee but it was useless. He no longer felt like it. Frank stood once more collecting his things and made his way towards his dorms certain that Gerard would give him shit next time he saw him for not sticking around He wondered vaguely what Gerard had wanted to achieve from their discussion. Gerard hadn’t taken anything; he hadn’t injured him and as far as Frank could see Gerard hadn’t gained anything.
“Stupid” Frank mumbled.
* * *
“Hey Mikey boy what’s up kid? What do you know and how do you know it?” Mikey sat down across from Bob staring around the room.
“I know it’s lunchtime on Friday because everyone’s freaking out as usual but what I still don’t know is why” Mikey said watching the madness which included heightened levels of pushing, shoving and food fights breaking out all around them.
“Ahhh the tadpole still doesn’t understand the way of the weekend and it’s been what? Two months now” Bob said turning to Ray who gave him a nod of agreement.
“Yeah I do know what they’re about, they’re about having full access to the games rooms, sports equipment and free range over the school” Mikey said with a proud grin.
“Oh! So innocent, so young. Reminds me of you when you first got here except, perhaps on a subliminal level, even you knew about what frivolities went down when the teachers tune down the teaching” Bob said to Ray. Mikey frowned.
“Ok Bob. What goes down on the weekend?” Mikey caved and asked the question.
“Many things go down on the weekend” Bob said waggling one of his eyebrows suggestively “Ray once told me that the games room with all it’s shiny new games, the sports equipment and even the free range was all a ruse. A weak attempt at keeping strapping young lads like us out of the woods and away from parties, girls and most importantly booze” Mikey processed the information for a few minutes before
“Ray told you that?” Mikey asked.
“Every word” Bob replied.
“How” Mikey asked disbelievingly. Bob put on an overly dramatic emotional face and clutched Ray’s shoulder before whispering.
“He told me with his eyes”
Mikey giggled at his reply while Ray roughly shrugged Bobs hand off his shoulder and rolled his eyes.
“I am not an idiot” Bob commented on Rays eye roll.
Mikey’s focus slowly transitioned between Bob arguing with Ray to Gerard at the far side of the hall in line at the canteen. He’d only just noticed his brother picking out his food and putting it on his tray when a boy began running at the back of the line. Mikey stood just before the boy, who Mikey quickly recognised as Bert, hit the back of the line. The shout for Gerard to watch out didn’t make it out of his mouth in time. The boy at the back of the line was practically demolished by Bert as he slammed into the person in front of him. Mikey could see Bert laughing as the kid in front of him got hit as well. By now everyone in the hall was watching preparing to shout and cheer at the chaos. Like the final domino in a line the boy behind Gerard fell into him shoulder first and the contents of Gerard’s lunch sprawled across the floor in front of him. His apple bruised as it bounced off the floor, sandwich squashed as he staggered forward and his chocolate milk exploded in a brown splatter. Mikey went cold as many bodies rose out of their seats to get a better view blocking Mikey’s in the process and punching the air with their firsts. Gerard watched his strewn lunch through hair dripping with milk while behind him boys groaned on the floor. A single twisted laugh cackled through the air. Gerard threw his tray down and turned eyeing off Bert who was lying on the ground laughing at the mess he’d created. The cheers for Bert doubled when Gerard fisted Bert’s lapels, dragged off the ground and slammed him into the wall.
“You think you’re so god damn funny mother fucker” Gerard snarled out in a torrent of furious words while Bert’s snickering could still be heard “DON’T YOU?!”
“Yeah g-man I do and so do the boys, can’t you hear” Bert said laughter in his voice as he gestured to the audience behind them who replied with hoots and yells.
“Well guess what slimy fuck” Gerard said slapping his face and pressing it against the wall so he was watching the line of boys still picking themselves up “They don’t. They don’t think you’re one goddamn bit funny. Neither do I. Seems to me like you don’t have one mother fucking brain cell to rub together with another” for the first time Bert struggled and Gerard slammed him back “Be an asshole to your own friends in your own time, once again o’ corse only if you have some”
The only teacher on duty finally managed to make it to the canteen from the other side of the room.
“Hey break it up! Let him go!” he shouted as he drew near. Gerard’s griped loosened off and Bert slipped out sneering right in his face. He leaned in till their noses where almost touching Gerard not budging an inch.
“See you round Gee” he whispered before delivering a quick hard head butt. Gerard snarled pressing a hand to his sore forehead. Before Bert could get out of range Gerard shot his foot out tripping Bert and sending him crashing to the ground. Laughter roared around and Bert glared back over his shoulder. Before Gerard could move to attack again a hand wrapped around his bicep and pulled him out of the way.
“I said stop!” the teacher snarled at Gerard before turning to Bert who was already getting to his feet to walk away “The principal will be hearing about this Bert”
“Whatever Dan” Bert drawled walking backwards and flipping him off with both hands. The teacher only watched him for a second before turning back to Gerard.
“I don’t care how new you are, this is not proper behaviour at school. Bert will be punished for what he’s done as will you. You started up a fight for no reason…” Gerard quickly tuned out to the well worn speech as Bert seemed to take a huge turn from his walk towards the exit and was now heading for a kid sitting alone at the end of the last table. He squinted recognising it as the emo kid he’d been bothering and for a moment he could see something like a smile on his face while his head remained quite lowered. He might have been laughing. Gerard realized the kid had enjoyed Bert’s humiliation. For the first time ‘the Emo’ had smiled and he’d smiled for Gerard. In turn this made Gerard smile almost like the kids smile was his own. Suddenly Bert’s hand shot out grabbing the kid by the shoulder and shoved him viciously off his seat. Gerard watched the boys body collide with the hard floor unprepared and unbraced. He cried out and Gerard swore pelting away from the teacher who was mid way through his riot act. Gerard flew down the hall throwing himself into Bert and barrelling him over.
