Unknown Identities

“Gerard!” Mikey called slamming the door behind him as he stormed into the house, “Where the fuck are you?” Why the hell did he never tell me about this? One would think that as my brother he would tell me that he was in love with one of my best friends!
“Why the hell are you yelling?” Gerard said coming out of the basement. His bottom lip was split and scabbed over and he had a nasty bruise covering his bare left arm. As he walked over to Mikey, he could see that he was limping. That’s why he didn’t go to school. He looks terrible.
“Why the hell am I yelling? I should be asking you why the hell you never told me!” Mikey yelled.
“Told you what, Mikey? You’re going to have to be more specific,” He said trying to stay calm. But it was kind of hard when Mikey was yelling at him like this. Though he had a pretty good idea as to why they were having this conversation.
“Don’t play dumb with me, you know exactly what I’m talking about! You’re in love with Frank!” How the hell did you find that out? Gerard thought.
“What!?” Gerard exclaimed, it was just instinct to deny it. He was actually trying to figure out a way to tell Mikey, I guess this was the perfect time. “Why would you think that?” He asked.
“There you go playing stupid again,” Mikey said giving Gerard a look that said ‘just fess up already’.
“Fine,” Gerard admitted, looking down at the ground, “I’m in love with Frank, happy?”
“No I am not happy! Why the fuck did you not tell me? He’s my fucking best friend! I think I have a right to know that kind of shit!” Mikey said. He was calming down a bit now but he was still yelling, just with less anger.
“It’s kind of hard to come up to your brother and say: ‘hey, I’m in love with one of your best friends, hope you don’t mind,” Gerard said losing his calm a little, “Now quit yelling at me!”
“Sorry,” Mikey said, stopping himself from yelling anymore. “Seriously dude, what the hell? When and how did this happen?”
“Last year, when we moved in. He looked so happy and worry free. So completely unlike me at the time, it just sort of happened.” Gerard said remembering the day.
“Since last year!” Mikey exclaimed. Gerard glared at him for yelling again, “Sorry, you never found the need to tell me?”
“Sorry, it was just kind of hard. I mean I can’t even tell him!”
“Well, I suggest not going to your locker tomorrow,” Gerard gave him a very confused look.
“What does that have to do with anything?” Gerard asked and Mikey almost laughed at him. This is going to be very interesting, Mikey thought.
“Frank was shoved into your locker today. Found him when I went to go get your homework as you requested. He was blabbering about how he recognized your handwriting as the handwriting from those letters he’s been finding,” He said and Gerard eyes widened in fear. Shit! He probably found my name written on homework or on one of the many sheets of notebook paper littering the locker. No, I remember now. I’ve only written my initials on things lately, but that still doesn’t help anything. The second he does learn my name he’ll be able to put two and two together and then I’m screwed. This is not good at all.
“Did you tell him whose locker it was?” he asked worriedly.
“No but I should have. It would’ve saved both of you a hell of a lot of trouble. You’re lucky I’m so nice,” Mikey said
“Oh, yes the nicest,” Gerard retorted back sarcastically.
“Hey, I got you your books for your homework, speaking of which,” Mikey took the backpack he had filled with school work and proceeded to throw it at Gerard. It hit him squarely on the chest causing him to stumble back a few paces as he caught in, “You’re welcome,”
“Thanks for adding yet another bruise,” Gerard said returning back to his lair in the basement of the house.
“You’re ever so welcome!”
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Frank walked home rather upset and feeling disappointed. Being shoved into the locker of the person you’re trying to find and not finding out anything will do that to a person. Well, I did find out something. The person’s initials, G.W. So close yet so far away at the same time! He continued on his way thinking everything over countless times. He almost got run over a couple times because he was so lost in thought. He walked inside his home not even noticing that his mom was home early again.
“Why are you home so late?” His mother questioned as he walked into the kitchen. She was already starting on dinner. Am I really that late? He wondered looking over to the clock. It read 5:00. Shit! I really am that late.
