24th September 1999 - Friday
It had been almost 3 weeks since Frank had started dating Jamia, and 2 weeks since Mikey's birthday, and since Gerard had given up on trying to speak to him.

It was pretty obvious Frank had someone new in his life, and he didn't need Gerard anymore. He'd stopped hitching rides with him every morning, continued spending breaks with Jamia, started avoiding Gerard in hallways and in class, stopped hanging out with him after school, if he saw him leaving the house or if they passed each other he would just give him a curt nod.

He had even bought a new car, and started driving it to school everyday with Jamia, then walking in with his arm wrapped around her tiny cute frame.

Gerard tried to pretend that everything was fine, but he figured it was just a matter of time before at least Mikey noticed. He was pretty sure he already had but just hadn't mentioned it, because even though he was a little shit, he was a great brother.

The worst was that it was only Gerard he was avoiding, he still hung out with the guys, hell sometimes they had even asked Gerard to come along and he'd make up some excuse, knowing that if he hung out with Frank around the guys they'd immediately know something was wrong.

He missed Frank, his presence, being able to talk to him about lord of the rings, or argue over superheroes for hours. Falling asleep giggling to some stupid joke that one of them had said, having Frank eat breakfast at his house every morning.

He sighed heavily, he hadn't been leaving his room at all unless it was to go to school, to work or to buy records or smokes. Ray had been hanging a lot with him lately, as usual going to the comic store to keep him company during his shifts, hanging with him at breaks and coming over to his house to play video games. He almost always came with Brendon and Ryan, which was always a great way to cheer up, especially when Brendon decided it was karaoke time, which was a lot. They had their own lives though so they couldn't be with him all the time. He was fine with it though, he'd always just go bug Andy, Bob and Gabe, or Mikey.

Usually Mikey though because that meant he didn't actually have to leave the house, and Mikey was almost always with Pete, Patrick, and Alicia, whom Gerard had decided was actually pretty awesome and maybe the most perfect person for Mikey ever. She wasn't extremely short or extremely tall, not skinny but not chubby. She had a thin face with beautiful green eyes, that had excessive amounts of eyeliner and eyeshadow on them, although it worked well for her. She also had her hair dyed red, although it had previously been black, and Gerard took a mental note that he should totally dye his hair red one day. She also always wore cool band shirts and skinny jeans, she was pretty much the female version of Mikey. He was pretty sure that at one point Mikey had even told him she wanted to get into pro wrestling and Gerard thought he had to make some sort of plan for them to get married because a sister-in-law that was a pro wrestler? Totally awesome.

He was so zoned out that he completely missed when Ray and Mikey came wandering in, until he felt his bed dip with weight.

He looked over at his brother and his best friend who looked slightly worried.

"Hey Ray, hey Mikes, what's up?" he said popping the 'p'.

"Dude," Ray started, his voice going even more high pitched than usual. "You've been moping for weeks, don't think we didn't notice. You never even hang out with all the guys anymore, you just keep making shitty excuses."

Gerard rolled his eyes. "Dude I'm fine, I'm just a bit stressed out because it's senior year and I'm having doubts about SVA."

Mikey sighed. "Gee c'mon," He said, voice serious. "You and I both know this has nothing to do with SVA, this is about Frank isn't it?"

Ray glanced between them looking completely confused. "What the fuck has Frank done?" Ray said angrily.

"Oh my god you guys nothing, Frank's done nothing." Gerard said exasperatedly.

"That's the problem isn't it?" Mikey asked, tone way too calm for Gerard's liking. "He's done nothing and that's the problem. Don't think I haven't noticed how you two haven't hung out for almost three weeks." Mikey said.

Ray looked completely baffled. "You haven't hung out with Frank for almost three weeks?" Ray screeched.

Gerard scowled. "Don't look so surprised we talked about how this would happen." Gerard mumbled back.

"Yes but Gerard, I didn't know it had actually happened, not this soon. In how long haven't you spoken to him?" Ray said, almost shouting.

"Since Mikey's birthday more or less. I mean I kept asking him to hang out and he was always busy so I just stopped asking."

Mikey looked furious. "I'm going to kick that motherfucker's balls so hard they're going to come out of his throat." He said through gritted teeth.

"Seconded." Ray agreed, nodding his head.

"C'mon guys don't." Gerard argued. "Don't stoop down to his level, what is done is done, you kicking his balls won't make it not have happened."

