Stalker (Frerard)

Chapter 5

Frank was alone once again as he read Salem's Lot in bed on a Sunday afternoon. The small amount of light that managed to bleed through the curtains was just enough so that he could read with it still being dim in his room. Finishing chapter fifteen, he sighed and set the book down; not before dog earring the corner of the page.

Frank picked up his phone, scrolling aimlessly through Instagram. Nothing really interested him, just the usual band updates and posts from various other celebrities that he followed, until a familiar ringtone and the black screen of a phone call took over.

"H-hello?" He answered, it was an unknown number so he was always slightly cautious.

"Um- hey, Frank." The voice on the other end sounded scared and sad, but he had no idea who it was.

"Who is this?"

"It's-uh.. it's Devin." Frank sucked in a sharp breath.

"W-what do you w-want?" He asked shakily.

"I need to apologise for what I did to you." He sounded almost robotic or rehearsed and it scared Frank slightly.

"I-it's okay, Devin. Y-you don't need to apologise." Frank's voice shook, it was as if all of his nightmares were coming to life.

"No, I do. I'm sorry for hurting you, Frank. Goodbye." The line went dead and he had never been more confused. What are the chances of your old school bully calling you out of the blue to apologise?

Frank shook his head with his eyebrows furrowed, biting his thumbnail as he thought. He looked around, even though he knew no one was around, before reaching into the drawer on his bedside table. He fumbled around until he clasped the small piece of plastic in his hand, pulling it out and smiling slightly at the light blue pacifier that Gerard had left for him.

Popping it in his mouth, he picked up his laptop; going onto Netflix and playing Toy Story. He giggled throughout the movie, bundled up in blankets with the paci still between his lips. Eventually, he fell asleep with the movie still rolling and the phone call in the back of his mind.

~

On Monday morning Frank's alarm woke him at 6:30; he groaned and rubbed his eyes, picking up the pacifier that fell out of his mouth during his slumber and returning it to the drawer. He was midway through stretching his back when his mother walked in.

"Morning, Frankie." His mom half smiled at him and he returned it lazily as he sat up on his elbows.

"Morning, Ma."

"Listen, dear. A boy you went to school with is missing and his parents just rang to say that you were the last person he called." She leant on the door frame, biting her nail. "Do you know anything?"

"Who was it?" He asked.

"Devin James, you remember him, tall and muscle-y" she said waving her hand slightly

"Oh yeah." He let out a shaky breath as he recalled the phone call from last night. "He sounded.. I don't know, he sounded strange." Frank thought for a minute. "Forced."

"Anything else?" She asked.

"I-I don't think so."

"Alright, honey. You can go back to sleep if you want, schools cancelled for the week." She offered Frank a lazy smile and he frowned in confusion.

"Why?"

"They don't want to risk anyone else disappearing." She shrugged and glanced down at her watch. "I have to go to work now, Frankie. I'll see you later."

She smiled again before pushing herself off the doorframe and closing the door, walking downstairs and heading to work. Meanwhile Frank's hands were trembling, being alone while all of this was going on seemed way too dangerous considering he always had the lingering feeling that he was being watched.

He picked up his phone from the bedside table and sent a text to the few friends he had asking if they wanted to come over. Once that'd been done, he walked over to his dresser and picked out some black skinny jeans with rips in the knees and a black and white striped shirt, pulling them on carelessly as he wasn't too bothered with what he looked like. Checking his phone again, either they couldn't come or they were still asleep so it seemed. He sighed when a message came through as he was sitting himself down on the edge of his bed.

Gerard: 'are you alone, baby?'

Frank: 'yeah, why?'

Gerard: 'can't have that, can we, boy? Mind if I come over?'

Frank: 'sure :)'

Frank smiled to himself as he buried himself under the covers once again, grabbing his laptop and going into Spotify he played some music. As 1979 by the smashing pumpkins flowed throughout the room he heard the front door open and close, followed by footsteps leading to his room. Before he could question it Gerard walked in, not mentioning how fast he got there or how he got in.

"Hey, baby." He smiled at Frank, sitting down on the bed next to him.

"H-how'd you get in?" Frank asked as he sat up, moving his legs to give Gerard more room.

"The door was open, sugar." He chuckled.

"And you locked it, right?" Frank mumbled around his thumb where he had been biting on his nail lightly.

"Of course." Gerard smiled at him warmly, reaching forward and taking Frank's thumb from his mouth. "I won't let anyone touch you ever again."