Frank's birthday was on monday, which was a shame really. A shame because monday meant school, facing another week in hell, and the whole issue with James. Gerard wanted to just skip the whole day with him and celebrate his birthday, but they were planning the trip to London in English that day, so it wasn't exactly the ideal time to skip. They'd just have to face school together, like Gerard had promised. All in all, monday was shaping up to be a pretty shitty day.
Sunday was a shitty day too, because to Frank and his family, sunday meant church and family time. Which meant no time for Gerard and Frank, at all. A few texts here and there, a stolen phone call maybe, but that was it. Sunday was always a hard day for them.
So late on sunday evening, Gerard decided to call Frank in the hopes that he wasn't in the middle of Sunday dinner.
He almost gave up when Frank finally picked up.
"Hey Gee..."
He didn't sound good. "Hey Frank... How are you feeling?"
"Sick," he said honestly. "I really don't want to have to face school tomorrow."
"Me neither." Gerard sighed. "But at least you won't have to face it alone. I'm here for you, always."
"I know you are, and thanks for that. I don't know what I'd do without you."
Gerard smiled to himself. "Crash and burn, most likely."
Frank laughed softly. "Probably."
"I'm serious though. Whatever James decides to do tomorrow, we'll just have to deal with it. We've got each other and that's all that matters. Who cares what anyone else thinks?"
"I-I know I shouldn't care about it, but high school's already bad enough as it is. And my parents-" Frank swallowed nervously, "they'll try and take you away from me if they ever find out. I know they won't approve."
"Frank..." He sounded heartbroken. What kind of parents didin't support their child's happiness? "There's no guarantee that James will tell anyone. And besides, highschool only lasts for so long. Then you'll be away from your parents, and you can do anything you want and be anyone you want."
"I just have a bad feeling about James... And as for my parents, I know I'll be leaving them soon, but I'll also be leaving you."
It sounded like he was crying, or had been crying. It wasn't like Frank to cry. "Frank, what's wrong? What happened?" And why was he getting so worried about everything all of a sudden?
"It's just-when I'm with my family they make me worry about every little thing that could go wrong. My parents keep going on about how they can't wait for me to go off to college, and to have a future and a wife and kids, it's all they've been talking about since this morning. But I don't want that!" He realised he was raising his voice and lowered it again. "All I want is you. And even that won't last forever, what with college coming up, and James, and then my parents all over again and-" he choked back a sob.
Gerard jumped off his bed and scrambled for his shoes. Frank needed him right now. "Frank, I'm coming over. Find some way to sneak out and meet me."
"You don't have to-"
"We need to talk, and it can't wait any longer. I'll be round soon."
Gerard grabbed a hoodie, told his mom he was going for a walk, and then ran all the way to Frank's house.
Frank was waiting for him at the park near his house. Gerard hurried over and wrapped him in his arms, and as Frank buried his face in his neck Gerard could feel his tears burn his skin.
