sleep tight {frerard}

Chapter 4

Frank sighed, leaning his head against the bus window.

He stared at the buildings passing by, the CVS, the Starbucks, the barber shop, the candy store. He was leaving it all behind. Well, as much of it as he could.

It wasn't like he was leaving the country or anything, just going to the next town over.

They rolled up to the next bus stop in no time, screeching to a halt.

Frank watched as a few more people got on before closing his eyes, leaning his head on the window.

Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice call out his name.

"Frank? What are you doing with a bag packed on the bus?"

Frank's eyes snapped open to reveal a concerned looking Ellie staring at him.

"I- I, uh. Um-" Frank started.

"Are you... running away?" Ellie questioned, and Frank shifted in his seat. Damn, she was good.

"No." Frank started. "Not really. Maybe. Possibly? Yes." He sighed in defeat.

"Why?" Ellie asked forlornly, and Frank shrugged.

"Well, my mom said she didn't want to see me, and she's said that before a lot. She doesn't really notice me much. Mostly she makes me do chores." Frank explained, looking at Ellie through his eyelashes.

Ellie stared at him for a couple seconds before sitting down next to him. She sighed, placing a hand on his arm.

"Would you like to come live with me?" Ellie offered. Frank's mouth dropped.

"Are you serious?" Frank gasped, and Ellie nodded.

"Sure, I've got a spare bedroom." Ellie smiled kindly at Frank.

"Thank you so much, Ellie you have no idea how much this means to me!"

"I'm sure I don't." She said sadly, with a far away look in her eye.

"Why do you say it like that?" Frank asked.

"Once upon a time my parents said they didn't want to see me too." She answered distractedly.

"Oh. Why, though?" Frank persisted, and Ellie sighed.

"My parents are extremely catholic, and I'm extremely gay. So it didn't really work out. I think they just viewed me as a failure. But my girlfriend took me in to live with her and her parents and now look. We're married! So I think it all works out in the end." Ellie said, her face unclouding, and her regular, happy look returning.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure my mom thinks I'm a disappointment too. I mean she's never really liked me I don't think, I was sort of an accident. I was always pretty bad with school and I never got good grades. And then I started getting into more hardcore rock which probably didn't help my case. When I told her I was gay, she just stopped talking to me entirely. I mean at least before she used to yell and hit me if I did something wrong, but now she just pretends I'm not there. The only thing she ever does is tell me to do chores, and to stop playing guitar." Frank mumbled gloomily.

"You poor thing." Ellie cooed, gathering Frank into her arms and giving him a squeeze.

"You can stay at my house as long as you'd like, okay? I don't know if Lucy is home yet, but I'm sure she'll be glad to have you." She said. Frank started to feel his eyes well up.

"Th-thank you, Ellie. You have no idea how much this means to me." He sniffled.

"I totally understand, I've been there. But don't worry, it gets better. And things will return back to normal." Ellie said.

But as Frank stared out the bus window, he noticed a familiar looming figure, and suddenly, he wasn't so sure Ellie would be right.