"I won't soothe your pain, I won't ease your strain. You'll be waiting in vain. I got nothing for you to gain."
'Eyes On Fire', Blue Foundation.
——

The following days, just as Frank suspected, Gerard Way didn't attend school. His absence stuck out to Frank like a sore thumb each time his distracted eyes wandered to the table his family sat at, the emptiness occupying his chair ringing out to Frank like the hum of a siren. Only, Frank didn't find beauty within its call, only rising aggravation to know the burden of a project made for a duo rested on him alone. Above all things, Frank couldn't help but overanalyze the events of Friday afternoon, the hostility thickening the atmosphere between the pair given no other choice but to sit next to the other in class. He wondered if he played a factor in Gerard's rigidness, if his alleged illness wasn't the only matter causing Gerard to escape the classroom as soon as possible. Maybe he'd developed a form of loathing for Frank going according to a few glances, taking in his appearance and deciding he was unbearable, so insufferable that it couldn't be ignored. If that were the case at hand, Frank was run speechless and dry, never having experienced being the target of an inexplicable deep hatred birthed for no good reason. Being teased and shoved around a few times in his life was no match to that. He'd been irritated by some individuals in the past for nothing, but he could never hate anyone without knowing them first.

Frank managed to tie together a somewhat decent rough draft for the project, his words flowing together nicely on paper before he eventually transferred it onto a digital document, but the bothersome factor of an absent partner took a larger toll on him than he expected. He soon came to the conclusion that it wouldn't irk him as deeply if it was anyone else. Frank kept replaying Gerard's behavior in his mind, only fueling his frustration, and unanswered questions fluttered through his brain like morning birds chirping loudly beside his ear when he only longed for sleep seeming more than desirable for an exhausted head. Frank couldn't put his all into his work if there was a blockage always materializing once again no matter how many times he dismantled it. As long as his grade depended on it, he refused to fall short on his performance and trudged on to complete it however he could by himself.

On Thursday at the eve of the afternoon, Frank was relieved to depart from his classroom and join his newfound group of friends along the way to the cafeteria rapidly filling with students. The rain outside came to a momentary pause, encouraging some students to wander out to the courtyard with umbrellas hovering above their heads, while Frank and his friends preferred to remain indoors. They knew the tricky weather, the pause between showers wouldn't last long. Frank wandered into the cafeteria while listening in on Frances ranting passionately about the importance of feminism after the subject was brought up at random in her biology class. She carried her energy to the group, partially irritating Adam meanwhile Ray agreed with every detail without missing a beat. Frank was content with listening, as he normally did, joining in quietly on laughter or grimaces instead of speaking up so often. He still socialized, but he always preferred to listen whenever he was near new people he wasn't fully comfortable around yet. He'd get there, he supposed, but it would be a matter of time before he crawled out of his shell.

"You ready to meet Miss Goldsworthy today?" Adam turned to Frank as they filled their trays and waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Miss Goldsworthy?" Frank wasn't familiar with the surname, but he was fond of the sound of it. It carried a pleasant ring.

"Kayleigh. She said she's sitting with us today, she has no business to take care of today." Adam bracketed the word he empathized on with air quotes.

"Oh, like . . . the favors she does?" Frank lowered his voice to a whisper.

Adam snickered, grabbing an apple from the variety of fruit lying nearby. "Favors, yeah. Even Wonder Woman needs a break once in a while."

Frank nodded, sliding a wrapped sandwich consisting of cheddar cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, and cucumber onto his tray. He was curious about Kayleigh, and he wondered when he'd be introduced to her after the frequent talk about her amongst his friends. He noticed the lack of another individual at their table as they headed towards it, his eyes flickering around the room as he sank down in his spot. Frances surprisingly plopped down beside him, throwing a quick smile over her shoulder as they settled. Frank returned it, ignoring the quirked eyebrow Adam sent in their direction.

"I'm just warning you, dude, Kayleigh's so fucking likable. In a more than friendly way. She's gorgeous." Ray sighed across the table. "But she only dates college guys."

"Why only college guys?" Frank asked, ignoring the part where Ray commented on Kayleigh's attractiveness.

"Frat boys know how to have a good time, I'll give them that." Adam bowed his head and Ray pitched in his agreement.

"Frat boys are also fucking cretins half the time. How is that better?" Frances pouted thoughtfully as she unwrapped the plastic packaging encasing her parfait bowl.

"God knows." Adam frowned and shook his head, glancing up and catching his eyes on something over Frank's shoulder. "Incoming."

Before Frank could turn around, a person walked around the table with a tray in their hands, working their way towards the bench beside Adam. She plopped down weightlessly onto the seat and slammed her tray down, smiling brightly at the group as she settled in.

"My favorite misfit toys." The girl who was so obviously Kayleigh Goldsworthy momentarily had Frank's eyes widening with surprise. Her arrival was quick, no doubt, but automatically Frank didn't feel as unnerved to see her tank top designed with a print of Joan Jett's face, a septum piercing glinting at the end of her delicate nose. She tucked a stylishly choppy tuft of short honey brown hair behind her ear, her nails painted black and chipping around the corners.