“You fuckers just don’t learn” Gerard seethed before his fist sunk into Bert’s stomach and cheekbone. Bert cracked his knuckles across Gerard’s jaw but before fight really begun in the teacher once again pulled Gerard off Bert though this time he just shoved Gerard away. He pulled Bert to his feet.
“I’ll be back for you, don’t move” The teacher snapped at Gerard before he began to escort Bert away. Gerard waited till he was gone before glaring down at the kid. He stared right back expression neutral. Gerard could feel liquid leaking down his lip and could taste copper in his mouth. He wiped his face with his sleeve. Amongst the cheers and boos Gerard could hear the kids next words clearly.
“Thanks” he mumbled out with an air of annoyance. Gerard’s glare sharpened. He turned on his heel and walked away.
“Gerard are you ok?!” Mikey ran up to him with Bob close behind.
“Dude you did it! like you full on did it man, no-ones ever taken Bert out man I mean sure he’s fought a hell of a lot but you my man Gee, you are the main item. It was so sweet when you slammed him against that wall, I just couldn’t BELIVE it when you tackled him after the teacher had already grabbed you, what did you say to him man break it down for me!” Bob blurted excitably while beside him Mikey continued to hold his look of concern.
“You’re bleeding” Mikey said looking back to the end of the table where the kid Bert had just assaulted was just getting up.
“I know” Gerard snapped and Mikey’s arm shot out in front of Bob.
“Hey what gives he hasn’t told us yet?! Hey Gerard!” Bob called trying to push past Mikey.
“Fuck off!” Gerard spat as he slipped through a door into the east wing hallways.
“Yeah well fuck you too!” Bob swore back.
“Come on we’d better go back to Ray” Mikey said watching his brother disappear knowing all to well the bitter disappointment Gerard was feeling “He’s not going to talk to us for a while”
“What’s the guy’s fucking problem Mikey I mean it’s not like we were bashing the parade drums for Bert” Bob spat as they made their way back to Ray. Mikey noted with some surprise that Ray was not looking in Gerard’s direction but in the direction of the kid who’d been pulled off his seat.
“No…Gerard and me have been through many schools. This place…” Mikey sighed gesturing to the hall and by extension, the school “was our last hope. Gerard got into a lot of fights in our old schools, most of those fights ended with Gerard being punished for defending himself. It’s really gotten to him. So being told off…especially by halfwit teachers….it’s just best to leave him alone, he’ll come back when he’s chilled out”
“Boy has a problem with authoritarian figures eh?” Bob sulked clonking his feet onto the long table and reclining “Fine with me”
Mikey hid a smile.
“Thanks Bob”
“Shut up”
* * *
The door of the second floor bathroom slammed open and the only kid inside jumped and looked over his shoulder. Gerard seethed as he stormed into the room blood dripping from his mouth, scaring the kid half to death.
“Get the fuck out!” He roared and in a second the boy was gone, door closing behind him. Gerard turned on the nearest cubical and drove his foot into its study wooden surface not even making a mark. He raged against it punching it and kicking it as he snarled loudly. His shouts and swearing grew louder till he could be heard in the hall outside. His energy lasted for long minutes before the moments between punches widened, the swearing was replaced by heavy breathing and his fierce venting ended. Eventually his anger began to ebb and with a sob he backed away from the cubical and pulled a raw hand over his mouth. He gritted his teeth against the waves of fury, frustration and pain that crashed against each other in his chest now able to resist them.
He took a few deep slow breaths. He pulled a sleeve across his wet lashes drying them and walked over to the sink. Gerard’s knuckles cried in pain as they turned the tap then he leaned down and took a mouthful of water. He spat it out and began the calming ritual he’d grown accustomed to. He checked his teeth (mercifully fine, just a cut inside his cheek and a bruise on his jaw). He ran the water over his throbbing knuckles till the stinging lessened and took a long deep breath. Finally he splashed water into his hair rinsing the milk out. He cradled his finger through his dark wet locks sweeping them up and away from his face. He stared into the composed reflection of his eyes.
* * *
Frank knew for sure there where kids running through the halls outside his dorm room. Not the clacking of school shoes on the concrete in the day but the quick pads of bare feet or socks in the night. He turned over groaning at the dull ache in his back. Despite his heightened ability to deal with pain, his hidden tattoos a testament to that, the sore on his back from when he hit the floor was just enough to annoy him into remaining awake. What made the situation worse was that he didn’t feel settled. Gerard’s angry face glaring down at him from over head played back in his mind contradicting everything he’d done for Frank. Frank turned over onto his other side trying to rid himself of the thought but he couldn’t. The creep was on his mind. Frank tossed off the blankets and threw on his light dressing gown with a huff. He figured maybe if he could get the no doubt 7th graders to go back to their dorms and stop running around he might just be able to get enough peace to fall asleep.
“Fucking kids…think it’s so cool to sneak around castles at night…they better just fucking wait….i’ll scare the hell out of them” he grumbled quietly to himself as he snuck over to his dorm door and began pulling it open softly “They won’t ever want to leave their beds at night ag-”
Before the words could leave Franks mouth he was snatched out from behind his dorm room door and tossed over a large shoulder. He gasped as whoever was holding him pelted down the hall way leaving Franks dorm far behind. He fought the urge to shout as his kidnapper raced around a corner. He didn’t struggle much, beyond hissing abuse, for fear of being dropped to the hard floors at such a pace. Blurs of classrooms flew by his eyes as his vision bumped and rattled with every step. He wasn’t even sure where he was going and soon lost his bearings. It wasn’t till he reached the shore of grey colour above him and the dull broke into dark blue waves and stars of the night sky that he knew he was outside. This was also when he began to panic and the truth of the situation hit him hard. He had been stolen from his dorm, dragged out into the night and as far as he could tell was heading for the shrubs in the far fields. Terror followed his flow of thoughts quickly. He began to struggle while Bert and his long cackle echoed through his mind.
