THE RULES

1.NO ALCOHOL
2.NO DRUGS
3.NO SMOKING
4.NO OUTLANDISH/BRIGHT OR NON NATURAL HAIR STYLES
5.CHURCH WILL BE ATTENDED EVERY SUNDAY
6.NO NEW PIERCINGS OR TATTOOS
7.SPEAK RESPECTFULLY TO GUARDIANS AT ALL TIMES
8.EVERYONE WILL BE IN THE HOUSE BY 8PM (or locked out overnight)
9.NO ROMANTIC/SEXUAL RELATIONS BETWEEN HOUSE RESIDENTS
10.ALL MUSIC, READING MATERIAL AND MEDIA OUTLETS MUST BE APPROVED BY A GURADIAN

ANY RULE BROKEN WILL RESULT IN A LOSS OF PRIVILAGES FOR THE AMOUNT OF TIME SED GARDIAN DEEMS FIT.

As she goes on about the ‘importance of discipline’ and how I will be treated just like every other member of the house I start scanning through the rules set out on the laminated sheet of paper I was handed by Fringe, and fuck these people do not mess around when it comes to rules, and I can already spot where we are going to have problems. I’m not giving up smoking any time soon and I’m pretty sure bright fucking red hair is a violation of number 4, and who the fuck drags ten messed up kids to church every Sunday? Looking up from the Ten Commandments I’ve been bestowed I see Maria coming to the end of the same rant I’ve heard at every Foster home I’ve ever been too…
“So Mr. Way, I trust THAT will be sorted by Moring” She gestures to my hair “and that we will not have any issues from you at all.” Hundreds of clever, snarky replies run through my head to reply with until it hits me like a tonne of bricks. I can’t say anything back, this is my last chance. They made it very clear as they dragged me from my last ‘placement’ that if I got kicked out of another home they’d have no choice but to send me to a ‘behavioural correction centre’ which I already know will be ten times worse than Maria and her stupid rules. So I nod my head politely. An almost malicious grin takes over her features at my compliance, of course, Maria’s seen my file, and she knows that this is my final chance. I have to go along with her every whim and follow every rule or she has the power to report me and have me shipped off within 48 hours. Fucking joy.
Maria claps once and continues “Okay then! If all the introductions are over with you can go, you’ll be sharing with Mr. Iero in the attic, he’ll take you up, and I’ll be up in ten minutes to search your bags for prohibited items. The rest of you are to go to your rooms until dinner.” I look over to Fringe -Mr. Iero- and see him openly grimacing as he turns towards the stairs in the corner and signals for me to follow him up. Glad to see he’s as enthusiastic at the idea of sharing as I am.
We head through the old, three storey house, nearly every floor board protesting our weight with a harsh creek. As we walk Iero explains how the house is run; Ground layer is used by everyone (but only when being supervised), next layer is shared by the four youngest who share one room, while our ‘Guardians’ use the other, the last floor is split two to a room for the older kids, and finally, our room in the attic
My first impression of my new living space left a little to be desired, the white wash walls and bare wood floors weren’t exactly cosy, fun or inviting, and furniture wise we’d been given just about the bare necessities; a flimsy black wooden desk and a swivel chair each, pushed against the walls on opposite sides of the room, two metal frame bed situated against the back wall about a foot apart and a singular wardrobe placed in-between the two beds. Fringe had the usual shit spread out over his half of the room along with a white guitar that he was attempting to tune whilst perched cross legged on the edge of his bed. I couldn’t help but admire how his features fell perfectly as he sat there, shoulders slightly hunched and arms draped carelessly around the instrument he was playing with, even the expression of deep concentration made him look, well, adorable I guess. I think he noticed I was staring because he looked up at me and smirked like he knew some amazing secret that I didn’t know, so a little too quickly I span around threw my bag onto my bed a lay down next to it, my face probably as red as my hair at this point. I can tell he’s still watching me and my suspicions are confirmed when he says an entire actual sentence, which is ten times better than the irritated grunts and mandatory tour speech that I’ve had so far “ So are you gonna hide your fags or just let Maria take them?” I sat up to face him, pretty confused as to how he even knew I smoked “ How do you know I even smoke, never mind have a pack with me? “
“ Dude, you reek of it, I knew the moment you stepped through the door your last smoke was less than an hour ago! So she’ll be onto you and you seriously don’t wanna find out what happens if she catches you” he laughed “ahh shit…” I mutter and scan the room. Fucking hallelujah there’s an air vent in the wall the ceiling right above my bed, I grab my three packs Marlboro and jump onto the bed, the grid over the hole is easy enough to remove and reattach so panic averted. Funnily enough I find a pack already hidden in the vent and shoot him a accusing look “ judge me if you want but you’ll be the hypocrite man” he responds. Clambering back down onto the cold floor I end up pulling out the swivel chair from under the desk and settling down “ I never caught your name by the way” , at my question he grins and walks over to me, standing very tall and proper “ Frank Iero , at your service!” He announces with a bow and a wink, earning a hysterical laugh from me as I shook his hand and formally introduced myself as well, and I decide I like him. Well, there are definitely worse people I could be stuck in a room with.
Before we know it the door is being swung open and the imposing women with red hair and a thick Russian accent is barging in, demanding to see all my personal items immediately. She takes all my band tees and my favourite hoody because obviously Green Day are going to ‘bring the devil into her home!’ . So after taking and probably burning most of my clothes she hands me a school uniform and adding “ you’ll start and Belleville High School tomorrow and I expect you up and 6.00am and out the door by half 7, wearing the uniform and without complaint. Mr. Way, if you stick to our rules and don’t try anything I assure you, you can enjoy your time with us and go onto a better life. Good night.”
Me and Frank manage just about to hold our hysterics until she’s left the room “God what a snooty fucking cow” Frank remarks but I laughing to hard to reply properly, and we are both just sat on the floor crying laughing “ I don’t remember the last time I laughed like that “ I say wiping my tears away and it’s the weirdest thing cause I don’t remember the last time I was this comfortable with anyone, except Mikey maybe, but I doubt he felt the same way, and right now I can’t imagine anyone else I’d rather sit up all night and bitch about people with but Frank, we just got this weird connection, I’m actually kind of glad I got sent here. Otherwise, I never would have seen those amazing hazel/gold flecked eyes, and the adorable face he makes when he plays the guitar. We sit up all night and talk about meaningless shit but it’s the most fun I’ve had in a while, I’m pretty sure he enjoyed it too, and around 3am we are dosing off, across from the first friend I’ve ever made, god that sounds sappy…

Notes

Second chapter and fuck me writing is harder than i thought it would be, and more effort, i hope it not shit, enjoy :)