K-12 | Frerard

chapter five

"Who was that?" Frank asked as they rushed down the hall. He had long forgotten his books and was running empty-handed beside Gerard.

"How should I know?" Gerard scoffed. "I literally don't think I could name one teacher here – "

"Not the teacher!" Frank cried. "The random boy who just, like, teleported into the room at a convenient time. I thought no one's powers but the principal's worked in that room!"

Gerard cuffed him over the ear, snorting. "Well, duh, no student's would. But Mikey's not a student."

"Then what the fuck is he?"

Gerard sighed, looking around the hall before lowering his voice. It was in between classes for everyone, so the ancient halls of the school were filled with students. "Someone who's an 'animus,' or whatever they're calling people with powers, has a reason they were given magic." Gerard explained. "And once you complete that task, you move on. Mikey's already done his, so he's in another life, now." "So, you've known this your whole life, and just chose not to tell me?" Frank asked, and Gerard shook his head. "No. Well, sort of." He shrugged. "I only partially understood, until someone explained it to me today. Apparently, powers are more common here than you'd think."

"And yet we can still get killed for them." Frank finished, and Gerard nodded. "Yeah, apparently."

"Those other boys were like us, weren't they?" Frank asked hesitantly. "That blonde one could read my mind, but I couldn't get anything from the other."

"Oh, definitely." Gerard agreed. "I hope that guy's mouth is okay."

"He'll be able to heal it," Frank said, falling quiet as they entered the classroom. Half the class was already there, and Frank and Gerard took their seats as they waited. Frank was grateful to see neither Jimmy nor Lindsey was in this class.

I wonder if anyone else in here can hear us, Frank glanced around the room, and Gerard shook his head. I think those other two boys were the only ones.

The room grew silent as the teacher entered, rapping on his desk for attention. "Good afternoon, class." He said, writing on the board. Frank shot Gerard a warning look, making sure he wasn't about to mess with the chalk like last time. "Today we will be reading one of my works. I think you will all find it ravishing."

He then began to read aloud the role assignments as he passed out his books, placing them down on desks. Frank stared down at the book in front of him, its pale gray cover screaming nothing but BORING.

"Frank, you'll be a mailman. And Gerard, you'll be a construction worker." He then proceeded to give out other roles, such as nurses for the girls and doctors for the boys. "Any questions?"

"One, yes." Gerard raised his hand and Frank bit the inside of his cheek in apprehension. Please don't do anything stupid.

"Why are these such, I don't know, domestic roles?" Gerard asked, wrinkling his nose. There were a few giggled throughout the class, but he ignored them. "I mean, a guy can be a stay at home parent. And a woman can be the president." And why are all these couples straight?

Frank practically did a double-take at the last one.

"The president?" The teacher laughed mockingly. "Gerard, I'd think you'd benefit best from taking the role you've been assigned."