Three Cheers for Sweethearts [Frerard AU]

PART III: Chapter 20

                  

CHAPTER 20 – INFAMOUS LAST WORDS

A/N: I didn't notice how unbelievably long this chapter was until I finished writing it and put in the chapter break, then actually forgot what chapter number I was on. Ten pages exactly on Word. Hopefully it's worth it and makes up for how short the previous chapter was!

Head down, Frank approached me after US History.

"Are you really grounded?" Frank asked quietly.

"Wha- yeah, I am." I had to stop myself from adding why would I lie to you? as soon as I remembered that that was just what I was doing.

"Okay." He started to walk away and I had the sudden urge to call him back. No, Gerard, that's flirty, I scolded myself.

But I didn't have to call him back. Instead, he turned around on his own.

"Would you have said yes?"

He asked it so explicitly that it was almost startling. When I didn't answer right away, Frank gained enough confidence to look off of the floor and onto my feet. Then my legs. His eyes kept lifting until his eyes met mine – which was more than intimidating, despite his size – and the two of us were stuck in position, locked by each other's eyes. I didn't want to break it with the wrong word.

Someone else did. "I hate to ruin the moment... But if everything I've heard is true, Gerard Gay turned down his boyfriend for prom."

"Hunter, we made a deal," I turned to him, unimpressed.

"You don't deny it." He smiled.

"I don't. It takes less energy."

"Sure!" Hunter doubled over in laughter. "I'd keep our deal," he choked out between laughs, "but I just can't help myself. This is gold." He erupted in a second round of laughs. I tried to exchange an empathetic look with Frank, but he wasn't catching my gaze. He was staring at the ground, very obviously fighting back tears.

***

The sound of Hunter's cackling echoed between my ears all day.

On the bright side of things, I could get revenge easier than he thought I could.

After Drawing class, I took a left instead of a right. There, as I knew I would find, Hunter's little group of friends was gathered around the corner.

They must have had my schedule memorized, at least partially, because they didn't hide their surprise to see me there.

"Hey guys," I started, ready to bash Hunter right there, but I got interrupted before I could movie my sentence along.

"'Hey guys,' he says. Like we're his friends," one of them sniggered. The others laughed at his joke and a few high fives were slapped around. Seriously? Oh, oh no, they got me, I am feeling very victimized and vulnerable!! I thought sarcastically.

If Hunter was going to break his end of the deal, it was my turn to break mine. "Have you seen Hunter around? He wasn't at tutoring on Friday," I asked them, ignoring the previous comment.

They hesitated, but only for a second, while they tried to comprehend what I just said.

"He's tutoring you now?" One of them started laughing, but not as confidently as before. "Pathetic."

"Actually, no," I stated the obvious, "I'm tutoring him in art, because he's failing and I was the first person he thought of to help him out. Every Friday after school in the library. And, well, between you and me," I leaned in close to them, a sly smirk stretching across my lips, "I think he likes me."