"Fraaaank! Wake up!"Someone was shaking me. I slowly opened my eyes and realised it was Claire who was shaking me and I was lying on the couch. Alone.

"Where... Where's Gerard?"I groaned as I sat up. I must have slept at an awkward angle because my neck was fucking killing me.
"I don't know. Lily just told me to come down and wake you."Claire beamed at me. Fuck I was tired.

"What time is it?"I scrubbed at my face furiously in an attempt to wake up properly.
"Ten minutes before we leave for school."She gave me a toothy grin.

"Shit I forgot I was taking you in... Uhh okay are you ready to go?"I asked as I stood up and tried fixing my neck with a roll.
"Yup. I just have to wait for you and Lily. Come on Frank you don't wanna be late do you?"Claire grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the lounge.

We walked past the dining room to see a few kids sitting down in a group whispering furiously. When they saw me stumble after Claire they stopped talking immediately. Great.

We made our way to the top floor where Lily was packing a bag for Claire.
"Don't know why you said you will take her to school with you. Completely fucking insane."Lily glared at me as I walked in.
"It was the only thing to get her to behave."I grumbled as I put my uniform on.

"Yeah well good luck handling her all day."Lily stood up, shoved the bag in my chest and walked off.
"Is Lily angry?"Claire asked as she watched me change.
"Probably. She thinks me taking you to school with me is a bad idea. But I think its gonna be fun"I smiled at her as I picked her up and hugged her.

I put my bag over my shoulder and grabbed Claires bag then went downstairs.
"Has Lily left already?"I asked Taylor as I took some lunch from him.
"Yeah, Steven was ready to go so she left. See ya later Frank."Taylor grinned and saluted me.

I walked out the front door and sighed as I put Claire down next to me.
"You stay away from the road okay? And you don't talk to anyone unless I say its okay alright?"I knelt down in front of her and looked her in the eye.

"Okay Frankie."She smiled as she took my hand and we started walking. This was one of those days I wished Gerard was here.

Gerards POV

I kissed Frank lightly on the lips before heading out. Today was ggoing to be a very tough day. I had to end whatever it was I had with Jade and actually turn up for art. Mr Stump was going to have a lot of questions.

I started the car and drove to the cafe where Jade worked. She always worked early mornings during the week. I don't know how she did it though. I was struggling to stay awake now. Thankfully Steven had given me a coffee before going.

I pulled up outside the empty cafe and turned the car off. I could see her inside. Cleaning the tables. Now or never I guess. I got out of the car and slowly walked in.

"Oh hey Gerard."Jade smiled at me happily but then her face dropped,"Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost. Come sit down I'll get you a coffee."She grabbed me and sat me down firmly before going to the coffee machine and doing her thing.

"Jade I actually came here because I need to talk to you about- something."I stared at a dent in the table as she came back round to me and sat in front of me.

"What is it?"She asked me. I didn't say anything. Couldn't. I was such a fucking wuss.
"Gerard come on you're freaking me out."She grabbed my hand and squeezed.

I yanked my hand away from her involuntarily and flinched at the hurt look on her face.
"Jade I have to end whatever it is that's going on between us."I splurted out.

She didn't say anything for a while until she let out a single sob and said,"Why?"
"Because number 1. I'm only 17 and you're 23. 2. I shouldn't have even been getting drunk in the first place. Another illegal thing. And 3. I want to be with Frank. I know you lied about talking to him and that really upsets me because I thought I could trust you."I closed my eyes and clenched my fists.

"Okay..."Jade sighed. I opened my eyes and looked at her tear stained face covered in make-up that was now running down her face.
"Okay what?"I asked uncertainly.

"Okay we have to end it. I'm sorry for what I did but its only because I love you Gerard. Please don't hate me forever."She sighed and got up. I watched as she went out back and out of my sight.

That was it? I had expected a lot more theatrics. With Jade you got the whole deal. Not just an 'okay I'm sorry I'll leave you alone now', not with someone like Jade.

I sat there and stared at nothing. My mind was fogging up. I was starting to sweat. Badly. I stood up slowly, feeling dizzy, and started walking out to the car. I got inside and sat at the wheel to try and gather myself. I literally felt all over the fucking place.

Wait, why am I going back into the cafe? Oh right, to talk to Jade. I walked inside and looked around. Nobody was inside.
"Jade?"I called out. She appeared from out back and stopped when she saw me.
"What do you want Gerard?"She sniffed. She had been crying.

