Welcome in...

4.

"Hey Fro, hey Rat" I smiled.
"Hey Y/N/N, hi Mikes, I can see you brought Gerard along" Ray said.
"Hey" Gerard said.
"Haven't seen you in a while" Frank said.
"Yeah"
The bell rang and we all left for our classes.

The math class didn't have assigned seats so I sat next to Ray in the back.

"Gerard's been acting different" I whispered to him.
"How?" He whispered back.
"He's been talking a lot more than usual and he helped me with my eyeliner this morning"
"Doesn't he normally stay quiet when Mikey has friends over?"
"That's what I'm saying, he used to just say 'hi' if he saw me come over"
"Mr. Toro and Mr. Y/L/N, quiet please" our maths teacher, Mr. N said with a stern look on his face.
"Sorry Sir" we both said.

When it was lunch time I headed to to my locker to get the food I packed.

"Hey gay boy!" Someone yelled.
Oh here we go again.
"What do you want Brandon?" I sighed.
"I feel like throwing a few punches on a lil fag"
"What if you just cried to your mom?" I suggested.
"Oh you little bitch!" He landed a punch on my face.
"Agh fuck! What the hell man!?"
He grabbed the collar of my shirt and punched me again.
"Leave him alone!" Another voice yelled.
"Oh look the quiet weirdo can talk" Brandon said. He got ready to hit me again.
Gerard was there in the blink of an eye.
"I SAID LEAVE HIM!!" He screamed, crashing into Brandon's side.
Brandon got back up and tried to punch Gerard but he grabbed Brandon's wrist and gave him a soul piercing glare.
I swear I could see his eyes turn red.
Gerard let go and Brandon ran away faster than ever.

"Are you okay?" Gerard asked, kneeling down in front of me.
"I think so" I coughed. "Thanks"
He helped me up and we went outside to meet up with the other guys.
"Y/N what happened to you?" Frank asked.
"I got beat up Brandon" I shrugged. "But I'd look so much worse if Gerard didn't step in"
"Why did Brandon wanna beat you up?" Mikey asked.
"Because I'm gay"
"That homophobic piece of shit!" Ray yelled.
"It's fine Toro, just forget it"
"It's not fine!" Frank put in. "He can't just get away with something like that!"
"The teachers never do anything about it" I said. "I'll survive as long as I avoid him"
"Y/N, you have to stand up for yourself" Mikey said. "You can't let him walk all over you"
"I'll be fine!"
"And we all know that's a lie!" Mikey said, grabbing my shoulders. "We know what Brandon is like!"
I winced at how loud his voice was.
"Y/N, listen, he won't hurt you anymore but if he does we'll help you" Gerard said in a calm quiet voice.
"Why are you being so nice to me all of a sudden?" I asked. "You never actually talked to me in the past"
"You're Mikey's best friend and I figured I should get to know you better"