Lonely Hearts Club (Sequel comming in June/July)

Gerard was leaning over his desk. Scribbling away. Biting on his lip and squinting his eyes. Frank was lying on his bed staring at him smiling. He loved when Gerard was drawing. He opened up all his emotions and became alive with raw talent and feeling. Frank had his hands behind his head and was stretched out over Gerard's newly washed sheets. He scanned the room quickly. The basement room was huge. About the size of Franks actual apartment he concluded in surprise when we walked in for the first time. A whole wall was a bookcase filled with books, vinyl and DVD's. His collection was massive and went all from Morrissey to RomComs to Stephen King to Madonna.

'Madonna?' Frank had said a week previously when he was scanning the shelves meticulously. Gerard had his arms wrapped around Franks waist and his chin leaning on the top of his head.

'Yes Frankie.' He laughed. 'It was my mum. She gave me all her records so I could store them down here. Dads too.' Gerard watched as Frank traced his fingers along the books and smiled at Gerard's very good taste in literature. Suddenly he stopped and burst out laughing.
'John Green? Rainbow Rowell?' Frank turned to Gerard. 'I feel like I just walked into a teenage girls room!' Gerard smiles down at him blushing slightly. 'Explain yourself Way!' Gerard moved closer pushing Frank against the bookcase and closing in on him. Frank grinned at this.

'I like romance. What can I say?' Gerard closer like he was going to kiss Frank. Suddenly Frank spoke.

'Really?' Frank said looking concerned at his friends love of teen romance.

'Really.' Gerard said trying to get closer to Franks lips. Suddenly Frank pushed him off and walked away from Gerard. They both turned to each other.

'Maybe 'Really' will be our always.' Frank said in a mocking voice running around Gerard's room. Gerard chased after him. Finally catching him and pushing against a wall and capturing his lips on his own.

Frank giggled remembering that night and was still looking at the bookshelf. Suddenly Gerard got up from his desk. He hadn't moved for about 2 hours so Frank really did get a fright.

Gerard walked over to his record player and stopped the 'Orange Juice' record that was playing. He placed it carefully back into its sleeve and back in its rightful place in his mini library. Frank got up from Gerard's bed and followed him over to the player. Gerard didn't even turn to Frank he just spoke as if he should know it was aimed at him.

'Go look at my collection and pick out the one you think represents you. Not your favourite exactly just one that's impacted you a lot. One your dad would play a lot or one your grandmother would sing to you. Something....' Frank smiled and moved towards the relatively large record collection. One stuck out for him 'Low' by David Bowie. His dad played it a lot. It was one of those albums where he knew every single word to every single song but couldn't name you a song. It was drummed into him. Constantly played from such a young age. The instrumental tracks were his favourite though. He passed it to Gerard who put it onto the player and then moved back to the desk without another word. Frank giggled and shrugged it off. Picking up one of the books of the shelve and moving back towards the bed. Around about half an hour later Gerard asked him to pick another record. Frank picked 'Stadium Arcadium' by Red Hot Chilli Peppers. It kept on going like that for a while. Gerard didn't move he just told Frank to pick another and another and another until it hit 6pm and his mother called them both up for dinner. It turned out he needed inspiration to design Franks tattoo. So he needed a look into Franks brain. Quite clever actually.

'So, what have you boys been up to?' Gerard's mum was always so lovely. She was so nice and kind to Frank. Constantly offering him her company and conversation. But Gerard seemed to hate having his family around Frank. On the three occasions Frank has been to the Way household Gerard has tried his upmost to keep him and Gerard's parents apart. He doesn't know why. He guesses he just doesn't want his parents to find out. It's understandable.

'Just been listening to some music.' Gerard said quietly. Not looking up from his plate of pasta.

'Oh, lovely. Gerard has got a very big collection down there. You both have been awfully quiet all day though.' Frank noticed Gerard growing pale and his cheeks burning. What Frank didn't notice was Donna's smile. Teasing and obviously holding in laughter.

'Yeah, Gerard was drawing and I was reading.' Frank says smiling up at her, trying to save his friend from embarrassment.

'Gerard talks about you a lot you know.' Gerard mum says after a moment of silence. Mikey is sniggering quietly in the corner. Only Gerard noticed him.

'Well we are very close friends.' Frank says innocently. 'I am with both of them.' He gestures to Mikey as well.

'Yes. Yes, Frank have you met Mikey's girlfriend? Kristin? Isn't it.' Mikey nods. Frank nods too. 'Yes. She's lovely. Do you have a girlfriend Frank?' Gerard coughs. Choking a little on his food in surprise at his mothers outlandishness.

'No, Mrs Way.' Frank kept his cool. Not really understanding if Gerard's mother was onto them or whether she was just a very nosy person. He prefers the latter.

'....boyfriend?' She says smiling at Frank. 'Because, we are very okay with that in this house. Gerard's ga...' She is interrupted by Gerard standing up quickly.

'Frank.' Gerard says quietly, Frank looks up at him. 'I...you left your phone downstairs and I think I here it ringing.' Franks eyebrows scrunch together in confusion. 'It's might be your mother. Go.' Gerard commands. Frank nods and quickly heads out the room. Leaving them all in the kitchen. 'What the hell are you doing?' Gerard says calmly once he knows Frank is out of earshot.