"Our favorite southern bell." Adam fluttered his lashes at Kayleigh who grinned pleasantly, shaking her head.

"I don't even have the accent anymore, Adam."

"No, but it'll be missed dearly. The funeral is on Monday."

"Your American accent rubbed off on me." Kayleigh chuckled. "Hey kids, what's up?"

"It's been a while since you've hung out, what have you been up to?" Frances perked up at Kayleigh's arrival.

"Well, I did two essays for two people, and I had detention the other day because my phone rang in the middle of class." Kayleigh sighed deeply and rested her elbow on the table, cradling her cheek with her hand. "Wasn't my fault, it's not like I was texting the whole period."

"Don't even say the word phone around a teacher or they'll confiscate it." Ray opened his can of Sprite, the fizz hissing inside the aluminum.

"You should spread that advice around, maybe it'll help some people." Kayleigh's eyes skipped over Frank, then glanced back immediately, curiosity lighting them. "Hey, you're the new kid everyone's talking about."

"They're still talking about me?" Frank flushed scarlet being under Kayleigh's observant eyes and knowing he was still a topic of discussion in the school.

"They probably won't stop until next month." Kayleigh's laughter reached her eyes bunching up with her smile. "I'm Kayleigh. You're Frank?"

"Yes. I've heard a lot about you from these guys." Frank looked around at his friends.

"All good things?" Kayleigh rose her eyebrows.

"Mostly yes, and now he knows you only date college boys." Adam smiled around the straw he inserted in his mouth to hold as he twisted open a bottle of Coke.

"They're more mature." Kayleigh's cheeks flushed with a soft pink color as she struggled to refrain from grinning.

"I'm not mature enough for you?" Adam pestered.

"You're too good for me, you know that."

"You're an angel who breaks hearts."

Frank smiled to himself at their back and forth, sensing something genuine within their energy as Frank leaned into it further to read Kayleigh. She was charming in a way that reminded him curiously of swaying dandelions in the summer wind. He sensed a higher energy laced within and some wilted edges that told about the secrecy of an old soul, which Frank always enjoyed whenever he came across a person with those qualities.

"I like your piercings." Kayleigh complimented Frank as if it was a secret between them, toying with her own septum piercing as a knowing smile worked onto her lips.

"I like yours." Frank wriggled his lip piercing with the tip of his tongue inside his mouth for it to waggle back and forth visually.

"Thanks. It stung like a bitch, but it's fun to play with."

"My lip piercing was the worst. I think the nose was less painful."

"Maybe for you, I went with Kayleigh to get her septum and she cried." Frances smirked, taking a spoonful of yogurt into her mouth.

"That was a natural instinct!" Kayleigh violently rattled her bottle of water. "He said it was normal for my eyes to water."

"And they kept watering for twenty minutes after that."

"Frances Bean, I'll take you right now to get a septum piercing so you understand."

"I've been thinking of getting one done." Frances beamed.

"You can rock anything and everything you wear. In that topic, I'm gonna steal that shirt." Kayleigh eyed the high collared black shirt Frances wore, sheer lace moving across the neckline and towards the sleeves before the sweetheart cut of the solid black material resting just above her bust.

"You can't steal it, but you can borrow it any time." Frances draped her dark hair across her shoulder that accentuated her pale complexion, her confidence boosted by Kayleigh's compliment. Frank looked away politely when she noticed him taking her in, but only because Frank observed the differences between her and Kayleigh. Frances came off as a cooler spirit blending into the beauty of darkness meanwhile Kayleigh was organic, dressed in lighter colors with golden highlights streaming through her hair. Yet their souls were compatible enough to form a friendships bloomed out of genuine interest, fondness. Frank always enjoyed sensing the pure connections between friends.

"So, Frank, how come you're not super tan if you're from California?" Kayleigh leaned back in her seat and crossed her ankles, a cheeky grin on her face.

"Oh. It's winter right now." Frank glanced at his skin taking a paler tint that could easily become quite fair if he stayed away from the sunlight. "I get fuckin' toasted in the summer."

"Toasted?" Kayleigh's little giggle was joined in by a humored snort coming out of Adam. "I'm gonna guess you're Italian."

"Yeah, half Italian." Frank nodded. "Did my tendency to tan and not burn give me away?"

"Very much, same with your last name. How do you even say that?"

"Eye-ear-oh. Everyone gets it wrong." Frank sighed quietly, reflecting on all the mispronunciations despite numerous repeated corrections he made.

"Fuck. I've been saying it wrong in my head this whole time." Adam barked out a laugh. "Sorry little man, I've never heard that name before."

"It's cool. It's not common." Frank quickly forgave friends who weren't familiar with the name that confused many. "I don't even think we pronounce it right, we just picked a way to say it and rolled with it."

"That's hilarious." Kayleigh giggled again, swishing the remainder of water in her plastic bottle.

"I guess it is." Frank chuckled bashfully, rolling his shoulders back and dropping his eyes down onto the table.

