Lonely Hearts Club (Sequel comming in June/July)

'Mum.'

'Mum...'

'Mum!'

'MUM!'

......................

'LINDA!'

'What Frank??'

They had been sitting in the car park situated in front of the Highschool for 10 minutes. Nobody had said anything and Franks mum had just sat, tapping along to the bass line of the music which filled the void in which conversation was lacking. Frank stared aimlessly towards the school. He felt sick to his stomach. His hands were shaking and he itched to jump out the car and walk home. Not home. Not to New York. Not to his childhood house. Not to anywhere. He didn't really have a home anymore. He only had his mum. That's when he realised that home is where the heart is and his home was wherever his mother is.

'Can we just go home. I'll try again next week.' Frank pleaded unable to make eye contact with his mother. He knew what expression her face was stained with. Sadness, pitiful smile and eyes full of hope. All at once. The silence was answer enough for Frank, he sighed and finally turned towards his mother. She looked scared for him; that kind of settled him a little bit. He picked up his bag and kissed his mum softly on the cheek and opened the door.

The bitter wind made his breathe hitch and his hair stand of end. The pushed his chin into his hoodie and stood up, he wobbled a little as his legs had went to sleep whilst he was sitting in the car. Just as Frank was about to close the door he heard his mother speak softly from her safe haven. 'If you need me remember I'm only a phone call away.' And with that Frank closed the door and his mother drove away and Frank was left. On his own. Without home, without his mum and with no one but himself to get him through today. He stuffed his ear phones into his ears and scanned his music. Black Flag. He laughed remembering the boy from this morning. The boy with the smudged eye liner and crazy half naked friend. Music filled is ears and his anxiety eased and he was finally able to breathe.

~~~~~

'So are Nirvana Grunge? Punk? Rock?' The debate had been bouncing around the three boys from the bus to the front gates and all the way into first period. Ray sat chewing thoughtfully on his pen staring blankly at the board and playing over the conversation they had been talking about.

'Grunge.' Ray said finally and smiled. 'Yeah, Grunge.' He started to right down on the piece of paper in front of him and then looked up again at Gerard. 'But we really can't make a conclusion without Mikey being here.' Gerard nodded thoughtfully and then turned fully to Ray.

'But Mikey disagrees with us. He thinks they are Punk. We will just go in circles again like this morning.' Ray nodded along with Gerard and then dropped his pen, totally forgetting his algebra equation, and fully facing Gerard.

'Why don't we just not mention it and just agree now that they are Grunge.' He stuck out his hand and shook Gerard's. They both laughed and then were interrupted by the teacher.
'Gerard go sit over there at the spare seat.' Gerard looked up with puppy dog eyes and so did Ray. This was the only class where they hadn't been split up. 'Now.' He huffed picking up his bag and ruffling Ray's hair and making his way across the classroom to the double desk at the back of the classroom. The only good thing about this was that he would have a double desk to himself. That didn't last long though.
~~~~
Double periods dragged on especially when you were on your own and it was math class. Gerard had his earphones in and was bobbing along to the smashing pumpkins and so didn't notice when the population count had increased by one and the teacher had suggested the new presence in the room sit beside Gerard. So it wasn't until someone was standing over Gerard's desk and staring at him that he finally looked up. He was expecting Mr Smith to be ready to tell him off for listening to music in class and what he didn't expect was to see the guy who tried to kill him this morning.

'Oh. My. God.' He shouted when he looked up and made eye contact with the boy. He didn't notice how loudly he had said that as his music had messed up his perspective. The boys eyes went wide and his cheek bright red.

Frank blinked a couple of times. Not daring to look up towards the class, the people he knew were now staring at him, he sat down quickly and faced the front. Not lifting his eyes from his table. Breathe in and out. He thought to himself. In for four out for eight. Shit.

The class soon forgot about the new arrival and were too invested in their own work and conversation to care anymore. Gerard could feel the warmth radiating off the boy who was sat next to him. He could feel the anxiety. He turned his head slowly to look at the boy out of the corner of his eye. The boy was staring at the pale grey desk, wide eyed, lips slightly parted and breathing all over the place. Gerard sighed and whispered 'Sorry.' The boy slowly turned his head towards him and smiled. A small, weak and vulnerable smile with a glint of sadness. Gerard couldn't help but feel guilty for the boys situation. So he looked at him fully and smiled. Gerard knew this smile could do wonders. He used it when Ray broke up with Diana and when Mikey lost a round of street fighter that one time. Mikey was a pro at all video games, but he took pride in the fact he was undefeated in street fighter. Until Gerard beat him once and only once; it broke Mikey. Gerard knew the power of this smile. All teeth and goofy eyes. The boy physically relaxed into the chair.

'I'm Gerard.' Gerard said quietly and the smile never leaving his face.

'Frank.' Frank sighed and smiled slightly pushing his chin into his hoodie and keeping his eyes on Gerard. They sat in comfortable silence for the next twenty minutes and when the bell went for the break Gerard beckoned Frank to go with him.

~~~~~~~~~~

Frank followed his new found acquaintance down the hall and outside. The fresh air was a relief to Frank. He'd been breathing in manufactured warm air for too long and he took a huge breath in and shook his body. Gerard stopped at a small picnic table out the back of the school. Sitting there was a small guy. He looked up and smiled at Frank. He wore a black fedora and sported a pair of black framed glasses. He was only wearing a cardigan in this freezing weather and had it pulled up above his fingers. 'Patrick, this is Frank.' Gerard said sitting down and patting Patrick on the back. Frank smiled and sat down opposite them and looked down at his hands. 'Franks a bit shy.' Gerard said teasingly and then he added 'But he has some awesome taste in music.' He gestured towards Franks hoodie. Frank smiled. Patrick looked up at Frank and nodded; as if he approved.

Gerard and Patrick spoke of trivial things. School, girls, boys and music. Frank felt uncomfortable like he was intruding on their conversatio, but he also felt welcomed and wanted. That was something Frank Hadn't felt in a long time. Then, suddenly, Gerard smiled widely and stood up. 'Mikey! Come sit.' Frank looked around to see 'Mikey' he was tall thin and geeky looking. His skinny jeans weren't skinny on him and his glasses sat on edge of his nose. Mikey raised his eyebrows when he saw Frank and sat beside him.

'Hello! Always good to see a new face.' He bumped Franks shoulders and stuck out his bony hand 'I'm MikeyWay.' He said it as if Frank should know who he was, as if Frank should of swooned at his gesture, as if he was a rare gem. And it worked. Frank felt weirdly starstruck. 'Good to see you!' Mikey said and shook Franks hand.

'And it's good to see you....with clothes on.' Frank said slyly smiling up towards Gerard to see his reaction. Gerard doubled over in fits of laughter and then it hit Mikey like a ton of bricks.
'Oh.' Mikey said cringing a little, but still keeping his cool exterior. 'I remember you now.' Mikey smiled and turned to his phone nervously.

Patrick coughed and all three looked up at him. Gerard untangling himself from his ball of laughter, Frank looking up from his hands and Mikey from his phone. 'Have I missed something?' Patrick said through his fringe he had a twisted smile and concerned eyebrows.
'Frankie here,' Frank blushed at the nickname, 'tried to kill me this morning.' Gerard smirked and shuffled his fringe into a quiff.

'My mum.' Frank stated nervously. Patrick still looked dazed and sorta petrified that he might be in the presence of a murderer. 'It was my mum that tried to kill him.'

This didn't settle Patrick's concerned eyes. But it did make Gerard erupt into laughter. And that made Franks embarrassment kind of worth it.

Notes

God I remember writing this, seems like so long ago now.

-C