Out There

**AEIDA*

Yet another day waking up disorientated. Even more so confused when I roll my head over to see a small Frank Iero lying next to me in bed. I was using his arm as a pillow and his other arm was draped around my waist. My eyes shot open in shock and I gently pulled myself away from im.

I did a quick check to see that I we were both still wearing clothes- just in case and thankfully we were. In fact I was wearing my own pyjamas. Which was basically sweatpants and an oversized green t-shirt of Mikey’s.

“Mornin’.” Frank grumbled, still with his eyes closed.

“Good morning. Is there a reason we’re sharing a bed?” I mused, raising an eyebrow. With my discussion with Gerard last night, I felt guilt wash me.

“You came back from your late-night-lover phone call while I was chucking a piss and when I came back you were asleep in my bed. And after all it is my bed and it’s big enough for us both, and I was tired so I was like- fuck it. So there’s a reason.” he groaned, like talking in the morning actually brought him pain. “What fucking time is it?”

I reached over him to the nightstand where my phone was rested and checked. “Like, six.” I muttered. He groaned and covered his face with his pillow. He yelled something that sounded like ‘too fucking early’ but the pillow muffled his words. I got up and crawled over him awkwardly and decided to get changed. I made my way to the bathroom to find it was occupied by Ray.

“Oh, sh-! Sorry!” I gasped as I slammed the door back shut. I don’t know which was more uncomfortable. Seeing Ray naked in the shower or seeing his hair completely flat and wet.

I went back into Frank’s room to see him still in bed. “Ray in the shower?” he asked, still with his eyes closed. “Yeah.” I answered, my cheeks growing red. Frank smirked and shook his head from under the pillow. “You can change in here. I won’t look.” he mumbled as he turned his head over to face the wall- away from me.

“I’m afraid I don’t trust you that much.” I chuckled. “I’ll wait.”

Frank shifted from under the blankets and sat up with a tired groan. “Alright then.” he mumbled. He looked around his room in a daze like he hadn’t been there before, then his eyes finally settled on me. “Your phone is ringing.” he grumbled, before standing up and making his way to his clothes rack. I glanced down to the phone in my hand to see it was, indeed lighting up ringing.

I turned my head and answered, without checking the ID.

“Hello?” I spoke.
“Hey. Are you with Frank?” a voice asked.
“Yeah, who’s this?”
“GerarMd. Do you need a lift to school?” he asked quickly.
“No…?” I said, beginning to get suspicious.
“So you’re going to go to school with Frank?”
“Well, yeah.”
“Oh okay. I’ll see you later then.” he mumbled then hung up.

“Who the fuck calls someone at 6AM?” Frank whined. I shrugged and leaned up against Frank’s old desk. It had drawings and words carved into it, and I absent-mindedly traces over a carving of something that looked like the grim reaper.

***

Eventually, Ray left the bathroom and I got changed into a random white shirt and black skirt, and kahki green jacket. Frank got ready and his mother made breakfast. Frank assured me she usually doesn’t do that and she was just being nice- which made me smile. I was sort of envious of Frank. Sure, he didn’t exactly life in a 5 star apartment, but he had a nice family. A normal mum.

We left for school around 8:00. It was another cold morning, but luckily enough the walk to the school wasn’t too long. Frank confessed he didn’t go to school, and when he did he was never on time. Maybe Frank’s mother was right and I was going to be a good influence on him.

Unusually, Mikey was already at school when we reached the lockers. I could have sworn he rolled his eyes when he saw Frank follow behind me. “...Hey Mikey.” I greeted him nervously. I hoped he wouldn’t be ignoring me again today. Luckily- he wasn’t. He embraced me in a hug. “Sorry for ignoring you. That was dumb.” he sighed, as we pulled away.

“No it wasn’t. I should have been more honest with you.” I blushed, looking at my feet. “You were honest, I was just… I don’t know. Jealous.” he mumbled, eyes shifting to Frank who was standing awkwardly close by.

“You shouldn’t be.” I sighed, trying to make eye contact with him. “You’re always going to be my best friend.” I smiled weakly. He didn’t seem too happy at all. “What’s up?” I asked curiously, sending an apologetic glance to Frank. He just waved his hand in dismissal and went off to his own locker.

“I don’t want to just be your best friend.” he sighed, turning back to his locker. My stomach was tied in knots, so I opened up my own locker and sorted out my books. “Do you think… like ever, you might feel the same?” he asked, hopefully.

“I don’t know, Mikey. I wish I could tell you.” I nodded. It would be weird if things ended badly with Gerard and then I went off to date his brother. Again.

“I wish you could tell me too.” he mumbled. “Anyway, I’ve been kind of talking to Gerard.”

“Oh really?” I asked, pulling the books I needed out and shutting my locker with my free hand.

“Sort of. Mainly about you.” he informed me casually. That made me even more on edge. Was Mikey suspicious of us? What was there even to be suspicious of? “Nothing bad. It’s just when we talk, you’re the subject.” he repeated himself. I shook my head in confusion at him and gestured for him to explain furthur. “Like last night, he asked if we were having dinner for three, and I said you were staying with your mum. Speaking of which, if you were staying with your mum- why were you walking with Frank to school?” he asked, shutting his locker and leaning up against it.