Frank fell mostly silent as he listened to the conversation flourishing at the table, occasionally nodding or offering a shortly worded response whenever he was asked a question. His eyes raised and watched the students, allegedly part of the planning committee, who strung up homemade banners along the cafeteria advertising a winter dance taking place in a few weeks from then. The theme appeared to revolve around fairytales, he gathered from the crooked medieval font painted on the posters beside images of poison apples and sparking tiaras near more professionally inked castles. He dully remembered having a similar theme at his previous school, but he was never one to attend dances because of the lack of entertainment he found in them. He couldn't dance, he was easily overwhelmed in large crowds, and the music choices were rumored to be terrible, which lead to him avoiding them at all costs.

"Hey, Frank, are you going to the dance?" Kayleigh asked when she noticed Frank eyeing the banners at the same time she was.

"Uh, I don't think so." Frank shook his head and rolled his lips into his mouth momentarily. "It's not my thing."

"Really?"

"Yeah . . . you don't wanna see me dance. I'm horrible." Frank's breathy laugh was laced in nerves.

"You have a few girls who might wanna go with you if that helps you change your mind."

"What?" Frank's wide eyes lifted to stare at Kayleigh in deep surprise.

Kayleigh laughed, taking a drag of her water. "Yeah, I heard some girls in the locker room earlier talking about how cute you are."

Frank wasn't sure what to do with that information, He shifted in his seat, hearing the sounds of laughter from his friends who tuned in on the exchange.

"He's already getting girls." Adam sounded proud as he thumped his fist on his chest.

"Hey, we normally go in a group if you want to join us." Ray pitched in an offer less intimidating to Frank.

"Maybe. I'll think about it." Frank said to ease out of the topic, but his mind was already set on camping out at home instead of attending. Redness still swirled through his cheeks to know he had admirers he hadn't even noticed. He wasn't exactly interested in anyone at the school, only one individual group standing out to him, but not in the way where any of them earned his attraction.

As if on cue, the doors to the cafeteria were pushed on, and the redirection of Frank's thoughts became consuming when his eyes lifted instinctively towards the sound. As always, the Way family strode gracefully into the cafeteria in a pack, their coats unbuttoned to show off their fashionable clothing telling every onlooker of their wealthier status. Kristin skipped near her boyfriend in designer heels, peering around his lanky body to enthusiastically exchange a word with the person behind him. Frank's eyes followed the path of Kristin's focus, and when they settled, his heart caught in the center of his throat, sinking down into the recesses of his gut so quickly that sparks bounced through his insides already beginning to churn.

Gerard Way joined his family for the first time after a string of absences. Not only was his presence highly noticeable, he was showcasing an entirely new composure compared to the one Frank couldn't tear from his memory. Appearance wise, his beauty was unearthly, but the startling difference capturing Frank's utter shock was a crooked smile lightening his face much more pleasantly. The brooding look vanished without a trace, so much that Frank wondered idly if Gerard had been swapped out with another baring an eerie resemblance. Frank couldn't quit puzzling through it the entire time the Way family gathered their trays quickly and made their way to their reserved table no one dared to trying claiming even when they were missing. Their unapproachable demeanors melted away when they were together, replaced for a look of contentment and comfort. Frank stared from underneath his lashes as Gerard reached across the table to playfully ruffle Kristin's perfectly waved hair. She shrieked in outrage and giggled while leaning over to retaliate. Michael captured by her waist and lowered her back into her seat with a smile of his own as Alicia lightly elbowed Gerard's ribs.

"Are you going to kick Gerard's ass for leaving you in the dust or what?" Frances asked from beside Frank all of a sudden and yanked him out of his state of hypnosis.

Frank flinched slightly coming back to himself. He raised his eyebrows, blushing as he realized he'd been caught staring again. "Huh?"

"He left for days while you had to do his side of your project." Frances furrowed her eyes like she couldn't believe Frank had forgotten.

"Oh . . ." Frank hadn't forgotten about it, but he was side tracked by his initial shock to Gerard returning as if nothing had been out of the ordinary. "He was sick."

"He looks perfectly fine." Frances glanced over at the family's table dubiously.

"If he's back now, it's because he's not sick anymore." Frank didn't want to give anyone the benefit of knowing he felt almost the same. Had Gerard made up an illness just to scramble away? Was it Frank that caused him to react that way?

"You're too nice. I would've told him off." Frances shook her head in disapproval. "Isn't it a coincidence that he got sick on the most important days of planning your project?"

"I don't really want to assume the worst when I don't know the guy." Frank said somewhat dismissively, which normally would've automatically made him feel guilty, but the moment he looked up again, Gerard immediately turned his head and connected their stares.

Frank was struck by the magnetic force of his presence. Once, he felt like a glacier crashing towards disaster in a river above a waterfall the last time he was pinned under Gerard's stare, and although that feeling didn't fade, Frank's breath was taken away to find an alluring pull reminding him of that strange underlying of sunshine catching to the corners of all Gerard was. The increase of it was alarming, almost lifting Frank from his seat if he hadn't developed a sense of self control and dignity through all his years. He gasped quietly in his throat going dry as Gerard observed him without a sign of frigidness in his expression. If anything, he seemed curious, perhaps a bit frustrated the deeper he dug into Frank's soul through his eyes. Frank quickly averted his eyes the second he felt himself being examined; it was nearly invasive, but Frank couldn't deny the thunderous beat of his heart to be viewed with interest by an impeccable beauty. His irritation towards himself grew and he locked his jaw, intending on not looking towards the family's table again.

