The Playground

Lungs

'I know it is.' I wasn't in the mood for lectures, especially not from random guys in the woods. 'Then you should stop, you'll die faster.' I took a moment to consider his response. 'It makes no difference – I'm insignificant' He looked wounded. Who even was he? I'd never seen him before – not his face, not his striking red hair, not his pale complexion. A completely fresh face. 'You may think that, but, one day, you'll find someone who makes your insignificance worthwhile.' It was plausible, however in my life, I doubt it. Highly.

Smoke blew in my face, and I coughed. 'Not great is it? Nicotine, tar.' Dick. He was such a hypocrite, yelling at me for smoking as he lights a cigarette and blows in straight into my airway. 'Yeah, well, you're worse than nicotine'. He just let a giggle escape his smug little face, walking over to a swing. I joined him, puffing away minutes of my life. 'Who even are you?' I hadn't meant for the question to reach further than my frontal cortex, however I'd just asked either way. 'Me? Oh, you don't need to know, its better that way. Who you are however, I do want to find out.' I shook my head, like fuck was this guy knowing who I was, not without at least telling me something of his own being. 'Cmon now, I'll just find out sooner or later.' I was still resistant, I didn't want this guy knowing anything of me, but after finishing my death stick, I responded slowly. 'My name? Frank. Frank Iero. Im seventeen years of age, I was born and raised in New Jersey, and everyone here hates me. Literally.' He laughed at me. What was so funny about that, really? Jesus Christ, talk about him being a dickhead. 'Okay. Well Frank, it's a pleasure to meet you. Im Gerard, Way. Gerard Way. Yes. Im twenty two years of age, I was born and raised in New Jersey and Ive been forgotten by all. Literally.' I didn't appreciate his mocking tone, I really didn't. It was narcissistic of him, and it pissed me off to be honest with myself. I could've walked away right there and then, left him at the swings, and dealt my fate with the dicks at school. However, something intrigued me with Gerard, and I wasn't prepared to go before I found out this fact.

The next hour or so passed with us smoking, not really saying much at all. By 10:15am I'd smoked seven cigarettes, Gerard fifteen. I don't understand how he'd managed to draw in so many, it was as if his lungs we're made of smoke. 'How'd you do that?' He looked up at me, just lighting what was now the sixteenth one. 'Do what?' Clearly it was obvious what I was talking about, wasn't it? Or was he just another intellectual failure like all who graduate from Belleview. I didn't know if he'd even attended there, but considering he was so close here, I wouldn't put it past him. Although, he could be an incredibly smart young man, capable of anything. Maybe that was what intrigued me of him. No, it couldn't. 'How'd you smoke so much in so little time?' His response was a laugh, annoying me more. 'Because, my lungs aren't of need. You're still breathing, you're the lucky one.' I was purely confused and fascinated all at once with his reply, yet the subject was changed before I had chance to continue.

What was I actually doing with my life? Im sitting in a small abandoned park, next to a graveyard, smoking away my education with a guy Ive known no more than two hours. This wasn't living, this was finding ways to die. I did nothing to resolve this matter though, I mean, there was no way I was going back to face Carlson and co. That was almost asking to instantly be gone, and even I don't have a deathwish so strong. 'Why aren't you in school?' I was almost thrown off by his question, not really knowing the answer. I can't tell him I was being threatened death by fucking meatheads as thick as Carlson. So why else would I skip school? 'Bored. Needed a fag. The place is such bullshit, nobody in their right mind wants to be there.' He just simply sighed at my answer, a very small smile placidly on his face. 'Oh. Fair enough. I guess, nobody wants to be there anyway, bullshit or not. You're very vague in your replies, are you sure that was the reason?' His eyes were piercing mine, brilliant hazel and flecks of gold seeping into my mind, taking over almost completely. I shook my head violently, not really wanting to answer him properly. 'I-I-I should be going, I mean, school. Uh-fuck!' In my stupid attempt to leave Gerard, I caught my bag on the swing, dragging me back as I fell over idiotically. 'Frank. You're not going anywhere, whats the point. So they can beat you up. Again?!' Wait, what the fuck. How did he know about them? 'I spend a lot of time around this area, only a fool wouldn't go and see why theres a guy yelling in pain. So, when I hear you, I walk. I stand, in the trees. Watching. I know you're really here because of them. And if you're going to just be beaten up as soon as you leave this area, then theres no point in going and leaving. Okay?' Wow, clearly he read the expression on my face. I didn't really have much else to say back, so simply replied with 'Okay.'

I spent the rest of that bullshit day there, sitting on the rusty swings with Gerard. I didn't learn much from him, other than his brother is actually Mikey. Mikeys quiet, has been for a while now. He never used to be, he used to speak to people, go out, have a girlfriend, joke around, smile. Then, one day, he just stopped. It was like he wasn't Mikey anymore. Nobody bothered with him after that, and he just sits there with a blank face, waiting for school to be over. Gerard didn't exactly say why he was like that, other than family death. I presume its his grandma or something, but I felt rude asking, so moved topics. Then, he asked me about my life.