Complicated Living [Frerard Short Story]

Part 1

Hi...

Plz point out mistakes.

I'm v proud of this cover.

TW for implied rape, low self-esteem, and mentions of suicidal thoughts.

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Gerard tapped his foot nervously, glancing around at the other parents in the room.  There were so many differences. He was by far the youngest - which was saying a lot at a kindergarten open-house - only nineteen, with two four-year-olds, (a very complicated story he was glad no-one had pried into so far), one of the few without a wedding ring. People seemed to be assuming he was their brother.

 Bandit clutched his right hand tightly as Miles held his left, both of their dark eyed gazes shifting as nervously as their father's.

Suddenly, Gerard was called upon for social interaction when the person he assumed was the teacher approached him, if the lanyard was anything to go by.

He was about the age a kindergarten teacher usually was, somewhere in his early twenties (and still older than Gerard). He must have gone straight to college after school. As a kindergarten teacher, the dress code for him was more lax, even for this parent event.

He was dressed in black jeans and a gray t-shirt, his dark hair swept almost over his eyes. Gerard knew he would be a teacher he would have loved to have when he was in school.

"Hi, I'm Frank," he said, sticking out his hand for shaking. Gerard took it, trying not to shake with nerves.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Gerard," he said, trying to fit into his parental/adult role. "This Bandit, and this is Miles." He introduced each of his children. "They're twins."

Frank bent down, sitting back on his calves.

"Hey guys," he said. He put his hand out for them to shake as well. "I'm Frank, I'm gonna be your teacher. What's your name?"

Bandit tentatively reached out and took two of his fingers into her small hand, moving them up and down slightly.

"I'm Bandit," she said quietly.

She reached across Gerard's legs to tap on Miles.

He copied her movements, telling Frank his name as well.

"Nice to meet you," Frank said. He stood again to meet Gerard's eye level. Or a little below, because he was short. He turned his words back to Gerard. "So, just to confirm, you're their father, right?"

Gerard nodded. "Mmhm."

"Okay," Frank nodded as well, then smiled brightly, looking down at the kids. "Do you want a tour of the classroom?"

Bandit and Miles nodded slowly, following Frank and leading Gerard with them.

They saw the reading corner, which Miles loved, since he was already trying to read, plus it had a lot of beanbags and stuffed animals, which he also loved.

Bandit liked the game corner the best, a place full of puzzles and blocks, legos, and dolls, which was unsurprising, since she was by far the most active member of their family.

Gerard liked the art corner the best, but that wasn't very important since he wasn't going to this school.

Frank seemed nice, and Gerard was less nervous about leaving his babies with a random stranger for seven hours a day all week. 

Even if he was nervous, he had to. He had just gotten a new job, and the slight chance of them being kidnapped was a risk he was willing to take if it meant they got to not starve to death.