The Chasing of Moons

A Reprise of Frank Being An Idiot

"I think that went rather well," Frank says to Brendon after returning to the school twenty minutes after Gerard disappeared at lunch. "I mean, at least he talked to me."

"Why do you care so much?"

"Why shouldn't I care so much?"

"Touché," Brendon nods, watching Frank put books into his bag. "So you going to creep on him next period?"

"What? I... how do you even know he's in my next class?" Frank asks.

"You just told me so."

"Damn it," Frank groans, but he shakes his head and zips his backpack up, feeling the weight of it and dreading having to drag it across the school. He looks around the hall, unsure of what time it is, because the last thing he really needs is to be late for another class.

"Don't freak him out too bad, okay?" Brendon says, "because, like, the last thing that we need is for our senior year to be spent dragging you away from embarrassing yourself. Why even bother trying to make friends now, we've only got like three months left? You should be spending your time trying to find a prom date instead of trying to get on the good side of a guy who hates you."

Frank would very much like to tell him that he's kind of aiming to get a prom date out of the guy who hates him, but he knows that that would be somewhat of a giveaway and his vocal chords wouldn't support the words anyway.

"I gotta get to class, Bren," Frank says, "and what I choose to do about friend making is none of your damn business. Also, prom is dumb."

"Whatever you say," Brendon shouts after him as Frank scurries along the hallway to his next class. Frank wouldn't admit it to Brendon obviously, but he is hoping to find a way to sit next to Gerard, because what better way to talk to him than forced social interaction?

It's Frank's lucky day because when he gets to the class, he finds the seat next to Gerard is empty and he grins evilly to himself before he occupies it. Gerard looks at him, doesn't seem to process that it's Frank, looks away, and then looks back with complete surprise.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

"Sitting."

"No, not that."

"Breathing."

"I wish you wouldn't," Gerard replies and looks away at the front of the room, even though the teacher isn't even there yet.

"What? Breathe?"

"Yes."

"Ouch," Frank says, "That would mean I would be dead."

"In a perfect world."

"I honestly didn't know you felt that way about me. So you, what, just want me dead or something?" Frank asks. "You know you could always just move if you don't want to sit next to me."

"Or you could," Gerard answers.

"Gerard, it's you who has the problem here, not me. I don't have any issue sitting next to you, so I have no need to move. Sitting here is not a crime. If you don't like it, feel free to move, but I'm doing nothing wrong just by sitting down."

Gerard wrinkles his nose, but he says nothing in response. Frank doesn't know if that's a bad thing or a good thing. But he doesn't make any motion to stand up and move either, and that's how Frank decides that it is definitely a good thing.

"Listen, I'm honestly sorry that you hate me so much, but, like, I don't hate you."

"I get that, and it's annoying."