The Chasing of Moons

Mikey Finds Out

"Spill it, Oreo," Mikey says, after dragging Frank out of the lunchroom.

"Okay, is it like a running joke or something to completely forget my name?" Frank asks.

"I'm not going to attempt to pronounce your mess of a last name, Oreo," Mikey says.

"Fine. Just call me Oreo."

"I already planned on it," Mikey replies, "now, do I need to repeat myself? You need to spill on how you knew about Gerard's, uh, crush."

"I just know," Frank shrugs.

"Oh, so you just happen to know all of the details of it?" Mikey asks.

"Yes?"

"Yeah right."

"I have to get to class," Frank says, "with your brother coincidentally."

"You're not going to tell him," Mikey warns, but it sounds more like a threat than a warning.

"Uh, no?" Frank asks.

"If you tell him that you know, he'll assume that I told you and I'll get the cold shoulder for the rest of my life," Mikey says, "and I still need to know how you know in the first place."

Frank is caught between a rock and a hard place. He doesn't know how to tell Mikey any of what he knows about Gerard, because, to put it simply, it's crazy. Everything is crazy, and stupid, and unbelievable. If he were to tell Mikey, he'd probably retract his approval for Frank to chase after Gerard because he would think that Frank is actually crazy. He shouldn't have opened his big mouth. He should've pretended not to know that Gerard likes him, because now he's in this mess.

He supposes that the only thing he could do to get across to Mikey the reality of his knowledge is to show him the letter. But he can't do that, that note is for him and Gerard only. He's not supposed to show Mikey that. He can't. And yet it seems like it might not only be the right thing to do, but it might actually help him out a million times over. If Mikey knows the truth than Frank will be able to use him more strategically. That and Mikey might actually ask Pete out.

"Seriously though, I have class," Frank says, "but, I'll explain all of this to you later."

"Are you lying to me?" Mikey asks, squinting his eyes skeptically at Frank.

"No, just, you're going to have to come to my house for me to explain this to you. It's kind of complicated, and you will need proof."

"Proof?" Mikey asks in the tone that is really the most suiting for Frank's words. "Yes, because that makes so much sense."

"Ugh, jeez, just trust me, it'll make sense if you just listen to me. It's just really really really really really really really really-"

"Frank!" Mikey cuts him off.

"Sorry. Really really really complicated."

"Seriously?" Mikey asks him, "all I asked was how do you know about Gerard's crush and you're trying to tell me it's as complicated as learning advanced calculus."

"It really is," Frank says, "You have no idea. Just, fine me at my locker after school and try to bear in mind that I'm not crazy."

"Could've fooled me," Mikey says offhandedly before Frank's scurrying away from him. He needs to go get his seat next to Gerard, because if he gets there too late then someone else, probably Ray, will have sat there and will make Frank's jealousy turn into a raging house fire.

Frank, luckily, arrives only seconds after Gerard's sat down and he takes his place next to him quickly, saying a dreamy hello, and receiving an unenthusiastic grunt in return.