4:35am

Gerard: hey

Frank: hey what're you doing up

Gerard: I could ask you the same question

Frank: I'll tell you if you tell me

Gerard: couldn't sleep. Nightmare

Frank: oh

Frank: well I was just being a dumbass and don't sleep so

Gerard: dumbass

Frank: yeah yeah

Frank: are you good?

Gerard: I guess

Frank: wanna talk about it?

Gerard: meh

Frank: ok

Frank: well then I'm gonna talk

Frank: I met a guy

Gerard: oh

Frank: yeah he's the brother of my friends boyfriend

Gerard: oh?

Frank: he's really amazing

Frank: he's funny, sweet, really good looking

Gerard: do you... y'know?

Frank: like him?

Gerard: yeah

Frank: I dunno. Maybe

Gerard: oh

Gerard: well you're gay?

Frank: I dunno

Gerard: gotcha

Frank: I'm seeing him tonight

Frank: I guess that was part of why I stayed up. Stressing

Gerard: why would you stress

Frank: idk. it's him

Gerard: and you're you

Frank: what does that mean

Gerard: it means you're really great and he'd be an idiot not to like you. He's probably stressing as much as you are

Frank: thanks that means a lot

Gerard: of course

Gerard: now get some sleep

Frank: but your nightmare

Gerard: I'm okay I promise

Frank: :/ fine

Frank: g'night Lee

Gerard: good night

7:46

*Frank opened a chat with Pete*

Frank: hey

Pete: yo

Frank: does anyone need a ride

Pete: smooth man. I think we both know you just want to drive Gerard

Frank: shut up

Frank: does he need a ride?

Pete: yeah I'm riding with Mikey. You can pick up Gerard

Frank: great

Frank: I mean cool

Frank: rad

Frank: ok

Frank: just tell him I'll be there in 30

Pete: k

Pete: loser

Frank: shut up

8:20pm

Gerard's POV

I must have brushed my hair and straightened out my shirt a hundred times. My palms are caked with sweat and my mouth feels dry. Yeah, I'm nervous. I think about Frank, which makes my cheeks heat up, a light pink hue spreading across them.

A car honks from our driveway.

Frank.

"Uh, Gee, that's probably for you," Mikey yells from downstairs. He has to yell; my music is playing obnoxiously loud.

"'Kay!" I yell back, rubbing my hands together and on my pants in a pathetic attempt to dry them. One last check in the mirror tells me there was nothing more I could do. I turn off my music and rush down the stairs, making sure to grab my jacket, phone, and wallet.

"See ya there," Pete says, sitting on the couch with Mikey. They're cuddled up next to each other. Mikey's right knee is flush against his chest and his head rests peacefully on Pete's shoulder, his other leg swinging absentmindedly off the couch. A blanket covers his torso and part of Pete's lap. Their fingers are intertwined above the blanket and Pete rubs the back of Mikey's hand with his thumb. His eyes are closed and he smiles contently. For someone who doesn't smile much, it makes me happy to see Pete bring out that side of him. The corner of my lip curls up, pleased.

"See ya," I echo, grabbing my keys and leaving the cool house. I step out into the summer heat, and it reminds me that school will be ending soon. I frown a bit.

Eager to get to some air conditioning, I jog across the driveway and into the car. It's not that hot, I just really don't like it.

I'm met with Frank's eyes staring at me. His eyelids droop a bit and black eyelashes cover them a bit.

"Hey," he greets, smiling. I smile back, feeling a blush creep back. I turn to look out the window, trying to hide it. Frank switches gears and pulls out of the driveway.

~~~

"Good afternoon," the man at the door greets and stamps our hands.

"It's 9pm," Frank says once we're out of earshot, "hardly the afternoon." We laugh.

"Ooh let's get merch!" I say, pointing excitedly to the merch line which is slowly getting longer. Frank chuckles and walks in the direction of where I was pointing. There's a bar next to where we wait and three grown men laugh obnoxiously with almost empty drinks in each hand. One leans back and hits me with his flailing arm.

"Hey," Frank says, not quite loud enough for them to hear over their guffaws. He wraps his arm around my shoulder despite his height and moves me in front of him, acting as a barrier between us. He doesn't take his arm off my shoulder until after we we're at the front of the line, when he lowers his hand to my back. I get chills.

"Hi, how can I help you?" The woman said. She was about our age and seemed really happy to be there. Behind her, a guy with bright green hair was organizing shirts.

"Ah, can I get one of those peach and blue tees?" I ask, eyeing the back wall filled with shirts, hoodies, and posters.

"'Course. Medium?" The girl asks, turning around, her braid whipping the air. I nod, even though she can't see me anymore. "That'll be eight dollars."

I nod and move to grab my wallet, but Frank beats me to it, insisting on paying.

"I got it. Can I get a poster?" He thanks her and pays for the both of us, despite my protests. I grumble and lightly punch his shoulder.

"Thanks," I mumble, defeated. The girl tells us to enjoy the show and moves on to attend to the next customer.

~~~

"Thank y'all so much for coming out! Have a good night!"

Everyone cheers as the band leaves the stage, marking the end of the performance.

Frank's practically shaking from the residual excitement. I have to smile at his childishness. Frankly, it's adorable.

"Frank! Gerard!" I hear Mikey and Pete call out to us.

Pushing through some people, Frank gets to them, smiling widely. Pete swings his arm around frank, holding onto him and Mikey. His smile is even larger than Frank's. Mikey leans into Pete and looks down at his shoes, but I can tell he's blushing and smiling. Peeking out of his sleeve on his arm are some black marks.

I'm curious. "Mikes," I extend my hands, "can we talk?" He looks up and nods, taking my hands and following me through the crowd and out into a hallway.

"What's that?" I ask, jutting my chin out to his arm. His cheeks redden even more and he bites his lip, probably trying to hide a growing smile. Slowly, he rolls up his sleeve, exposing something written in black sharpie:

I love you.

My breath catches.

"He wrote it at intermission, after we saw you," he whispers. I don't know if to look at his face or arm.

"Did you..."

"Yeah," he replies in a whisper, "I said it."

"Oh my god. Well, now I have to kill him, " I joke. He scoffs with a smile.

I think it's safe to say it's been a wonderful night for all of us.

---

YO THERES A BUNCH OF REFERENCES IN EVERY CHAPTER. CAN U FIND THIS ONE?