Lunch went by quicker than normal as an act of defiance against Frank's wishes. When the bell rang to warn students class would be resuming in five minutes, Frank knew with an iron ball curled tight in his gut that the next class he'd be attending was the very one he wished to avoid; English with Gerard Way. He didn't want to experience the heaviness of his presence yet again and scramble to organize his project now that suddenly, his partner wasn't absent, and he wasn't sure what he was going to do. Frank dragged his feet on the way to the classroom after retrieving his book from his locker during passing period. His friends wished him luck, but luck wasn't enough to soothe the irritation brushing up at the back of his mind. He braced himself while getting close to the open doorway and prayed his sensitivity wouldn't be as extreme as last time, that maybe if he focused with perseverance, he wouldn't be as perturbed by the energy radiating off of Gerard.

Frank slipped into the classroom following the herd of students entering in a chattering bunch. He nodded in a silent greeting to his teacher waiting for all of his students to fill the room and kept his eyes down shortly after, making his way down the path until he reached the seat that he sensed Gerard was already near, occupying the space beside him. Frank didn't glance his way as he sank down onto the seat and pushed it in towards the desk, shedding his backpack and undoing the zipper to take out his needed materials. The entire time, he felt a pair of eyes attached to his every movement, and a sprig of discomfort formed in him. Frank took out the folder containing the draft to the project he took care of on his own and sighed to himself, hooking his ankle around his bag on the ground to drag it between his feet.

"Hi." Said an unfamiliar voice from beside Frank. It sounded inviting, taking a middle octave as opposed to the lower note Frank would've expected. A kind tone of voice wasn't what he expected either, not that he awaited any sort of greeting.

Frank turned his head in surprise. His lips fell open slightly to see Gerard staring directly at him without hostility in his expression. Although, he did keep a bit of a stiff posture, but Frank wondered if he always held himself like so. When their eyes met, Gerard's thinner but perfectly shaped lips quirked into a phantom smile striking Frank in the center of his chest. His inky tresses were a dark halo around his pale face and a lock fluttered towards his forehead while Frank stared. Despite putting a block at the forefront of his mind, the startling apparition of Gerard's energy bled through the protective bars to exhibit what he experienced in the lunchroom. Blatant suffering with the most bizarre combination of allure and, now that he was close enough, the traces of the familiarity of an artist's energy.

Frank realized he'd been gawking for far too long without giving an answer. He blushed rose red, dropping his eyes to the folder clutched in his hands. "Uh, hey."

"I'm Gerard. You're Frank?" Gerard continued on past a simple greeting, astounding Frank further. His quiet voice danced on the tips of a soothing wavelength.

"Yeah." Frank confirmed with a quick nod, chewing his lower lip into oblivion.

"I won't point out the obvious and ask if you're the new student, I'm certain you're sick of hearing it." Gerard said with his mesmerizing voice dancing through colors of amusement.

"A little bit." Frank knew his responses were brief, but he couldn't set aside the shock he felt to see Gerard's mood changed drastically compared to the first time he was near him.

"I like your doodles." Gerard noted, confusing Frank at the start, until he quickly remembered the random pictures he inked onto the cover of his folder out of boredom at home. Frank jerked a bit out of embarrassment that Gerard, an allegedly phenomenal artist, took notice of the miniature zombies and ghosts scattered over the folder.

"Uh— I just, I get bored sometimes." Frank cleared his throat as folded his arms over the cover to discreetly block them from view. "But thanks."

Gerard chuckled almost inaudibly beside Frank. "I'm sorry for the sudden change in attitude. I felt very ill all day the last time I was here, I doubt it was a good first impression."

Frank stopped avoiding Gerard's stare and instead looked into it, wondering if he was truthful. Gerard seemed disarming, maybe even guilty after giving an apology. At the evidence Frank pieced together, maybe it was the truth, that illness became Gerard and there was no personal vendetta or attempt to excuse himself from a pending project.

"It's fine. I get it, it happens to me too sometimes." Frank's thumb played with the folded edge of his folder. "I . . . sort of had to plan the group project myself though."

"My sister told me about the project when I asked about what I missed out on." Gerard nodded, rolling his lips into his mouth. He reached into his open bag to obtain a folder Frank identified as one reserved for art. Gerard pulled back the cover and untucked something from inside before securely sliding the folder back into his bag. Gerard's fleeting smile was still breathtaking as he placed the large page onto the desk, sliding it over to Frank with nimble fingers.

To Frank's amazement, when he looked down at the object Gerard set in front of him with a feeling of befuddlement, he discovered the thick sheet of paper was a flawless illustration created by Gerard himself. The image was of a madman weeping in a shadowy yet lavish household, surrounded by shattered strings of pearls, the stems of daisies threaded through his skin in a fashion that should've been gruesome, but it came across as deeply miserable. It was a representation of a specific understanding of The Great Gatsby; it was Gerard's understanding of it.

