It's hard being the new kid.

Gerard picked up his worn out backpack containing only his sketchpad, some pencils and pens, and a few well-read comics.  He figured he'd be prepared to eat lunch alone.  He would have had lunch with Mikey at least, but unfortunately they didn't get the same lunch period.  He'd gotten to his first two classes alright, but he had no idea where his next class was.  It was Art.  He knew it was somewhere on the second floor, so at least he could just wander around until he saw some art kids.  You could always tell which ones they were.  Most of them dressed like hippies.  Lots of tie dye and long hair.  He didn't exactly fit in with them, but he liked that they never seemed to care.  Of all the people he'd met in high school, they were the only ones he didn't feel the need to disappear around.  They were accepting of him, even if he was the quiet kid that always wore black.

After getting through what looked like the foreign language and history hall, he turned the corner and saw a group of tie-dyed shirts going through a set of double doors.  He decided he might as well follow them, since he had no idea where he was going.  This school was so much bigger than his last school.  He saw a couple of kids duck into a classroom with big windows just as the bell rung. “Shit,” he mumbled.  Just what he needed, to be late on his first day in his favorite class.  He sped up the pace and double checked the crumpled paper in his pocket for the room number.  This was it.  He walked in to find students everywhere getting materials and talking to the teacher.  She was an older woman, but dressed quite bohemian-like.  He grinned and wondered if she smelled of pot on her days off.

He waited until most of the students had left her side, then walked up to her and gave her his schedule.  “I'm Gerard Way, I just started today.”  “Gerard?  Oh yes, Ms. Adams told me I'd be getting a new student.  Welcome, I'm Miss Harrison, have a seat anywhere you like.  I'll be getting started in a few minutes once everyone gets settled.”  She handed him his schedule back.  Shoving it back in his pocket he looked for a corner with fewer students to sit.  He found a spot which looked clear of backpacks and sat down.  Miss Harrison, clapped her hands twice and everyone quickly got to a seat.  “Alright guys, today we are going to continue working on our ..”  Just then a someone came bursting in the door.  “Hey sorry Miss Harrison,” he said trotting over to sit next to Gerard.  “It's alright Frank, we were just getting started.  As I was saying, we're going to keep working on our projects for the art show.  I also wanted to introduce everyone to our new student, Gerard Way.”  Everyone turned around looking at the pale kid in black next to Frank.  Frank turned to notice the older boy for the first time since he got in class.  The kid smiled at Gerard with a glimmer in his eyes.  Gerard's heart was in his throat.  “He's so beautiful,” he thought.  Suddenly he blushed and looked down at the table.

Miss Harrison told everyone to get to work and that she'd come around to check on them once they were working.  She walked over to Gerard and told him that he could just work on a sketch today if he wanted since he wouldn't have time to finish anything by the show that Friday.  He nodded, knowing that he could actually get it done in an afternoon if he wanted, but not wanting to speak up in front of Frank.  “Frank, why don't you get your project?”  Frank nodded and walked over to one of the large cabinets on the other side of the room.  Gerard's eyes followed him unconsciously.  Miss Harrison smiled, knowing that lovesick look, and walked over to another table to talk to some other students.  Frank turned around, markers and paper in hand and caught Gerard's eyes on him.  He grinned big again, and walked back over.  Gerard's eyes dropped instantly and he tried to look busy rummaging through his backpack.  He yanked out his sketchpad and his pens and pencils went flying.  “Damnit,” Gerard thought, “I look like a total jackass.”  Frank set his things down on the table and started helping Gerard pick up.  “Thanks,” Gerard said, trying not to look at the boy now inches from him.

Frank offered his handful of pencils and when Gerard went to grab them, his hand brushed Frank's.  Gerard shivered as his stomach flipped.  What the hell was wrong with him?  He hadn't ever been so nervous around anyone before.  Something about this boy just made his heart pound.  Frank walked back by Gerard to get to his seat, letting his arm lightly brush against Gerard's back.  Gerard stifled the urge to wrap this boy in his arms and kiss his lovely neck.  He suddenly wondered what it would be like to tangle his fingers in Frank's hair while smelling his scent.  “Snap out of it Gerard,” he muttered under his breath.  “Huh?” Frank looked at him questioningly.  “Oh nothin', just talking to myself,” Gerard was starting to feel like a big oaf.

The rest of the class he said very little.  Mostly he kept his head down working on one of his characters.  He noticed Frank glance over a few times, and responded with short yes and no answers when Frank would comment on something.  After a few questions, Frank was quietly working on some drawing of what looked like some sort of green monster to Gerard.  He giggled to himself at how bad Frank was.  Frank looked at him, “What?” “Oh nothing,” Gerard replied.  “Your laughing at my Swamp Thing, aren't you?”  Gerard laughed out loud, “Is that what that's supposed to be?”  Frank giggled.  Gerard thought it was the most adorable sound he'd ever heard.  He knew then that he was going to have to find a way to make this boy his.  He smiled softly at this.  The bell rang signaling the end of class.  Frank jumped up, shoved his stuff in his reserved space, and waved a quick goodbye flashing a smile at Gerard as he walked out the door.  Gerard stuffed his things in his bag and followed suit.

