Our Foundations from Decay

Gerards POV 45

Frank and I sat in the smelly alleyway, a plan for the future forging before us.

It had all happened so fast; one minute, I felt unstoppable— on top of the world, like my life was finally turning out for the better, my life finally felt,,, perfect and... completed.

The next minute— that minute when we heard the screams of Frank's sister and unleashed the door to a life-changing event.

Is there anything I could've done to salvage it all? Maybe if we approached it differently me and Frank wouldn't be sitting by a dumpster, our family wouldn't be torn apart, Kristy wouldn't be shipped away, and Mikey...

Oh, shit.

"Frank!" I suddenly spoke out to him, tugging on his sleeve.

He was scribbling something down in a notebook- probably a plan for us or something, but he then stopped.

"Yeah? What's wrong, Gee?" he blinked back at me.

"What are we gonna do about Mikey? He has no idea about anything that's just happened and he has no family to go home to."

I could feel the lining of my eyes moisten with the thought of my poor, helpless brother; and then I knew what Frank felt like when he had to let Kristy go.

"Uh, it's okay," he started, a spark of an idea whirling around his head, "We can text Kristy to go meet Ray and Mikey, she can explain everything to Mikey and then Ray can help them find a place to stay toge-" He cut himself off, frowning instantly when he realized that his little sister would still have to live with my brother.

Hah, they always find a way to end up together. Kind of like me and Frank...

I smiled at the thought, though the moment was cut off by Frank continuing on.

"I guess I'll message Kristy, then. And Ray, telling him our plan for the two of our siblings." he sighed.

Okay, well, at least we have a few things sorted out.

But the non-stop worriedness of the idea that either me or Frank's parent would find us if we stayed here too long scratched at my brain, pecking me like a baby chick hatching out of its egg.

"Frank, we gotta keep moving. We're still in town. Heck, we've barely left our neighbourhood. Our parents will most likely find us soon..."

Let's just hope they haven't already called the police. Though, I doubt they will have- both our parents are pretty used to us just running off all the time. But this time, we're serious about it.

"Um, okay" Frank breathed shakily, eyes edging side to side as he rapidly thought of our next moves, "let's go get a car- that's the first step."

"Okay, honey," I smiled, thankful that I had someone like Frank running away with me- I wouldn't want anyone else, "We should take my dad's car- I know where the keys are and my dad wouldn't call the police or report the car missing, he wouldn't do that to us."

I assumed Frank would agree instantly, but he just stared back at me with kind, timid eyes, ones that looked unsure of me, untrusting.

"Gee... are you sure he wouldn't report the car? Or call the police? I mean, I know you're his son, but you thought he wouldn't make you move or that he'd help us from my mom, but he didn't..." The soft-spoken words pricked me like the jabs of a dark, thorned rose.

"Frank... do you not trust me? I told you he wouldn't do it. Not anything that would involve the law or get us in serious trouble- he won't, I know he won't!" I exclaimed, a bit too emotional; tears surfaced and coated my eyes with a glassy filter.