“Who the hell are you what the fuck is going on?!?! Put me down bitch! Put me down! Put me down! I said PUT-ME-” and then Frank was falling to the sound of an excited voice. He hit the grass with a thud right as the sentence finished.
“So do you have the witness?”
“Guys is this necessary?”
“Oh what?! You bought The Emo?! Whyyyyyyy I said bring a witness not the one man parade of black”
Frank looked up from his dirty landing spot and spat grass at his kidnappers.
“Bob” Frank snapped recognising his surroundings as the schools boundaries.
“huh...the emo knows my name” Bob replied in a sarcastic tone.
“Find someone else for whatever stupid shit you’re up to” Frank snarled incensed as he turned around preparing for the long walk back. However standing directly behind him was Ray who was, whilst glaring at Bob, blocking his path back to the school and his dorm. He put a hand on Franks shoulder, glare still on Bob, and turned him back around. A few moments of intense glares were shared between the boys before Bob spoke.
“Fine. Sorry Frank” Bob said stiffly.
“Whatever” Frank growled “What am I doing here”
“Tonight will be Mikey’s christening” Bob said tilting his head in the direction of the boy to his right. Frank hadn’t noticed him amongst all the commotion. He looked around for some sort of ceremonial equipment but saw nothing but the school walls.
“Am I missing something?”
“A christening of his school life here. You see the boy has never broken the boundaries and escaped this jailbait…sorry bird life for a glorious night on the town” Bob explained tossing an arm over Mikey’s shoulder.
“They made me” Mikey added while Ray vigorously nodded.
“An escapee virgin” the understanding dawned on Frank.
“Yes it’s true, his proverbial cherry hasn’t been popped but we’ll soon see about that. Bert’s dorm is being watched carefully so we have the use of his car. We wanted Gerard to come but he’s sulking somewhere and we can’t find him” Bob continued.
“Oh you’re Mikey” Frank said turning and holding out his hand “Gerard’s brother”
“Yeah” Mikey replied with a cheery shake “The Brother”
“Alright ladies that’s enough. Lets blow this scene” Bob howled yanking bush branches back to reveal a hole in the high walls.
Frank stared at the hole and threw a glance back at the school. Frank wasn’t a big fan of Bob and didn’t know Mikey or Ray outside of reputation. All he knew was Ray didn’t speak and Mikey was Gerard’s brother. For Frank they seemed hardly good candidates for a Friday night escape.
The addict and the brother where soon through the hole and he looked to Ray. From underneath his mane of curly hair Frank could swear he saw an assuring wink as if Ray was saying everything would be ok.
“You’re not so quiet” Frank said kindly and Ray rolled his eyes shoving Frank through the hole and following after.
* * *
Frank enjoyed watching Mikey that night. It was like watching a good movie that you’d already seen with someone who hadn’t yet seen it. The surprise on his face as they snuck into a bar and found so many of their school mates already there was priceless. Watching his face crinkle at the first drink he tasted. Frank took a photo with his mobile of the unicorn Mikey scribbled on a street with chalk Bob had ‘borrowed’ from the bar. He sat back while his fellow escapees threw popcorn at the movies and danced because at that time of night they where the only ones there. They narrowly missed a brawl on the street and only escaped due to Bobs fast talking and Rays formidable size. Bob worked in the fact that Rays silence was due to the fact that every time he killed a man he swore he wouldn’t speak for a month and as it stood he had months ahead before he could open his mouth. Frank was very glad the men in the brawl where so heinously drunk as they trundled off asking ‘Killer Ray’ for forgiveness. They seemed an unlikely crew, the four of them but Frank couldn’t remember the last time he had such a great night. He barely smiled and no-one noticed when he did but this too was a precious moment. Eventually, with dawn fast approaching and Mikey leading the way, they returned to Bert’s car.
“That was so much fun!” Mikey exclaimed lying down across the back seat.
“Oh no, no, no sleeping beauty, rule 1 of escapee’s code of conduct - you always return before dawn. Number 2 is never rat your escapees out if caught. Number 3 is never bring chicky-babes back to the dorms, somehow and don’t ask me how, but somehow those security guard bastards know if a girl is hiding. There are more but I won’t go into it now cause you’re falling asleep as it is. Yo MIKEY” Bob shouted and Mikey snorted awake “Sit up”
Ray lifted Mikey into a sitting position before taking the seat next to him. Frank plonked into the front seat and they shut the doors. Then they sat there.
“Um Bob” Mikey pipped up once 5 mins had passed on the car’s clock “What are we waiting for?”
“Bert’s a fuck” Bob said seriously. Frank eyed him carefully as Bobs expression held the more serious tones then he’d ever seen on the addicts face. Frank knew Bob’s relationship with Bert had always been for business only. Bob used Bert’s car, Bert got %40 per cent of the profits. It was a well known fact throughout school that without Bert’s car there was no booze or ‘illegal’ goods and without Bob there was none either. They needed both to function.
“I’m tired of playing the assholes game. So I suppose this was it. The last night here. Bert’s done a lot of shitty things and for ages I ignored it cause it wasn’t like I was helping him but….i’m done giving him money” Bob sighed glumly. Ray shook his shoulder proudly.
“Sounds like a good idea to me” Mikey said encouragingly.
“Yeah” Frank added with a nod. Bob turned the keys and soon enough the car was pulling out of the car park and heading back to the main road.
“The enemy of my enemy” Frank mused after half an hour had passed.
“What did you say Frank?” Bob asked. Frank’s mouth twitched with a grin though all but Ray missed it.
“Friends?” Frank offered Bob, who eyed him suspiciously.
“Whatever” Bob responded gaze flicking back to the road.
“Being that he is now an enemy to all of us….what shall we do to this car?” Frank asked slyly. Bob sniggered.
