I walk to the car slowly, unsure of what to expect. Will he even remember me? if he does, what will he say? I remember Mikey saying his brother’s gay, so that means he really was trying to hook up with me. that scares me, because now I’m going to be sleeping in a house with a male who has already expressed an attraction towards me. Help.

“Hey, Mikes, who’s the shorty?” the guy asks. So he doesn’t remember me. That’s probably a good thing.

“This is Frank. He’s spending the night.”

He looks at me a little longer than I find comfortable, “Sup, Frank. You look a bit familiar.”

Shiiiiiiit. Don’t mention the mall. Don’t make him remember, “I just have one of those faces.” Good save.

“Hey Gee can I drive today? You know, since you did yesterday?”

Gee seems to think for a bit, “Sure…If Frank sits in the back with me.” He winks at me. Great, he still likes me even without remembering me.

“Please, Frank? He never lets me drive!” Mikey gives me puppy eyes and I’m suddenly unable to say no. why can’t I deny this guy anything?

I sigh, climbing in the backseat against my will. Gee follows me and immediately slings his arm over my shoulder. It takes a lot of willpower not to cringe away.

“So what’s up with the black eye?” he asks.

“Oh…Um…Just some asshole deciding he can’t stand people like me. Which, you know, means he doesn’t like Mikey either.”

He scoffs, “I hate people like that. What reason could there possibly be for hurting a pretty face like yours?”

I decide to ignore his flirting. He probably can’t help it, “Um…so…Is Gee your full name or is it short for something?”

He laughs, “Short for Gerard. But, you know, my friends use Gee.” He doesn’t voice it, but there is an implied “you can use it too.”

Luckily I’m saved from any more conversation by the car stopping in a driveway. I laugh as I look around, “You guys have seriously been driving to the school?”

“Um, yeah, why?”

I point behind the car, “My house is just through those trees, then the school is a tiny bit down the road. Driving takes you on an unnecessarily long course.”

Gerard blinks, “Mikey, you’re walking from now on.”

“Through the woods?!” Mikey complains.

“It’s not far. I’ll even come get you,” I say.

“Whatever,” we get out of the car and head for the door. Gerard grabs my arm right before I enter.

“Prepare to suffocate,” he says before going in before me.

I walk in carefully, only to be greeted by a small lady with long white hair. She has a ridiculous smile on her face, “Ohhhh, you must be Frankie! I’m so glad Mikey found a friend. Come in, sit down, sit down.”

I do as she says and immediately have a plate of cookies and a glass of milk shoved in front of me. Then she’s talking again, “You know, he never had any friends at his old school. Not since Gerard and that nice Ray boy graduated.”

“Moooom,” Mikey complains, but he’s smiling. Looking around the room, I notice that Gerard has left. Good, he was making me feel awkward. “Frank, let’s go up to my room.”

I follow him up the stairs and into a messy room. He motions for me to put my bags down before lying back on his bed. I set my stuff in a corner and join him. He sighs heavily and turns to me.

“Sorry about Gerard…He’s, um, pretty expressive when he likes someone, and he kind of likes you…”

“I know,” I sigh, deciding to tell the truth, “He has for a month.”

“A month? Frank, I’ve only known you two days.”

“Yeah, but I ran into him in the mall a month ago. He was really creepy. He just watched me and then shoved his number in my face before I left.”

He laughs, “No way, that was you? He talked about you for hours when he got home. He was so sure you’d call him, and then you never did.”

“Yeah…I forgot about it after chickening out on the first night.”

“I wonder why he didn’t say anything about it?”

“Um…I got a pretty drastic haircut since then. Maybe he didn’t recognize me? I mean, he did say I look familiar…”

“Mikey! Frank! Come watch movies!” Gerard’s voice drifts up the stairs.

“Movies?” I ask.

“Yeah, every Friday we have a movie night. I think tonight’s comedy night. Just…Shove Gee off if he gets too close.”

“All right,” I sigh and follow him back down the stairs. He surprises me by not stopping in the living room. Instead, he continues down into a very dimly lit basement that I can only assume is Gerard’s room. Gerard is sprawled on a couch, and upon seeing me he pats the cushion next to him. He has a really anticipatory expression on his face. It reminds me of a kid in a toy store, and I can’t help but find it a little cute.

I sit next to him, which causes his face to light up, “What are we watching?”

“I thought we’d watch some classic horror films.”

“I thought it was comedy night?” Mikey asks as he sits.

“I changed my mind.”

I think I can guess the reason for that. Gerard’s in for a surprise because I don’t scare easy, “Sweet! I love horror films.”

“Great, because that’s what we’re watching,”

And with no more talking the movies begin.