"I drew it yesterday evening." Gerard explained softly. "I couldn't leave all the work to you."

Frank was speechless for a moment. He drank in the vivid details instilled into the page through pencil, wondering how such a simple object could help depict such a gorgeous illustration. Not only was the drawing breathtaking, but the interpretation of the novel was a match with Frank's; a man with a devouring obsession driving himself into a mad state of despair when all of his efforts were unsuccessful in the end. The daisies undoubtedly were symbols for the woman Gatsby was dangerously in love with who shared a name with the delicate flower.

"You did this in one night?" Frank couldn't believe what he heard.

"Yes?" Gerard lifted his eyebrow as if his abilities were the simplest, most unquestionable things to exist.

"This would normally take other artists at least a day or two." Frank's eyes drank in the attention to detail down to the textures in clothing and the silhouettes of shadows from objects seen in the background.

"I've been drawing for so long that I've come to draw quickly these days." Gerard quietly explained the reasons behind his speedy accomplishment. "I hope that doesn't come across as showing off."

"Not really, no." In Frank's perspective, it showed sheer talent. Not an inch of boastfulness overcame Gerard as he spoke, only immunity to realizing his own abilities. He probably viewed it as more of a hobby than a talent if he pursued it for so long.

"I can help you write the essay during this period. Unless, you'd prefer to do it independently?" Gerard suggested, leaving the option open for Frank to decide. The way he spoke and enunciated has a strange timeless swing to it, making his voice all the more unique, nearly distracting Frank entirely from the actual meaning of the words he spoke.

"Yeah? I mean, I chose a song instead of drawing something because I'm not really artistic enough, this sort of changes the entire essay." Frank scratched the back of his neck as he flushed all the way towards his chest, having not expected the turn of events suddenly unfolding.

Gerard cleared his throat, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. "Uh, I'm sorry. You must've worked hard putting everything together."

"It's fine, it's just a rough draft." Frank shook his head with a soft sigh. "You were sick, you couldn't help it."

Before Gerard was given the chance to respond, the teacher called for the attention of the students after shutting the door the moment the tardy bell rang out through the building. Frank diverted his focus to the front, but felt Gerard's eyes continuously training onto him, causing his insides to churn mysteriously. Frank cupped the side of his neck and refrained from making eye contact for the sake of the blood burning behind his face at the mere thought of Gerard curiously observing him. Normally, others would be discreet, but Gerard fearlessly continued to glance in Frank's direction in lingering sweeps always shaking Frank up anew. He wondered where the sudden shift in interest came from, or if it always stayed lodged in Gerard during his time away, he was only unable to act on it when he fell ill. Frank knew he couldn't give much of a damn about anything when he imagined he could double over from how unwell he felt.

The teacher assigned the class a free period to work on their projects before the rough draft was due for examination. To Frank's relief, that meant an opportunity to repair the project now that Gerard had unexpectedly put his two cents into it. After the teacher was finished speaking and instructed the class to begin, the chatter in the room rose as everyone turned to their partners to discuss either the project or off track subjects if they were mostly finished constructing theirs.

"So . . ." Frank started on an awkward foot. "I can get essays done pretty quickly. I think I can do it today."

"Do you need help?" Gerard offered his assistance.

"Uh, maybe you can just explain to me in detail your interpretation of the book?" Frank nervously clicked the end of the pen he gathered in one hand as his other dragged a binder towards him to jot notes onto paper.

"Perfectly doable. Shall I begin?" Gerard quirked an inquisitive eyebrow as Frank opened the binder up to a blank page.

"Yeah, shoot." Frank poised a readied hand over the paper.

"Well . . . it wasn't a breathtaking romance story Gatsby imagined it was. Undeniably, he was madly in love with Daisy, but the passion wasn't returned as he descended into an obsession tearing their reunion apart."

Frank's eyes widened a fraction as he attempted to simplify the words for easy notes, but managed to ink them down. "Go on." He encouraged a moment later.

"Gatsby tended to manipulate the past and the present to mold them into the ideal world inside his head. The parties and lavish lifestyle were to entice Daisy and return her to him, but it was also based on the obsessive need to be more than he ever truly was and to recreate the past to fit into the image he created for himself. Thus, resulting in him believing his tale with Daisy was perfect and must go his way to appease that idea, or his fantasy would be tarnished. In reality, he was taken with the idea of Daisy, and his love for her evolves into a love for his idealization of her."

Frank paused as he considered the words for himself before transferring them to the page. The amount of dedication to thought and passion put into Gerard's observation was impressive.

"I have a feeling you must've read this outside of the classroom." Frank speculated.

Gerard's eyes captured a twinkle within them enhancing the beauty of his face etched into a mask of faint amusement. To Frank's astonishment, he was not met with the deepest layers of outer space in two rings, but olive green irises with the strangest narrow pupils, flecks of glittering gold floating within them as they flickered down towards Frank's notes.

"I lost count of how many times." Gerard confirmed Frank's suspicions and knocked him out of his mesmerized state.