“You where right. It was a good choice of witness Ray”
* * *
Frank staggered hastily through the corridors, exhausted and begging for sleep. He’d decided that if he couldn’t be silent then he should at least be fast. The staff would be getting up soon to prepare the school for breakfast and the weekend mayhem coming their way. He always felt sorry for them and vowed that even if he failed at everything else in this world he would never get a job that began at 6 o clock in the morning. He rounded the final corner his heart nearly leaping out of his chest to see someone walking towards him and only a few feet away.
“The toilet was locked so I had to go to the far ones” Frank blurted before he recognized his captor.
“I don’t care” Franks eyes widened.
“Gerard” He exclaimed.
“Bingo” he muttered as he pushed past. Frank watched him walk away brows furrowed in confusion. The opportunity was there and while Frank was a lot of things a coward he wasn’t.
“Why?” he called out “Why did you go for Bert again?”
“Why not” Gerard shouted out without turning around “Say hi to muse for me” Gerard yelled as he finally disappeared out of Frank’s line of sight.
“FUCK YOU!” Frank roared, hand immediately clamping over his own mouth. He pelted to his dorm, now only a few steps away. Popped some mints into his mouth and jumped under his sheets pulling them up over his head. If a teacher did come to see where the shouting had come from Frank wanted to be as innocent looking, and smelling, as possible. He waited, muscles slightly tense. He wasn’t sure how long it was before he stopped listening, heavy lids sliding closed and frown softening to nothing.
Author: seraph05
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: My Chemical Romance
Pairing: Gerard/Frank
Warnings: Swearing, angst, boylove
Disclaimer: The people in this fic are as real as Vin Diesels acting (kissing scenes in particular).
Summary: “Hey Emo. Lunch is in half an hour. Don’t be here when the bell rings or I’ll fuck you up” Gerard warned.
“I’ll see you when the bell rings then asshole” Frank swore back.
Ch 1: http://seraph05.livejournal.com/29670.html
Ch 2: http://seraph05.livejournal.com/30143.html#cutid1
A/N: Yeah it's been aaaaaaaaaages and i'm sorry about that, i lost my mojo. Whenever i felt like writing i did a little bit and so about 6 months later here we are XD Dont know if you all even remember me (Leader Of The Candy Pack, Of Vampires And Rockstars?). Well anyway we last left off with Gerard telling Bob that Ray was 'The Quiet'. And this chap will be Frankie centric, i'm not sure how long it will take me to write another chapter or if i will write it at all, but if anyone is still interested i'll give it a try. Anyway thanks for reading after all this time.
Chapter 3:
The Enemy of My Enemy
Frank Iero lay in the soft sea of grass that separated the castle-like school from its walls and gate, eyes searching skywards. The black and white trimmings of his school blazer cut through the green around him separating him from it. He wasn’t adverse to nature. He actually liked it; trees couldn’t ask you rhetorical questions, skies couldn’t pick out the pallor of your skin or the height of your body. The black halo was to keep the passer-by’s passing by. The un-natural carmine hue that careened around his eyelashes was another barrier from the outside world. It made him different, it kept him different even if the teachers made him scrub it off nearly every day. His last defence lay undone in this moment of calm, ebony locks hung curled by his pierced ears waiting to spring back and cover Franks face the second he sat up. He could hear the occasional murmur about him that trailed behind student’s footsteps as they walked. He didn’t even blink irises completely focused on the clouds the wind carved into shapes thousands of miles above the ground.
Frank Iero had rituals to unwind and maintain his tenuous grip on sanity. Every Tuesday he would read in the courtyard separating east wing and west wing. Wednesday was the day to play Nintendo DS quietly in his bunk, curtains drawn. Every Thursday he would lie in the grass and decide what shapes where appearing in the fluffy white above weather be damned. Frank had once been suspended for lying out in the field while a storm ripped the sky apart above his head and lighting struck the ground in the near distance. Rain drummed a heavy rhythm into his skin and all he could do was smile. Of course no one saw it. Frank was pretty sure no one knew he was capable of something as preposterous as smiles or grins. As far as they where concerned he was an ‘Emo’ and that was all there was to it. Frank had gotten tired of fighting the stereotype so long ago he couldn’t remember the last time he smiled. He stayed away from everyone and generally everyone stayed away from him. He talked to the cafeteria ladies, teachers and staff so they couldn’t understand why the kids wouldn’t have a bar of him. The truth was he wouldn’t have a bar of them.
The only other kid he knew of at school that talked to less people was Ray and even then he had The Addict as a best friend. Frank didn’t have any friends. He wasn’t one to sit around and cry about it or write blogs on how bad it felt to be the only friendless kid in a school of hundreds miles and miles away from civilisation. He silently heard the gossip of the school; he wafted from class to class like a little black ghost. Frank sighed sitting up and pulled his jacket on. He eyed the stone entrance to the school a little over 20 meters away to see if anyone was watching him. Today there was none. Occasionally there’d be kids waiting to taunt him or throw food but today he was blissfully alone. He stood and began making his way back when suddenly he froze. Standing in the shadow of a tree near the school’s entrance was a boy. The boy was taller than him with longer hair and Frank could not recognise his face. His mind cast back to the day about a month ago when two new boys had arrived. He realized this must be one of them and aimed a soft glare in his direction, as he grew closer to the entrance. When he was within arms length he dropped the glare and walked right past. He’d just made it through the entrance when a voice followed him.
“My name’s Gerard” the voice was not what he’d expected; it held no tough or nasty edge. It wasn’t friendly but it wasn’t sharp either and Frank paused “What’s yours?”
He didn’t turn around. He’d heard a lot about one Gerard Way over the last few weeks. He’d roughed up a few kids and didn’t discriminate between social groups either jocks, bullies and the punks had all had one of theirs run into a fight with him. Frank didn’t feel like adding the Emos to the list and kept walking.
