Devil's Work (Frerard / Priest!Gerard)

Four

Chapter Four

I was woken up the next morning to a knock on my door and my aunt calling through to me to wake up, and that we would leave for church in an hour's time. I made a mumbled reply of 'okay' before she called back to help myself to breakfast. After that i lay in bed, listening to the sound of her retreating footsteps and wondering if there was any way i could get out of going.

Knowing them, i'd probably have to be losing blood by the gallon before they'd let me off. If i was well enough to get out of bed, i'd no doubt have to go with them to church. It wasn't even so much the thought of church that bothered me - it was the thought of going to church with them that i despised. Maybe i could lose them in the crowd, or sit as far as possible away from the three of them.

I rolled out of the bed and sat on the edge of it for a moment, yawning and stretching before i went about the process of getting dressed. I didn't exactly have any smart attire for church, so i pulled on my black jeans (which was about as formal as my arrange of trousers got) and then a navy blue Iron Maiden t-shirt over the top. Seeing as it looked somewhat cloudily outside, i pulled on a plain black hoodie before stepping into my converse and running my hand through my hair a couple of times until i was somewhat happy with it.

When i got downstairs, both Isabel and James noticeably frowned at my outfit before exchanging weary glances with each other.

"You don't happen to have anything.... smarter, do you Frank?" Isabel placed down the cup she was holding.

"No. Why? Do you have a problem with this?" I kept myself calm, but James looked like he wanted to step in all the same. Isabel shot him a look that told him to leave it though, obviously not wanting to anger me when we had to leave shortly.

"No. Never mind" She turned back to the table and watched silently as i picked up a piece of toast, buttered it and then started to wolf it down. It wasn't so much that she didn't have anything to say to me, but more because she didn't want to anger me before we went out in public for the first time. I bet the two of them had made up some story as to why they took me in as opposed to the truth - that my parents were so done with my behaviour that they had no doubt begged them to try and sort me out.

They probably told people that i was over here to spend time with them or some crap like that. Maybe they'd told the neighbours that my mother had had a nervous breakdown, or that i simply needed 'guidance'. No way would they tell people that i was a graffiti artist slash criminal in the making.

Ray came downstairs then. Although he had grey skinny jeans on, he had added a button up black shirt over the top so that he seemed smarter dressed. He'd also combed his hair, which really didn't do him any favours. James looked up from where he was standing near the door for a moment just to glance between the two of us. His eyes landed on me, shooting me a warning look before walking out of the room.

Every time he got touchy about Ray it just made me want to corrupt him even more. It was a shame he was such an asswipe, otherwise maybe i might have a shot at actually turning him into someone with an ounce of fun in their being.

After a short car journey, for which i had my headphones in for the entire duration, we arrived at their local church. It wasn't actually as old as i thought it would be - bearing in mind that i was expecting some cold, medieval building. Instead i saw that the church had been refurbished recently. Sure, there were still stain glass windows and a bell tower, but once we stepped inside i saw that there was wooden flooring, padded seats and and doors leading off to where the kids creche no doubt was held.

"Mass starts in fifteen minutes" James said to me as we walked inside "you can wander off for now, but i expect you back for that. We'll be sitting around the middle of the rows. If you can't find us then just take a seat at the back. And whatever you do, please be polite."