Frank wiggled his lip ring with the tip of his tongue to refrain from smiling. He began jotting down the notes, and said, "You're spot on. The way you interpret this."

"Isn't it obvious?"

"Not always. Some people don't think too deeply about it." Frank continued inking the notes onto the page. "Not the part where he's more in love with the idea of Daisy than with the real person."

"Being set on having things be a certain way creates an ideal world that is more of a concept than reality." Gerard mused quietly beside Frank as he came to a close on the notes he took to aid him in writing the new version of the project's essay.

"It's not surprising." Frank added somewhat timidly until Gerard gazed on with intrigue. "I mean — he lived a lie most of the time. He told so many lies that he convinced himself it was all the truth."

"We should add that into the project."

"Really?" Frank's eyebrows lifted.

"It takes two, doesn't it?" Gerard's lips quirked upwards at the corners and brightened the mesmerizing color of his eyes that somehow shifted since the previous time Frank met them. Frank scrambled for the pen, tearing his gaze away to scribble what he mentioned into the page along with Gerard's observations.

"I think I can make something pretty solid out of all of this." Frank thought out loud as he brought the end of the pen against his lips. "I'll start formatting right now." He flipped to another blank page to begin setting up the outline.

"You don't look as though you're meeting your doom like everyone else working on this project." Gerard noted after a silent moment of drinking Frank in.

"I like writing." Frank answered quickly, refraining from lifting his eyes to meet Gerard's stare stapling onto the side of his face, or a violent blush would erupt underneath his skin and give him away.

"Do you do it a lot?" Gerard asked, interested to hear more about Frank's hobby.

"Um . . . not a lot, but a fair amount." Frank felt a bit flustered as Gerard showed interest in his personality. "I mostly don't mind doing stuff like this for class."

"Mostly everyone can't be damned putting in any effort."

"I don't feel that way. It's not too difficult or inconvenient. This is easy compared to the classes I took before."

"Were your classes different?"

Frank tinted pink and prayed he didn't come off as boastful. "Yeah, I guess you can say that. I was — I was in an advanced placement. There was a lot more work and higher expectations."

"Oh?" Gerard's tone colored with surprise. "So you're intelligent."

Frank was slightly put off and offended by the question, slowing his writing to glance to the side. "Did I seem unintelligent before?"

Gerard's eyes widened and he shook his head vehemently, the picture of embarrassment. "God, no, that's not at all what I meant. I meant that as in, you're gifted."

Clarification made Frank's faint trace of offense vanish. "Oh. Uh, I guess. I don't really like being called gifted."

"Is there a reason why?"

Gerard Way, to Frank's surprise, was overflowing with curiosity, and he didn't have a clue where it came from, or why he found Frank interesting enough to ask one after the other. Frank's lips curled slightly and he resumed slowly filling in the rough draft while speaking.

"It sorta makes me feel snobby. I don't hold myself above anyone else just because I'm really good at algebra or writing."

Gerard made a soft sound of acknowledgment. "You don't seem like you think you're superior."

"I'd hope not." Frank curled his fingers tighter around the pen in his hand, willing his cheeks not to maintain a red glow while Gerard's eyes stayed trained on him during an onslaught of questions.

"I've heard through the grapevine that you moved down here from California." Gerard made his observation known.

"The grapevine is right." Frank took a small break to relieve his hand, daring to fleetingly glance around Gerard. His amber and green gaze was impossible to escape once it captured the path of another's stare. Frank felt his heart rattle as the intensity increased once his eyes were ensnared.

"Isn't this . . . a comically drastic change?" Gerard's lips shadowed over with the faintest trace of a smile, his head cocking ever so slightly. A black tress of hair fluttered onto his cheekbone and cradled the porcelain skin like a strip of silk. Frank was nearly gawking before he caught himself.

"I mean — the constant rain and clouds are pretty different, yeah." Frank laughed painfully breathlessly. "I like the sun, makes me happy."

"Then why'd you move to a place that barely has any?" Strangely enough, Gerard appeared perplexed enough by Frank's choice, as if he struggled to figure out the meaning even if it wasn't exactly the most complex thing to figure out.

"I came here to live with my mom. It's been a long time since I've even visited her." Frank explained in a softer tone lowered away from the possible overhearing ears of his classmates. "I've been with my dad this whole time."

Gerard's expression cleared, almost completely blank, but something within his strange eyes kept Frank captivated. "Oh. I'm sorry to hear your parents are split up."

"It's fine. It happens to a lot of people, yeah?" Frank rubbed the side of his neck. "I'd rather they do whatever they need to be happy than be stuck together and miserable."

"Are they happy?" Gerard asked, following the same hushed tone as Frank, but in a far more tranquil note similar to a lullaby. It made Frank feel at ease talking about a personal topic.

"I think so." Frank toyed with his lip ring. "My dad re-married, my mom has a good job and she doesn't look unhappy."

"She must be glad you've returned."

"I would say she is." Frank's smile was small, but enough for Gerard to return it, stunning him further.

"Are you happy?"

The question took Frank slightly aback. His eyes fluttered for a moment, his mind blanking. He settled for the easiest answer instead of answering with the full truth. "I'm not unhappy, I don't think."

