It All Started With Women's Rights -Frerard-

Taunting Birds, Haunting Words

I was wide awake. I glanced at my clock. Sure enough, it was 12:47 AM. My mind had been buzzing. About the damn kiss and that huge wave of sadness I had felt. I was almost tempted to call him, but I was 99.99% sure he wasn't awake. I rolled over on my side and reached for my phone. I opened my texts and saw the last message.

Goodnight, Frankie. Sleep well... or at least try to. <3

I sighed and finally gave in to my hideous temptations. I typed out my message and pressed send. I barely had to wait long until I heard my phone buzz. I grabbed for my phone but ended up knocking it onto the floor. I reached for it, but almost fell on my face. I sighed, got up, and read the damn text message.

Yes, I'm awake... Is something wrong?

No. Well, sort of.

Do you need to call?

See you in 15 minutes.

Oh, uh, should you really be out this late?

Ttyl

I could tell that he had given up because he didn't reply. I scrambled around and ended up just jumping out the bathroom window. My parents would be a little concerned if they heard the door open at a time like this... I knew this was pushing a small line, but to hell with it. I needed answers. I walked around in the pitch dark, my phone in hand in case some messed up guy wanted to jump me. Eventually, I saw the infamous Volkswagen convertible and ran to his porch. I knocked on the door, feeling sweat bead on my hairline.

The door creaked open ever-so-slightly, "Frank? What are you doing?"

"Let me in."

"Not until you explain yourself." He said sternly.

"If you love someone a lot, kiss them, and feel something other than happiness, that's their repressed emotion," I said quoting my grandmother.

He opened the door, "Get in here before someone sees you."

I walked in and he locked the door behind me, "What the hell does that mean?"

"When I kissed you," I started, "I was expecting this wave of, I don't know, happiness? But it felt sad... Like I was tragically kissed. I want to know what's wrong."

"Is that why you asked if I was okay?"

"Yes," I sighed, glad he was catching on.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair, "Sit down while I put on a shirt."

I nodded, not even realizing he wasn't wearing a shirt in the first place, "Okay,"

I sat on the couch and noticed a red and green thing bobbing out of the corner of my eye. I jumped, but sighed, just realizing it was his bird. It looked at me, stopped, and then continued to fly over to me and nibble at my fingers. Gerard walked back out, pulling a white tank top over his head.

"Sorry about her," he pointed at the bird and she climbed onto his finger, "She likes you, which is good. She didn't like the last person that came over."

I smiled at how he affectionately looked at her, "What's her name?"

"Karina. Cute isn't she?"

"Yes, but not as much as her owner." I smiled.

"Dammit, Frank. It's too early for this." He whispered, putting the bird on the TV stand.

He sat next to me, turning his body. I did the same, "Well, talk. I'm all ears."

He sighed, "I'm, uh, depressed. I finally got the guts to go to the doctor and get my medication. That part's doing better... Work is stressful. I love my job, but it's just so bland. I never see any color or originality. It's like they all went to the essay generator website and just copied and pasted it into their journals! And recently my family has gone to shit. My parents have for some reason blocked me on almost everything. The only people who still talk to me are my lesbian cousins. I love them to death, but they're always on each other and it's like I'm not there. I don't know, Frank. Maybe I'm just having some kind of existential crisis. I just don't have any meaning anymore..."