“I was shoved into a locker after school again,” He admitted embarrassedly. He always hated having to come home and say that. Especially when his father was still around, it was always so humiliating.
“Oh no, are you okay? Who do I have to go beat up?” His mom asked smiling. Trying to make him smile it really didn’t help, getting locked inside a locker really wasn’t on his ‘top things that make him sad’ list right now.
“What’s wrong, there’s something else,” His mom said looking worriedly at him as she went back to making dinner.
“Yeah, you remember the new friend I told you about yesterday?” Frank said.
“The one that you have more than friendly feelings for, yes, I remember,” his mother said teasing him.
“Well, he wasn’t here today and that kind of made me upset. The guy that put me into the locker said that they did something to him and it’s kind of worrying me and I don’t know if he’s alright or not,” Frank rattled on. His mother looked at him with an eyebrow raised.
“He?” she questioned and Frank inwardly smacked himself. Shit! You’re such an idiot sometimes Frank.
“Yes, well I guess I should’ve mentioned that yesterday, huh?” he said nervously.
“Yeah that might have been a good idea,” his mother said. I should’ve seen this coming, she thought, he’s never shown an interest in girls so I guess this makes sense.
“You’re not mad or anything,” Frank mumbled looking down at his hands that sat in his lap.
“No, silly, there’s nothing to be mad about,” Frank inwardly sighed. Okay, so that wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be.
“But now you’ve really got to tell me details,” his mom said. Frank nodded.
“Well, I guess I should start from the beginning. There’s something else I have to tell you about as well,” Frank started.
“Let’s hear it then,” his mom said. Handing him a plateful of food for dinner. As they ate Frank recounted the story.
“Well on Monday, during lunch I went to my locker and found a note from someone,” he started, “It was addressed to me and it wasn’t signed but the person told me that they really cared for me and that they knew me but I never saw them,” He continued.
“That’s so clever!” his mother exclaimed and Frank gave her a look, “Sorry, please continue,”
“Then later on during art we moved seats and I now sit across from this guy, before you even say anything yes it’s the same guy that I met yesterday but this is where the whole thing kind of started,” Frank said but his mother still interrupted.
“Now, what does this guy look like?” she questioned, “Because I don’t know if you were lying yesterday or not,”
“No I wasn’t lying, black hair and hazel eyes. But not a natural black, it’s dyed and I don’t know what his natural hair color is. He’s taller than me too,” Frank added in.
“Sorry, Frankie but I kind of guessed that,”
“Even my own mother,” Frank said shaking his head. “Anyway, yesterday I came to school and I received another letter, saying about the same things. During gym class is where I finally did get to know the guy from art. But I still have no idea what his name is,”
“They didn’t call out his name for attendance or anything?” she asked.
“Well, I know a last name, Way,” he said. His mother looked at him. “What?” he asked confused.
“Nothing,” she said. I love you Frankie, I really do. But really? I didn’t know Mikey had a brother. She thought. Let’s let him figure this one out though.
“Then today, another letter but a no show from him. And after school like I already said I got pushed around by these guys who claimed to have done something to the poor guy. Plus it didn’t help that the locker I got shoved in to is the person writing me letters. Whoever’s locker that is has the same handwriting as the guy who’s been writing to me. And you’ll never guess who got me out of the locker,” Frank said.
“Was it a janitor?” his mother asked.
“No…it was Mikey. He said he was picking up the homework for someone who wasn’t here today. But he wouldn’t tell me who.” Frank said, taking a bite of his food.
“Well, just keep an eye out for whoever goes to that locker and problem solved,” his mother said. I have a feeling that the person who’s writing to Frank and his new friend are the same person. And is also Mikey’s brother. Oh, Frank, you’re going to have to figure this one out yourself. She thought.
“I wish it were that easy,” Frank said
“What do you mean?”
“There wasn’t a locker number on the locker, the plate had been knocked off, I checked,” he said.
“Another question, just completely off topic. Why haven’t you said anything to your new friend about your feelings? I think they go a little deeper than just a crush that will pass eventually,” she asked.
