"Gerard!"I screamed the second he was in the car.
"What? Whats going on?"Gerard looked around suddenly.
"You guys were just talked about on the radio!"I cheered.
"Wait- what?"Gerard stared at me incredulously, completely unbelieving.

"Gerard the guy was just talking about your show last night. He said there was some other band that had just been picked up by a label and played at the bean but their thunder was stolen by you guys with that argument between you and Mikey and then your original song."I grinned.

"Are you fucking serious?"Gerard started smiling.
"You better believe it baby!"I laughed as Gerard looked like he was going to cry.
"I- We have to go tell the guys!"Gerard exclaimed.

He started the car up in a rush and stalled it.
"Good job."I snorted. He gave me a look before starting the car properly and driving away from the school.

When we arrived at The Magic Bean Gerard quickly turned the car off and rushed inside. I followed him in and looked around.
"Ray!"Gerard yelled and practically skipped ove to his table.
"Hey Gerard. Frank. Whats going on?"Ray said.

"You guys were talked about on the radio!"I clapped happily.
"What?! Are you serious! Oh my fucking god thats awesome!"Ray jumped up out of his seat and gave us the widest grin I had ever seen.

"Isn't it just?!"Gerard grinned too. So much fucking grinning.
"What station? What did they say?"Ray grabbed us on the arms.
"I wasn't there to hear it but Frank was. It was only on a little station that only heavy metal lovers listen to but still, its something."Gerard sighed happily.

"It was supposed to be some bands first show being signed but you guys stole their thunder because of Gerard and Mikey's argument and then Gerard doing an original song at the end. Which was very moving."I pulled Ray back down into his seat as Diane sat down in the last seat with coffees.

"Thanks Di. Guess what!"Gerard shouted suddenly. He was so fucking happy.
"You guys were talked about on the radio? Yeah I heard."She smiled.
"Did you hear the radio as well?"I asked her.
"No I heard you. You do realise you guys have been shouting pretty much the whole time right?"She laughed. Woops.

"No... Sorry about that."Gerard shrugged sheepishly.
"Nah it's all good. You have every right to be excited. You made an impression. Thats one of the first steps to making it as a band."She smiled round at us all. Including me like I was part of the band.

"We have to go find Mikey and Bob."Gerard said as he sculled his boiling hot coffee somehow and stood up.
"Jesus Gerard."I stared at him. He didn't seem at all affected byt the heat.

"Well I'll come with you."Ray stood up too.
"Kay. Thanks for the coffee Di."I said as she went back over to the counter to serve some customers.
"No problem guys. Have fun!"She saluted us as we left.

-time lapse-

"Are you fucking kidding me?! That is fucking awesome!"Bob yelled in my ear. Bob was with Mikey at Pete's house working on some music. When we had turned up they had thought I was announcing that I was joining the band which I quickly pushed out of their thoughts with the news.

"Dude I cant believe we were talked about on the radio."Mikey set his guitar down and looked around at us all.
"We need a band name."Ray said quietly.
"That we do."Gerard sighed.

"Right from now on everyones job is to think of a band name."Bob commanded. Everyone nodded in agreement and as if their minds were connected in some band way, they all got up and grabbed their instruments to leave.

"Where are you guys going?"I asked them, feeling left out.
"To The Magic Bean. We need to practice more and Ray, Mikey and I think we have something. It just needs lyrics."Bob grabbed a piece of paper from next to him and held it up for everyone. It had some sort of music on it. I couldn't understand drumming very much.

"Frank i'll give you a lift home okay?"Gerrad smiled and took my hand with his empty one.
"Uh okay."I stared at the floor as we all walked out of Pete's house. Where was Pete anyway?

"Hey Mikey, where's Pete?"I asked him as we got in the car.
"Oh he is at school. Staying back with Miss Bellato to work on something."Mikey informed me.
"Guess Mr Stump's plans are ruined."Gerard giggled quietly.

"We should go get him. Free Miss Bellato."I laughed back.
"What are you guys laughing about?"Ray asked from the back seat.
"Nothing important."Gerard smiled as he started the car.

"Are you gonna get Pete?"I asked him.
"Actually yeah. I need to drop by school anyway."Gerard sighed again.
"Oh?"I prompted him. Ray, Bob and Mikey were arguing over something in the back.
"Stuff with Linda."

"Oh..."I looked out of the window.
"Hey guys keep it down please."Gerard asked.
"Sorry..."Mikey giggled.

Whenever Linda was mentioned Gerard always seemed to shut up and look depressed. Something was going on and I was going to find out what it was. Gerard pulled up out the front of the school.
"Guys wait here. I'm going to talk to someone then get Pete okay?"Gerard said. Before anyone could say anything he had slammed his door shut and was walking away.

