The Story of a Man, A Woman, and the Corpses of 1000 Evil Students

Coffee with Frank was nice. It was good to finally catch up with him and fill him in on everything, and open up a bit more to him to really give him the scope of the shit I was in. He was sympathetic and as far as he knew, there wasn’t going to be any other teachers for the class I needed.

“Have you thought about doing an internship within the art department?” He asked, draining the rest of his coffee. My cup had been empty for a while.

“I haven’t. I need to get a job this year. I haven’t been the past two years because I’ve had so many classes, but I’m a little under full time these next two semesters. I think. I hope. I don’t know. I would do anything to get out of that class though,” I said exasperatedly.

“Anything?” Frank joked and wiggled his eyebrows.

“Shut up. Can’t fuck the professor, believe me; I’ve tried.” I said dejectedly.

“What a bummer. You and Gerard both not talking to each other but both telling me about how much you wish the other was talking to you. So tragic. If only this could be solved with...communication. But we both know that’s just an outlandish concept,” Frank said, his words stunning me.

“Gerard wants to talk to me?” I asked quietly.

“Of fucking course, Charlie. Did you think he stopped hanging out with you because he just wanted to fuck with your head? Dude has issues. He didn’t want to make them your issues. He talks about you all the goddamn time and to be honest, I’m sick of it,” he smiled. I knew he was being sarcastic but my heart was speeding up in my chest.

“I don’t want to get into that again. You know I really liked him, Frank. You know. It hurt. And it was embarrassing for me! I was such a mess that night.” I rubbed my right thigh consciously, feeling the grooves of my scars through my sweatpants. Frank didn’t seem to notice.

“You guys infuriate me. But I guess I get it. Just keep an open mind, deal with it when it comes, burn that bridge when you get to it.” Frank stood up after glancing at his clock. “I’ve got a meeting to run to, but keep in touch, okay? I know I probably remind you of Gerard, but you’re going to see him soon whether you like it or not and I’m here if you need to talk to someone. Really.”

“Thanks, Frank.”

The rest of the week went by too fast. I was counting down the seconds until my first class with Gerard and it was driving me insane. No amount of xanax could quell the sirens blaring in my brain at all hours of the day. I started talking to Ben less and less, and he began to worry, I think. Texted me more, asking me if I wanted to do anything before school began. I told him I was really busy with coursework, which was a lie. But some classes had some pre-class assignments to deal with, so that was the story I was going with.

The first Monday of the semester arrived. I woke up four hours before any class that I had simply because I couldn’t force myself back to sleep with my hammering heart. I smoked half a pack of cigarettes in the parking lot an hour before my class with Gerard. Slowly, people trickled onto the campus to start, some of them chubby faced freshman, and some of them blatantly hungover seniors like me.

Two semesters, and I’d have a degree in photography. I wasn’t sure what I was going to be doing with that degree, but at least I’d have my bachelor’s finally. I just didn’t want to get stuck taking photos of people’s stupid newborn babies. I decided to just go to the classroom listed for the class I had with Gerard. It was unlocked when I jiggled the handle, so I decided to go in and just claim a spot in the back. I was about half an hour early, but it was worth not having to sit near the front. I knew Gerard was near-sighted so even if he saw me, he might not recognize me.

I realized how dumb this sounded a few minutes later.

Ten o’ clock struck the clock. The entire room was filled with students, but no sign of a teacher. Five minutes passed. Ten minutes passed. Some people were looking around, ready to leave if another five minutes was up. I was more than okay with that idea. Just as a few kids were getting up to leave, who else but Frank Iero slams the door open, pausing for breath.

“Hi! Sorry I’m late,” he said between pants. “There was a mix up with...the schedule for this...class. Jesus I’m late,” he muttered to himself, swinging his bag over his shoulder as he trotted down the center aisle to the front. He plopped himself down in the leather office chair, putting his feet up on the desk. “Oh god am I exhausted.”

“I thought Professor Way was teaching this class,” some girl from the first three rows hollered. Frank smirked, waving his hand at the idea.