Someone had made her cry. No one got to do that.
"Jade whats happened? Why have you been crying?"I asked her urgently.
"I- what? Gerard are you okay?"She came round from the counter and scanned my face.

"I'm fine. What happened? Who made you cry?"I pulled her over and sat her down. She was being so weird. Maybe she didnt want to tell me.
"Gerard what the hell is wrong- Shit... Okay Gerard. Sit down. Now."She commanded.

I stared at her as I sat down. Something was wrong.
"Jade whats going on? I dont understand."I looked around suddenly and almost shit my pants,"Where the fuck are we? What the fuck is happening?"

"Gerard I need you to calm down and just focus on me okay? Can you do that for me?"She grabbed me by my shoulders and held me down. When had I stood up? I sat back down and looked her in the eyes.

"Gerard, how did you get her?"She asked me seriously. She had her therapist voice on. Something was wrong with me.
"I drove here... Jade whats wrong with me why can't I think properly? Fucking- Mikey!"I yelled and stood up.

He must have been wondering where I was. I had been out for ages. I quickly walked out of the shop and spotted Bob's car.
"What?"I said as I spun in a circle to find him.

Jade grabbed me by the shoulders to stop me.
"Whoa hey Jade. Why are you wearing an apron? Do you work here? Do you still work at The Magic Bean? Is that why you asked me here? To tell me?"I stared at her scared face. Why was she scared.

"Hey Gerard can I borrow your phone?"Jade said as we walked. When did we get here? We were around the corner from the school.
"Yeah sure."I handed it to her and smiled.

"Okay Gerard you keep walking I'll catch up okay?"She smiled as she put the phone to her ear,"Steven hi..."
I continued walking and spotted a boy across the road with a little girl.

"Hey Gerard!"She called and waved. I waved back confused. Weird. I didnt usually associate with little kids. They fucked me off. The boy turned around just as Jade caught up with me and linked our arms.

"Gerard?"He called. We made eye contact and something went -zing- inside me.
"Here. Thanks."Jade handed me my phone back with a smile so I smiled back.

The boy's eyes darted to Jades face and our linked arms. His face crumpled. Like literally, scrunched up. He picked the little girl up and rushed away. Who the hell was he?

"Frank wait!"I called. Jesus I was in the middle of the road.
"Gerard get off the fucking road!"Jade screamed behind me. I stopped moving forward just in time as a truck sped past me, blaring its horn out. I rushed back to Jade and fell to my knees in front of her.

"Jade whats wrong with me everything keeps cutting out!"I cried in anguish. When I looked around it was like everything had a dark haze around the edges and it was making me feel nauseous.

"Gerard its okay just stay still okay? Close your eyes and stay still."She said as she sat down next to me and hugged me. I did as she said until I heard a car pull up next to us.

"Steven. What are you doing here?"I said with distaste. That man fucked me off.
"Gerard I think you need to come with me."He smiled from the window.
"Like hell. I need to find Mikey."I sighed and looked around. I could barely fucking see.

"Gerard when we get to the house I want you to sleep okay?"Steven said next to me. Fucking hell I was in the car?
"I- okay. Did I say goodbye to Jade?"I asked.
"Yeah... You said thank you for the coffee and told her to stop crying because whoever made her cry is a douche bag and then she laughed sadly."Steven said as he stopped the car.

"Fuck... Steven I need help..."I sighed as we got out of the car.
"I know you do. We're working on it okay?"Steven said as we walked in.

"Gerard!"Someone called behind me. I spun around to see Mikey running up the road to me.
"Mikey!"I rushed to him and we collided into a hug.

"Jade called me. Told me what was going on."He sighed into my hair. I held him tightly.
"I'm sorry for not telling you where I was going."I said as we started walking up to the house.

"I- It's okay... Wow havent seen this in ages."He mumbled. We walked inside after Steven and walked up the stairs. I looked around at the room. It smelt funny. Like there had been a girl in here. Jack had probably spent the night with his girlfriend in here.

"Gerard how tired are you?"Mikey whispered. Wait when did the curtains get closed? And how did I get in bed?
"I'm pretty tired I guess... I need to sleep."I sighed. It had been a very trying week last week and I was just so tired.

"I think you should."Mikey whispered. He was sitting next to me on my bed.
"Are you going?"I sighed as Mikey shifted.
"No. I'll be here the whole time okay? I wont leave you."He whispered and lay down next to me.

