Mute

Frank's pov*

Mom and Maggie make conversation for what feels like what's forever.
I don't pay any attention to them. I focus on the pale, beautiful boy sitting just feet away from me.
He looks down in his notebook as his pencil moves across the page effortlessly. From my angle, I can't see the picture, though.
His eyes meet mine. He flashes an adoring smile, but quickly looks down like he offended me.
I stop watching him, and focus on the conversation at hand.
"Linda, are you SURE you REALLY want Gerard to live with you?" Maggie asks. She's coming across as a major... Ummm... How can I say this nicely?... Cunt? Yeah. She's being a fucking cunt.
"Bitch...," I mumble.
Her head turns in my direction.
"What was that?" she asks raising an eyebrow.
"On my foot, there's an itch," I lie. Gerard studies me, his shoulders shaking as he giggles silently.
She nods like she bought the obvious lie.
Mom looks at me. She knows what I said.
"Anyway, you're sure about taking Gerard?" Maggie asks in her annoying Bitch tone.
"Yes. Of course!" Mom says cheerfully.
"Great!" she says standing up. "I'll get the paperwork!"
With that, she leaves the room, closing the door with a click.
"You called her a bitch? Really?" Mom cocks an eyebrow.
"I-I didn't-" I stammer. My face heating up.
Gerard giggles just loud enough for just me to hear.
I shoot him a happy look and he looks down shamefully.
"It's fine. She was being pushy," Mom laughs.
I sigh with relief.
Maggie returns.
After signing all the paperwork, we stand up to leave.
Gerard approaches me hesitantly, clutching his book and a pencil case.
The drive home is quiet, and I sit in the back beside Gerard. He is silent-what else is new?
Gerard stares down at the paper as he draws, AGAIN. I still can't sew what he's drawing. He's covering part of the page with his sleeve, blocking my view.
"Are you boys okay with pasta for dinner?" Mom asks.
"Yeah," I say.
Gerard nods.
"Gerard is too," I add.
"Thank you, Frank," Mom smiles at me in the mirror.
I nod as a response.
Gerard looks at me, studying me.
I smile. He looks slightly terrified, like I had just told him that I'd kill him if he continued to look at me.
I let out a frustrated groan, and return to my original plan on silently shunning him.
I can't believe Mom wanted him to live with us.
I sigh again, this time Mom's reflection glares at me. I remember her threat and stay quiet.
I lean against the window and put in my earbuds, turning up the volume on my phone loud enough so I can no longer hear the world around me.
I blare 'Don't wanna be in love' by Good Charlotte.
Gerard reaches in his pocket and pulls out a phone. He stares down at the electronic screen blankly.
He puts in Barbuda on his own, drowning out the world just as I do.
I stare out the window.
Gerard better not be TOO weird or quiet...

Notes

I had to rewrite this chapter about six times for it to sound at least decent. I hope it is just a little bit acceptable to those who have read it.
-gay llama
Ps, thanks for reading the story!!!
Pps, don't hate me is this is completely awful...