A cool wind blew through the trees, scattering leaves around in a colorful autumn dance. It was chilly, but not overly so, and it was nice, or at least as nice as days in Jersey could be. A particularly hard wind suddenly flew through the trees, and a shiver was sent down Frank's spine. He zipped his black hoodie up as high as it could go, jammed his hands in his pockets, and continued on his walk through the city. It would have been a peaceful walk for the boy, but yet, he had gotten into another fight with his mom. He doesnt even know what they are fighting about anymore, they used to get along so well. But when his dad died, well, things had gone downhill with him and his mother. They still loved each other deeply, and always would, but Frank supposed that they just both expressed their grief over the loss as rage, for it was an easier emotion to deal with, a filter emotion, hiding the deep issues deep inside. Frank sighed. Three years had passed since the car accident that had left his father dead, and yet, he still missed him so much. Frank had only been thirteen at the time, and the loss of his father made his transition into teen years so much harder for him. The grief had overwhelmed him, filling him up, overflowing into depression and blind rages that weren't really about anything in particular, he just wanted, needed to yell at something. Maybe it was because he was mad at his father for leaving him. He knows it wasn't his fathers fault at all, but deep down, it still hurt. Frank kicked absentmindedly at a stone lying on the rocky ground, sending it cascading into a nearby puddle. He chuckled at the 'plop' sound that emitted when it hit the water, and looked up to the street. It was the typical Jersey city scene, A few trees lining the blocks, run-down stores and mini-marts, maybe the occasional music store. And as he glanced across the street, he saw a man. He looked to be in his early twenties, and he was wearing black skinnies and a worn leather jacket, so worn that Frank swore it was barely together and could fall apart at any given moment. His hair was black and fell down to his shoulders, and had a slight greasy look to it, as if it hadnt been washed in ages. Frank grimaced. He himself needed to be clean, partially because of how he was always sick, partially because of how he hated the feeling of being grimy. Despite his hair though, the man looked as if he had put a fair amount of effort into his appearance. And when he turned to cross the street, Frank noticed that he was possibly the most beautiful man he had ever seen. His face was round, but his jaw line defined, and his nose was small. He had these pink, beautiful lips that were perfectly kissable, and his eyes were the perfect mix of hazel and green, seeming to shimmer in the sunlight. The sight of him stopped Frank right in his tracks. He had always been curious about men, but he had never found anyone that appealed to him as much as women. Until now. The man entered a small corner store, and curious about this man, Frank followed suit. The bell above the door ringed when he entered, and a small Italian man grumbled out a greeting to him with a heavy accent. Frank smiled at him, and set about to find the man from the street. Spotting the man in the dairy aisle, he walked non-nonchalantly over, and found him examining a carton of milk.
"I wouldnt get milk here, if I were you," Frank said, and the man looked up at him. God, he was even more gorgeous up close. He smiled.
"And why is that?" He asked, cocking up his eyebrow.
"To be honest, the stored around here are pretty shady. I wouldnt be surprised if that was weeks past its expiration date," I explained, shuffling over to get a closer look at the carton. He chuckled.
"Thats kinda why i'm checking it man," He said, chuckling lightly. I blushed, feeling dumb for not realizing that.
"Oh. Yeah, well that would make sense," I mumbled, looking over at the cheeses. He chuckled again, a light and airy laugh that made me feel completely better about the situation.
"I'm Gerard, by the way," He said sweetly, and extended his hand. Gerard. What an odd name. It suited him though. I shook his hand, and smiled at him.
"Frank," I replied, and he nodded.
"I like that name," He said, and finished examining the milk. "Well, I should probably get going, finish making dinner."
I nodded, feeling slightly disappointed that our short conversation was ending.
"It was nice meeting you," I said, and smiled at him.
"You too, Frank. Maybe i'll see you around," Gerard said. He waved at me as he walked away, and I examined a few shelves after he left, making sure not to leave too soon after him. All the while I had a dumb smile on my face.