Unknown Identities

By the time lunch rolled around, Frank wanted nothing more than to go home and stare at a wall for an hour or two. He had so much running through his mind and couldn’t focus on a single thought. Sitting down at their usual table, he stared at the plastic granite tops, slowly going through his thoughts. Okay so, yesterday some unknown student who is in love with me left me a letter in my locker. It wasn’t signed and I still have got no idea who he is. Or she! God damn it Frank! Yesterday, I also met….no stared at this guy in my art class who is too fucking gorgeous for his own good. This morning, I saw him get punched in the nose and when I tried to help he wouldn’t let me and told me that he was never okay. I still don’t know his name! Speaking of that guy, where is he? Frank looked around the Lunch room, scanning every table for the black haired boy. The guy is always alone and I space out staring at him all the time probably creeping the fuck out of him, the least I can do is give the guy a place to sit….so he’s not alone, I mean.
“….don’t you think Frank?” Ray asked, looking over to Frank who was lost in his own little world. “Ah, Frank? Who are you looking for? Are you okay?” he asked and Bob snickered at the spacing out teen next to him.
“He’s got a crush on somebody,” Bob said and both Ray and Mikey looked shocked.
“Really?” They both said at the same time. Although, Frank still wasn’t paying any attention. Where is he? Maybe I should go look for him just in case he’s getting cornered by those guys again.
“I’m going to the bathroom.” Frank said getting up and leaving the lunch room.
“O-okay,” Ray said looking over to Mikey, who only shrugged.
Frank walked out of the lunch room, hood over his head and hands in his pockets. He wandered through the hallway. Not a person to be seen, until he turned the corner to the hallway that held his locker. The same circle of guys from this morning were huddled around two people. The first guy Frank recognized, Mr. I’m-going-to-punch-you-in-the-face! Towered over another guy. The poor guy was so much smaller than the jock and was trying his hardest to become a locker. He was pushed up against the lockers as much as he could but still wasn’t submitting. He faced the jock, chin held high. Frank guessed the guy also had a look fearlessness on his face but he had his hood pulled over his head and the rest of his face was covered by black hair. Dyed black hair.
As soon as the bigger teen rose his fist as if he was going to punch the smaller boy, Frank jumped in. I don’t want to stand by and watch someone get hurt again. He thought as he walked over to the group of walking testosterone.
“What do you guys think you’re doing? Leave the kid alone!” he called out, effectively scaring the crap out of some of the guys. Guess they didn’t expect anyone to stop them. Then they saw who it was, Frank in all his five foot four glory really didn’t pose much of a threat.
“Get out of here, Iero.” One of the guys said trying to intimidate Frank. However, he was more annoyed than scared, if you trying to scare someone at least pronounce their name right, asshole!
“First of all, it’s pronounced Iero. Come one say it with me, eye-year-oh. Good. Now second of all, fuck no!” he said
“ooo, I’m so scared, shorty here is going to beat me up. What are you going to do, kick my shins?” Frank rolled his eyes as the other guys laughed.
“How original, first place! Ten out of ten for creativity! Do you want a medal or something?”
“Shut up! You see that locker over there? You’re going to get very acquainted with it the next time you butt in.” The guys would’ve scarred any other person but not Frank. He just sighed.
“I look forward to it!” he called out as the guys left. “Assholes,” he mumbled, then turned his attention to where the original victim of the bullies was, only he wasn’t standing there anymore. The only thing that was there was a small piece of paper that had probably fallen out of someone’s locker. Frank walked over and picked it up. It wasn’t a discarded scrap forgotten by some student. No, written on the small slip in oh-so familiar handwriting were the words: thank you. Frank stared at the paper, wide eyed. The GUY (because he was now certain that it was a guy) who he just saved from getting beaten up by that wall of meat was the same guy who had confessed his love to Frank with that very same handwriting. He couldn’t see his face, just enough of his body to tell that it was indeed a guy who had written him. And dyed black hair. There was only one other guy he knew with dyed black hair but doubted that attractive of a guy could fall for Frank plus he probably wasn’t gay anyway. So he was back to square one. Why couldn’t I have paid more attention to his face? I would’ve found my secret writer and saved so much trouble.
Immediately, Frank began scanning the hallways. Looking for the black clad student. He couldn’t have gotten too far, could he? But no one was to be seen. No one but Frank roamed the hallways. Guess the guy’s faster than he looks. Frank thought, disappointedly. Frank walked slowly to his next class, the one class he never wanted to go to no matter what day it was. Gym was just not his forte. I’ve still got twenty minutes left in lunch. He thought but he wasn’t hungry and he really didn’t feel like getting made fun of by his friends. He was certain Bob had filled Mikey and Ray in about everything. Mikey would still look guilty of something and Ray would look genuinely interested. What does Mikey have to hide? He thought walking into the giant humid room. No matter what time of the year it was, the gym was always humid and always smelled pretty bad. At least I don’t have to change in front of everyone today. He really wasn’t all that self-conscious about his body, he just felt awkward around all the really tall and muscular boys that swarmed around the locker room before class.