"There isn't room for Pete though."Mikey said quietly.
"He can sit on your lap."Bob said. Ray started laughing then everyone else joined in except for me.
"Frank are you okay?"Mikey leaned forward and breathed in my ear.

"No... But I will be."I said as I got out of the car. I rushed in after Gerard. The halls were empty as my footsteps echoed down them. I rounded a corner and stopped as I saw Gerard disappear into the nurses office.

I crept up slowly, not wanting to eavesdrop exactly but I knew that if I turned up they wouldn't talk about whatever it was in front of me.
"... to tell him! It's killing me. Next time he is in here you should ask about his art. Take a look at his drawing. I dont understand how he hasnt figured it out yet."Gerard growled.
"It's not that easy Gerard. You have no idea. It's killing me way more than its killing you okay? I know I have to but please just- give me some time okay?"Linda was crying.

"Look I'm sorry for yelling okay I just- he deserves to know... And I think that you aren't going to ever feel better about anything if you keep it locked up okay?"Gerard said sadly. I slowly turned around and started walking back to the car. I should not have listened to that.

When I got back to the car the guys were laughing about something.
"Whats wrong Frank? You look like someone just tried to kill you or something."Mikey said as I got in the car slowly.
"Do I?"I sighed. I didn't want to be here.

"Frank where are you going now?"Bob called from the window as I walked away.
"Tell Gerard I went home."I yelled back. I had to talk to Lily about this. It was bothering me like a fucking mosquito bite.

I got to the house in what seemed like no time.
"Hey Frank. Lily is waiting upstairs for you."Taylor said from the lounge.
"Okay thanks."I called as I started going upstairs.

Jack was coming downstairs with his girlfriend and as they walked past me he whispered just loud enough for me to hear,"Murderer."
"Fucking fantastic."I said as I stopped walking and turned to face them.

"Whats so fantastic?"Jack said simply as he turned and faced me.
"Listen up you jerk. I did not shoot him okay. Gerard did. Because he was going to shoot us and they were fucking fighting. I didn't hold him down for Gerard to shoot. I didnt take his weapon from him and shoot him and neither did Gerard. You don't know fucking anything so fucking drop it you bastard."I growled.

He walked up to my step and whispered in my ear,"You know everyone thinks you and Gerard did it right? Everyone here, everyone at school and,"He paused and took a deep breath in,"I have even heard Steven and Taylor talking about it like you guys did it. Because it's probaby true. You found out he raped your two friends and thought he needs to pay. Revenge is best served cold. Just like the cold blood you killed him in."He laughed and I shoved him away.

"Fuck!"He shouted as he fell down. And down. And down. Shit.
"Jack!"His girlfriend screamed and ran after him. I rushed down to the landing and looked down at him. He seemed okay.

"I knew you were a killer."Jack spat at me. He slowly started to get up as Taylor joined us on the landing.
"What the hell happened here?"He asked as he looked around at us all.
"The killer fucking pushed me."Jack growled.

"Frank is this true?"Taylor looked up at me instantly. So he really thought I did it.
"Is that really what you all think of me as? A killer?"I looked at him. He knew he had messed up badly by turning to me straight away.
"No Frank please wait!"He called as I rushed up the stairs. I burst into my room and threw myself onto Gerards bed, burying my head in the pillows.

"You okay?"Lily asked quietly.
"No."I breathed in deeply and smelt Gerard. It somehow made everything worse.
"You wanna talk about it?"
"No."I repeated.

The bed tilted as someone small climbed on top of me.
"You wanna hear a scary story?"Claire asked as I wriggled underneath her so I could see her.
"Um. Do you know any scary stories?"I raised an eyebrow at her.

"Linda told it to me."She smiled.
"Oh... Okay I guess I have to hear it then."I smiled as I sat up properly.
"Okay. So one day, this mummy was making dinner and then the daddy got home and started yelling at her because she had put onions in the soup and he didnt like onions but she had forgotten and then he wouldnt stop yelling and then their little boy started crying and then the daddy hit the mummy and then the mummy ran away with the little boy and then the mummy gave the little boy away to a big family with lots of little boys and girls and one nice mummy but then the mummy was never seen again by the little boy the end!"Claire clapped at her story but all I could do was stare in horror at nothing.

"Claire I dont want you to ever repeat that again okay?"Lily said as she got up and sat next to me.
"Frank you kno-"
"But what if it is about m- Martin."I stammered. I started to get up and went over to me discarded bag on the floor.

I opened it up and pulled out my drawing.
"Fuck um I have to go talk to Linda okay?"I said as I stared at my drawing but made no move to leave.
"Do you want me to come with you?"Lily put her hand on my shoulder.
"N-no. This is something I need to do by myself.