“Guess I’ll just have to think up some names for you then, kid” Gerard called louder than before and Frank flinched with gritted teeth.
“Join the club, they might as well have goddamn tee-shirts” Frank muttered angry and jaded.
* * *
Frank had come to discover many things about this school in the four years that he’d been here. He’d discovered, for example, the square stone courtyard separating the east wing and the west wing of the school was a perfect place for many fun activities. If the teachers weren’t prowling it was a great place for quick game of down ball or catch. It was ideal to bask in the sun during the summer either in the shade of the single tree that resided there or on the small grassy section to the right of the yard. His most recent personal preference in activity there had been reading. The thick ivy that moved like bottle green waves across the high walls and dripped to the ground letting only the windows show through set a strange kind of atmosphere that seemed to let him draw further into his books than anywhere else. His spare periods over the last few weeks had been spent there in solitude offering Frank some form of peace. There was nothing Frank really liked more than being alone, which is why when the new school creep breezed into the yard, disturbing his seclusion with an expression of annoyance plastered on his face Frank knew his peace was about to be shattered.
“So Emo, is this where you hide?” Gerard said coldly leaning against the far wall and wasting no time in beginning an altercation. Frank attempted to continue reading and ignore him “Thought you’d be off crying somewhere or listening to muse”
“Not all of us cry, some of us just prefer to slit our wrists” Frank said without looking up sarcasm nearly undetectable though his last sentence came out a little more bitterly than he’d intended “To kill the pain of this misanthropic world filled with bastards like you” Gerard snickered and Frank let his eyes flick up.
“Are we worth wasting that much of your miserable time and effort on?” Gerard asked, “Get a life” Frank scoffed and looked back down to his book.
“What are you reading?” Gerard asked.
“You don’t give a fuck and I get the feeling that you aren’t the type to appreciate lit anyway so why don’t you just fuck off,” Frank snapped.
“You didn’t answer my question” Gerard pressed. Frank groaned internally feeling the pointlessness of conversation with Gerard grow greater in him.
“Emo, I asked you what you where reading” Frank thought maybe he’d be able to shut him up by disregarding him but it seemed as though Gerard had come specifically for him today. He heard Gerard’s footsteps across the courtyard stones but did not look up. The printed words where whipped away from him and Frank leapt off the bench as Gerard held the book by the top of it’s spine and inspected it. He walked backwards eyes not leaving the book, Frank following close behind.
“Heart of Darkness?” Gerard said as though it where something disgusting holding it out of Franks reach.
“Give it back it’s not mine” Frank snarled.
“I know it’s the library’s” Gerard sneered mirthfully at the sight of the tell tale stamp on the cover, dodging as Frank snatched at it “If you bring it back in pieces there’ll be the fine, the mistrust, the mark on your record…of course you could always tell them you decided to take you’re hate of a hateful society out on this book instead of yourself. They might forgive you then”
“You’re such a fuckwit! Give it back!” Frank shouted and Gerard held it out of his reach “How old are you?! This might have worked in primary school but it’s year 10 now Way” Frank prepared himself to give Gerard a slug in the stomach when Gerard spoke up again.
“This is heavy stuff for an Emo, though I suppose the themes of the darkness of the soul and barbaric jungle juxtaposed by the light of morals and civilisation which by the end have been brought into question would be the kind of light material you’d enjoy” Gerard pondered out loud.
“You’re twisted you know that? Don’t give me shit for reading it when you’ve read it”
“I hadn’t gotten around to giving you shit for reading it, I meant that it’s stupidly tragic for reading in the courtyard, haven’t you heard of comics. I was forced to read Heart Of Darkness” Gerard continued dropping it. Franks hands shot out and caught it “It was part of the curriculum at my last school” Frank glowered up into Gerard’s face.
“I don’t care” Frank snarled and returned to his bench. Frank could feel Gerard’s eyes on him for quite a while after he spoke.
“Hey Emo. Lunch is in half an hour. Don’t be here when the bell rings or I’ll fuck you up” Gerard warned.
“I’ll see you when the bell rings then asshole” Frank swore back but Gerard’s expression was not the anger or even arrogance he’d expected. His expression melted into a blasé if not slightly melancholic gaze and he turned away. Frank watched him till he was out of sight. He tried to continue reading thumb beating on his knee but it was useless. He no longer felt like it. Frank stood once more collecting his things and made his way towards his dorms certain that Gerard would give him shit next time he saw him for not sticking around He wondered vaguely what Gerard had wanted to achieve from their discussion. Gerard hadn’t taken anything; he hadn’t injured him and as far as Frank could see Gerard hadn’t gained anything.
“Stupid” Frank mumbled.
* * *
“Hey Mikey boy what’s up kid? What do you know and how do you know it?” Mikey sat down across from Bob staring around the room.
“I know it’s lunchtime on Friday because everyone’s freaking out as usual but what I still don’t know is why” Mikey said watching the madness which included heightened levels of pushing, shoving and food fights breaking out all around them.
“Ahhh the tadpole still doesn’t understand the way of the weekend and it’s been what? Two months now” Bob said turning to Ray who gave him a nod of agreement.
“Yeah I do know what they’re about, they’re about having full access to the games rooms, sports equipment and free range over the school” Mikey said with a proud grin.
“Oh! So innocent, so young. Reminds me of you when you first got here except, perhaps on a subliminal level, even you knew about what frivolities went down when the teachers tune down the teaching” Bob said to Ray. Mikey frowned.
“Ok Bob. What goes down on the weekend?” Mikey caved and asked the question.
“Many things go down on the weekend” Bob said waggling one of his eyebrows suggestively “Ray once told me that the games room with all it’s shiny new games, the sports equipment and even the free range was all a ruse. A weak attempt at keeping strapping young lads like us out of the woods and away from parties, girls and most importantly booze” Mikey processed the information for a few minutes before
“Ray told you that?” Mikey asked.
