Hidden From Reality

1

Frank

I knocked on the door and stood back. The boy from art opened the door.

"Hey! I noticed that your new here and that we go to the same school. Just wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood." He nodded and invited me into his home.

"I'm Gerard, by the way."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Frank." Gerard sat down on the couch as a really skinny guy with a poker face came around the corner. He introduced himself as Mikey, Gerard's brother. I heard who I guessed was the boys' mother curse from the kitchen. A blonde woman entered the room. Her hair had been teased to Hell and back, and she was wearing way to much make-up.

"Oh, hello!" She turned and scowled at Gerard.

"Sorry, I didn't know anyone was coming over. Do you and Gerard go to the same school?" I nodded. Something about Gerard's mom seemed off. She smiled at me before taking Gerard by the elbow and dragging him out of the room.

"Mikey, be a dear and take Gerard's new friend home."

"Shouldn't Gerard take him home?"

"Mikey-"

"Fine, I'm going." He led me out of his house and walked with me to my house.

"Does your mom always do that?"

"Yeah. She's been off for awhile. I'm too scared to ask why, though." I nodded, feeling pity for the brothers. When we arrived at my house, I bid Mikey goodbye and watched him walk back towards his house. I turned and entered my home, and was immediately bombarded by my mom.

"Frank, where were you?"

"I was welcoming the new family that moved in down the street."

"Oh. Just, tell me the next time you go over, okay?" I nodded as I moved towards the hallway, eventually making it back to my room. I flopped onto my bed, staring up at my ceiling. I remembered how rough Gerard's mom had been when she had dragged him out of the room. She didn't seem like a good parent if she did that to her son just because he had let me into his house.