Romance

Chapter 8

Gerard Way's Point of View

The look that Frank had given me when I had said that I was beginning to think that he was perfect (something that I really didn't mean to say out loud) made me want to start kissing him, because he looked really surprised, but really happy at the same time.

I smiled at him and hugged him again. Frank hugged me back.

"I'm starting to think the same about you," said Frank.

I kissed his head.

After that whole thing went on, Frank said that he had to get going, so I reluctantly walked him downstairs to the door of my apartment building.

You see, when you first walk into the building, there is a small room that is about nine feet wide and about seven feet lengthwise; It was a small little room that was kind of just there, kind of an introduction to the apartment building, and then there was the door that led to the actual hallway of apartments, elevators and things like that. Frank and I were in that room, only we were closest to the door that he would use to exit the building. We were standing right by it.

"You know," I said before he went out the door to his car, "I was really miserable this morning when I woke-up. I have this reoccurring fear that I'm going to spend the rest of my life alone. I don't really feel that way anymore, though. I mean…I'm not insinuating that you have to marry me now, but…"

Oh great. Good going, Gerard.

I kind of blushed, feeling a bit embarrassed.

Frank just smiled and hugged me.

"I know what you mean," he said. "I'm glad you don't feel that way anymore. I don't want you to feel alone."

I held on to him even tighter. Then I looked at him.

"Can I see you again tomorrow night? Do you want to go to dinner again? I'm going to be busy all day tomorrow except in the evening," I said.

"Sure," said Frank. "That sounds great. Where do you want to go?"

"I'm not sure yet. I'll pick you up, though, that way we both don't have to like…Bring our cars."

"Okay, that's fine. Can I get your number?"

Frank kind of blurted the last question out. It was almost as if he had been afraid to ask and that he wanted to get it over with so he said it fast; Like pulling a Band-Aid off quickly so it would be less painful.

"Sure," I said, smirking slightly because I was so glad to get his number.

Frank and I gave each other our phone numbers, and then I kind of greedily pulled him towards me into a hug. I heard Frank smile and he hugged me back.

"I'll see you tomorrow," I said.

"Okay," said Frank. "I'm really glad that we were matched. I'm starting to believe in online dating sites a lot."

"I'm really glad, too."

"I can really see why we were matched-up."

"Me too."

I looked into his eyes for a few seconds before leaning down kiss him. All we did was kiss each other's lips, but that was more than good enough for me.

Frank gave me a light squeeze before saying good-bye one last time. I wanted to walk him to his car, but he didn't leave any signs of wanting me to do that, so I wasn't going to force myself upon him. I made sure that he got into his car okay, waved to him, and then shut the large oak door. (I refrained from being really-extra corny and blowing a kiss to him.)

"Holy fuck," I said, smiling widely to myself.

I opened the second door and walked in the building. I was still smiling as I walked down the hall to the elevator, that is, until I heard a door to an apartment open.

Out from one of the apartment doors came my sloppy-Italian looking landlord, in all of his glory. By that, I mean a pair of tattered, ripped jean shorts with a white t-shirt that hung over his very large beer belly. His neck had a gold chain around it, and his balding head made him look even more like a slob. He didn't always dress like this, but it was hard to believe that he was a landlord right now. In all honestly, he looked like a tenant who had gotten drunk. All he needed was a beer can in his hand, and the look would have been complete.

I always compared him to James Gandolfini and Jason Alexander. He looked like both of them, and, as I mentioned, I was willing to bet that he was in the Italian mob.

"Gerard," he said, wiping his slightly red nose. "How are ya?"

"Good, how are you?" I asked, feeling a bit tense. He was the last person that I wanted to see right now.

"I'm good. I was just going down to the deli."

Dressed like that?!

"Oh, that's good," I said.

"Yeah," he said. "Hey listen,-"

"Look, I'm working on getting your money to you. I really am. Making it as an artist these days is really hard. I'm trying my best to get the money to you but-"

"I understand, Gerard, but we all are suffering here, we're all struggling to make ends meet. All I ask for right now is the money you owe me from last month. Worry about the raise in rent when that time gets here, okay?"

I sighed softly.

"Okay," I said. "I'll see what I can do."

"Good then. I'll talk to you later."

"Okay."

I turned around and left the building with him. That was a bit awkward, because when I first saw him, I was walking to the elevator, and I had suddenly changed course. However, I had to nip this problem in the bud.

I went to my bank and reluctantly took out some of the little money that I had. I went back home and put the money in an envelope. I wrote my landlords name on it, as well as an ending saying that it was from me. I went downstairs and slid it under his door, making sure that it was under there completely. The last thing I needed was for some idiot to steal it from half way under the door.

I was glad that was over. Now I could think about Frank!

At least, that's what I thought. I called my Mother to tell her all about him, but then she started ranting to me about my rent, and so I was forced to talk about money again.

"I don't know what I'm going to do about that, Mom! I honestly don't!" I said, impatiently.

Then, the most surprising, but amazing thing came out of my Mom's mouth:

"I'm willing to pay some of your rent until you make a bit more money."

I was so relieved to hear that.

Okay, now I could think about Frank.

That was basically all I could do after I hung-up with my Mom. Twenty-four hours earlier, I had no idea that Frank had even existed. In fact, I was kind of moping because of the fact that my date with Jake had been a disaster.

Frank was really the one that deserved to be asked to meet me on top of the Empire State Building. He would have appreciated it a lot more.

I could tell, though, that Frank was pretty fragile. I loved that about him, though.

I hoped that my feelings for him weren't just merely "new love" feelings; Those feelings that you have for someone when you first meet them, and then a few months later you want no part of them anymore…

No, I could tell that this was different. Frank was different than someone that I had only just met and was now obsessed with how good-looking he was.

When Frank played guitar for me that night, I nearly cried because of all of the emotions that were brought to me at that point. He gave me a different feeling. It was a really good feeling, one that no one else had ever brought to me before. That's how I knew that what I felt for Frank was different, but also genuinely real.