“He lives near me, I guess.” I lied, focusing on the pasty green colour of the lockers rather than Mikey’s face- which I could never lie to.

“I think he’s stalking you.” Mikey stated, pulling a packet of gum out of his pocket.

“What is it with you two…” I mumbled, shaking my head.

“Two?” Mikey questioned, offering me gum. I accepted and popped it in my mouth.

I racked my brain for a cover story, but I ran out of time. “You and Gerard. You both think Frank is sketchy.”

“When did Gerard say anything about Frank?” he raised his eyebrow at me. Shit.

“Like, last night. I told him I was staying at my mums.” I gulped.

“When did you guys talk?” Mikey asked, an amused smirk laced his lips and eyes.

“What is it with you today Mikey? Who are you, my mother?” I joked. The bell rang and I shook my head at him. He let out a chuckle and we made our way to… English. Double English. With Mr. Way.

***

We entered the class and Mikey actually sat with me this time. “Aw look, they’re back together again!” Emily D cheered from her seat at the back of the classroom. I saw Mr. Way roll his eyes at her as he pulled out a piece of paper. The rest of the English teacher fan club errupted into coos and giggles and I let out a sigh. I knew Mikey was now uncomfortable, and Gerard was clearly annoyed. Those brothers are just a handful of drama and attitude.

Gerard set the work, we had to form three whole complete essays on a topic of our chose within the two hours we had with him. That was easy enough, but I heard a collective groan from the rest of the class.

I immersed myself in my work, as always. Though, I had to ignore all the whispering from Mikey. Obviously complaining about his brother and how he disliked everyone and everything. Especially Frank.


**GERARD**

I watched her from behind my desk. My subjective view of her had completely changed. Obviously, our relationship was far from student/teacher. It was more personal, and not too long ago she’d just been another student sitting in my class. But now, two of the most important people in my life- Mikey and Aeida sat together on a table in my class. It made it hard to concentrate really. She was distracting. The way she pushed her hair back when it fell onto her face. The way she pouted her lips to the side when she was thinking. The way her eyelashes fluttered as she read what she had written across the page.

But what made it so hard to look away was the closeness she had with my brother. I was envious. He was basically leaning over her, his arm perched on top her hers and his chin was resting on her shoulder. I wanted to be able to do that.

The first bell, signifying the first period had ended rang. Aeida looked up and around the room, and her eyes fell on me. I had been caught. A smirk made its way onto my face as I looked down at my desk, and I knew that she would be blushing. I quickly glanced up at her, and I was right. Mikey hadn’t even noticed our brief exchange. I was pretty sure he had falled asleep on her shoulder.

“You have one hour left.” I announced to the class. They grunted in response, except for the back table of girls who giggled and sighed. I looked back to Aeida, and winked at her subtly. One more hour and I’d hold her back after class and we could finally be alone again.

I turned back to my paperwork, and tried to ignore the tapping of her finger on her desk. Everything she did was distracting. That hour was torture. In that moment, I sympathised with all the students who had ever had detention.

***

The bell rang eventually and I told the class to stable their essays together and hand them to me, then leave. Of course, Aeida was last and I ‘accidentally’ dropped her essay and it flew underneath my desk. “Oh, by the way. I needed to talk to you about college and universities.” I lied, waiting for the rest of the class to file out of the classroom.

“I’ll save you a spot in the cafeteria.” Mikey muttered as he left. Finally we were alone. He shut the door behind him, luckily. I reached over and shut the blinds and slowly walked over to the door and pulled down the mini-curtain which covered the small glass window which people could look in from.

“Actually, sorry. I didn’t need to talk about anything.” I smirked, approaching her with a grin.



**AEIDA**

He was close enough to feel the heat radiating between us. “So you had a nice time with Frank?” he challenged.

I nodded, unsure of my own voice. My mouth had gone dry and I desperately needed water.

“Did you guys do anything?” he asked, raising an eyebrow cynically. I shook my head, but that didn’t dismiss his suspicious.

“No. W-we slept in the same bed b-but that was my fault.” I stuttered, as his eyes widend- I realised that was the wrong thing to say. “I mean, after I talked to you I fell asleep in his bed and he got in it. Because it was his bed.” I rationalised, but that didn’t seem to calm Gerard down. “It was a big bed.” I whimpered. His eyes softened at my weak voice and he embraced me in a tight hug. He lifted me up and placed me onto the nearest desk.

With one free hand, he pushed my thighs apart, allowing us to become closer. “It better have been a huge bed…” he mumbled into my neck. “Because I am the only one who’s allowed to touch you.” he teased, allowing his tongue to briefly cross over the skin under my jaw. I felt myself develop goosebumps and I shivered at his touch. Of course I liked this but I was beyond nervous. Gerard hadn’t even locked the door.

“Do you understand, Miss?” he growled, tightening his grip around my waist. I let out a whimper in ecstasy of being this close to him. So he was a teacher, with a teacher kink. “Yes, sir.” I squeaked. I felt Gerard smirk into my neck and then pull away. The places his lips had touched suddenly felt like a part was missing and I anticipated him to touch me again. However I regained my composure and jumped off the desk. I straightened out my skirt and left the classroom like nothing had happened.

Notes