When I go to school that Monday, I pray that Frank will drive by in his big pickup. Unfortunately, even though I search the entire sophomore parking lot, I can’t find his truck anywhere. I make the connection that it’s obviously no coincidence that Frank just so happens to miss school the first day he’d see me after our big fight.
I plan on omitting the information from Jamia, mainly because it just happened how recently and I’m too upset to talk through it. But at lunch, she can tell something’s bothering me, and I end up spilling my guts.
Jamia frowns and shakes her head, her brown eyes full of sympathy and her voice tender. “Gosh, Gee, I wish there was something I could do to help you.”
“He didn’t even come to school today cause he’s probably still too angry to face me,” I tell, tears welling in my eyes.
Jamia rubs my forearm, and comforts, “Look, I’ll talk to Frank, okay? You have no memory of sleeping with this guy, so it’s likely it didn’t happen. I’ll try to get him to cool it, alright?”
“Thanks, Jamia,” I sniffle.
“No problem,” Jamia replies. She hesitates, and then asks, “This all happened at Christian’s party, right?”
“Yeah, why?” I question.
“No reason,” Jamia answers, eyes on her phone.
Frank finally shows up at school the day after. However, I can tell he’s trying to avoid me, because I don’t see him until lunch when he’s sitting with Jamia. I approach, setting my tray down loudly.
Frank is so startled that he jumps at the noise. His eyes meet mine, and for a moment, they look so sweet inside, so I offer a smile. And what does Frank do? He holds his face in a tight pout and orders,
“Gerard, I’d like for you to leave.”
“I don’t want to,” I retort, sitting down. At that second, Frank springs up and leaves.
I follow him, grabbing his wrist and spinning him to face me. I tell, “Frank, I don’t know what happened. I blacked out. But I have no memory of sleeping with that guy.”
“But there’s still a chance it hppened?” Frank growls.
I bow my head, and look through tangles of my raven hear with tear slicked eyes, hoping Frank will take some sort of pity on me. “I’m really sorry, Frankie. You know I’d never want to hurt you.” I shuffle uncomfortably, adding, “I don’t really know what you want me to tell you.”
“You want to know?” Frank demands, tears falling in a heavy river. “I want you to say, ‘Frank, I take full responsibility for my actions. I’m sorry I hurt you. In light of recent events, I have decided to finally leave you alone. Have a happy life.’”
“You… you want me to go?” I whisper.
“Yes,” Frank answers coldly. He turns, and before he walks away, he adds over his shoulder, “Stay away, Gerard.”
So, for about two weeks, I do exactly that. I sit with the hoodrats at lunch while Frank and Jamia sit just a few tables away. It hurts like Hell; because not only do I not see Frank, but I don’t see Jamia.
I’m on my way home from school one Thursday when Jamia grabs me, panting. “Gerard! I yelled at you to stop walking!”
I pull out my earbuds pointedly.
YOU ARE READING
Nododie's (frerard)
RandomBOOK 2 PEOPLE. Gerard's a bit of a misfit. He has zero friends to his name; unless his brother, who is a seventh grader weighing in at about 102 pounds, counts as one. Frank, spotting this awkward boy, decides to make his living Hell. Later, we find...
