Gerard’s P.O.V.
Billie drops us off at school the next day, wishing his usual “have fun, boys!”
I’m hardly inside the school when a boy shoves me, spitting,
“Watch where you’re walking, fag!”
I slump down the hallways, finding first period and sitting down. Yeah, I’m having a lot of fun. I’m so early that I decide to get a drink. As I walk out into the hall, I see a senior picking on Frank.
I approach behind the senior, whose name is Marcus. I hear him say,
“Aw… look at the little midget! He’s so small!”
“Fuck you!” Frank squeaks, his voice cracking.
I cringe, knowing that saying it won’t go well for him.
Marcus hoists Frank over his shoulder, and Frank pounds his fists on his back. Too bad he can’t fight back as much as he wants to.
“Put me down!” Frank squeals. The entire hallway watches with interest as Marcus walks Frank over to the trash, dumping him in butt first. They all burst into laughter, their cackling loud in my ears.
Frank struggles to get out, his legs and arms sticking out of the bin. He rocks it back and forth, in an attempt to knock it over. I hurry over, grabbing his hands and pulling him out of the bin. He lands on his stomach, moaning lowly in pain.
Marcus points at Frank, exclaiming, “I knew he’d fit in there! Let’s see where else he can fit.”
He opens a nearby locker and grabs Frank by the collar, leading him towards it. I plant myself in front of the door, declaring,
“Leave Frank alone. What are you doing picking on a little kid, you saddo?”
Marcus squints. “Saddo?”
“You’re an asshole,” I cuss.
Marcus tosses Frank to the side, bodily flinging him a few feet. “I’m not afraid to beat up little kids. I’m also not afraid to beat up fags like you.”
I headbutt him in the chest, sending him back onto his ass. The kids cheer as I throw myself on him, punching wildly. A teacher comes out of their room, collaring both me and Frank and instructing the bystander students to take Marcus to the nurse.
I sit in the principal’s office, and I can’t help but being reminded of when I hit Pete with the stick how many years ago. I smile at the memory, how great revenge felt.
“What are you smiling at, Way?” the principal barks.
Frank looks up at me, his eyes bored, and I respond as innocently as I can,
“Nothing.”
“Do you two boys want to tell me what happened?” the principal asks.
“Well… yeah… Marcus was bullying Frank,” I answer.
The principal looks at me incredulously.
“He put him in the trash, and he was going to shove him in a locker,” I inform.
“You’re trying to make me believe that our star football player was picking on a little eighth grader?” the principal asks, gesturing at Frank.
“Just because he’s a football player doesn’t mean he’s not an asshole,” Frank cuts in.
Frank’s P.O.V.
Gerard and I sit in detention, both of us scowling. I pass a note to him reading,
“Thanks for helping me out. I really appreciate it.”
Gerard writes back, “That’s what boyfriends do.”
I smile at him, and the bell rings, so we both gather our stuff and meet Billie.
“So why’d you two get detention?” Billie inquires.
Gerard looks at me expectantly, so I begin,
“Billie, it was total bullshit. This kid named Marcus was picking on me, and Gerard was just defending me. It’s all that kid’s fault, not ours’.”
“Did I just hear that you got picked on again?” Billie says quietly.
“No… no!” I lie. I can’t lie for shit.
“That’s it, I’m going to the school. Right now,” Billie barks. He gets out of the car, motioning for me to follow.
I shoot a worried look at Gerard before following Billie.
We go to the principal’s office, where the principal says,
“Mr. Armstrong?” like he’s seen Billie before.
“Hi, I’m here to talk about Frank,” Billie spits, plopping down into one of the chairs. I hesitantly sit next to him.
“I’m worried about him as well,” the principal sighs. “Are you his guardian?”
“Umm, yes!” Billie lies smoothly. “Anyways, Frank’s been getting bullied by your students on your school grounds.”
“Nonsense,” the principal scoffs. “We would have seen such a thing.”
“I got my ass kicked right on your front step!” I shout, standing up.
The principal slams his fist on the desk and points at me, hissing, “See? This is the type of behavior I’m worried about. The swearing, the lack of respect for authority, all of it’s manifesting in your son, Billie!”
Billie huffs, “Well, I can see how he’d be pissed when he’s getting beat up on a weekly basis and no one here is trying to help him! Part of me believes you’re turning a blind eye because he’s gay!”
The principal is quiet. He responds, “Th-that’s not true. We do our best to protect students of any ethnicity, background, or sexual orien-”
“Save the bullshit,” Billie interrupts. He stands. “Let’s go Frank.”
As we head down to the car, I ask,
“How’d you know I was gay?”
Billie smiles coyly. “Frank, two boys around the same age living together? I’m not that obsolete.” He grins, and adds, “And on the day I met you, I noticed when you sat down that black lace panties peeked over your jeans. Lingerie.”
I turn scarlet, and Billie laughs at me, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.
“Don’t sweat it Frankie, I think you two are adorable. And I don’t mind slipping on a thong for Tre-”
“OKAY BILLIE I GET IT!” I shout, cupping my hands over my ears.
We go back to the car, and on a scale of albino to tomato on skin tone, I’m definitely a tomato.
“How’d it go?” Gerard questions.
Billie starts the car. He replies apathetically, “The principal’s a homophobic ass. Towards both Frank and I.”
Gerard looks just as shocked as I did about six minutes ago. “How do you know Frank’s gay?”
Billie smiles back at me and responds, “Why don’t you ask Frank?”
I just broke the scale of redness.
Gerard and I lay in bed that night, and I tell him,
“You know, Billie and the principal… they acted like they knew each other, you know?”
Gerard nods, considering the information. “Do you think it has something to do with why he hates the Rosen kid?”
I grin. “He’s the boy I ate.”
Gerard laughs, and adds, “I saw him on the news today for missing children. I figured you’d gotten to him.”
He rolls over and says, “Tomorrow, I’ll ask Tre what happened with the Rosen kid, okay? About what he did to Billie. He’ll probably tell me.”
I nod and shut my eyes, falling asleep.

Notes

Thanks so much for reading! Please comment!!

Send fanart here: www.these-wounds-will-scar-me.tumblr.com/submit
Talk to me here: www.these-wounds-will-scar-me.tumblr.com/ask