“Well, that’s another problem. I heard him talking with the nurse when I helped him down there after he hurt himself during gym. They were talking about someone, who he liked. It was a girl,” he said looking down at his food again and stabbing the vegetables absentmindedly with his fork.
“I’m sorry, honey,” she said, “but maybe it was just a misunderstanding, you should still tell him anyway to avoid an awkward situation later on,”
“I only just became friends with him, that would be really strange wouldn’t it?”
“I guess so, but just don’t forget about it,” she said.
“I’ve got some homework to do, I’m going to head upstairs,” Frank said. Talking about it didn’t really help anything. He still felt hopelessly confused and rather upset. Maybe tomorrow will be better. He thought as his mother said.
“Just leave your plate I’ll get it,” and Frank walked upstairs, grabbing his backpack on the way up.
When he arrived up at his room, he pulled out his phone and turned it on. Five new messages from Ray? Really?
”Hey, do you know what we had for chemistry homework, I kind of spaced out when he told us.”
“Dude, seriously I needs the help!”
“Fine, ignore me then, I didn’t want you’re help anyway!”
“Come on! Bob won’t answer me because I wouldn’t give him the math homework answers, you’re the only other one who will! I’ll do the homework for you if you tell me!!”
“Iero, I swear I will shove you into the first locker I see tomorrow for not helping me!”
Frank laughed. This was a very familiar conversation. Except it was with Ray instead of Bob.
“Sorry, someone already beat you to it,” Frank texted back.
“What shoved you in a locker? That’s hilarious! Did anyone get a picture?”
“I’m fine thanks for asking,”
“Sorry, but you’ve got to admit that’s pretty fuckin’ funny,”
“Sure, sure laugh it up but remember. Who’s the one who needs help here?”
“Oh right, do you know it?”
“Nope,”
“You just don’t want to tell me,”
“Maybe,”
“Fuck you, Frank,”
“Fine, there wasn’t anything so you don’t have to worry,”
“I swear if I come in to class tomorrow and find out that we have to turn in a fifty point paper I’m going to murder you,”
“No there seriously wasn’t any homework,”
“Okay. Hey are you going to Mikey’s Friday?”
“Yeah, why?”
“Just wondering. I’ve got to go, dinner’s ready. Bye.”
Why is it that everyone seems to know something I don’t? Frank wondered. But does Ray know anything is the question. Oh well.
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He was here today. Frank noticed as he opened his locker. The black haired teen stood at his own a few away from his. Frank almost missed the letter that fell out of his locker in his rush to stuff books into his backpack and catch up to the retreating figure of the boy. He stuffed the letter in one of the pockets of his jeans and slammed his locker. Slinging his backpack on his back he ran to catch up to him.
“Hey!” he called out, the boy turned around. Almost like he didn’t believe that someone had called out to him. But he was the only one in the hallway other than Frank so it had to be him. “Wait up,”
The boy saw who called out to him and stopped. Smiling as Frank approached him. Though that probably wasn’t the best idea because his split lip started bleeding again. Shit! He thought, sucking on it.
“What happened to you?” Frank questioned looking worriedly at his bleeding lip. “You didn’t show up yesterday and those assholes said they did something to you and it made me worry, you okay?”
“Well, after school on Tuesday one of those ‘assholes’ as you called them cornered me, apparently he didn’t like the way I talked to him during gym. But it was worth it, anyway” he said shrugging.
“Why’d you stay home?” Frank wondered.
“I just couldn’t find the drive to go to school yesterday, sorry for worrying you so much. Didn’t know you cared that much otherwise I might have actually came,” he said. Frank tried his hardest to brush the comment aside but it was hard to. He doesn’t like you, he’s only teasing.
The guys lip was still bleeding despite his attempts to stop it. Frank really wanted to reach out and stop the blood but convinced himself that that would be really weird so instead he asked another question.
“How’re your legs?”
