Tell Me Im an Angel (frerard)

chapter 7

The week was filled with many interesting twists and turns all having to do in some way or another with Gerard. I would often see him in the halls talking with Brent. Sometimes he would look at me and flash me his award winning smile that would send my heart racing. I noticed even more now that Brent was no longer hunting me down every chance he got. That made me relived but I couldn't help but wonder what Gerard had said to make him leave me alone.
We hung out after school sometimes or during breaks. We talked about random stuff and always met by the old vending machine on the edge of the school property where nobody bothered to go. There wasn't anything interesting there. It was just half dead grass and a broken vending machine that had many stupid slurs written all over it with a vast array of pens and markers. The only thing that was so special about that place is the things we would talk about. The stories that filled the area made it a safe place for the two of us to laugh and enjoy ourselves even when school began to be too much.
We met up there like we did every day around this time, but unlike other days, I had many questions in mind for our get together. Usually we would talk about whatever came to mind at the time but now, I really wanted to ask about Brent.
I jumped straight too it as soon as I saw him.

"Hey Gee!" I stated excitedly.
"Hey Franky. What's up?"
"Nothing really. I just had a question i really wanted to ask you."
"And what would that be?"
"... How did you get Brent to stop beating me up?"

He stood there for a second without letting his face change so I couldn't tell what he was thinking.

"I just told him to stop." He stated plainly. " I know that's not true," I replied, "Just tell me how. It shouldn't be that big of a deal. You are friends with him after all."

After a few seconds of silence coming from him, I got worried and stepped closer.

"Gee? Are you Ok? You don't have to tell me right now if you don't want." I said. He stayed silent and began analyzing my shoes like they were the most entertaining things ever.
"Gee?" I lightly grabbed his lower arm to get him to look at me but he winced away in pain the second I touched him.
"Gee? What was that?"
I grabbed his arm and quickly brought it closer, pushing up his sweater sleeve as well. What I saw was many bruises. All colors and sizes. A few looked old but many looked fresh.
"What happened Gee?! Did you do this to yourself?"
"No I swear I didn't. It really isn't a big deal so just forget it."
"Forget it? You have marks all over you arm and most likely all over you other one as well along with the rest of your body for all I know and you want me to just 'forget it'? Its not happening. Sorry. You are my best friend and I don't want to see you like this, so how did it happen?"

He was silent for a moment but he finally spoke, but not in the way I was expecting.

"You know what Franky? I don't deserve someone as awesome as you. You are probably going to hate me after I say this, but just know that this was the only way I could protect you."

Then he told me. He told me about how he let Brent beat up on him instead of me. How he had traded his popularity for my safety. But now, he is in the same spot I was in. And I blamed nobody but myself for that.

The school bell rang and his story was cut short. I was to drenched in my self-blame to contribute to the talk in any way, shape, or form.

"Franky. Please come to my house after school. Ill walk you there. We can talk about this some more Ok?"

And he left.