“Every word” Bob replied.
“How” Mikey asked disbelievingly. Bob put on an overly dramatic emotional face and clutched Ray’s shoulder before whispering.
“He told me with his eyes”
Mikey giggled at his reply while Ray roughly shrugged Bobs hand off his shoulder and rolled his eyes.
“I am not an idiot” Bob commented on Rays eye roll.
Mikey’s focus slowly transitioned between Bob arguing with Ray to Gerard at the far side of the hall in line at the canteen. He’d only just noticed his brother picking out his food and putting it on his tray when a boy began running at the back of the line. Mikey stood just before the boy, who Mikey quickly recognised as Bert, hit the back of the line. The shout for Gerard to watch out didn’t make it out of his mouth in time. The boy at the back of the line was practically demolished by Bert as he slammed into the person in front of him. Mikey could see Bert laughing as the kid in front of him got hit as well. By now everyone in the hall was watching preparing to shout and cheer at the chaos. Like the final domino in a line the boy behind Gerard fell into him shoulder first and the contents of Gerard’s lunch sprawled across the floor in front of him. His apple bruised as it bounced off the floor, sandwich squashed as he staggered forward and his chocolate milk exploded in a brown splatter. Mikey went cold as many bodies rose out of their seats to get a better view blocking Mikey’s in the process and punching the air with their firsts. Gerard watched his strewn lunch through hair dripping with milk while behind him boys groaned on the floor. A single twisted laugh cackled through the air. Gerard threw his tray down and turned eyeing off Bert who was lying on the ground laughing at the mess he’d created. The cheers for Bert doubled when Gerard fisted Bert’s lapels, dragged off the ground and slammed him into the wall.
“You think you’re so god damn funny mother fucker” Gerard snarled out in a torrent of furious words while Bert’s snickering could still be heard “DON’T YOU?!”
“Yeah g-man I do and so do the boys, can’t you hear” Bert said laughter in his voice as he gestured to the audience behind them who replied with hoots and yells.
“Well guess what slimy fuck” Gerard said slapping his face and pressing it against the wall so he was watching the line of boys still picking themselves up “They don’t. They don’t think you’re one goddamn bit funny. Neither do I. Seems to me like you don’t have one mother fucking brain cell to rub together with another” for the first time Bert struggled and Gerard slammed him back “Be an asshole to your own friends in your own time, once again o’ corse only if you have some”
The only teacher on duty finally managed to make it to the canteen from the other side of the room.
“Hey break it up! Let him go!” he shouted as he drew near. Gerard’s griped loosened off and Bert slipped out sneering right in his face. He leaned in till their noses where almost touching Gerard not budging an inch.
“See you round Gee” he whispered before delivering a quick hard head butt. Gerard snarled pressing a hand to his sore forehead. Before Bert could get out of range Gerard shot his foot out tripping Bert and sending him crashing to the ground. Laughter roared around and Bert glared back over his shoulder. Before Gerard could move to attack again a hand wrapped around his bicep and pulled him out of the way.
“I said stop!” the teacher snarled at Gerard before turning to Bert who was already getting to his feet to walk away “The principal will be hearing about this Bert”
“Whatever Dan” Bert drawled walking backwards and flipping him off with both hands. The teacher only watched him for a second before turning back to Gerard.
“I don’t care how new you are, this is not proper behaviour at school. Bert will be punished for what he’s done as will you. You started up a fight for no reason…” Gerard quickly tuned out to the well worn speech as Bert seemed to take a huge turn from his walk towards the exit and was now heading for a kid sitting alone at the end of the last table. He squinted recognising it as the emo kid he’d been bothering and for a moment he could see something like a smile on his face while his head remained quite lowered. He might have been laughing. Gerard realized the kid had enjoyed Bert’s humiliation. For the first time ‘the Emo’ had smiled and he’d smiled for Gerard. In turn this made Gerard smile almost like the kids smile was his own. Suddenly Bert’s hand shot out grabbing the kid by the shoulder and shoved him viciously off his seat. Gerard watched the boys body collide with the hard floor unprepared and unbraced. He cried out and Gerard swore pelting away from the teacher who was mid way through his riot act. Gerard flew down the hall throwing himself into Bert and barrelling him over.
“You fuckers just don’t learn” Gerard seethed before his fist sunk into Bert’s stomach and cheekbone. Bert cracked his knuckles across Gerard’s jaw but before fight really begun in the teacher once again pulled Gerard off Bert though this time he just shoved Gerard away. He pulled Bert to his feet.
“I’ll be back for you, don’t move” The teacher snapped at Gerard before he began to escort Bert away. Gerard waited till he was gone before glaring down at the kid. He stared right back expression neutral. Gerard could feel liquid leaking down his lip and could taste copper in his mouth. He wiped his face with his sleeve. Amongst the cheers and boos Gerard could hear the kids next words clearly.
“Thanks” he mumbled out with an air of annoyance. Gerard’s glare sharpened. He turned on his heel and walked away.
“Gerard are you ok?!” Mikey ran up to him with Bob close behind.
“Dude you did it! like you full on did it man, no-ones ever taken Bert out man I mean sure he’s fought a hell of a lot but you my man Gee, you are the main item. It was so sweet when you slammed him against that wall, I just couldn’t BELIVE it when you tackled him after the teacher had already grabbed you, what did you say to him man break it down for me!” Bob blurted excitably while beside him Mikey continued to hold his look of concern.
“You’re bleeding” Mikey said looking back to the end of the table where the kid Bert had just assaulted was just getting up.
“I know” Gerard snapped and Mikey’s arm shot out in front of Bob.
“Hey what gives he hasn’t told us yet?! Hey Gerard!” Bob called trying to push past Mikey.