Once inside, the familiar smell of sweaty guys filled his lungs. Yeah, I want to be anywhere but here. He thought walking to the back of the room to check the schedule for today. Passing by rows of blue lockers, a glimpse of another person flashed by. He froze in his tracks and back-tracked it a few paces. Standing next to his own locker stood a familiar teen. Black basketball shorts already on and a discarded hoodie on the ground around his feet.
Frank watched, what is this guy doing here? I didn’t know he was in this class as well. Wow, I really don’t pay any attention to anything do I? The black haired teen’s back was turned away from him when he started to pull off his shirt. That’s my cue to stop staring, he thought embarrassed and face turning red. He rushed off to his own locker in the front of the room closest to the door. He began to get dress in the gym uniform as well. Pulling off his own shirt, however he felt as if someone was looking at him. Turning around, black t-shirt in hand, he saw hazel eyes staring intently at him. He smirked slightly.
“Now look who’s staring,” he called out to the boy. His face turned a bright red, deeply contrasting his pale skin. The boy walked as fast as he could out of the locker room. This guy is adorable. Frank thought, oh God, Bob was right. Well, you learn something new every day. Maybe this is my chance to find out his name.
Frank finished changing, taking his clothes and making sure to lock them in his locker. He made that mistake freshmen year when he forgot to lock the locker. He came back to change into his clothes and some seniors had shoved them in one of the showers. It wasn’t very fun spending the rest of the day in wet clothes. He walked out of the locker room feeling rather awkward in the baggy shirt and shorts. The boy sat on top of the pushed back bleachers leaning against the wall. His eyes were closed and he looked absolutely exhausted. Where was he during Lunch? Frank thought again. Climbing up to where the boy was sitting, he plopped down next to him. The boy opened his eyes and glanced sideways at Frank.
“Hello, can I help you?” he questioned, closing his eyes again and resting his head against the wall.
“No, just need to sit somewhere,” Frank replied.
The boy ran a hand through his hair, messing it up even more. “Look, if you’re here just to make fun of me, I suggest you go find someone else because I’m really not in the mood,” he said, eyes still closed.
“What?! I came over here to apologize for staring multiple times and probably creeping the fuck out of you, why the fuck would I come over here to make fun of you?” Frank asked incredulously.
“I don’t know, lots of people do,” he said, opening his eyes and looking into Frank’s. Looking for any hint that he was lying.
“Well, I’m not one of those people,” Frank said. “My name is-“
“Frank, I know,” The boy said, looking away and leaning back against the wall. Okay then, this guy really just doesn’t like talking does he?
“You sit next to me in a couple classes so I knew your name beforehand,” the boy explained.
“Are you new here? It’s just, I haven’t seen you around,” The teen laughed and looked over to Frank.
“I moved here last year,” he said and Frank looked at him in confusion. Didn’t Mikey also move here last year? He thought to himself. “I’m not offended that you don’t know who I am though, I’m pretty easy to miss, if you don’t look hard enough,” he said smiling slightly.
“Well, I guess I looked hard enough,” Frank said.
“Or you just stared long enough,” he threw back at him. Frank blushed and the boy laughed. Their conversation continued on from there. The boy opened up the more Frank talked to him, gesturing wildly when the topic changed to art and listening carefully when Frank was talking. The guy reminded Frank of someone, he couldn’t put his finger on it at the moment but he swears the guy sounds just like someone he knew. Maybe it will come to me later. But later would have to wait, the bell signaling the end of lunch went off and students were already starting to file into the gym. A familiar figure walked through the doors after a few minutes.
Mr. Original walked through the door and spotted the two of them sitting together. Frank listening intently while the other kid made wild hand gestures to help explain his point.
“Aww, look at this, the little emo kid found himself a boyfriend!” he shouted across the room. “Good thing its Iero cause I don’t think anyone else could be stupid enough to date you!”
You can make fun of me all you want, Gerard thought, but leave Frank out of it. Making a split second decision, he shouted back at the guy.
“Awww, you’re jealous aren’t you?” he said, “Don’t worry, I still love you!” He then proceeded to blow the jock a kiss and while leaning back against the wall, gave him a ‘call me’ gesture.
“Fag,” The boy shouted at him. He shrugged and shouted back down at the boy.
“Takes one to know one,” he said proceeding to yawn and stretch his arms out.
And as the jock left having lost his own game, Frank laughed. God, I like this guy. The guy’s hazel eyes stared confusedly at him as he laughed on and on. It was the funniest thing he had seen in a long time. He started to calm down after another five minutes, out of breath. The other boy had joined in on his laughter at some point and they both climbed down from the bleachers giggling every once in a while. Really how could I have never met this guy before? He’s amazing.
“Alright everyone! We’re going to head out to the track and run a few races,” The gym teacher shouted. Everybody groaned, it was cold as fuck out there today and it was probably drizzling. Why were they still going outside? “Quit you’re whining, let’s go,”
The class followed the gym teacher out of the warm gym into the, as predicted, freezing air of the afternoon.
“This is stupid,” Frank muttered.
“Yeah, it’s so fucking cold!” The teen said walking next to Frank, rubbing his bare arms.