"I've seen you a fair amount of times today. I have a feeling the grayness of this place wears you down."

Frank rolled his shoulders back, a bit of his defenses picking up. "I'm doing a good thing being here. I'm giving my dad time with his new wife, and my mom had wanted me to visit for a while."

"That doesn't necessarily mean your happiness comes along with catering to others." Gerard frowned.

Frank's lips turned down along with him. Why was he so interested? "Well . . . I'm still adjusting. That's all."

"Ah." Gerard nodded slowly, looking away.

Then, Frank realized with a pang of something awfully similar to embarrassment that he practically bared a decent portion of his life story to a near stranger. He'd asked for the information to make conversation, but Frank wasn't sure how he shared so effortlessly.

Frank picked up his pen again, a strained half chuckle working up his throat. "I've probably been boring you with my shit. It's not as interesting as it seems. Since I'm the new kid everyone's apparently talking about."

"You're not boring me. I asked because I wanted to know." Gerard hesitated for a beat, his brow arching low over his eyes as he quickly looked over Frank's face. "You're a bit difficult to read."

Frank's lips parted in surprise. "I've always been told I'm practically an open book."

"And I've always been told I'm good at understanding others easily."

For a moment, their eyes connected, lingering for longer than necessary. Color crept up the sides of Frank's neck as he was doused in the strange floral magma running through Gerard's soul, the only way he could explain the most unorthodox tango he read from him. It felt like Gerard tried to reach into him the same, but to no avail, causing Frank's heartbeat to spike.

Drawn in by burning hazel green eyes glowing brighter than any other pair, Frank unintelligently blurted out, "Did you buy colored contacts?"

Gerard bristled at the question. He turned his head in the other direction, shifting in his seat, and Frank immediately stammered out an apology.

"Yikes, sorry. I don't know why I asked, it's probably none of my business." Frank's face burned hotter than the California sunlight. "I'm not judging you if you did, it's a . . . nice color, I don't know, I just remembered them being. Darker."

Talk about digging yourself further into a hole. Frank considered for a hot second which coffin was more flattering for a deathly complexion so he could choose one to be buried in.

"No, I didn't." Gerard murmured and pressed his lips together. "My eyes turn darker when I don't feel well."

Frank felt guilty that Gerard needed to explain himself, so he opted not to say anything else on the matter, and instead threw himself back into the formation of the essay's draft to cover up the new awkward silence brewing between them, including Gerard's sudden mood shift. He prayed he didn't offend Gerard by being too observant, but to be fair, Gerard was catapulting plenty of personal questions in his direction. But he did hold himself accountable in case he embarrassed Gerard if he didn't take offense to his question. Frank didn't entirely buy the reason behind the change in color.

Silence continued on with the occasional break as Frank asked questions quietly answered by his project partner, to which he took into consideration while completing the first paragraphs of the rough draft. He didn't put too much ardor into it since a rough draft meant there was room for improvement later on when Frank would transfer the writing onto a digital document.

"Frank," Gerard's soothing voice broke his focus, "you mentioned you have a step mother now?"

Frank's eyebrows shot up at the random question. He tongued his lip ring from the inside of his mouth, raising his head. "Yeah?"

"Do you like her?" Gerard continued rolling smoothly as if there was no break or shift between questions.

Frank slowed his writing and eventually came to a complete halt. "She's nice. She tries a little too hard to get me to like her sometimes, I think. But she's good for my dad."

"Does she try being motherly?"

"Yeah, mostly." Frank rolled his pen between his fingers.

"Hmm." Gerard hummed, and pressed his lips together in a pensive state of mind.

"How about you?" Frank felt strange being under the spotlight without attempting to learn about Gerard. "What's your life like?"

Gerard's mouth shrunk, his eyes averting Frank's gaze suddenly. He faced the direction of the front of the classroom, all curiosity gone. "It's not very interesting."

Frank, slightly stunned by his reaction, wasn't sure how to respond for a small moment. "Oh, I'm sorry. I just thought, since you asked about me . . ." He trailed off.

"It's okay. I'm a bit private about family matters."

"Oh." Frank nodded. "I get that."

Conversation fell away again, that time for the rest of the period unless Frank needed to pass down an inquiry for the essay, but doing so lead him to collecting a massive pile of nerves each time after Gerard shut down after being asked about his family. From a distance, their bunch appeared normal, but Frank had an inkling there was more to it if Gerard grew uncomfortable after being asked about it, even if Frank didn't intend to cause any harm. He decided to keep to himself to avoid running into any topics that might've set Gerard off unpleasantly, but his mind was a confused tangle of questions after noticing the way Gerard's moods flickered back and forth in a short matter of time. It wasn't Frank's business, but he couldn't help but wonder.

