Coffee and Cigarettes

5

"Mom we are getting Starbucks this morning. No questions." Frank declared as he begrudgingly made his way down the stairs the next morning. 

"Well, since you woke up on time today I don't see why not," His mom responded, organizing her purse on her shoulder.  "I don't understand why you don't just stop into your job though, wouldn't you get a discount?" 

"Nah, corporate's a bunch of assholes who wouldn't give me a discount if it would mean I'd sell my soul to them. Either way, all the parents with the daycare kids come in in the mornings and we both know I can't deal with those little shits." Frank answered tossing a prepackaged breakfast bar into his backpack. Frank worked as a barista at a chain coffee shop that aimed to pose as a local business. He hated corporate more than words could properly express, however the pay was decent enough and he struggled to find another coffee shop that would hire a 17 year old with a neck tattoo. His mom accepted that as a reasonable answer and the pair set off towards the even more corporate coffee chain. 

"It's too early for Brendon Urie, go away." Frank groaned upon seeing his unmistakeable gelled jet black hair through the window. Mama Iero graciously decided to go in for him while he slunk all the way down in his seat to be hidden from view until he saw Brendon get in his red Challenger and drive off. 

                                                                                       ***

Ray met Frank in the band room the next morning. While Ray had two guitars, one of which he kept at home and one that lived in a locker in the band room, Frank was not so fortunate to be able to afford more additional guitars than his prized possession, an Epiphone Les Paul he had dubbed 'Pansy'. On the days he had jazz band 4th block he would cart Pansy into school in a beat up case he traded a skateboard with a broken truck (that he fixed with some Shoe Goo so that it would pass inspection) for in a pawn shop his freshman year. "All I need is Brendon to put one toe out of line and I'll get him suspended faster than you can even say football!" Frank exclaimed as he shimmied Pansy in her case into the locker next to Ray's. 

"Frank, thats a little extreme. You have the right to be mad at him, but unless he's causing a real issue just leave him alone. He'll be worse if you don't," Ray attempted to reason.  "If it's really bad, in a public space, like that time at the-"

"Don't- We don't speak of that, remember?" Frank interrupted.

"Alright, if it's something really rough in front of some people, then he might think that someone else reported it. He couldn't prove it was you, which might save you from being used as a human tackle dummy more than you already are."

"You're probably right. We'll have to lure him into it. I'm not just gonna let him keep ruining my life quietly." Frank thought aloud. 

"I don't think you'll have to wait very long... Here he comes now." Ray noticed. Brendon, followed by Ryan as well as Spencer, who was the wide receiver for the football team marched into the band room, presumably to bother the choir instructor with yet another tweak to the pieces they were working on to highlight Brendon even more. Unfortunately, the choir and band shared a room, alternating class periods that it was used. Brendon side eyed him as he walked past but said nothing. Ryan also glanced in his direction with slightly kinder eyes. Spencer didn't acknowledge their existence. Ray shrugged, indicating relief that Brendon had better things to worry about than him, Frank, and Frank's coffee. 

Ray had originally intended to wait for Frank to finish organizing his things in his locker before heading to first block, however Frank waved him to go on without him. Now alone in the back corner of the music room, he was free to sneak about and listen to what the football captain had to say. While Ray had inferred he had gone to bother the choir teacher, which would have been a logical assumption, Frank had watched them file into one of the practice rooms; An unusual activity for seven in the morning. Years of school with Brendon lead Frank to know he *never* sang without a cup of tea before hand, peppermint with honey to be specific, meaning his early session was completely uncharacteristic.