Once at the track, the class huddled on the bleachers in small groups, trying to keep warm as best as they could while others ran a lap or two around the track. All Frank had was the inky-haired teen. At first they hadn’t sat very close at all, still conversing about anything and everything to help take their minds off the cold air. But as time went on, they found themselves unconsciously sitting closer and closer to each other. Frank tried to focus on what the boy was saying and not the boy himself. It was driving him crazy how close they were sitting to each other. Can we just go back inside? It wasn’t the cold that bothered him (actually he was quite warm now,) it was sitting so close.
“Way!” the gym teacher shouted, “You’re up,”
“Oh that’s me!” the boy exclaimed. Way? Now I know I’ve heard someone else with that name. Really why can’t I figure out anything today. The guy acts familiarly and has a familiar last name. Ooo, this is going to kill me. When “Way” got up, Frank immediately started to get cold again. Was he really keeping me that warm?
Frank watched the race, well he watched the inky haired boy anyway. He wasn’t necessarily fast, but it helped that all the boys he was racing against either didn’t care enough to try or were really out of shape. The boy won the race with ease with those circumstances. Many of the students who were friends with the jock that the hazel eyed boy had made fun of before class were waiting at the finish line, throwing multiple insults at the poor guy. He just raised his arms above his head as if the crowd was cheering for him instead of yelling. Frank chuckled, but his laughter soon faded. As the boy walked off the track rather quickly someone standing nearby tripped him. Not expected that, he fell hard on the rocky path that surrounded the track. Frank winced knowing that that had to hurt like hell. Along with the cold, rocks were unforgiving. The black haired teen stood up, blood running down his legs from the rocks that had dug into his skin, not showing a single ounce of pain on his face. Though Frank knew that he was struggling. The group around the finish line, starting laughing calling him any name they could think of. Frank stood up from his spot on the bleachers, the boy’s hazel eyes looked up from the ground and at him. He smiled a bit and Frank felt like he could cry for this guy. Why would these assholes find the need to pick on this guy? Yes he’s different but really? He’s…he’s. Frank couldn’t finish the thought. He rushed over to the boy’s side.
“Mr. Smith? Can I help him down to the nurse, he’s bleeding pretty badly,” he asked looking at the poor boys knees. The cold air wasn’t helping anything, it probably made the experience all the more painful. And made his skin brittle causing it to break open more than it probably would have.
“Yeah, whatever,” the gym teacher said not even looking up from his clipboard. Yeah, whatever? You just watched a group of kids mentally and physically hurt another and all you say is yeah whatever? Really? Frank shook his head.
“Come on let’s go,” he said turning to the bleeding boy. “Do you want any help,” He asked.
“No, thanks,” he said and they began the walk back to the gym.
“Aww, they really are a cute couple,” a girl called out mockingly as the two of them walked by. Frank was about to say something but the other boy spoke up first.
“At least I can get a boyfriend, honey,” Frank laughed. Yeah, this guy was great.
The two of the walked back to the gym’s locker room. Well Frank walked and hazel eyes stumbled. Once inside, Frank changed back into his other clothes, I’m not planning on going back out there. The other boy changed as well, leaving his basketball shorts on so his scrapped up knees were still exposed. Grabbing his jeans, the two of them walked out of the gym and down the hallway towards the nurse’s.
“Are you sure you don’t want any help walking?” Frank asked for the third or fourth time. The answer was always the same. “No thanks,” but he continued asking because every time he did, the boy’s face broke out in an adorable blush.
Once they were standing outside of the nurse’s office, Frank spoke up.
“I’m going to go clean up some of the blood that dropped on to the floor as we were walking, you go on ahead,” and he started to walk off towards the bathroom for paper towels.
“Frank!” The boy called out as he walked away.
“Yes?” he replied stopping and turning around.
“Thank you,” he said, casting his eyes downward to the ground and not meeting Frank’s. Frank smiled at him.
“No problem. What are friends for?” The teen looked up at him, shocked for a moment before he smiled as well.
“Yeah, friends.” And then he opened the door to the office and walked inside.
After the very few droplets of blood were somewhat cleaned up, he walked back to the nurse’s.
“….how’s it going?” a female’s voice that Frank assumed was the nurse said. He was standing right outside the door now. The school’s nurse is also the school’s psychologist, right? I wonder what this guy needs from her.
“It’s going, I just can’t find the nerve to tell them,” Said the boy’s familiar voice. Oh, he’s talking about someone. Does he like someone?
“Well, are you guy’s friends?” The nurse asked. Yeah they’re definitely talking about a crush.
“Only recently,” He said.
“Well, when you feel that you are close enough to her, you can tell her and then sort it out from there,” the nurse said. Frank’s heart dropped. Of course it was a girl, you’re an idiot for getting your hopes up in the first place.

Notes

Hello again! I just wanted to start by saying that I added some more to the end of Chapter three. It really doesn't change the way the story is going but it's details that needed to be written down. So if you haven't read the new bit yet I suggest reading that. It's at the end so you don't need to re-read the whole chapter. Unless of course you want to. ;)
So thank you for reading and giving my story a chance. Please tell me if there is anything I can improve on.
Thanks!