~twelve~

"hey frank, how was dinner?" his mom ran to the front door, jumpy and ecstatic as always.

"it-it was fine." frank said nervously, taking his jacket off and throwing it over his shoulder.

"you seem tense, are you sure it was ok?" she asked, placing a hand on his shoulder to which frank flinched at. he then nodded and let his head droop down.

"frankie, what happened dear?" his mom asked again.

"nothing happened. ok ?" frank picked his head up, folding his arms across his chest.

"don't take that tone with me." she waved her finger at frank, who didn't give a shit at this point.

"sorry- i'm just tired, ok ?" frank sneered, storming right to his room.

———

frank walked into school, realizing it was much quieter than usual. he decided to venture around the school since he had so much time to kill.

he made his way towards the back of the school, reaching the science lab. they hadn't even locked up the door or anything. there was a board covering the window but that was all. frank finally got the door open, walking in. everything was the same. everything had been cleaned up, but besides that, it looked like nothing happened.

he shut the door back before examining deeper. there were still stains that people didn't manage to get out that frank toyed with for a while. frank came across a door in the corner of the room.

he opened it with ease and flipped on a light, nearly jumping. it was a small room, stacked with shelves on shelves. there were jars of liquids and powders he had only seen in murder shows before. syringes were everywhere, used and unused. he was confused as if this was just for science experiments, or something fishy was happening here.

"hey frankie."

frank snapped around, seeing gerard no more than an inch away from him. he had a twisted smile upon his face, eyes still making him look maniacal. frank stepped back slowly as gerard inches closer and closer until frank was pressed up against the wall.

"aren't you surprised they didn't expel me?" he chuckled, cracking his knuckles. frank didn't respond, just looking up to meet gerard's gaze.

"did you become mute or something?" he asked, grabbing frank's jaw violently. frank's head was raised to meet eyes with gerard's. frank then shook his head before gerard let go.

"i know about bert." frank urged out. gerard's eyes grew wide as he shut the door back with his foot.

"he killed himself because of you!" frank rose his voice slightly, taking the somewhat dominant side now.

"that's what they make you think, dear." gerard cooed, smiling once again.

"gerard, th-thats like... euthanasia !!" frank said, appalled at how gerard was so calm about this situation.

"you don't even know what the fuck happened. they said we were best friends and he told everyone my secrets so i got him sent to the hospital and then he killed himself, right?" gerard stepped back, tilting his head to the side with sass.

"yea. but ok, tell me your side of the story, dipshit." frank scoffed, biting his lip before refocusing attention on gerard.

"bert was the crazy one. he was the-"

"oh, you're gonna say that? gerard, you don't even realized how mentally fucked up you are." frank fixed his stance, meeting face to face with gerard. gerard then rolled his eyes and pushed frank back lightly.

"he was obsessed with me. i bet they told you about the notebook shit too, right?" frank nodded.

"actually- fuck this, why am i even telling you this? here?" gerard sighed, reaching to open the door. frank grabbed his arm to prevent him from moving.

"so, heard you were gay." frank teased, tightening his grip.

"only for you, sweetheart." gerard smirked before walking right out, slamming the door behind.

———

frank stood at his locker, trying to hide from the rest of the kids. he jumped when he felt awsten's hand on his shoulder.

"frank... are-are you okay?" awsten asked.

frank didn't respond, keeping his head shoved in his locker. awsten kept trying to get frank to at least say something, yet he didn't. 

frank picked his head up, looking at awsten out of the corner of his eye. awsten smiled slightly before frank looked off into the distance, seeing gerard standing at his locker.

"woah, woah... frank, are you ok?" awsten asked, taking note at how angry he looked.

"he killed himself because of him." frank muttered, staring directly at gerard who wasn't paying attention.

"who-frank, what's going on?" awsten frantically grabbed frank's hand.

"s-sorry, excuse me." frank sighed, running to the nearest bathroom. he sat down against the wall in silence, playing with his fingers. he tugged at the skeleton gloves but kept them on just for a little sense of comfort.

"oh, hey frank."

frank sat up, meeting eyes with brendon who was zipping up his jeans. he nodded and looked off, picking off loose pieces of skin from his fingers. brendon slid down the tile wall next to him, sitting in the same position the other was.

"what brings you here?" he asked calmly, looking off to the side.

"just needed to get out," frank sighed.

"i get what you mean, dude." brendon chuckled slightly but cut it off abruptly.

"anyways, how are things with you?" frank asked, making eye contact with brendon.

"they're pretty good, i guess." he said, pushing himself more up against the wall.

"how's ryan?" frank asked with a side-smile.

"he's amazing, dude. it's like... he's got the velvet lips and the eyes to pull me in." brendon laughed, his cheeks growing rosy.

"that's really fucking cheesy." frank laughed along.

"yea, yea, whatever. i wanna see you get a relationship as well-held together as mine." brendon joked,  raising an eye at frank.

"yea, that'd never happen. name one person who i could potentially be in a relationship with." frank rolled his eyes, still smiling.

"i don't know... you hang out with awsten a lot. aren't you guys fucking or something ?" brendon asked, tilting his head to the side.

"wh-what?" frank stuttered.

"nothing- uh, i don't know. do you like anyone?" brendon asked.

"i don't think so.... ?" frank said nervously.

"well, do you like girls, guys,-"

"dude i don't fucking know." frank laughed slightly, bringing his hands to his cheeks.

"so you're questioning!" brendon smiled.

"i don't even- how did you know you liked guys and girls ?" frank asked curiously.

"i mean, i just never had a preference for who i was attracted to, right ? i mean, if a dude's hot, a dude's hot. there's nothing wrong with that." brendon shrugged, still smiling widely.

"i guess you have a point. but i don't know if i've even been that physically attracted to someone. sure, i've found people good looking or whatever, but it's never gone deeper than that." frank sighed.

"so you're telling me that you've never had a crush?" brendon said pro-founded.

"i-i don't think so." frank giggled, not looking away from brendon.

"damn dude. so you've never had a crush, that means you haven't had a date, nor.. and you're a virgin!!-"

"dude, shut up!" the two broke out into laughter, echoing around the bathroom.

"that's crazy, you're seventeen !! and you've had no sexual experience! have you even had a first kiss?" brendon was still laughing, choking out words inbetween.

frank sat there for a second, trying to decide what to say. he started thinking back to a while ago when he had kissed gerard in this here bathroom. he rethought everything he had just said, shaking his head while staring down.

"y-yea i have, but it was just with an old friend of mine. no feelings just all fun games." he lied, hazel eyes wandering the room.

"and that's literally the ONLY thing you've done?!"

"yes! i don't see what's the problem with it, though. i guess i'd like to keep my innocence while i can." he chuckled. "anyways, i went to a catholic school before here so everything was strict as hell."

"damn, that must suck. you gotta at least kiss someone now. it's probably been a while." brendon smirked while still laughing, staring at frank's lips.

"yea whatever. who would i even kiss? who would want to kiss me?" frank still laughed along, shifting his position.

"i'm sure a fuck ton of people wouldn't mind. i mean, you're a cute kid. just not a lot of people are gay. and all the girls hate kids like us." brendon chuckled.

"you have a point.. but i wanna take things at my own pace." frank sighed.

"whatever, kiddo." brendon chuckled, messing up frank's hair before walking out the bathroom without another word.