When the class period rolled to an end, Frank was stunned to see Gerard quickly gather his things and rush out of the classroom without a single word or glance behind. Frank stayed seated with his bag clutched in his hands and couldn't help but feel guilty, but after putting more thought into it after wandering out of the classroom in a bit of a daze, he realized he hadn't exactly done anything wrong. Previous irritation he thought he was done with flared anew in sharp tingles at the center of his spine and washed towards his insides until he was scowling and storming off to his next class. Frank's patience ran thin only because of the insecurity Gerard laid within him that he so could've lived without. No person was worth scrambling over his words and choosing them carefully for, knowing he hadn't done a thing wrong unless being polite was against Gerard's way of thinking. Frank wasn't sure what his deal was, but if Gerard would rather act so abrasively towards basic human kindness despite practically interrogating Frank the entire class period, Frank would turn his cheek and keep things civil if he was forced to be seated beside him for the remainder of the semester.

In gym, Frank opted against standing in the sidelines in dodgeball and scored a few blows to the opposing team that pelted him with rubber balls previously. He kept his irritation at bay so he didn't cause any harm, but the activity caused him to break a sweat, something he dearly needed whenever he was upset. After he felt it melted away along with the rest of his energy, Frank quickly changed back into his ordinary clothes after freshening up and escaped the locker room upon the ringing of the dismissal bell. Thunder rumbled beneath the pregnant clouds of gloom banding together in the sky and stretching out far past the horizon visible to Frank in the parking lot. He hiked the hoodie to his jacket over his head and cautiously moved down the slick sidewalk towards his car. Along the way, Frances called out to him from behind, and he spun around curiously to see where her voice came from.

Frances walked past the iron gate and made her way towards Frank without any of their friends at her side. Her long braid stuck out underneath her hood and she pressed a purple binder adorned in band stickers against her chest. Frank paused where he stood and waved, sticking his hands in his pockets soon after when the chilly bite of the air nipped at his knuckles.

"Hey Frank, I'm glad I caught ya." Frances bounced to a halt and tapped her fingers along the spine of the school binder in her hands.

"What's up?" Frank asked with a nod, rolling his lips into his mouth.

"I was wondering if you wanted to meet up with me and Adam at the Street 14 Café. We're about to head out right now."

Frank hesitated, the heel of his shoe digging into a crack along the pavement. "I hate to sound like a goody two shoes, but I'd have to ask my mom."

Frances's lips split into an amused grin and her eyes crinkled. "It's no biggie, you can just text me and let me know what she says. Actually— did I ever give you my number?"

"Uh, no, I don't think so." Frank's cheeks stained red, worrying over how he must've looked to not attempt to keep in touch with his friends outside of school.

"It's fine, you don't have to feel guilty." Frances chuckled and opened her binder to a blank page, pulling a pen from one of the folds.

As Frances scribbled her number onto the paper, Frank's eyes lifted fleetingly once something entered his peripherals, only to linger on the passing figure. His lips parted as if to mention something as Gerard Way passed him by, their gazes sliding across each other, but Frank was only met with obvious deflection. Gerard continued on without another regarding glance as if he hadn't tried to crawl underneath Frank's skin to dissect his past to his liking. Frank was still with shock even when Frances tore out the paper containing her number scrawled between one of the blue lines.

"Are you okay?" Frances asked upon taking notice of Frank's disbelief.

Frank shook away the rigidness pooling between his joints and blinked twice. He cleared his throat, trying not to allow his indignation show even as it simmered under every layer of skin on his body.

"Yeah, sorry, I just — I thought I forgot something important in the locker room, but I remembered I put it in my bag." Frank sighed a little harsher than necessary and cooled it by weakly smiling. He took the page being handed to him and glanced at Frances's number underneath her curly signature followed by a dash and a message politely requesting him to keep in touch. "Thanks. I'll let you know it's me when I text you."

"I hope you'll be able to come." Frances quirked her lips in a benevolent smile and they went on their separate paths after the exchange.

Frank slammed the car door after he settled into the driver's seat, full of agitation balancing on the edge promising unbridled anger. It was impossible for every person to like Frank, but the obviousness of Gerard's sudden dislike for him churned in his stomach. It shouldn't have mattered, underneath the surface it wouldn't in a surplus of days, but currently, Frank thought he held every right to be offended. Gerard asked questions and obviously wasn't afraid to show he didn't like any of the answers. Frank's sigh was rough as he shoved the keys into the ignition and the truck's elderly engine gave a trembling wheeze as it started. He impatiently waited for the truck's initial quaking to pass so he could pull out of the school's parking lot, the last place he wanted to be. He tied of ribbon of hope around his heart that he'd be permitted to join his friends at the café after the obligatory check in with Linda, knowing a good distraction was well overdue.

Frank gunned the engine, passing Gerard's obnoxiously materialistic car and hoping the puddle he glided across sprayed violently all over the polished silver paint.

——
Another chapter is finally here! I couldn't resist it. It's my first time adding Kayleigh Goldsworthy to any of my work. If you don't know who that is, she's a member of Frank Iero and the Future Violents, and she's also a good friend of Frank's.

I hope you enjoyed that. We finally got some interaction going, and there's more to come soon. I love the idea of Gerard being this irresistibly beautiful enigma. That's practically what he is in reality, haha.

Until next time!

"I lie awake and try so hard not to think of you. But who can decide what they dream? And dream I do. . ."

-rosexo