I Drew You Once in Art Class

Seventy-One

Thanksgiving came and went. Frank and Linda went to Frank's grandparent's house and suffered through the "How's soccer, Frank?" "Good!" (He didn't play soccer), "Linda, how's your job going?" "It's just fine, mom" (she hated it).

Frank got the "anyone interesting at school?" question three times, and each time he replied he was focusing on school so he had no time. Yeah, right.

Gerard's family never did anything big. His extended family were open bigots and they all knew it, so Donna usually made the executive decision that they all stay home.

The rest of the month was pretty uneventful. Pete came around the house much more often now, but he and Mikey stayed in his room for the most part.

Frank and Gerard had been kind of just doing the same officially-unofficial stuff that had been going on all of October. It had been two months and Frank was getting close to giving up on being asked out, and he was still too scared to do it himself. He was pretty happy, though. Even if he wanted to stick a label on it, he was grateful for what he had. It had been two months of not being lonely, two months of body heat, and before they knew it, Christmas was upon them.

Some Exciting Things About Christmas:

-Mikey and Gerard would get along this year

-Gerard and Frank finally had someone else to give presents to besides their families

-Bert was making an excellent recovery

-So was Gerard and Mikey's mom

-There was a Christmas Dance to be held at Lakeside.

Mikey and Gerard were as close as they had been in years, and it brightened the whole house, honestly. Their mother finally started getting dressed, walking to get groceries, and making breakfast, and the Way household was pretty happy about the upcoming holidays.

Now about the Iero family.

"Frank, it is inhumane for you to leave me all alone on Christmas! You spend every day with Gerard, can't you just spend Christmas with me?"

She had a point.

"I know... but we had plans! We were gonna make green pancakes, and- and I have a present for Mikey!"

"We can make green pancakes here!" She sounded desperate.

Frank sighed. He really did feel bad, but to be honest, spending Christmas with the Way family, who had never called him stupid or homeless, sounded much more fun. "Look, mom. I was gonna go this afternoon... maybe I can hang out there for Christmas morning and come home for Christmas day?"

Frank's mom just looked at him, sadly.

"I just miss when you were little, and Christmas with your family was all it took to make you happy. Now you're never around. With you gone, and your father gone... have you ever thought about how I feel? Stuck, alone in this house all day?" Her jaw gritted. "You can spend Christmas with the Ways, Frank, if that's what'll make you happy. Get in the car."

Frank's stomach churned with guilt. "No, no, look, you're right. I'll stay here for Christmas, I'm sorry."

"Come on, didn't you say you were going over there now? Get in the car," she said, angrily walking to the door and slamming it on her way out. Frank hurriedly opened the door again and followed her.

"Mom, I really don't wanna go over there now."

"Get in the damn car, Frank. I want to talk to Mrs. Way."

Frank's stomach plunged. Oh god, what horrible, mean things was she gonna say to her? What if he got totally banned from Gerard's house?

"Now!"

Frank ran to the car door and shut it. "Mom, please don't do this, I promise I'll-"

"Just stop, Frank. Stop it."

And with that, she pressed her foot to the pedal.