Like Buttons On A Shirt

Chapter 3

Nobody said anything for the first few seconds of us being alone. 
I was still hoping for Mrs. Way to come back and save me from this awkward situation, but I soon realised that she wouldn't come back. She told us to get to know each other after all. I should be happy, because I actually got the job, but Gerard's stare really made me uncomfortable. 

"Uhm..." I started, "Can I... Can I sit there?" 
I pointed to the chair in front of the desk and hoped I would feel less awkward if I was on Gerard's level. I didn't want him to think that I was looking down on him. 
But it seemed to be quite the contrary. 

"No."
He folded his arms in front of his chest and looked at me with dare in his eyes. 
He acted like a stubborn child. 
But this job depended on what he thought of me, so I wouldn't test my luck and kept standing in front of Gerard's bed. 

"So..." I tried again, "I'm Frank Iero" 
"I know," he said, "mother introduced you" 
"Oh... right..." I sighed. 
I already felt like this wasn't going to end well. 
But I was not going to give up just yet. 
"So... Your mother wants me to work with you"
"Wrong," Gerard interrupted me right away, "she wants you to work FOR me. Know the difference" 
I rolled my eyes. 
"Fine then. She wants me to work FOR you. What would I have to do if I signed this contract?"
Gerard let out what seemed to be a dry laughter as he said: "IF you sign the contract? Oh please... We both know that you'll never get an offer like this again and you'd be stupid if you refused. Also, you look like you'd need the money really badly" 
He scanned my body and raised an eyebrow in a sceptical manner. "I don't need somebody like you here. And you can tell my mother what I said when you leave." 

What the hell is wrong with this man?! 
Who the fuck does he think he is?! 
He was right, I really needed the money, but probably not for what he thought I did. 
Gerard had clearly never even heard of the word 'respect'. 

"You don't know anything." I said in a stern voice. I tried to remind myself that this was my boss and being rude could ruin everything, but this man clearly didn't have any manners. 
"And you still haven't answered my damn question!" 

When I let out that cuss, I thought that I saw a small spark in Gerards eyes. He probably got the reaction that he wanted. 
"I wasn't really listening," he said, "what was the question?" 
I rolled my eyes again and tried to calm myself down. "I asked you, what I'd have to do if I signed the contract." 

"Oh," he shrugged, "nothing much I guess... you'd have to do whatever my mother or I asked for, so basically... You'd just be another servant"
I nodded. That's the best answer I could hope for. 
I looked at the door desperately, hoping for Mrs. Way to finally save me from this disaster. 
Gerard seemed to notice that. 
"Don't waste your time. She's not coming back for another 20 minutes," he said. 
I turned back to the man on the bed. 
"Why do you need another servant? It seems like you've got more than enough already," I asked. 
"I honestly don't know," he admitted, "If I were to choose, you wouldn't be here. I don't need another guy to ignore until he leaves" 
"Did you have other... 'caretakers' before?" I kept asking because that seemed to be the only way to actually kill the uncomfortable silence. 
"Don't fucking say that," he suddenly snapped, "I don't need a fucking caretaker. I'm not a child!" 
I flinched a bit. Gerard could be pretty scary when he used that loud and stern voice. 
"O-Of course not. Sorry..." I apologised. 
Gerard rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Where did she even find somebody like you?" 
"She didn't find me," I answered his pretty rude question, "I applied for this job myself." 
"And she thought you'd be better than the others?"
I shrugged. 
"Probably" 

I wasn't really in the mood to talk to this guy anymore and I was close to hugging Mrs. Way when she knocked on the door and called me outside. 
Before I actually left, I turned around again. 
"Well... I guess you'll see me around, Mr. Way," I said in my most friendly voice. 
Gerard just huffed, probably hoping that this wasn't the case and that he'd annoyed me enough that I wouldn't want to work here anymore. 
But even though he was kind of hard to handle... This job was just perfect and I wouldn't let this opportunity go to waste. 
If anything, Gerards stupid behaviour only motivated me to do a great job. 
I would show him, that I wasn't who he thought I was. 

"So... What do you think about him?" Mrs. Way asked me when we arrived at the room we started in. 
"He's... interesting. Different even," I said. 
She nodded and seemed glad that I didn't quit the whole thing instantly. 
"And do you think you're ready for this? For... him?" she asked further and slid over the contract to me. 
Maybe I should have read it before I signed it. 
But I could only see the medical bills of my mother's therapy and I honestly couldn't care less about what I'd have to do. 
I would clean the house, be a slave to Gerard and his mother... everything just to get the money. 
"Hell yes," I breathed out, not caring about my language anymore. 
She smiled at me and handed me a ballpoint-pen. 
I practically snatched the pen out of her hand, but hesitated right before it touched the paper. 

"Fuck it," I thought to myself and put my name on the line at the bottom of the contract. 
Mrs. Way let out a heavy breath and put the contract away. 
"Welcome to our little family, Frank," she said grinning, "I'm sure you'll do an amazing job. And I know that Gerard will finally come out of his shell" 

Well... At least I hoped so... 

"So when can you get your stuff so I can show you the room you'll be living in?" she asked and got up from her chair. 
I did the same and let her shake my hand. 
"How about... tomorrow?" I asked back. 
She nodded frantically.
"That'd be perfect!" 

So that was it, huh? 
Now I was a servant in the Way household... 
Everything appeared to be so different here and the whole situation seemed so alien to me. 
I knew nothing about being a servant. 

But I guess... I'd find out the next day.