“Fuck off!” Gerard spat as he slipped through a door into the east wing hallways.
“Yeah well fuck you too!” Bob swore back.
“Come on we’d better go back to Ray” Mikey said watching his brother disappear knowing all to well the bitter disappointment Gerard was feeling “He’s not going to talk to us for a while”
“What’s the guy’s fucking problem Mikey I mean it’s not like we were bashing the parade drums for Bert” Bob spat as they made their way back to Ray. Mikey noted with some surprise that Ray was not looking in Gerard’s direction but in the direction of the kid who’d been pulled off his seat.
“No…Gerard and me have been through many schools. This place…” Mikey sighed gesturing to the hall and by extension, the school “was our last hope. Gerard got into a lot of fights in our old schools, most of those fights ended with Gerard being punished for defending himself. It’s really gotten to him. So being told off…especially by halfwit teachers….it’s just best to leave him alone, he’ll come back when he’s chilled out”
“Boy has a problem with authoritarian figures eh?” Bob sulked clonking his feet onto the long table and reclining “Fine with me”
Mikey hid a smile.
“Thanks Bob”
“Shut up”
* * *
The door of the second floor bathroom slammed open and the only kid inside jumped and looked over his shoulder. Gerard seethed as he stormed into the room blood dripping from his mouth, scaring the kid half to death.
“Get the fuck out!” He roared and in a second the boy was gone, door closing behind him. Gerard turned on the nearest cubical and drove his foot into its study wooden surface not even making a mark. He raged against it punching it and kicking it as he snarled loudly. His shouts and swearing grew louder till he could be heard in the hall outside. His energy lasted for long minutes before the moments between punches widened, the swearing was replaced by heavy breathing and his fierce venting ended. Eventually his anger began to ebb and with a sob he backed away from the cubical and pulled a raw hand over his mouth. He gritted his teeth against the waves of fury, frustration and pain that crashed against each other in his chest now able to resist them.
He took a few deep slow breaths. He pulled a sleeve across his wet lashes drying them and walked over to the sink. Gerard’s knuckles cried in pain as they turned the tap then he leaned down and took a mouthful of water. He spat it out and began the calming ritual he’d grown accustomed to. He checked his teeth (mercifully fine, just a cut inside his cheek and a bruise on his jaw). He ran the water over his throbbing knuckles till the stinging lessened and took a long deep breath. Finally he splashed water into his hair rinsing the milk out. He cradled his finger through his dark wet locks sweeping them up and away from his face. He stared into the composed reflection of his eyes.
* * *
Frank knew for sure there where kids running through the halls outside his dorm room. Not the clacking of school shoes on the concrete in the day but the quick pads of bare feet or socks in the night. He turned over groaning at the dull ache in his back. Despite his heightened ability to deal with pain, his hidden tattoos a testament to that, the sore on his back from when he hit the floor was just enough to annoy him into remaining awake. What made the situation worse was that he didn’t feel settled. Gerard’s angry face glaring down at him from over head played back in his mind contradicting everything he’d done for Frank. Frank turned over onto his other side trying to rid himself of the thought but he couldn’t. The creep was on his mind. Frank tossed off the blankets and threw on his light dressing gown with a huff. He figured maybe if he could get the no doubt 7th graders to go back to their dorms and stop running around he might just be able to get enough peace to fall asleep.
“Fucking kids…think it’s so cool to sneak around castles at night…they better just fucking wait….i’ll scare the hell out of them” he grumbled quietly to himself as he snuck over to his dorm door and began pulling it open softly “They won’t ever want to leave their beds at night ag-”
Before the words could leave Franks mouth he was snatched out from behind his dorm room door and tossed over a large shoulder. He gasped as whoever was holding him pelted down the hall way leaving Franks dorm far behind. He fought the urge to shout as his kidnapper raced around a corner. He didn’t struggle much, beyond hissing abuse, for fear of being dropped to the hard floors at such a pace. Blurs of classrooms flew by his eyes as his vision bumped and rattled with every step. He wasn’t even sure where he was going and soon lost his bearings. It wasn’t till he reached the shore of grey colour above him and the dull broke into dark blue waves and stars of the night sky that he knew he was outside. This was also when he began to panic and the truth of the situation hit him hard. He had been stolen from his dorm, dragged out into the night and as far as he could tell was heading for the shrubs in the far fields. Terror followed his flow of thoughts quickly. He began to struggle while Bert and his long cackle echoed through his mind.
“Who the hell are you what the fuck is going on?!?! Put me down bitch! Put me down! Put me down! I said PUT-ME-” and then Frank was falling to the sound of an excited voice. He hit the grass with a thud right as the sentence finished.
“So do you have the witness?”
“Guys is this necessary?”
“Oh what?! You bought The Emo?! Whyyyyyyy I said bring a witness not the one man parade of black”
Frank looked up from his dirty landing spot and spat grass at his kidnappers.
“Bob” Frank snapped recognising his surroundings as the schools boundaries.
“huh...the emo knows my name” Bob replied in a sarcastic tone.
“Find someone else for whatever stupid shit you’re up to” Frank snarled incensed as he turned around preparing for the long walk back. However standing directly behind him was Ray who was, whilst glaring at Bob, blocking his path back to the school and his dorm. He put a hand on Franks shoulder, glare still on Bob, and turned him back around. A few moments of intense glares were shared between the boys before Bob spoke.
“Fine. Sorry Frank” Bob said stiffly.
“Whatever” Frank growled “What am I doing here”
“Tonight will be Mikey’s christening” Bob said tilting his head in the direction of the boy to his right. Frank hadn’t noticed him amongst all the commotion. He looked around for some sort of ceremonial equipment but saw nothing but the school walls.
“Am I missing something?”