'I'm just trying to help Geebear.' His mother says smiling at him. 'Was just checking the water. Trying to fish out if he was as interested as you are.' Gerard cringes and turns to his brother.
'This is your fault.' He says bitterly at the sniggering Mikey.

'Now now. Gerard it's not your brothers fault you fell for the boy. He is lovely and I'm sure if he was gay he would feel the same. But he doesn't really seem like he is.' His mum mutters sadly.

'No. No. I don't think you fully understand mother.' Gerard says sitting down and looking up at the table. 'He told you lies. I'm not in anyway interested in Frank that way.' Gerard took a deep breathe. 'And you may have made him feel very uncomfortable. Now, unless you want to upset mine and Mikey's friend and our guest, I suggest not bringing it up.' Mikey looks shocked. Donna looks socked and Gerard begins to eat his meal again. Frank walks back in again to the three eating dinner in silence.

'Well. My mum says hi.' He says trying to keep the charade going. Spinning himself into an even deeper spiral of lies that Gerard had thrown him into. Gerard smiles up at him whilst he takes his seat again.

'So.' Donna says taking the last bite of her pasta. 'Mikey, how was your day?'
And like that the matter was dropped. They all ate and then went back to their respected rooms. Frank and Gerard to the basement. Donna to the living room to catch up on desperate housewives and Mikey to his bedroom to...well whatever he does up there.

'You told your mum that I was straight and that you had literally no feelings for me whatsoever?' Frank asked leaning against Gerard's bed. Gerard sat on the floor beside him.
'I suggested it. I didn't fully come out and say it. I just wanted her to shut up. She was making it awkward.' Gerard stretched his legs out and reached for his phone.

'Yeah, but she was being super nice and lovely and was just looking out for you.' Frank laughed and looked over and Gerard's phone. 'What you doing?'

'Ordering her Christmas.' Gerard was scrolling though some online shopping app. 'I'm getting her the desperate housewives box set.' Frank laughed and closed his eyes. 'What you getting your mum?'

Frank sighed and opened his eyes slowly. He looked down at his hands a took a deep breath in. 'I got her a scarf.' Gerard smiles and says what a great idea and then asks whether blue ray is actually any better. Frank goes home that night at about 8 and when he gets their he can hear his mum crying quietly in her bedroom. Like she does every night when she thinks he can't hear.

~~~~~~~~~~

It was the 23rd of December and Frank was wrapping his gifts. Everything neatly wrapped and placed in a pile on his desk. Green wrapping paper with red coloured baubles. All ready for when he goes to meet the guys tonight. Except his mothers gift. That was to be placed under the tree.

He saw it whilst out with Patrick back in November. A mint greet tartan scarf. It was in one of those little boutiques with one of a kind items. The boutique was fancy and like the ones his mum use to love to visit back in New York. It was decorated with vintage furniture and pastel colours with rose gold clothes rails and mirrors. It cost Frank a bit more than he was intending on spending. But he wanted his mum to be happy. Recently she's been kinda putting it on. Little, fake, smiles and laughing when Frank knew that inside she was still hurting. Still thinking about Mark. Frank still thought about Mark and New York and how happy they were back then.

But Frank knows he is happier here and he knows his mum is better off here. Obviously the relationship wasn't working out. Obviously Mark broke his mums heart and he had to protect her from now on.

That's why he bought the scarf. It was because she kept bringing up her old one. The one she lost. Except she didn't lose it and it wasn't just any old scarf. Frank knows everything. He has a sharp mind he picks up everything and sometimes doesn't even notice noticing. He only remembers when it is important. That is why he didn't really notice Mark picking up his mums scarf and holding it close to him until his mum mentioned not having it. That's why it took him all this time to realise that Mark was still in love with his mother and that he kept her scarf he kept it because he didn't want to let them go. Both of them.

Frank thought about telling her. Thought about it for so long that it hurt him to even look at his mum for a while. He wanted to tell her, but every time he got close to it he remembered her on that night back in September. When he came back from school and she was crying on the floor. Her head leaning on the wall. Bags packed and Mark standing in the other room. Her scarf wrapped around his hand. Tears running down his cheek, tumbling off of his chin and cascading down onto the scarf. Franks chest ached. Everything hurt and nothing was right.
'Mum.' He got down on his knees. Dropping his bag on the ground and picking up her hands into his own. 'Mum, what's happened?' She opened her eyes and looking at him and smiled sadly. 'Mum? Where is Mark?' She sobbed, hiccuping, and then took in a shaky breath. That's when he heard the movement from the next room. He got up slowly and moved through not knowing what to expect. He peered in and standing looking out their French doors, which had an amazing view of the city, was Mark. Linda's scarf in his hand. The one he bought her. It was light blue and silk and it was his mothers only scarf. The one she wore every single day whether it was raining or a heat wave. She wore it because she loved it. She loved him.

It was over now though. But the fact she still looked for it. The fact she still thought about it revealed to Frank that she was unhappy. That she wanted New York back and Mark. But she couldn't because that chapter was done. They had a fresh start and even though Frank wanted his mum to be happy, he also wanted to be here. In New Jersey. With Gerard.
But unbeknownst to Frank everything was about to change. For better and for worst and it was all because of the scarf.

~~~~~~~~

That night Frank went to the Arcade. The guys had planned a little get together. Gift swapping and planning the New Years Party that was going to happen at Patrick's. It was good. It was a distraction. Basically it was procrastination. A little time away from the actual matter in hand.

Notes

This is really helping with writing the sequal to this.

-C