Frerard - We're Just Friends (Part 1 of The 'Just Friends' Series)

1

"Mom, Stop!" Frank sighed as his mom kept asking him the same questions over and over again.

"I'm sorry Frank" she said. "I'm just nervous."

"I know Ma" he replied. "I am too, but I promise I have packed everything I need. And if I haven't, you can bring it to me when you next visit, yeah?"

"Yes ok" his mum relented. "And I will be visiting love. I'm going to miss you more than you can ever imagine. But I'm so proud of you, you know that don't you?"

"I do Ma" Frank replied, pulling his mom into a hug.

He was headed off to college, and he was shitting it. But he didn't want to let his mom know that, as she seemed more nervous than he did.

They finally packed the last of his things in his car and he turned to say goodbye.

"Drive careful Frank" Linda pleaded with her son. "And call me as soon as you're there! Ok?"

"I will mom" he smiled. "I love you" he added, again hugging her tight.

"I love you too son" his mom replied with a shaky voice.

Frank was sad as he started his journey, but after a while was happily singing along to his CD and trying to settle his nerves at least for the rest of the trip.

His worries soon returned though as he neared his destination.

Having completed the paperwork on his arrival, he was finally given his dorm number and key and began the arduous task of trudging his way up the stairs to find his room.

The door was slightly ajar when he arrived, and he lingered outside for a little while when he heard voices inside. He listened and heard a very similar conversation to the one he'd had a few hours earlier with his mom, which made him smile.

"Mom, I will be fine" the slightly high-pitched voice inside was saying. "You can go now, honestly, I'm good."

"Gerard, I'm just worried that's all" a woman's voice replied. "You're my first baby and your leaving home. It doesn't seem like a minute since you were bouncing on my lap...."

Frank snickered and thought he'd better help this dude out before his mom began to cry and reminisce about every detail of his childhood.

He knocked quietly on the door, before slowly pushing it further open.

"Oh hello" the blond lady in front of him smiled. "You must be Gerard's roommate?"

Frank nodded slightly and stepped further into the room; arms full with boxes.

"This is Gerard" she said as she pointed to her son proudly with a big smile. "And I'm Donna."

Gerard looked like he wanted the floor to open up and swallow him whole, which again made Frank laugh internally. He was glad it wasn't just his mother who was overbearing.

She held out her hand expectantly and Frank looked for somewhere to put his box down before taking her hand and shaking it.

"Um Hi" Frank stammered. He felt embarrassed himself, although he had no idea why. She wasn't his mom after all.

"I'm Frank" he continued, now offering his hand to Gerard, who took it and weakly shook it.

The two men just nodded towards each other and allowed Donna to continue the conversation.

"Um, I have to go and get the rest of my stuff" Frank told the two when Donna finally stopped for breath.

"Oh Ok Frank" Donna beamed. "Do you want Gerard to help you?"

"No, I'm good thanks" Frank replied, before heading out of the room again.

"Ok bye then Frank" Donna shouted after him.

"Goodbye" he returned politely.

Oh his return, again ladened with bags and boxes, Donna was gone. Gerard stood and took some of the items from Frank, placing them down on his bed.

"Thanks" Frank said with a small smile.

"Your mom gone?" he added.

"God Yeah!" Gerard blushed. "I'm sorry about her. She's a little too much at times."

"Nah. She's cool" Frank countered. "My mom is exactly the same. Practically had to peel her off me this morning when I left."

Gerard laughed and instantly felt better about the mortifying mom situation.

After a couple more trips to his car, with Gerard going to help, Frank was finally able to stop and have a breather.

He flopped down onto his bed with a thud and let out a big sigh.

"So, where you from?" Gerard asked from his side of the room.

"Jersey" Frank replied, turning onto his side to face towards his new roommate. "You?"

"No shit" Gerard smiled back excitedly. "Same."

The two talked for a long while about whereabouts in Jersey they both grew up and what they were into. They discovered that they were both into music and art, movies and comics, and after a couple of hours chatting it was as though they'd known each other all their lives. It was weird really; just how instant their connection was. No awkwardness at all, which was a relief for both, as this is what they'd been dreading, meeting new people, and thinking they would spend all their time alone.

They managed to unpack most of their stuff and agreed on who had what areas of the room before settling down for the night. They were both exhausted and soon feel fast asleep.

The following day, having a few days to take stock of their new home and college, the two boys sat in the on-site Starbucks sipping steaming mugs of coffee. They still didn't run out of conversation and laughed about the most stupid shit imaginable all afternoon.

"So!" Frank began. "Do you have a girlfriend back home?"

"Yeah" Gerard replied. "Lindsey. She's cool. But to be honest, we haven't been getting on all that well lately. I'm hoping the whole 'absence makes the heart grow fonder' thing, actually holds some weight and things improve a little."

"How about you?" Gerard asked, pushing long strands of his red hair out of his face.

"Yeah" Frank smiled enthusiastically. "Jamia. She's gone off to Florida though, so don't know how often I'll get to see her." His smile faded a little at the prospect.

"How long have you guys been together?" Gerard asked.

"Not long" Frank shrugged. "About six months. But we've been friends for like ever. Then something just kinda clicked and we got together at a party in the spring. She's so great" Frank said, his smile returning, as he pulled out his phone and showed Gerard a photo of her.

"Cute" Gerard smiled back, taking out his phone now and presenting Frank with a photo of Lindsey, who was very attractive, but a little scary looking to Frank.

They returned home and Frank went off to shower, returning with a towel around his waist. Gerard tried not to look like he was staring, but he actually was, totally in awe at the amazing artwork that adorned his body.

"Nice tats" was all he said, knowing Frank had seen him looking over.

"Thanks" he replied, quickly pulling a t-shirt over his head.

Frank fired off a quick text to Jamia to say goodnight and then got settled in his bed.

"Night Gerard" he called over to the other bed.

"Night Frank" Gerard replied. "Thanks for making this so easy."

"Aww man. Thanks to you too. It's been great. See you in the morning dude."