The Boy In The Red Beanie

Crying In Empty Classrooms

"Ray! Come back! I haven't finished my story about how I pranked Mr. Armstrong!" Brendon yelled, trying to chase Ray down the hallway. "I don't want to hear another story. You've been telling stories for the past hour and they're not even funny anymore. Chill dude. No one else is interested in them but you." Ray said, turning back around to face the boy.

"What do you mean?" Brendon asked, turning back around to the group of his other rich friends sitting on the couches in the lounge area of the classy boarding school. "You guys like my stories, right?" He asked somewhat aggressively.

There was a short period of silence in the group before Frank replied to the question. "No, not really if I'm being honest. And that goes for the whole group. Sorry, Bren." The whole group scoffed. Brendon rolled his eyes. "Come on guys, my stories are cool!"

Ray shook his head. "Alright, well I'm taking off for a while. So, just go continue sharing your stories with them or whatever. You don't need me there to do that." Frank held up his hands as if he would to dramatically exclaim, "WHAT?!" then held up his middle finger to him before Brendon turned around.

Ray chuckled as Brendon turned around and marched his way back to the group. Ray started walking down the hall to an empty classroom, specifically the one he normally goes to, to get away from Brenden's terrible stories.

Once Ray approached the door, soft sounds of heavy breaths and sobbing became apparent. He slowly cracked the door open, revealing a small boy at a table with his head buried in his hands, crying.

"Hey, are you alright?" He asked, gently, making his way closer to the boy. His head quickly shot up to wipe his tears away and scoff to fix his voice. "Yeah, fine. Why are you here?" He asked, shrugging his shoulders.

"I normally come here to get away from Bren and his terrible stories" Ray chuckled softly. "Bren, as in Brendon Urie?" He asked. "Yep. That's the one and only." Ray replied. "You don't like him either? He picks on you too?" the boy asked.

Ray's eyes went wide. "What? He's been picking on you? I swear I'll beat his ass." He replied defensively. "No- it's fine. He wasn't even the one who picked on me today," he said. "Wait, you just said today, as in someone else picks on you, who?" Ray asks slightly pissed off now because this boy doesn't look like he'd hurt a fly so, why would someone pick on him?

The boy scoffs, "Why do you care? You just met me, I'm a nobody, so don't worry about me, and leave me the hell alone." The boy runs out of the empty classroom leaving Ray speechless.

After the boy ran out, Ray contemplated going after the sad boy, but he decided not too which is probably the best option. For the next 30 minutes, all he thought about was the boy with the red beanie, he wanted to know why he was crying, who is bullying him, and why he just suddenly snapped at him.

The bell rang signaling that lunch is over and time for Ray's fourth period which luckily is his favorite subject, music, which he has with Frank, Ryan, and Kellin. He can talk to them about what happened maybe they can come up with an answer, hopefully. Ray always goes to those three for help because he has known them all his life, literally, their parents are all friends so they grew up together.

When Ray finally exited the empty classroom he ran into someone, "Oh I'm sorry I didn't see you there," Ray apologized without realizing who he ran into so when he finally sees who he ran into his expression became sour, "actually I'm not sorry."

"Oh come on Ray, no need to be hostile." The boy replied with a smirk on his face. Ray scoffs, "yeah right Bob, why should I be anything but hostile towards you? You and your gang of jocks are assholes to everyone." "Because you know I can be nice." Bob says with a smirk still on his smug face, "Maybe when we were kids, but you started becoming an asshole when you started your gang and when we joined this school." Ray retaliates back.

"Well someone has to rule the school." Bob says starting to get mad, Ray rolls his eyes "look I don't really care, just let me get my bag so I can go to class." Bob scoffs, "whatever." He moves out of the way, "thank you" Ray says very sarcastically.

Bob stops Ray, "actually before you go, tell me, why were you in that classroom with that kid?" Ray shoves Bob's hand off of his shoulder, "it's none of your business but if I tell you will it end this conversation?" Bob nods his head, Ray sighs, "I went into that classroom trying to get away from Brenden and his annoying stories instead of it being quite like I thought it would, I found that kid crying and tried asking him what's wrong and if he is okay. He snapped at me and ran out, now can I go?"

Bob chuckles, "don't hang out with that kid, he is a loser, and yes you can go." Ray is now extremely pissed because of Bob calling that kid a loser and now he is going to be late to class, without responding he runs to the lounge to get his stuff and quickly gets to class to find Frank waiting outside the door for him.

"Dude, what the hell took you so long?" Frank asks, "Bob" "what did he do?" Frank asks starting to get slightly mad, "nothing, I accidentally ran into him and had a small conversation with him, I'll explain more in class." Ray says shuffling Frank into class and over to the table him, Frank, Kellin, and Ryan sit at. Luckily Ray wasn't late but if he got there a minute later he would have been.

The final bell rang and the teacher started taking the attendance, "Josh Dun?" "Here" "Frank Iero?" of course he pronounced it wrong "It's I-e-r-o you have to pronounce all the vowels" Frank yelled, the teacher just rolled his eyes "Tyler Joseph?" "He isn't here" Gerard squeaks from the back of the classroom "Kellin Quinn?" "Yo" "Ryan Ross?" "Here" "Spencer Smith?" Spencer scoffs to notify the teacher he is here, "You have to say 'here' Spencer" the teacher says sternly "whatever" "Ray Toro?" "Hey" "Gerard Way?" "Um... hi..." "Mikey Way?" "Here sir" "Dallon Weekes?" "I'm here."

"Good since everyone is here, I want a full sheet of music you have composed within the next hour, you can have partnered up to 4 people, it can be lyrics or instrumental music, and you can use whatever instrument you want." Ray, Frank, and Ryan all got up to get guitars while Kellin got sheet music. When they all sat down Ray and Kellin started coming up with lyrics and Frank and Ryan started coming up with instrumental music to go with the lyrics Ray and Kellin are coming up with. They are extra like that.

"So Ray, what happened when you ran into Bob?" Frank stops playing the guitar to question Ray. "You ran into Bob?!" Kellin and Ryan said at the same time, Ray sighs, "You guys know when I tried to get away from Bren's story? Well, when I normally do that, I go to this empty classroom but today a kid was crying so I asked him what's wrong and I tried to make him feel better, he ended up snapping at me and running out of the room... Frank are you still paying attention??" Frank looks back at Ray.

"Yeah I am, who was that kid?" Frank asks already going back to staring at Gerard, Ray just rolls his eyes, "No I don't, anyway after he ran out I just sat there wondering what just happened but when the bell rang I walked out of the room and ran into Bob, I apologized but when I noticed it was him I took my apology back. He said I shouldn't be hostile but I just ended up being rude to him either way, a few insults later, he asks me why I was in that classroom with that kid, I explained so he would just let me leave, and then he told me to not hang out with that kid because he is a loser."

"What an asshole! You also don't even know who that kid was so how are you gonna even hang out with the kid?" Kellin exclaimed, "I don't know, I'll try to find that kid later but I think he ditched school and went to his dorm." Ray just shrugs his shoulders. "Let's just finish the assignment," Ryan adds quietly. The four boys all agreed and went back to working on the assignment for the next hour.