Cemetery Drive § Frerard

c h a p t e r t w o

"Shall we?"

"Yup" Frank pocketed his phone, putting his hood up "We shall"

"Don't mock me, Iero" Mikey already rode his bike while Frank still adjusted his feet on the pedals.

"Why did your parents divorce?" Frank asked out of the blue.

"Wow, man, that was almost attacking" Mikey laughed.

Frank rolled his eyes, speeding up to equal with Mikey "I'm just curious"

Mikey sighed, taking a right turn; Frank following "Dad couldn't take Gerard anymore and Mom could"

Frank nodded.

"He still beats me up, though"

Frank's eyes widened and he honestly almost fell off his bike.

"Whoa, are you okay?" Mikey turned his head to eye his step-brother.

"Are you okay?" Frank retorted "Your Dad beats you up?"

Mikey sighed again, returning his gaze to the road "I can take it. It's been like that for, uhm, around nine years now"

Frank stopped. The screech the tires made stopped Mikey too.

"What? Why are we stopping?" Mikey questioned.

"Why would your Dad hurt you? You're an amazing guy" Frank said, even though he knows Mikey for less than two days.

Mikey started riding again "Because he doesn't dare to hurt Gerard. He hurts me, because he wants to hurt Gerard"

Frank cringed, catching up with Mikey.

"The last time my Dad slapped Gerard, our Granny died"

Frank gulped.

"What about you?" Mikey threw a curious glare "What happened to your Mom? Unless it's a too sensitive topic"

"No, it's alright" Frank cleared his throat "She died in a car accident. I only got a broken finger"

"You were with her?" Mikey's eyes widened, head turning to the left to see Frank riding faster than him by second.

"Yeah" Frank closed his eyes momentarily as the autumn wind went through his long hair.

"Man, I'm so sorry"

"Thanks, Mikey"

"When did it happen?"

"Four years ago"

Mikey's jaw dropped "You were just eleven"

Frank nodded "Is that the school?"

Mikey looked ahead at the familiar yellow building "Yup"

...

"Is that Gerard?"

Mikey pulled his head out of his locker to seek in the direction Frank was pointing in "Oh, yeah. I guess he's really bored today"

Frank laughed quietly "So bored he went to school"

Mikey nodded, sighing "He rarely goes to school"

"Where even is his schoolbag?" Frank cringed, still laughing.

"Oh, no. Gerard doesn't... How do I say this? He doesn't take notes, he doesn't write homework, he doesn't write exams-"