The Highways I Call Home

Gerard had been on the road through the night, and now a beautiful orange sun peeked up at him over the ocean. The ocean? He looked over at it, surprised at how ignorant he was not to have noticed it earlier.

Mentally he promised himself that he would stop to walk on the beach-- it had been years since the last time he'd seen it. Ya there was a beach in New Jersey, but his family didn't go places very often. He rarely even left Belleville. The last time he went to the coast was when he was very little, and Mikey had just learned to walk. He remembered running around on the sand, letting it sink between his bare toes, and after him and Mikey had rolled up their little pant legs, they waded into the water to collect shells and jumped over incoming waves, laughing hysterically before playing little games back in the sand.

Gerard kept glancing at the water, reminiscing all the sweet little memories from that day. Why couldn't they just go bck now? Deep down he knew they couldn't, something had happened and nothing would ever be the same. He couldn't figure out why, though. His thoughts had become so guarded that the thought slipped by and he continued recklessly driving and singing maniacly down the highway.

Miles and miles stretched on, and for the first time in the whole drive, he started feeling restless. He needed something..

Coffee!

It had been weeks since his last cup. He desperately needed to feel the sweet warm liquid in his mouth. How could he have gone so long without it? He used to live for that drink. Now he had gone without it? How??

He pulled out at the nearest exit and drove in search for an inviting looking coffee shop. Finally he spotted a little Starbucks on a street corner and parked outside of it. Feeling the need for coffee overtake him, he speed-walked towards the building and swung open the door.

***

Frank was up in his new room, about to sleep once more in his big comfy bed, when he heard a buzzing sound coming from his coat pocket on the floor. He got up and hobbled over to it, curious about who would text him at this time of night. He had no friends and his dad was in the next room, so that option was out. Maybe someone got the wrong number?

He looked at the contact. Ray. Oh. Frank quickly opened the message.

"Hey it's Ray. Hope you still want to have coffee! Bob and I' wil meet you at the Starbucks on 6th street at noon."

He looked at it, slightly astonished. Ray actually followed through. Frank was gong to have coffee with people. Weird.

He typed back a "K" before crawling back into bed and drifting off to sleep.

In the morning, Frank woke up way too early. It was only eight. He still had four hours to wait before he needed to go to Starbucks.

He got up and took a shower, then put on his usual skinny jeans and hoodie. He picked up Pansy and played with her for a good hour before grabbing a poptart and walking out of the house.

He checked his phone to see the text from Ray. 6th street. Where the hell is that? He cruised the sidewalk, going the opposite way from the beach, and eventually found the actual town itself. He walked along the main drag, taking in all the shops and big stores along the way. Eventually he saw a little Starbucks on the corner.

He walked in (still about two hours early) and grabbed a caramel latte. So what if he had coffee twice. Then he sat down a couple minutes before walking out, ready to explore the city and hoping he wouldn't get lost.

As he was about to grab the door handle, it swung open, awkwardly catching his right foot and sending him sprawling to the floor on his back. Then he felt a foot catch on his head (ow!) before another body slammed on top of him.

Notes

Sorry- it's a filler! I keep getting too wrapped up in their individual lives! The next chapter, though.. it'll be cute i promise. :)
Thanks y'all for reading! ♡

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~Geetah