K-12 | Frerard

chapter three

"Don't do anything crazy," Frank hissed under his breath as Gerard pulled out a sheet from his notebook, tossing it in the air. It levitated in front of them, and Frank shot a nervous look at the girl next to them. She was unfazed.

"Oh, you're an animus." She realized, looking at Gerard before adding, "Watch out; the principal is one, too. He doesn't like sharing."

There it was again: animus. What did it mean?

It took Frank a moment to realize that Gerard had begun writing on the paper, the black ink soaking into the weak paper.

How much do you make off our suffering?

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Frank asked but Gerard only shrugged, folding up the paper wordlessly and sliding it under the principal's door. There was a sharp whooshing noise, and a moment later the hall was filled with an agonized shriek, making Frank leap to his feet in shock.

"What did you do?" Frank shouted over the piercing noise, plugging his ears. It sounded as if someone was dying, and waves of pain were pulsing from under the crack in the door.

"Run!" Gerard pushed him, making Frank stumble as he chased after the boy. There was a faint hint of fear in Gerard's touch, but it was too brief for Frank to be sure. We're late for class, again. The words were clear in Frank's mind, and he almost laughed.

You're worried about class? Frank looked at Gerard incredulously as they ran, gasping for breath. You just fucking killed someone! Again!

It's not like he won't come back to life, Gerard replied calmly, and Frank frowned, wrapping his arms around Gerard in something Frank refused to call a hug.

"Hey! Let go!" Gerard cried, trying unsuccessfully to pry the other boy off. By the time he'd pushed Frank away, it was too late; he'd seen what Gerard had done.

"You stabbed him? With a paper airplane?" Frank gaped, and Gerard shushed him. "Yeah, well maybe I have something against those things after someone called me a fucking faggot with one."

"Is it that horrible to you for someone to be gay?" Frank shut his eyes tight, turning the tears in the corners of his eyes to vapor. It didn't stop the tremor in his voice, though.

"Frank, you know that's not what I said."

"Well, it kind of sounded like it." Frank mumbled, looking away. "Maybe you should apologize."

"And maybe you shouldn't be so sensitive!" Gerard shot back. "People might say things you don't like sometimes, Frank. It doesn't mean you throw a fit over it."

Frank couldn't keep up with his eyes now, and the water was running down his cheeks in shiny lines. "I-I think I have to use the bathroom." Frank stammered, his voice hitching.

"Fucking hell, Frank." Gerard huffed. "Don't be such a fucking crybaby."

"I'm not a – a – " Frank bit his lip, turning and walking quickly away from Gerard. It was stupid, really, how upset he was getting over this. Of course, Gerard wouldn't want to be called gay; it was illegal.

But Gerard had never cared about the rules.

"Frank, come back." Gerard said, exasperated, but Frank didn't stop, walking faster until he reached the bathroom, letting the door slam behind him. The room was empty and quiet, the eeriness calming Frank. Sitting down on the edge of the sink, Frank sighed, hiding his face in his hands.