3 : 28

Another night and this time Gerard recalled that there were only two people in his whole life that he considered “lovers”, his first girlfriend, which was his high school crush—and Frank. His high school crush didn’t last all that long the moment he denied his own sexuality and downed it out in alcohol. When he met Frank it was at the tipping point of his alcoholism spiraling out of control and Frank got him out of it… Frank promised him that he wouldn’t go down that road alone if he decided to continue drinking.

He never tasted a single drop of alcohol around Frank…, even when he became a memory Gerard never caved to his bitter vices. He was always drunk off the love he received from Frank, the memories he had left of him kept him from falling and crashing.

Gerard only sang once in front of Frank and he remember how confident he felt around Frank, Gerard became a confident and very happy person. Now, all he did was fumble over his own whispered rambles and buried himself in workloads that even the associates feared for him having a meltdown from stress. Gerard wanted anything to keep him busy in the day and even in the night if it was possible…

Gerard finally drew up the courage to go for a run, he needed to blow some steam off before he’d run his head into circles that would give him a permanent migraine for the rest of the night. He suited himself up in sweats and a hoodie, placing his old running shoes, he got his headphones on and out the door he went.

Running down to a secret spot he knew by the ravine he sported himself a half hour jogging trip. His pace was steady, but nothing could shake the feeling of pure loneliness that was crawling up into his mind. The closer he got to the secret spot the more ache peeled away the layer of his heart as this spot was not just a secret… it was special.

It was the place where Gerard met Frank. The memories reeled back like a movie behind his eyelids and for once, he welcomed the pain of remembering it.

It was all by chance as Gerard was passing a water bottle full of whiskey as regular water down in the ravine. He kept talking to a minimum that night, making sure no one could hear his drunken words that slurred out before his mind could catch up to whatever the hell he was rambling on about. At this point in Gerard’s life, he was living alone—his family had chosen for their own sake to give up on him for that time being so long as alcohol came first.

Surely, alcohol did as it became his mistress in the night—the bitter, burning taste of horrible misery and his self-loathing secluded him to just the calling of liquor. It offered him comfort for however long he needed it to, it muted the pain of loneliness and it slowed him down to just believing he didn’t have to care if he lived or died. The night welcomed him and liquor guided him down to one specific spot in the ravine where he could watch the city lights across the river in perfect view, the forest behind him sheltering people from seeing him.

Up until this one particular night, where he was certain no one knew of his secret spot and lo and behold; a man that was a stranger in his eyes at that time was a savior in disguise. Frank was sitting in his spot and Gerard did not know how to react—he knew he could simply walk away but this was his spot.

“Hey,” Gerard mumbled, slurred as he had a good swig of his bottle of whiskey.

Frank shifted his body to look up at Gerard—the man was alluring in Gerard’s eyes, the tiny frame, and the man’s eyes commanded attention and even cloaked in the darkness Gerard could make out a lot of Frank’s features.

“Can I help you?” Frank asked, a brow quirked up as he chewed on his lip ring.

“This happens to be my spot…”

Frank chuckled, “Listen, guy, this place is public property and I’m pretty sure I can sit wherever I choose.”

“No.” Gerard pointed at the tree log which Frank was sitting on, “It had my name written on it. Now leave.”

Frank got up and used his phones flash to look at the carved name, “Well, Gerard… I guess if we were in preschool this would count. But I’m not leaving.”

Gerard found Frank a curious prospect and shrugged, “Okay. Then move,” he reasoned and sat on the log and took another swig of his bottle.

Frank stared at Gerard, observing the man, “What are you drinking?”

Gerard chewed on the inside of his cheek debating whether or not to tell a complete stranger he was getting publicly intoxicated as he stared at the clear bottle. “Want to try some?”

Frank nodded, “Sure.”

Gerard passed it over to Frank and the man took a swig. Frank was nearly coughing and choking on the whiskey, “Oh fuck! That’s some strong shit you have.”

Gerard smiled and laughed, he took the bottle back and partook on another swig. “Keeps me lively in the night.”

Frank frowned, “Well, I’ll join you… No one should be alone drinking here… could be dangerous… my name is Frank by the way.”

“Nice to meet you,” Gerard laughed, “I welcome danger…”

Frank paused, “Why?”

“At least I could feel something.” Gerard laughed at his own pathetic reasoning, “Well, aside from this drink.”

Frank chewed on his lip ring, “That sounds horrible.”

Now Gerard laughed, “Well, I hope you don’t remember me for being a horrible person.”

Frank shook his head, “No. No! I mean—“

“You don’t need to explain anything to me, we’re strangers, and in all honestly it doesn’t matter. A miserable man always downs his sorrows alone.”

“Don’t say that… I didn’t mean what I said… I think it sounds horrible that you have to be alone, Gerard.”

Gerard shrugged, “Are you alone?”

Frank blushed not expecting the tables to turn so quickly from what Gerard could read on Frank. “I… uh… well, I have five dogs…”

“Again, are you alone?”

Frank chewed on his lip ring not answering at this point and Gerard carefully patted Frank’s shoulder.

“That makes two of us,”

Frank turned his head to look at Gerard and Gerard stared back at him, “Yes?”

Frank took the bottle and Gerard expected him to drink it but it was the complete opposite as he poured out the bottle to the ground and lit his lighter before Gerard could respond his whiskey went up in flames.

“You’re not alone so, this shit isn’t needed.”

Gerard was left breathless as the flames highlighted Frank’s features and the man turned to Gerard smiling, “You’ve got me now.”

Gerard couldn’t withhold the smile as Frank was the first to really change his perspective in such a whirlwind.

Gerard could barely breathe as his jog led him to his secret spot, he could barely make out the path as he accidentally tripped over a root and tumbled down. The night swirled behind his eyes and finally in a harsh smack he landed on even land and he managed to get himself on his bottom. He used his phones flash to find he was at the exact spot where Frank had lit his whiskey on fire. The tears rolled out in hot frustration and his chest felt heavier than usual as he stared at his phone to the time of exactly 3: 28 AM.

“Perfect…” He whispered tossing his phone to the side and staring blankly at the spot in which Frank sat when they first met.

Notes

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