Mikey sighed. "Fine, but only because you asked."

Ray nodded. "Yeah, I don't think I have it in me to kick someone anyway." he said grinning at Gerard, who couldn't help but chuckle back.

"Me and Alicia are going to the movies tonight, wanna come?" Mikey asked.

"Sure why not." Gerard answered. "Ray?"

"Yeah I'll come."

"Great! Now come on we're gonna be late for school." Mikey said, already ascending the stairs.

---

Frank had totally begin to forget about Gerard, sure he wasn't falling in love with Jamia, although she was a pretty cool friend, but it didn't matter because his plan was working. He was beginning to forget Gerard, and he wasn't even sure if it was because he was dating Jamia or if it was because he was away from Gerard. Probably the latter.

Of course he could break up with her, just pretend to be her boyfriend so she could make her ex girlfriend jealous. So he did just that.

"Hey Jams," He said as she got into his car. "So I just realized that dating you isn't really helping with the whole forgetting Gerard thing, just being away from him is working just fine so we don't really have a reason to stay together. I mean I could obviously still pretend to be your boyfriend so you can make your ex jealous but there's no need for it to be the real deal."

She shrugged. "Sure, we're going to have to start to really make a scene in public though, we aren't grinding her gears as much as I thought we would."

Frank beamed down at her, because she was a totally awesome friend, and he was beginning to forget Gerard so he was totally allowed to be in a happy mood. Funny how he'd never expected to feel this way after a break up, even though this relationship had been more of a mutual agreement. Whatever, he wasn't going to bask in the thought for too long, he had an ex girlfriend to make jealous, and Gerard to forget.

---

As Gerard made his way down to his basement he heard Mikey shout.
“Don't take to long, we're leaving soon.”

“Whatever Mikey I'm just changing my shirt.” He shouted back at his brother, because his brother was a total dick. He pulled his sweaty T-shirt off of his slightly chubby frame, throwing it somewhere in the corner along with all the other clothes, and picked out an iron maiden shirt that was in his closet. He figured Ray must have left it there, because it was slightly big on him and, well it was still clean.

“C'mon Gerard we're leaving without you!” Mikey warned in a sing song voice.

“Jesus Mikes I'm coming.” Gerard said running up the stairs, scowling.

“Hey, nice shirt.” Ray said as soon as Gerard emerged.

“Oh, sorry, I hope you don't mind. It was the only clean one down there.” Gerard replied.

“Hey fine by me if it doesn't make you smell like ass.” Ray said shrugging, hint of a smirk on his face.

“Hey I don't smell that bad!” Gerard protested as Mikey and Ray giggled hysterically. Alicia rolled her eyes smiling at both of them.

“Hey I don't think you smell that bad Gee, besides even if you do, I'm used to it, I'm dating your brother.” She said winking at him.

Mikey snorted. “Whatever, you still totally love me.”

“Meh, you're okay.” Alicia said.

“Hey guys,” Ray said. “Not to alarm you or anything, but the movie starts kinda soon.”

“Yeah, let's go.” Mikey agreed.

- Time Lapse -
As they got up to their house, Mikey turned to Alicia.

“You staying tonight? My mom's not home, some business trip in New York.”

“Yeah but your brother is.” Replied Gerard, scrunching up his nose.

“Sure I'm staying.” Alicia said.

Gerard fake gagged. “Ray, dude c'mon don't leave me hanging. Please stay?”

Ray snorted. “Sorry dude, going camping with my parents this weekend.” He said shrugging. “Besides, I don't really want to hear mikeyway sex noises.” He added, shuddering a bit at the mental image.

“TRAITORS.” Gerard dramatically shouted. “YOU'RE ALL TRAITORS.” He said, opening the door and making a scene, he couldn't help but giggle a bit though.

“Okay, okay. Let's go, the diva needs his sleep.” Mikey said to Alicia. “Bye Raymond.”

“Bye dudes.” Ray said, walking down the street.

It was about six in the afternoon when Gerard heard the door to his basement open.

“Mikes if you came here looking for condoms, I don't have any.”

“Guess again.” He heard, and that was totally not Mikey's voice.

“Hey Alicia, what are you doing here?” He asked, as the girl sat down on the bed, at his feet.

“I heard what happened with Frank.” She said calmly.

