Room To Grow (Frerard) (Completed)

11-Who Invited Jalex?

Patrick's small hand tightened its grip around Frank's fingers. His eyes fixed onto Gee's face for a few seconds before looking away. It was obvious that it was taking all of the young boy's willpower not to run away.

"Do you know why your mommy didn't want you to talk to me?" Gee asked gently, her voice adopting the tone of someone speaking to a small child(this was understandable because Patrick was a small child).

Patrick's forehead creased as he softly said, "She said you're a boy."

Gee winced, although maybe Frank only recognized the darting expression because he spent so much of his time staring at Gee's face. "Do you think I'm a boy, Patrick?"

"No," Patrick said with almost no uncertainty. "But my mom wouldn't lie, so you've got to be a boy. You said you used to be a boy but you were a girl on the inside. Maybe you're both so my mom is right."

"But why would me being 'both' mean you can't talk to me?" Gee continued, her face remaining kind despite Patrick's words which must have hurt her at least to some extent.

Patrick frowned, and then finally said, "I don't know. My mom said."

"I guess that's a good reason," Gee agreed, although she definitely didn't actually agree.

Patrick's grip on Frank's hand had loosened and he appeared more at ease with the entire situation. He had made himself comfortable on the hallway floor, and Frank was sitting beside him. Gee finally tired of crouching and took a seat across from the two of them on the beige tile floor.

"Patrick," Gee started, before pausing to chew on her lower lip. "Patrick... Are you a boy?"

Patrick nodded. "Yes. I have a pee-pee. And I have a boy name."

"But do you want to be a boy?" Gee asked. Frank could barely contain his gasp, because Gee was definitely pushing her limits. Maybe this was a scheme to get revenge on Susan Stump, but she was definitely going to get fired now, and he was worried for the kindergarten teacher who was currently staring at Patrick with wide, curious eyes.

Patrick stared back at her, his small hands tapping against the ground nervously. "I'm a boy," he finally mumbled. "I like wearing dresses. But I'm a boy."

His eyes had begun to water and his face had turned blotchy and red. Frank turned to Gee to signal that she was pushing Patrick too far, but she could already tell and was reaching for the small boy's hand.

"Come on, Patrick, let's go back to class." Patrick hesitated, watching Gee's delicate hand near his with trepidation. "You can have a lollipop," Gee offered with a wry smile. And with that undeniable proposal, Patrick took Gee's hand and walked back into the classroom. Frank followed closely behind, a warm feeling resounding through his chest.

He wished he could capture the sweetness of the moment forever, Gee entering her classroom, leaning slightly to the side to accommodate the especially short kindergartener who was clinging onto her hand. The fluorescent light from the classroom turned Gee into a silhouette, her dark hair been shone through with fake white light.

She was an angel, perfection shining through a mortal form.

She was the most beautiful person Frank knew. She was the bravest, smartest, kindest person Frank could dream of.

He didn't deserve her.

"Frank," Lindsey's voice snapped from behind him. It sounded crisp as usual, but tinged with a sense of urgency that caused Frank to turn around quicker that usual and raise his eyebrows at the well put together woman speed-walking towards him.