***THE NEXT MORNING***

(Mikey’s POV)

I really hate when people keep picking at me and trying to get me to tell them things I don’t want to. And Gerard even got Van in on it. I can’t stand him sometimes! I rolled out of bed and shuffled to the bathroom. I stripped and looked at myself in the mirror. All I saw was a tall, nerdy, scrawny kid with greasy brown hair, thick white glasses, and cuts all over my wrists and thighs that, no matter how hard I tried to deny it, was me. I blasted Sleeping with Sirens and climbed into the shower. I let the hot water pour over me and tried to focus on the music. Eventually I got out, but almost passed out when a rush of cold air hit me. I pulled on my pants and buttoned up my shirt. Thank God the school uniform has long sleeves. I put my glasses back on, ruffled my damp hair, and shoved my phone and iPod into the pockets of my jacket as I went downstairs. Gerard was still asleep and, since I was still mad at him, I didn’t bother to wake him up. Instead of eating breakfast, I just slung my messenger bag over my shoulder and left without saying goodbye to my mom.
It was snowing lightly and I could see my breath escape my lips in white translucent puffs in front of me, but I walked anyway. I put on my headphones and played Coffee’s For Closers by Fall Out Boy at a deafening volume. Before I knew it, I was walking into the parking lot of Belleville High, the worst place on Earth. I dropped my bag next to the table I always sat at before dismissal and put my head down, trying not to shiver. And, because nothing can ever go my way, someone snuck up behind me and yanked my headphones off. “Hey!” I yelled before biting my tongue, realizing who was behind me. James… “Oh, what? Did I make you upset? Sorry, I didn’t mean to…” He said in mock apology. I shifted my gaze away from him and towards his buddies standing behind him. Why do jocks always have their own crew of huge, I-will-eat-your-face, serious business guys behind them? What, are we in the music video for Beat It or something? And why did no one inform me of this? I wish I had some serious business lackeys…
“Hey, Earth to faggot.” He said. I popped back into reality and forgot about my tendency to avoid eye contact. “Hm?” I hummed in response. He snatched the glasses right off my face. “Hey, what the fuck are you doing?” I asked, furrowing my eyebrows at him. “Oh, so you’re finally responding to me. I feel so honored.” He said, examining them. I looked down, realizing I had been talking back to him. Usually, no matter what he does, I won’t say a word. But something about today has gotten me almost talkative compared to my normal self. He snapped my glasses in half and laughed. “Hey!” I yelled, standing up. His face went slack, “What? Are you gonna beat me up for it?” I blushed and looked down. He knows I have nothing on him. I may be taller, but he’s stronger. Not to mention his I-will-eat-your-face sidekicks. “That’s what I thought.” He said dangerously before smirking and nailing me in the stomach. “Hands off, motherfucker!” I heard Frank yell as he jumped on James’ back. Uh oh.
That’s the thing about Frank and I. We’re both bullied, so we have each other’s backs. And we don’t talk to Gee, Ray, or Bob about it. We’re the freshmen of the group, so we understand what each other are going through. I got snapped out of my inner monologue about mine and Frank’s relationship by the minions approaching me creepily. “Uh… hey. Whatchu guys up to?” I asked from the floor as James swung Frank around, screaming and clawing at him like a madman. The first one kicked me and the others followed his example. I just shut up, laid there, and took it. “James! What did I say before? Do you ever fucking listen?” A blond, scene-looking boy and a girl with reddish brown hair and blonde tips who both looked like they were probably his siblings marched up to James. The boys stopped kicking me and Frank fell off of James’ back. “Hey! I didn’t do anything! Fucking Iero just attacked me, what did you want me to do?” James yelled at the boy. The scene boy responded by placing his hands on his hips and shooting a death glare at him, “Yeah. I guess that explains why he has a black eye and also why half the fucking football team is beating Way.” The girl helped Frank up and looked at his black eye. I had never seen these two before, but James seemed almost scared of them. The boy looked younger, but apparently he demanded a sense of respect from even his older brother. The girl seemed to be about the same age as James, but a lot nicer. And all three of them looked very alike. “Hm, I wonder… Should I tell Dad or not?” The boy smiled, entertaining the idea.
The guy who’s been torturing me ever since I’d been here almost pissed his pants. “DON’T YOU FUCKING DARE.” He shouted, eyes wide. I snickered and covered my mouth with both of my hands. “YOU THINK THIS IS FUCKING FUNNY, WAY?” Blood rushed to my cheeks and I bit my lip to keep from smiling, “Mm-mm. Not funny.” The blond boy cackled and the girl looked at him venomously, “Asher. Stop.” He scoffed and rolled his eyes before grabbing James by the collar, “Fine. But hear you me, asshole. Don’t let it happen again or I will give you hell to pay. No more douchebaggery. Got that?” James nodded blankly before slinking off with his goons.
Asher turned to me and helped me up, brushing me off. "Sorry about my asshole brother." He said casually.
I nodded. “I’m Asher, and this is my sister, Ruby. Would you believe her and James are twins? Weird, I know,” He said. Ruby flipped her hair out of her face and walked over, followed by a seemingly love-struck Frank. She pushed my hair out of my face and smiled, not saying anything. “U-uh… hi. Um.” I fiddled with my hands. Frank came over next to me and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “I think what Mikes means is ‘Thanks,’” He said. I looked over and a little bit of blood trickled off his bottom lip which was all busted up. Asher wiped the blood away with his thumb and laughed, “No problem, guys. If either of you guys ever have a problem with my brother, just tell me. I’ll take care of it.” He said that last part in a really creepy kind of way. Ruby grabbed Frank’s hand and scribbled something on it before they both turned and left. “…What does it say?” I asked. He held up his hand to me so I could read it.

In case of douchebaggery: (328) 785-9023 OR (328) 673-2843
xxx

Okay, weird. Three x’s. Three kisses? Or is some kind of Scott Pilgrim shit goin’ down? I don’t know. I don’t think it really matters, though. I heard the bell ring and Frank sighed. “Now or never…”

---

By lunch, I was pretty done with humanity. I shuffled through a bunch of girls who found a way to make the uniform slutty and guys wearing their pants around their ankles and made my way to my locker. I opened it to put up my books and… “BOO!” Frank yelled, popping out. “Goddamn it, Frank! What did I tell you about doing that?” He shrugged and giggled, his mouth full of something. He seemed to notice me staring at him and tried to be more discreet about his chewing. “…You found my skittles, didn’t you?! Give ‘em here, buttface!” I yelled, chasing him around the hall. I grabbed the hood of his jacket and he yelped, falling to the floor. I paused because my ribs felt like they were being smashed with a baseball bat from this morning, but I bit my tongue and tackled him. I felt small hands grab my shoulders and pull me up. “Calm yourself, Way. I’ll buy you some skittles in the mess hall.” Grace said from behind me. Frank yelled ‘Hah!’ and ran down the hall, disappearing around the corner.
I turned and looked at Grace, “Damn, girlish. You look nice today.” She looked down at herself, “Do I? I didn’t even do my hair this morning and my makeup is from last night so I thought I looked like a troll or something.” Then she looked up and beamed at me before saying, “Does this uniform make me look fat?” in a really girly annoying voice. I laughed and hoped she didn’t see me wince. My ribs hurt like a bitch
. Judging by the look on her face, she could tell I was hurt, but she quickly hid it and looped her arm through mine. “Let’s go.”

Notes

woo