“A christening of his school life here. You see the boy has never broken the boundaries and escaped this jailbait…sorry bird life for a glorious night on the town” Bob explained tossing an arm over Mikey’s shoulder.
“They made me” Mikey added while Ray vigorously nodded.
“An escapee virgin” the understanding dawned on Frank.
“Yes it’s true, his proverbial cherry hasn’t been popped but we’ll soon see about that. Bert’s dorm is being watched carefully so we have the use of his car. We wanted Gerard to come but he’s sulking somewhere and we can’t find him” Bob continued.
“Oh you’re Mikey” Frank said turning and holding out his hand “Gerard’s brother”
“Yeah” Mikey replied with a cheery shake “The Brother”
“Alright ladies that’s enough. Lets blow this scene” Bob howled yanking bush branches back to reveal a hole in the high walls.
Frank stared at the hole and threw a glance back at the school. Frank wasn’t a big fan of Bob and didn’t know Mikey or Ray outside of reputation. All he knew was Ray didn’t speak and Mikey was Gerard’s brother. For Frank they seemed hardly good candidates for a Friday night escape.
The addict and the brother where soon through the hole and he looked to Ray. From underneath his mane of curly hair Frank could swear he saw an assuring wink as if Ray was saying everything would be ok.
“You’re not so quiet” Frank said kindly and Ray rolled his eyes shoving Frank through the hole and following after.
* * *
Frank enjoyed watching Mikey that night. It was like watching a good movie that you’d already seen with someone who hadn’t yet seen it. The surprise on his face as they snuck into a bar and found so many of their school mates already there was priceless. Watching his face crinkle at the first drink he tasted. Frank took a photo with his mobile of the unicorn Mikey scribbled on a street with chalk Bob had ‘borrowed’ from the bar. He sat back while his fellow escapees threw popcorn at the movies and danced because at that time of night they where the only ones there. They narrowly missed a brawl on the street and only escaped due to Bobs fast talking and Rays formidable size. Bob worked in the fact that Rays silence was due to the fact that every time he killed a man he swore he wouldn’t speak for a month and as it stood he had months ahead before he could open his mouth. Frank was very glad the men in the brawl where so heinously drunk as they trundled off asking ‘Killer Ray’ for forgiveness. They seemed an unlikely crew, the four of them but Frank couldn’t remember the last time he had such a great night. He barely smiled and no-one noticed when he did but this too was a precious moment. Eventually, with dawn fast approaching and Mikey leading the way, they returned to Bert’s car.
“That was so much fun!” Mikey exclaimed lying down across the back seat.
“Oh no, no, no sleeping beauty, rule 1 of escapee’s code of conduct - you always return before dawn. Number 2 is never rat your escapees out if caught. Number 3 is never bring chicky-babes back to the dorms, somehow and don’t ask me how, but somehow those security guard bastards know if a girl is hiding. There are more but I won’t go into it now cause you’re falling asleep as it is. Yo MIKEY” Bob shouted and Mikey snorted awake “Sit up”
Ray lifted Mikey into a sitting position before taking the seat next to him. Frank plonked into the front seat and they shut the doors. Then they sat there.
“Um Bob” Mikey pipped up once 5 mins had passed on the car’s clock “What are we waiting for?”
“Bert’s a fuck” Bob said seriously. Frank eyed him carefully as Bobs expression held the more serious tones then he’d ever seen on the addicts face. Frank knew Bob’s relationship with Bert had always been for business only. Bob used Bert’s car, Bert got %40 per cent of the profits. It was a well known fact throughout school that without Bert’s car there was no booze or ‘illegal’ goods and without Bob there was none either. They needed both to function.
“I’m tired of playing the assholes game. So I suppose this was it. The last night here. Bert’s done a lot of shitty things and for ages I ignored it cause it wasn’t like I was helping him but….i’m done giving him money” Bob sighed glumly. Ray shook his shoulder proudly.
“Sounds like a good idea to me” Mikey said encouragingly.
“Yeah” Frank added with a nod. Bob turned the keys and soon enough the car was pulling out of the car park and heading back to the main road.
“The enemy of my enemy” Frank mused after half an hour had passed.
“What did you say Frank?” Bob asked. Frank’s mouth twitched with a grin though all but Ray missed it.
“Friends?” Frank offered Bob, who eyed him suspiciously.
“Whatever” Bob responded gaze flicking back to the road.
“Being that he is now an enemy to all of us….what shall we do to this car?” Frank asked slyly. Bob sniggered.
“You where right. It was a good choice of witness Ray”
* * *
Frank staggered hastily through the corridors, exhausted and begging for sleep. He’d decided that if he couldn’t be silent then he should at least be fast. The staff would be getting up soon to prepare the school for breakfast and the weekend mayhem coming their way. He always felt sorry for them and vowed that even if he failed at everything else in this world he would never get a job that began at 6 o clock in the morning. He rounded the final corner his heart nearly leaping out of his chest to see someone walking towards him and only a few feet away.
“The toilet was locked so I had to go to the far ones” Frank blurted before he recognized his captor.
“I don’t care” Franks eyes widened.
“Gerard” He exclaimed.
“Bingo” he muttered as he pushed past. Frank watched him walk away brows furrowed in confusion. The opportunity was there and while Frank was a lot of things a coward he wasn’t.
“Why?” he called out “Why did you go for Bert again?”
“Why not” Gerard shouted out without turning around “Say hi to muse for me” Gerard yelled as he finally disappeared out of Frank’s line of sight.
“FUCK YOU!” Frank roared, hand immediately clamping over his own mouth. He pelted to his dorm, now only a few steps away. Popped some mints into his mouth and jumped under his sheets pulling them up over his head. If a teacher did come to see where the shouting had come from Frank wanted to be as innocent looking, and smelling, as possible. He waited, muscles slightly tense. He wasn’t sure how long it was before he stopped listening, heavy lids sliding closed and frown softening to nothing.