The Name of the Game

Chapter 14

Frank pulled himself away from Gerard's lips. "What's the matter, babe?" Gerard asked. "You don't like me anymore?"

Frank grinned and shoved Gerard's shoulder playfully. "You know I like you."

There was a moment of quiet in the car. Gerard suddenly pushed himself up so that he was sitting properly in the seat. "Frank?"

"What?"

"Doesn't your dad like me, too?"

"W-What are you talking about?" Frank felt his palms begin to sweat. He knew what was coming. "Of course he likes you," he said. "I told you that."

"Then can't we go to your house?" Gerard asked. "I mean, come on, you were the one who wanted me to meet him in the first place. You were the one who brought up being sick of making out in cars."

"I-I know-"

"Then is it something else?"

Frank sighed. He reached out and took Gerard's hands, looking fondly into his boyfriend's eyes. "Gee, I need to talk to you about something."

Gerard's heart sped up slightly, then sunk. "O-Okay."

"Well-"

Before Frank could bring up the issue at hand, a phone began to ring. "Shit," Gerard said, "Is that mine or yours?"

"Sounds like yours," Frank said. "I don't think that's my ringtone."

Gerard fumbled around the front seat until he was able to fish his phone out of the floor. He looked at his screen, which told him that his brother was calling him.

"Are you guys still fighting?" Frank asked softly. Gerard hadn't told Frank why the two were fighting, but Frank knew it was pretty bad.

Gerard sighed and rubbed his palm against his forehead. "Enough that he can wait." As if on cue, the screen went black and the phone stopped ringing. Gerard dropped it into the cup holder. He leaned back and looked at Frank. "You were saying, sugar?"

Frank sighed. "Okay. So there's something that I think you should know."

"Oh yeah? What's th-"

Gerard was cut off by his phone ringing once again. He swore and grabbed it from the cup holder. He reluctantly pushed the green button and leaned against Frank. "This better be important," he said.

"Don't be an ass, Gee."

"Is that all you called to say?"

"No," Mikey said. "But Mom spilled some of her chemicals-"

"Yeah, yeah," Gerard said. He looked over at Frank to see if he had heard anything, but Frank was staring out the window as he began to rub Gerard's jet black hair. "I got it. Look, I'm with Frank, so unless you need me, or mom needs me, I'm hanging up."

Mikey sighed loudly on the other end. "Come home," he said. "Please? It's a mess."

"Why do I have to come help clean up a mess I didn't make?"

"Why do you have to act like a brat? Just... Come home, okay? Dad asked me to call you."

Gerard sighed. "Okay. I'll be there soon."

"Thanks."

Gerard dropped the phone from his ear and closed his eyes. He felt Frank's fingers snake gently through his hair and exhaled slowly. "You're the best, you know that?" Gerard said.

Frank grinned. "I do," he said.

"I'm sorry I have to leave you so out of the blue like this."

"It's okay, I understand. You can make it up to me later."