“Oh, the scrapes are almost completely healed, it’s the bruises underneath them that are the problem.” He replied brushing his hair out of his eyes. Seriously, you’re making this really hard not to reach out and hug you. Stop saying depressing things like they aren’t so bad! It took all his effort not to, convincing himself that that would be weird as well.
“What class do you have?” Frank questioned, changing the subject.
“English, same as you I think,” he replied.
“Really? You just keep showing up everywhere,” Frank said cursing himself for never noticing.
“I haven’t shown up for the past few days, with the nosebleed on Tuesday and then not being here yesterday so I don’t blame you for not noticing,”
“Right, I really should’ve followed you that day. Nobody should have to suffer alone,” Frank said, saying his thoughts out loud.
“Don’t worry about it, the next time it happens I’ll call you,” the boy said smiling.
“Right, if it happens again,” Frank mumbled.
“Oh there’s no doubt it will happen again, but as you said I’ll no longer have to suffer alone,”
“Yeah,” they walked into the classroom, being the first people in the room. They sat they’re stuff down and Frank immediately took out a sheet of paper and scribbled something down on it. He then handed it to the boy.
“What’s this?” he questioned. Looking at the sheet in astonishment.
“Well, in order to call me if you need help you’re going to have to know my number,” Frank said, blushing slightly.
“You’re right,” he then proceeded to tear the sheet in half and write down his own for Frank. “Now you can call me if you get trapped in a locker again,” he said laughing slightly.
“How did you find out about that?” Frank questioned. Mikey must’ve told everyone he knew.
“Word travels fast in a high school, haven’t you learned that yet?” he sat down in his seat. Directly across the aisle from Frank’s.
“So that’s who sits there,” Frank said out loud.
“What’s that?” the boy asked.
“Bob and I were trying to figure out who sat there a few days ago, now I know,” Frank explained.
“Right,”
“Frank! I heard you got stuffed in a locker!” Bob exclaimed as he walked into the room.
“Nice to see you too Bob, I’m doing fine thanks for asking, how about yourself?”
Bob laughed. He then looked over at the black clad boy watching the scene unfold smiling.
“Hey, Frank? I figured out who sits there,” Bob said and Frank rolled his eyes.
“Yes, thank you Bob,”
“No problem,”
“Idiot,” Frank mumbled
“I heard that,”
“Yeah, well you were supposed to,”
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Frank,
So, I heard you got stuffed into a locker. Not just any locker though, my locker. It scared me pretty bad when I found out but then I realized that I hadn’t been writing my full name on anything lately. Just my initials. Except for when I’m signing a drawing or something then that has my full name but that really has no relevance to you. Anyway, just initials. That probably doesn’t help you all that much but that’s a good thing. I don’t think I would be ready to tell you even if you did find me. I’m just no good at sharing my feelings. I’ve been trying though and I think I’ve done a pretty good job. Someone out there cares and loves you Frank, don’t forget it. See you in class.
G.W.
It was signed this time. So I guess that really was his locker. I really need to find something to bribe Mikey with to get him to tell me.
He read over the letter again, each time a smile on his face. He had to stop himself numerous times however. I keep thinking that the boy and the writer are the same people. They aren’t Frank, so stop thinking they are. He was snapped out of his thoughts when Mikey angrily sat down at the table with his lunch in hand.
“What’s got you so upset?” Ray asked not even looking up from the book he was reading.
“My brother! He’s so fucking annoying sometimes!” Mikey exclaimed angrily taking a bite of the pre-made lunch sandwich.
“I didn’t know you had a brother,” Frank said.
“Like hell you didn’t!” Mikey said, Frank looked at him confused. “That’s the reason why he’s so annoying, he won’t stop talking about you!”

Notes

Thanks for reading! I really appreciate all the comments they make me want to write more. I really felt like updating today. Mostly because after this chapter, shit starts to go down. And I really like writing cute moments between people. But they have to be original, that's one of my problems. Originality is difficult sometimes, but so far it hasn't been a problem.
Thanks again!