Unseen

Chapter 10

Frank kicked around a gum wrapper on the floor of the school bus. The bus hit a pothole and the wrapper jumped onto Gerard's worn out shoes. Frank stared at them as Gerard kicked it up a little. He squinted at the text scrawled across the white material. He could make out another word. He whispered it out loud.

"In."

He squinted at the next part, making a guess as to what it said.

"The."

He stared at the shoe as a stirring feeling rose in his stomach. He didn't like the feeling. He didn't like it, he felt like he was going to puke his guts on his own shoes. His head was spinning. He just didn't feel right. The bus hit a pothole and that was it- regurgitated strawberry poptarts now littered his shoes. Fucking gross. All around him, choruses of "Ew.." and "Frank upchucked!" Waved in the air around him. The bus driver stopped the bus, and Frank closed his eyes as he was driven back home. Gerard followed, picking up his bags, and slipping unseen into the house. Frank was carried into the house by Ray, and Ray covered him up with a nearby blanket. What a mom. Frank would be thankful when he woke up, though. Puking takes alot out of you. Gerard sat on the end of the couch and placed Franks feet on his lap. Gerard kicked off their shoes, and turned on the tv with a low volume, as to not wake his best friend. Frank smiled and fell asleep.

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When he finally came to, Gerard was still loyally at his side.

"Good afternoon, again, Frank." Gerard smiled a little and yawned. Gerard leaned his head against the back of the couch and stretched his neck out.

"'Mornin', Gee."

Gerard lowered his head and stared at Franks socks. He noticed another tinge of color in them. Not blue, this time, no. He believed it was red, and it reminded him of the poptarts he had grown to love, and the time the taste had first been implanted on his tongue. It also reminded him of the time when he ran away, and of all the grass that has gathered in his fists. It reminded him of Frank. Strange, unknown... beautiful. He understood much more than when he first met the guy who was sitting less than a foot away from him. He understood much more. He did not understand it all. He would stick with Frank.

A hand came out and rested it on Franks socked foot. Frank squinted at it, and laughed softly when he realised what was happening.

"Dude," Frank croaked weakly, "That's weird."

Gerard looked up and cracked a full grin.

"Yeah but... it's colorful."

A finger prodded the surprisingly squishy material, and a pair of eyes watched as the material sank to form fit the finger, and rise again when the finger was removed.

"You're gonna be okay, right?" Gerard looked up again.

Frank nodded, and managed to get out another sentence.

"Yeah. Don't wanna see the shoes."

The alien nodded back and shoved his shoes under the couch with his foot. Under the cushions, amongst the lost change, candy wrappers, lint, dust, and a single dead fly, the shoe gained another word. Franks stomach turned.