Franks POV

"Claire you are really good at this!"Mrs Bellato exclaimed as Claire somehow mastered yet another chord with her tiny fingers. The guitar was the same height as her and was too big for her to hold by herself but somehow she was managing to strum a few chords.

"Frank you've really brought some talent in."Mrs Bellato grinned at me.
"I know. I love her."I smiled at her for a second. I found it hard to smile. Claire knew something was wrong. She had tried to pull it out of me but I knew she wouldn't understand.

"Frankie will you please play something for me?"Claire shoved the guitar at me.
"Uh sure."I smiled and took it from her. Mrs Bellato went back to her desk and started doing some work.

"What do you want me to play?"I asked her as I moved off the desk and onto the chair.
"Um can you play Promise?"She wriggled around in her seat.
"Sure..."I sighed. I slowly started playing it out as Claire closed her eyes and started swaying.

Then we both started singing and it made me cry. Fuck.
"Frankie are you okay?"Claire stopped me from playing and hugged me. I hugged her back and started sobbing.

"Frank are you okay? Do you want to talk to someone?"Mrs Bellato came over.
"I'm okay I just need- Lily."I managed to get a hold of myself as I wiped away my tears. I fucking hated crying.

"I think maybe you should go to the nurse. She might have something that can calm you down."She smiled as the bell rang.
"Yeah... I dont want to be here when the others get here."I smiled and stood up with Claire and the guitar still in my arms.

"Here."Mrs Bellato came over and took the guitar from me, setting it back on its stand before passing me my bag.
"Thanks."I gave her a watery smile and headed out as a class started filing in past me.

I trudged through the school, eventually transferring Claire to my back, until I reached the nurses clinic. I walked in hesitantly at the sight of the nurse taking the temperature of a young freshman.

"Frankie! Good to see you."She smiled at me as I put Claire down.
"Uh hey... Laura was it?"I asked, the name feeling fuzzy on my tongue for some reason.
"Linda. But good guess."She grinned as she started bandaging up the boys foot.

I put Claire down and told her to sit on one of the seats. Linda finished on the boys foot and sent him off.
"So, what can I do for you?"She smiled as she started cleaning things and putting them away.

"Uhm. Mrs Bellato told me to come here. Cause I was um a little upset..."I looked away at Claire who was staring at the ceiling.
"A little upset? Frankie you were crying badly."Claire looked at me suddenly.
"Thank you for that Claire."I smiled at her as Linda snorted.

"So you just wanted to chill in here for a bit then?"She asked me and sat down. I nodded as I sat down next to Claire.
"Thats fine. What classes are you supposed to have? I can vouch for why you weren't there."She said, opening up a laptop and bringing up the school's roster system.

"Uh I had music first which I went to but then I stayed and didnt go to biology and then I left and came here. I'm supposed to be in english right now then gym. After that its lunch and then I have art."I sighed as I thought of what was supposed to happen in art today. Fucking Gerard. Fucking Jade. Fucking-
"Fuck!"I groaned and thumped my head against the wall behind me.

"Hey dont go doing that, You can actually do some serious damage when you do that."Linda scolded me.
"Sorry mum."I said sarcastically. She dropped the pen she was writing with and blushed furiously at that. Weird.

"I'm being serious. You shouldnt do things like that."She choked out. I stared at her curiously. There was something just... Familiar? I couldnt figure it out she just- fucking hell she just was making something in the back of my mind tick like hell.

"Frankie what was wrong with Gerard?"Claire asked me suddenly.
"I um- I dont know..."I coughed. I didnt want to talk about him.
"Whats wrong with Gerard? Whats happened?"Linda asked me urgently.

"I uh this morning when we were walking to school I saw him across the road and I- he looked a little odd but I um I didnt stay long."I informed her.
"Like... how funny.. Did he almost look like he didnt know you?"Linda was standing up now. What the fuck was going on.

"He looked like he didnt know me."Claire spoke up.
"Shit... Uhh you guys stay here I need to go see him."She sighed and shut her laptop.
"What? Why whats wrong?"I asked urgently.

"He uh... He has used to have this thing well he must still have it but like we cant figure out why and the house cant afford to get him checked out cause the thing costs so fucking much but he has these freak outs like um if he is stressed I think then he has blackouts and memory loss like... I- the way he described it to me was weird he said that his memory was sort of like skipping through time like on a movie you know?"She looked so worried.

"Okay... Can we come with you?"I said as I stood up.
"Yeah sure... Come on, she probably shouldn't be in this shit hole anyway."She smiled at Claire and grabbed her keys.