Frank's POV:
I race down the hall, it was getting late and I had been hanging out with Ray in the music room for most of the afternoon, we'd been fine tuning some rifts for his new song, then we started talking comics and, well, you know how that goes. Now, loud cackles echo from around the corner, I stop dead. Who could that be, school ended two hours ago- then it dawns on me, football practice started today. Since the jocks and I aren't on the, umm, best terms, I take cover in the nearest bathroom I can find. My hand hovers over the knob, for a second as I glace at the "Girls'" sign over the door. The laughter seems to be getting closer by the second, and as I see the first cleat clad foot step out from behind the bend, my options are shortened down to zero. I jump for my life into the restroom and hop into one of the graffiti covered stalls. By now the voices are right outside the door.
"Hey, you see someone go in there?" asked Jock number 1, his voices muffled by the door separating us.
"Nah didn't see anyone" answered jock 2.
"Think there's a girl in there?" piped up Jock 3. I hold my breath hoping they don't get curious. "Calm down Frank their not gunna really check- the door handle turns. Quickly I sit on the toilet lifting up my feet hoping they don't do a thorough search. The guys creep in giggling like school girls, maybe they belong here… I stifle a chuckle. Then begin studying the gossip immortalized on the stall wall with sharpie.
The jocks seemed to find everything about the girls' bathroom hilarious, especially the tampon dispenser. I try to decipher some of the writing, most was illegible or initials surrounded by hearts. For instance, "LB+GW" almost like a math problem, but hearts are always the answer. Then there were the angry entries to the wall, most consisting of "so and so is a whore". By now I was too transfixed on the wall to notice that the Jocks had left. Out of the corner of my eye I spot my name on the other wall. "FRANK IERO IS A FAG" it said in mean red scrawl, one guess to who added that, Jane my crazy ex-girlfriend.
When I say crazy I do mean crazy, she would call at all hours of the night and demand I listen to all the inane gossip she heard that day. Honestly, I think she just needed some friends, and then one day she got really pissed because I wouldn't sleep with her. Is it really my fault that I don't want to lose it to a whiney bitch like her? (Yes, I just said lose it, implying that I, Frank Iero, am still a lonely, self-satisfying, virgin.)
Now I make my escape, slipping out the door, silently praying no teachers are walking down the hall way. Just my luck, I get out safe and sound then make my way to the front entrance of Belleville High. The halls are mostly abandoned, so I take my time. Reaching the office, I peek through the big widows, seeing if the secretary was still there. To my surprise, the Headmaster is talking to a boy about my age. The boy has raven hair and is sickly pale. His back pack is slung over one shoulder causing him to lean a little under the weight of the books. Squinting, I try to make out who this boy is. I soon recognize the tight frayed black jeans as belonging to Gerard Way, a senior, and my best friend's big brother. Of course we're sort of friends on principle, since the Way's are a very close knit family, I wait out side the door for him.
Eventually Headmaster shakes Gerard's hand and returns to his office. Gerard exits.
"Hey Frank! Didn't see you there." Gerard nods, adjusting the strap on his bag.
"Yeah, I saw you with Headmaster and thought to wait in case you needed a ride home…" I trail off, mentally slapping myself for being so lame.
"Actually that would be really good; Mikey stole my car to go out on a date with Alicia. I was planning on walking home, but you can never really trust Jersey streets can you?" He jokes, scratching behind his neck.
"Valid point, my car is really is the best way to get you home safely" I smirk, leading us out the monstrous double doors into the parking lot. The sky was already darkening and a few stars were visible, we jog to my car trying to avoid the cold autumn air.
"Oh you can just toss Pansy in the back" I say, motioning to the guitar case stuck haphazardly in the passenger seat.
"Ummm, what?" He asks, looking around confused.
"Uh, the guitar?" I shrug, pointing directly at Pansy this time.
"I see, you named it Pansy!" He grinned as if he just cracked some time old mystery. I just nod slowly, settling into the driver's seat, Gerard moved Pansy and buckled himself in. He the proceeded to fiddle with my radio, looking for a station we would both enjoy. Gerard settled on something that sounded a lot like the Misfits.
"So, what did Headmaster want?" I ask casually turning out of the parking lot. Gerard clears his throat, and picks at his knuckle.
"Just to inform me that… if I get in trouble one more time, I will no longer 'be welcome' at his school" He shifted his attention to the window.
"That sucks, does Mikey know yet?" I ask trying to sound understanding.
"Hell, I didn't even know until five minutes ago." Gerard sighed, still staring intently out the window, admiring the cloudy jersey sky.
"Well, what are you going to do?" I inquire; part to keep the conversation going, part for genuine curiosity.
"Clean up my act I guess, I mean I only have eight more months of school left. Just have to be good until I can go somewhere else, somewhere that has enough weird people to make me seem normal." He seemed dazed as he spoke, so I just nodded. I completely understand what he means; everybody around here is exactly the same, so kids like us stick out like sore thumbs. Teachers and adults make assumptions about why we don't try to fit in. They also watch us like vultures so the stuff most kids can get away with we can't. Ever.
The rest of the short ride was in silence, except for the music. At Gerard's house I stop for him to get out. He thanks me and goes quietly into the front door. I idle for second, staring at the house. I feel so sorry for him, kids like us are just victims of circumstance. Just because we don't drive to Jersey Shore each weekend, or wear Guido approved apparel, everyone either ignores us or beats us up. But that's life.
Authors Note: Hi! I've been working on this story for awhile and have the next couple chapters planned out, please LEAVE A REVIEW so I can improve my story an hear your opinion! Thanks for reading!