"Okay just- be careful okay?"Lily looked down at my drawing. Of my mother. Of Linda. Fuck I had never been more nervous in my entire fucking life.
"I will."I stood up and hugged her tightly before slowly started walking towards the door.

"Frank take this with you."Lily held my drawing up. I walked over to her and slowly took it from her. I looked down at it.
"Th- this is really happening isn't it?"I sighed.
"Yes Frank... Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?"Lily looked distressed. Maybe I should let her come with me.

"Okay. Please."I smiled slightly as she got up and came over to take my hand. She squeezed it as we started walking towards the door.
"Claire stay here and read your book. We wont be long okay?"I said over my shoulder. She nodded and smiled as we left her alone completely.

"What are you going to say to her?"Lily asked me quietly as we started our descent.
"I dont know... Oh. Fuck."I groaned and stopped walking. Linda wasn't going to be at school anymore and I had no idea where else to find her.

"Whats wrong?"Lily asked me, a worried look in her eye. I told her and she just sighed. We started walking back up in silence. I didnt say a word as Lily went and started reading to Claire.
"I'm just um. Gonna go get a drink."I said quietly, a horrible thought popping into my head.

"Kay."Lily mumbled as Claire started giggling about some duck that fell over or something. I left them alone and went straight down to Steven.
"Frank. What can I do for you?"Steven said as he turned away from bills or some shit.
"A lift?"I raised a hopeful eyebrow at him.

Gerards POV

"Thank you guys you've been amazing we love you."I yelled into the microphone. Everyone cheered as me and the guys walked down to an empty table away from the stage.
"You guys are amazing."Di said as she sat down with drinks for us all.

"Thanks."We all grinned at her. Every time we got off stage we were happy. They werent even proper shows or anything at all. Just a couple of songs for people who had similar music taste to us.
"You guys come up with a band name yet? Cause I need to start putting posters for you. I have the designs. I just need a name."Diane said, making us all stare at her in wonder. Were we really known enough by people to need a name for a fucking poster?

"We're working on it."Mikey said, taking a sip of his drink.
"Right well, I need a name in a week. Think you can do it?"She looked round at us seriously as we all nodded eagerly. I really wanted a fucking band name.

She nodded as she walked away and back to the counter to serve some people as the next band kicked in. It was those two guys, Jon and Spencer playing again.
"I love you guys."Bob suddenly said.
"Love you too man."Ray slapped him on the back, his hair bouncing as he did so.

"No I'm serious. There is no other band I would rather be in than with you guys."He blushed as Mikey laughed slightly.
"I know what you mean. You guys are like my brothers. I am so thankful I met you gyus."Ray stared at his drink hard.

"You know what I'm so glad of?"Mikey said quietly.
"What?"We all chorused.
"Frank."He sighed. Aye? Immediately my mind jumped to ridiculous assumptions that they had a secret love affair going on but of course that was fucking stupid.

"Why's that?"Ray asked, glancing at me.
"Gerard. If Gerard hadn't met him I doubt he would be here tonight. And I doubt he would have been there last night. He would have been sleeping with Jade or something worse."Mikey looked me in the eye.

I stared at him, feeling hurt by the Jade comment even though it was probably true.
"I feel like I need to talk to him."I sighed. The guys had told me of Franks venture into the school after me. And then his quick getaway after not even seeing me.

"You probably should. Something was wrong with him. I had never seen him look so... scared? Upset?"Mikey nudged my foot and I nodded.
"No. I have seen that look before. Saw it on my own face when I went to the bathroom after finding out Dad had cheated on Mum. Its the look of finding out something you didnt want to know."Bob choked out. He had just burned his throat.

"You really think so?"I looked at Bob hoping to god he would say he was imagining it.
"Yup. Go talk to him."Bob set his drink down and got,"I'm going to get some water."
"Fuck."I sighed... I got up slowly and grabbed my keys from the table. When did I even put them there?

"I'll be back to give you guys lifts home."I smiled and turned around before anyone could stop me. But I stopped when I spotted him. He was walking through the door slowly, scanning the room. The split second I had I saw Steven parked against the curb outside but then the door was shut and I was focusing on Frank.

He spotted me and didnt smile like I did. He just walked over slowly, looking like he was gonna puke. Fuck he knows.
"Hey..."I coughed around the golf ball that had somehow appeared in my throat. He nodded at the guys behind me before grabbing my arm and leading me roughly through the crowd and over to the bathroom.

"What uh... Whats up?"I asked him, knowing fully well what he was going to say. Fuck I was in so much trouble. He was staring at the ground, scuffing his feet with his arms folded.
"How long?"He asked me softly.
"How long what?"I tried playing dumb. Which was dumb.
"How. Fucking. Long?"He turned his eyes to me and I saw just how much he was hurting.