Room 054-2 (Completed)

14. Mr McCracken

"And that concludes our lesson today, remember, I'll leave a sheet with all the criteria you'll be needing to fulfil outside my room for you to pick up whenever." Frank's teacher grinned, he had just told them about their first major assessment which would be a part of the coursework for the end project.

He waited until everyone had left before approaching the teacher;

"Hey, um, do you think you'd be able to give me a printout now? I'm gonna be out of town for the next week-"

"Sure, Frank, that's fine, you don't need to explain yourself for wanting to do work." Mr Coma chuckled, turning back to his computer and tapping around, standing to pull the paper from the printer and passing it to Frank as he fell back into his chair, pushing his long black hair from his face.

"Thanks sir-" Frank beamed, folding the paper and shoving it into his pocket.

"Please, Frank, I've told you before, call me CC, if everyone else does then you can too dude." Mr Coma grinned as Frank went to leave the room.

"Okay, well, um, I'll see you around then." Frank gave another small smile and left the room, grinning to himself a little as he heard the teacher yell 'Goodbye!'

Frank basically skipped back to his dorm, he was in a good mood - didn't know why and wasn't about to question it.

He hadn't exactly lied about being away for the next week - over the break - he was going to visit his parents... for one day... so would be back in the dorms most of the holiday, but he also didn't want to go out of his way to the other side of the campus for one sheet of paper

He reached the door and was about to tap the code in when he found a note on the floor, a page obviously torn from a notebook with Gerard's messy scrawl on it.

"Frank, I've gone to the café with Lyn-z & will be back by 1
See you then
-xoxoG."

Frank frowned lightly, bringing the note closer to his face and rereading it. Gerard usually left notes like these, but always offered for Frank to join him, and this one didn't have the offer.

Oh well. Frank thought to himself, Gerard wasn't obliged to invite Frank everywhere he went anyway.

But Frank couldn't help but feel slightly hurt that Gerard hadn't invited him.

To keep his mind off it he busied himself with his new coursework, pulling his guitar from under the bed and taking it from its case, laying it down gently before taking the neatly folded sheet from his pocket and flattening it out on his bed, which didn't work very well by the way.

He pulled the guitar onto his lap, strumming the first few chords to Green Day's Good Riddance to check it was still in tune and turned back to the sheet.

He was just skimming over the paper when he heard a tapping at the door, seconds later it burst open with Gerard and a boy Frank didn't recognise being pulled by the hand into their room behind him.

They were laughing as Gerard collapsed onto his bed, the other boy coming to perch at the end, finally taking note of Frank who was sat with a wide-eyed expression, the sheet haven fallen from his grasp onto his lap and his hands curled around his guitar protectively.

"Gerard-" The boy hissed, giving Gerard a sharp jab.

"What?" Gerard laughed before looking over and seeing Frank and his mouth formed an 'o' shape.

"Hi Frankie." Gerard then beamed over to the smaller boy, who was still frozen in shock.

"You're not Lindsey-" Frank finally uttered, before realising how rude it sounded, "I mean, not that I mind you being here," he directed his attention to the other boy, "but Gee- Gerard said he was with Lindsey...?" He asked, a hint of hesitation in his voice as he looked over to Gerard, confused at the situation.

"Yeah, I was with Lindsey, but Bert and I saw each other as we were both leaving and we walked back here together." Gerard smiled,
"Oh, yeah, um, Frank, this is Bert, he's in my Art class, Bert this is Frank, my roommate."

"Ooh the one that you-" Bert started, looking over with wide eyes and his eyebrows raised but Gerard shut him up with a kick to the ribs.

"Shut up." He fake glared at Bert.

"Do you want me to go? I can always hang out with Jamia or someone..."

"Uh, yeah sure, if you wanna." Gerard said, his full attention back on Bert again.

Frank sighed quietly, packing his guitar away and refolding the sheet, slipping it back into his pocket.

"Goodbye..." Frank mumbled, hesitating by the door, but no response came. He pulled the door open, causing Bert to look over at him,

"Oh, bye Frank! See you later." Bert smiled, giving him a small wave, but Gerard was completely oblivious.

He took his phone from his pocket and quickly dialled Jamia's number, angrily wiping away tears that were already rolling down his cheeks.

"Hey Frank!" Jamia's cheery voice rang through the phone.

"Frank?" She asked after he didn't reply, "Frank are you okay?"

Frank shook his head, looking down and chewing on his lip, wiping tears away again.

"Do you wanna come to my dorm?" Frank nodded, before realising Jamia couldn't see him and whispering 'yes'.

He walked quickly to the girl's dorm, knocking when he got there and being pulled straight into a hug.

"What's got you so upset?" She asked, refusing to let go of him. She had her head resting on his shoulder and her arms wrapped around his neck as she was slightly taller than him.

"Fuckin' Gerard." Frank mumbled, before breaking down completely and using Jamia's shirt to dry the tears, burying his face in her shoulder.

"Oh, God, what's he done now?" She sighed, pulling away and leading Frank to her bed, sitting him down with her following soon after.

"It's just that, I thought I was his best friend and then he turns up at our dorm today and it's like he doesn't even know who I am..." Frank whimpered. Jamia looked over at him questioningly, encouraging him to go on.

"It's stupid, I know, Gerard's allowed to have other friends asides from me, but it hurt y'know, to see him being so friendly with a guy that isn't me..."

"Do you know this guy's name...?"

"Bert... I didn't catch his second name."

"Oh for fucks sake." Jamia groaned loudly, falling back onto the bed and bringing her hands up to her face.

"What?"

"Bert McCracken. Biggest fuckboy around, I'm pretty sure he lives in a frat house. He is not good news. Sure he's a nice guy, but he's incredibly manipulative, and can get anyone, even the straightest of guys, to have sex with him."

"But Gerard won't-"

"Yeah I know, I don't think so either, but this is Bert we're talking about."