Gerard sighed and put down his sketchbook and pencil, rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands once they were free. “Jesus Christ he's been hanging around Pete Wentz too much. Has he gossiped to everyone about Frank?” He asked.

“Just me.” Alicia answered. “So, what happened?” She asked soothingly.

Gerard sighed again, and began to tell her what happened. “So as you know Frank and I used to be best buds back in primary.”

Alicia rolled her eyes. “Gerard, I know all that up to the point where you became best friends again. What I don't know is how you're suddenly not talking.”

“I don't know.” Gerard said weakly, trying to not let his voice crack as the tears threatened to spill. “He just, started dating this girl and all of a sudden he's avoiding me. I tried asking him to hang out a couple of times but he'd always refuse, it's pretty obvious he didn't want to anymore so I stopped asking.” He said, a tear finally slipping down his cheek.

Alicia smiled sadly at him. “He's a dick. You trusted him even when he had done all that stuff to you and he broke your trust by going to do it again. I know it sucks, but that's not all is it?”

“I'm just never going to get my best friend back, and I miss him already.” He said.

“No that's not it. I know you've lost him but I also know you're considering Ray your best friend more and more each day, so what's truly bugging you?” She pressed.

“How do you know I'm considering Ray my best friend?” Gerard questioned, trying desperately to change subject.

“I'm dating Mikey Way, you kind of learn to know things. Now spill.”

“I love him.” He said, tears finally spilling.

Alicia's mouth was wide open in shock. “You what?”

“I love him. I realized I love him, everything about him.” He started speaking and he was on a roll. “I love the way he giggles like a kid at everything, and how he laughs at my totally lame jokes. I love his lips and his nose. His eyebrows, his voice, how small he is. How he always says he's going to get covered in tattoos, how playing his guitar always calms him and puts a smile on his face." He paused, sighing at a very wide eyed Alicia. "I was going to tell him how I felt about him the day I heard him ask out Jamia. I couldn't after I heard him ask her though. I thought it would make things weird between us and he'd push me away. Guess it happened anyway huh?." He said, eyes finally meeting Alicia's.

"Oh Gerard." She sighed sympathetically. "I'm afraid you have it bad for him. I know because that's how I feel about Mikey. But hey if he abandoned you for some whore and won't speak to his best fucking friend, then fuck him. He's a cunt, he doesn't deserve you." She said, wiping a tear off his face and smiling.

"I know but that doesn't make me not love him." he said sniffling. "When did fifteen year olds become so smart?" He asked.

"As I said, I'm dating Mikey Way." She said triumphantly.

"Is it true what you said about Mikey? Do you really feel that way about him." Gerard questioned.

"Yeah I mean, I totally love him. I don't want to tell him though because we're so young and he might freak out on me."

"Dude," Gerard said. "He's been with you for a year. It's fine for you to tell him you love him. Trust me if you don't, you might regret it. I know I do."

"But I want it to be perfect, and I know that sounds sappy but I really want it to be special, because Mikey's special to me. I don't want to blurt out 'I love you' at any moment." She argued.

Just then a creaking noise came from Gerard's door.

"You really feel like that about me?" Mikey asked softly, and Gerard could see the glint in his eyes. He grinned at Mikey and Alicia reassuringly, not sure who'd need more reassuring.

Alicia hesitated for a second. "Yeah Mikes I really do, I love you dude, you're like my second half. Who else would put up with you this long?" She joked, trying to lighten the mood.

Mikey grinned. An honest to God grin that was so rare a unicorn was born everytime it sketched it's way onto Mikey's face. "Well you're going to have to put up with me much longer if I have any say in it because I love you right back." He answered, pulling her into a kiss.

"Eww guys get a room!" Gee complained.

"Oh yeah about that," Mikey said, pulling away from Alicia's mouth. "I came down here to ask if you had any condoms."

Gerard groaned and flipped over, burying his face in his pillow. "No Mikey, Jesus Christ go away!" he shouted into his pillow, muffling the sound a bit. He heard the shuffling of feet and giggling behind him until, finally, he heard his door close.

He flipped over onto his back again, lying down and staring at the ceiling, sketch abandoned somewhere, and just basked in his thoughts. They were mainly about how Frank was totally fucking up his brain and how he was extremely thankful for Alicia, even though it was kind of gross that she was screwing his baby brother.

His baby brother was getting laid and he was still a virgin. Jesus Christ he'd have to go to ask Gabe to help with that.

Notes