What are we? (Frerard)

This is perfect.

The longest first day of school ever. I swung open the doors and the sunlight seemed to burn through my eyelids. "Yo Frank, wait up!" Pete gasped as he ran up to me. "Think fast!" He exclaimed then threw his phone at me. I caught it against my chest and flipped it open to put my number in.

"Here." I threw it at him after punching my number in.

"Cool. See you tomorrow." He then walked off in another direction.

"Bye." I sighed after he was already gone. I suddenly felt loneliness overcome my emotions and I wanted Pete back with me. I wanted to bring up what Lindsey and I talked about, but it's none of my business yet. From the outside Pete looked healthy. I mean, I wouldn't notice his addiction. Lindsey did say it was a slow process.

I heard the loud patter of running steps from behind and I turned to meet Mikey. "Hey." I greeted a smile forming on my lips.

"Hey. Uh you walking home?" He asked, matching my stride and stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"Yeah. I could've caught the bus, but I'm not in the mood." I shoved my hands into my pockets as we walked along.

"I know what you mean, It's a nice day as well ." He replied. I nodded. "So my moms out. It'll be just me and my brother at home. Do you wanna come over to work on the project?" He asked.

"Uh sure."

"Cool. Come on." He said then stepped up his pace.

Mikey's home wasn't extravagant. It was a old looking one story home. It was squished in between two other one story houses. It was a cramped neighborhood, family friendly but old. Very quiet as well. There was the faint sound of a dog barking in the distance, but nothing else.

Mikey doesn't really seem as rude as I first thought. It's not like it mattered; I have to work with him either way. I followed Mikey into the house. It was simple. A family room on the right and a kitchen on the left. It was one big room so there weren't any walls separating the spaces. Straight head was a long narrow hallway that I assumed led to the bedrooms. The house had a smell that reminded me of my grandmothers house, a place I haven't been in forever considering she died. The walls had yellow wallpaper with a faded pink floral print. The room was dark even though the lights were on. The windows were covered in thick yellow curtains. In the living room space there was a couch and a TV and in the kitchen there was a small circular table with four chairs. The house was small, simple, cute, old and comfortable. It may be like an 80's grandmother furnished it, but I still like it. "I know this place is ugly, but I swear we bought it that way 17 years ago." He laughed.

"No, I like your house." I smiled.

"Well I don't." he said under his breath.

"It's quiet. Didn't you say you had a brother?" I suck at casual conversations, but it's better than silence. Besides, I want to get to know Mikey.

"Yeah, older brother. He's never home."

I pulled my book bag off my shoulders he did the same. He sat at the kitchen table I pulled out a chair and sat. I yanked out my notebook to reveal a half sketched Keith Richards. "You're good at drawing. I'm better at painting and coloring." He admitted.

"Any other hobbies?" I asked then continued my art.

He shrugged, "I play bass guitar." He said so softly I barely heard him.

"You do? I play guitar." He looked up at me in surprise.

"You know..." He began but stopped.

"What?" I pushed. He looked down at his hands.

"Never mind." He sighed.

"Okay?" My confusion was clearly shown.

After another five minutes my sketch was done. I slid the notebook towards Mikey and he smiled in approval at it. He darkened the outline with a black pencil and pulled out a huge thing of colored pencils. "Damn." I breathed. He smiled before opening the box and scattering the pencils all over the table. "We're gonna finish this project in twenty minutes. We still have fucking nine months!" I exclaimed.

He shrugged, "One less thing of homework to stress about."

"True."

It was silent while Mikey worked. The tranquility was interrupted when the door flew open and in walked a middle aged looking woman. Her skinny frame entered the room and her knotted blonde hair rested on her shoulders. She looked dressed up as is she came from an office.

"Hey mom." Mikey said. He sounded extremely unamused by her presence. She didn't reply. She just walked down the narrow hallway and disappeared. I heard a door shut and she was gone. "Haven't seen her since two weeks ago." He mumbled. My mouth dropped agape.

"Don't catch flies." He muttered. I shut my mouth and tried to think of something to say. "It's not her fault. She works too hard. She has never ending shifts at her office job. I never see her. Besides I don't think she wants to see me. I don't mind though." he sighed.

"Sorry." I found myself speak. He shrugged. I'm not unfamiliar with mom problems, it's just hard for me to talk about. It perplexes me how Mikey just doesn't seem to care. I wish I didn't care.

"Done." He whispered, then held up the portrait.

"Awesome! We totally aced it." He nodded in agreement.

"You should keep it till the due date. I'll probably lose it." He chuckled then handed it to me. I put my hands up in a surrender pose.

"I'm not any better." I warned. He rolled his eyes.

"Just take it." And with that it was mine to keep till further notice.

"I should go." I said. I honestly wasn't eager to get home, but I didn't want to bother Mikey any longer or over stay my welcome.

"Kay, See you tomorrow!" He called out the door.

"Yeah! Okay." I called over my shoulder. It was sun down and the sky was a unforgettable pink and orange.