ANON (Frerard)

Part 2: 7. Will This Last Forever

Prom. An American tradition, and something that authors of the teen genre get off to. Your opinions on it vary, depending on what type of person you were in high school.

Juniors and anyone younger have no care in the world when it comes to the event. They'll always have next year. But seniors, no. This is their last chance. You're always taught to believe that your time spent at this event decides whether or not your high school career was a success or not.

Frank, of course, didn't go to prom last year. He stayed home watching horror movies with Gerard instead. But this year, all his friends are going. And there's also the fact that he has someone to take now (funnily enough, the same person he spent the night with last year). So, he puts looking for a suit that actually fits on his to-do list.

Chad asked Hayley to go to prom with him in front of everyone in the stairway last Tuesday. Jon apparently asked Cassie at her house.

"I asked Mikey to go with me last week," Pete gushes.

"Was that when you guys were watching movies all day and wouldn't let me join because you insisted it was 'date time'? I told you to turn the fucking tv down I could practically hear it from my room," Gerard rolls his eyes.

"No that was- we were doing something else then," Mikey answers, blushing, and Gerard studies his brother's face, before choking on air upon realization.

Gerard just shakes his head, sighing.

"Are you guys going together?" Hayley asks Frank and Gerard now.

Frank suddenly pales. They hadn't talked about it... He assumed they'd be going together anyways, but what if Gerard thinks something else. He shakes these thoughts away.

"Of course," Frank states, squeezing Gerard's hand, who's face softens at the exchange.

"Prom is gonna be so great, guys," Hayley enthuses. "This is our last chance to make everything mean something."

"Brendon who are you going with?" Jon asks, curious.

"Yeah, you've been mysteriously quiet," Spencer points out, knowingly. Guess Frank's not the only one to pick up on something.

Ryan looks up from his book, face seemingly expressionless, but Frank figures that he's probably just as curious as the rest of them.

Brendon smiles, nervously. "I don't know, going stag doesn't sound so bad."

"Oh come on. You told me you were interested in someone. What about Julie from your English class? She practically fawns over you and I know you enjoy the attention," Jon pushes.

The atmosphere goes noticeably stiff.

"Yeah," Brendon smiles, sort of bitterly. "I mean, why not. She's definitely attractive. We used to be in the church youth group together. If I'm gonna take someone..."

Nobody talks for a moment, and so they move on. Pete's the first to speak.

"Do you think I should wear something memorable like a white tux- or, oooh! A blue tux- come on, that's classy-"

"Why won't you just ask me!" Ryan explodes, immediately standing up.

Everyone's at varying stages of surprise at this moment.

Brendon looks mortified, and Ryan is all red-faced and enraged. He closes his eyes, taking a deep breath, as if he needs to do that in order to not start crying, and then when he opens them again, slightly watery, he shoots a death glare at Brendon. Then he just starts walking away, sulking.