The rest of the day was fairly boring.  He looked around for Frank at lunch but didn't see him.  He ended up having lunch out behind the school.  No one seemed to notice him slip out and back in later.  When he got home, Mikey told him all about how much he liked his classes, which teachers were crazy, and what kids were cool.  He talked about a group of guys he hung out with at lunch who were in some of his classes.  When Mikey said “Frank”, Gerard's ears perked up.  He wondered if it was the same one.  Not wanting to seem overly anxious, he asked Mikey what the guys were like, trying not to single out Frank.  Mikey described all the guys as having longer hair, wearing lots of black, and liking a lot of the same music.  He mentioned that two of the guys played guitar.  Gerard decided to leave it at that.  Mikey mentioned that he invited the guys to come over and hang out sometime, and Gerard's heart jumped.  He hoped Frank was one of those guys.  

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The next day, Gerard woke up well before his alarm.  He'd never been so excited to get to school.  He was dressed and downstairs sitting at the kitchen table for fifteen minutes before Mikey staggered down half awake.  “Coffee?” Mikey asked hopefully.  Gerard pointed to the pot which was still completely full.  “You haven't had any?  Geez, how are you functioning?”  Gerard laughed, but only shrugged not feeling that Mikey would understand his boy crush.  Mikey poured himself a cup of coffee, then Gerard was urging him out the door.  “If you aren't out there in the next five minutes, I'm leaving without you,” he called going out to warm up his car.

They arrived at school with ten minutes until they had to be in homeroom, so he tagged along with Mikey to the cafeteria.  Mikey explained on the way that the guys usually hung out there because their bus got there so early.  Gerard was suddenly very nervous.  Mikey waved to a group of guys across the room and dragged Gerard over.  “Hey guys, this is my brother.”  The guys all said hi.  Frank was nowhere to be seen.  Gerard relaxed even though he was disappointed.  Gerard felt a hand on his shoulder, “Hey Gee!”  Gerard turned to see Frank smiling.  Gerard grinned ridiculously wide but tried to hide his excitement at seeing Frank.  “His hand is on my shoulder and he remembers me,” Gerard thought to himself. Mikey turned, “Hey Frankie, I guess you already know my brother, Gerard.”  “Yup,” Frank smiled, “we have an art class together, right?”  Gerard nodded like an idiot in response but was only really conscious of the heat of Frank's hand which had not left his shoulder.

A few minutes later the first bell rang and everyone went off to their homerooms.  Gerard spent the whole morning thinking about the next time he would see Frank.  His math class was spent sketching Frank's face instead of taking notes on quadratic equations.  When the bell rang for the next period, Gerard jumped up, stuffed everything in his bag and was the first out of the door.  He was one of the first people to get in art class.  Miss Harrison came over to him and asked him what he'd like to work on for the next few days.  Gerard, pulled out his sketchpad and showed her the drawing from the other day.  She smiled appreciatively, and told Gerard how happy she was to have such a talented student.  She told him she had a special project she'd like him to work on and she'd tell him about it later.  Gerard nodded and went back to work on his drawing.

Frank came in just before the late bell rang.  “On time today, Frank” Miss Harrison said with a smile.  Frank blushed and sat down next to Gerard.  “Hey Frankie,” Gerard said with the same big goofy grin from earlier.  Frank smiled back, “Hey Gee, still working on that picture from yesterday?”  “Yeah, it'll probably be done by today though.”  Frank nodded and got up to get his work from the previous day.  Miss Harrison talked for a few minutes then let everyone get to work on their projects.  Frank and Gerard talked much more than the previous day.  Gerard got the impression sometimes that Frank was flirting with him, but then he dismissed it as wishful thinking on his part.  They talked about their classes, which teachers they liked, and Frank gave him advice on which kids to stay away from.  They didn't share any other classes but this one, being that Gerard was so much older, but age never seemed to be an issue in any other way.  They had become fast friends.

------

The next few days went quickly with Gerard and Frank talking more and more.  By the end of the week, Frank was inviting Gerard to stay over Friday night.  Gerard enthusiastically accepted, though he hoped he didn't sound too excited about the prospect of getting Frankie all to himself for a whole night.  When Gerard got home that afternoon he jotted a note to his mom, shoved some clothes and things in his backpack, and was back out the door on his way to Frank's.  He hadn't said anything about it to Mikey, not knowing really how to explain how he got invited to Mikey's friend's house and why he wasn't.  Gerard walked up to Frank's door and pressed the doorbell.  He heard some footsteps quickly coming downstairs right before the door flew open.  “Hey!” Frankie said pulling Gerard in the door.  “Let's go upstairs to my room, ok?”  Gerard nodded knowing this boy was going to drag him there whether he wanted to or not, not that that was a problem for Gerard.  He was thrilled to be going into this boy's room alone with him.

Frank finally let go of Gee's arm when they were sitting on his bed.  “Ok um, I have something to tell you,” Frank started.  Gerard looked at him questioningly.  “Well,” he said rubbing his arm, “so I like you.”  “I like you too, Frank.  You're a cool guy, I'm glad we're friends.” Gerard said obliviously.  “No,” Frank said, “I mean, I really like you.”  He blushed as he said this and Gerard stared trying to decide if he was hearing what he thought he was hearing.  “Wait, do you mean that you...” Gerard trailed off.  Frank nodded and looked down.  “I can understand if that totally freaks you out and you don't want to be friends anymore, I just couldn't stand feeling this way and not telling you.”  Gerard felt relief wash over him.  “I like you too, Frankie”  Frank looked up, his whole face lighting up “Really?”  Gerard nodded and put his hand on Frank's “Yeah, really.  I haven't been able to think about anything else ever since we met Monday.”  Frank pounced on Gerard wrapping his arms around his neck.  Gerard laughed and embraced this boy he had adored all week.  “Man, I feel so much better now that that's over” Frank said.  Gerard agreed.  The two boys spent the rest of the afternoon talking and holding hands in Frank's room.  Gerard decided this was the best day of his life.