Pay Attention, Mr. Iero (Frerard)

23 - Cream Filled Donuts

Gerard walked out with me after cleaning himself up and packing up his belongings from class. I followed him out to his car in silence, like a lost puppy. I was not sure how to comfort him. What was I supposed to say? Sorry you lost your job because of me?

He tossed his satchel in the backseat before turning to face me. He barely seemed worried anymore about being seen with me in public. I guess it didn't matter now.

I chewed at my lip nervously, but he only smiled kindly before reaching out and petting me on the head, turning my hair into a tangled, fluffy mess.

"I'm sorry-"

"Don't start back up," he rolled his eyes. "I thought I already got you to shut up when you came all over me... speaking of which..." Pulling out his handkerchief, he wiped off a spot he apparently missed from earlier.

I started to blush, but I still felt terrible.

"Listen, I'll make it up to you, I promise." I assured him. At this point, I was more so just trying to convince myself that everything was going to be fine for the two of us.

"I'm okay. Trust me, Frank," he grabbed my shoulders, forcing me to look at him directly. "But if you keep bringing it up, I might lose my mind."

I took a deep breath, "Okay, okay."

He leaned in and quickly pecked me on the lips before opening his car door to take off.

"So, what now?" I asked as he was climbing in.

Well, I have some stuff to grade and I'm killing for some more coffee in my system. Wanna come home with me? We can stop at Dunkin Donuts or something on the way."

I nodded and ran around the front of the car to the other side to hop in.

After getting some coffee and donuts that he generously paid for (mostly because I didn't have any cash on me), we headed back to his place, where we sat down across from each other at the kitchen table. He spread out his papers, artworks, and assignments neatly onto the tabletop, trying to avoid any possible coffee stains or donut crumbs from appearing.

We talked casually for a little before I wandered off to the bathroom to piss. I figured, he could focus better if I left him alone for at least a few minutes. On the way back from the bathroom, I wandered up the stairs quietly, quickly becoming distracted by Gerard's artworks. I hadn't seen them since the last time I was over, and yet they still amazed me just as much as when I first saw them. Sneaking into his bedroom, I stared in awe at his painting of the black and white, dead-looking parade.

He was truly talented. If only his paintings could leave their dusty spots on the walls and floors of the upstairs of his dark house for the world to see. I'm sure I wouldn't be the only one to be so impressed by them. Especially considering I knew almost nothing about art. If only professionals could study these...

Before returning downstairs, I snapped a picture of a couple of them, so I could admire them later once I left his house.

Then, I travelled back to the kitchen table where I found my teacher extremely focused on scribbling down some intense chicken-scratch comments about one of his student's drawings.

I leaned up against the doorway, watching his stern yet impressed face as he studied the work. He was definitely good at this stuff.

"How am I doing?" I asked after some time.

He moved on to the next student's drawing, not even looking up, "How are you doing? You mean in my art class?"

"Mhmm, am I passing?"