“Nah, not anymore. I’m teaching it now!” He beamed, standing up and locking eyes with me in the very back row. “You can all shut your mouths from surprise now, you’ll attract flies. Life changes, deal with it! So let’s do this!”

Holy shit how much coffee had he chugged that morning?

I was in a numb stage of relief. After the relief passed, though, I was filled with immense disappointment which really pissed me off. Frank was handling the class expertly though, and everybody seemed to like him. But where the hell was Gerard?

I checked my phone. I had missed a text from Frank earlier.

From Frank Iero - 10:01 AM
BOY DO I HAVE A SURPRISE FOR YOU

I stifled a laugh. After the hour ended, I walked up to his desk.

“Surprise!” He threw his arms out into jazz hands. “Betcha weren’t expecting that were you?”

“Is Gerard okay?” I asked, the concern in my voice apparent even though I tried to conceal it.

“Gerard is A-Ok. Don’t you worry. But I’m your professor. And with that done, you shouldn’t have him for a teacher in any of your classes if I’m right?” Frank got to his feet, shrugging into his jacket.

“He didn’t get fired did he?” I asked. Frank threw his head back and laugh, his hair shaking.

“Hell no. God, that would be hilarious though. No, he’s still teaching here. He’s just teaching different art classes. I double majored in studio art and music theory, and after hearing your plight the other day and his incessant bitching about having to teach this class again, I figured, why the hell not?” Frank shot me a dazzling smile. “I’m about to go have coffee with him. Do you want to come?”

“No,” I said quickly. “I’m fine thanks. Have fun though.”

“I’ll be sure to tell him you said hi,” he winked.

“I didn’t say hi to him! I do not say hi. Leave me out of this, please,” I whimpered, clasping my hands together.

“Whatever you say, kiddo,” he nodded at me before leaving the room. I snuck off to the drainage pipe on the back of campus, a concoction of emotions swirling around inside me and making me sick. Maybe it was nicotine poisoning from everything I had smoked today. Maybe it was the fact that I desperately wanted to see Gerard. Maybe it was because I couldn’t stop wondering if he wanted to see me, too.

I didn’t have to wonder about that long. After I put my cigarette out, I hopped down on the other side of the pipe, right into him.

“HO-ly shit,” he said, dropping his coffee onto the dirt. “Fuck!” He bent down to pick the trash up, his back still to me. I just stood there, frozen, behind him. He stood back up, turning to face me. “Holy shit.”

“Yeah, holy shit,” I said, surprised at my own words. I was sure I was going to lose the ability to speak.

“Hi.”

“Hi.”

I decided to smoke another cigarette to give me something to think about. I fumbled with my lighter, eventually blowing a puff of smoke into the air.

“Why aren’t you teaching my class?” I decided to not spew any bullshit and cut to the chase. He was looking down at the ground where his coffee was now spilled, soaking into the grass.

“I don’t know. Frank offered and I thought about it and I hated that class anyway,” Gerard said quietly. “How have you been, Charlotte?”

“I’ve been fantastic,” I lied. “Couldn’t be better. Got a work study here on campus at the book store, got a boyfriend, working on graduating. Life is good.” I couldn’t help but smirk when he gave me a pained look.

“That’s good to hear,” he said with a strained voice.

“How have you been?” I asked.

“Good. Good.”

I didn’t say anything for a few minutes. I wanted to die, this conversation was so awkward.

“You look good,” he finally said, still looking at the ground.

“Is every time we talk from here on out going to be this uncomfortable?” I asked. He blinked at me, taken aback from my bluntness.

“Not unless you want it to be,” he offered.

“I would rather light myself on fire,” I admitted.

“Good because this is shitty.”

“It is shitty.” I stood there for a few more minutes before tossing and grinding my cigarette into the dirt. “When you get use of your voice back, hit me up.” And walked away. I felt a little bad, but that had to have been the most badass thing I’d ever done. I hoped I didn’t reveal what an anxious mess I had been in my head. Gotta be a cool bitch, I reminded myself.

I pulled my phone out, dialing Ben up.

“Charlotte! How was your first day?” I could hear him smiling through the phone.

“It’s not over yet, but it’s been good. We need to talk.”

Notes

;)