Love Like Summer
Honesty Business
Frank began to sob again as Gerard put an around the younger’s tense shoulders. Frank tried to explain himself, when something on the end table caught his eye. The money. The money he’d need for food and clothes and rent that he suffered for, filling any and every request the man had in mind. Gerard followed Frank’s gaze, spotting the money. God no, not him too…But, surely his mother couldn’t be as cruel as his own.
“Frank, I-“
“He doesn’t usually get aggressive.” Frank said. Gerard, confused, tilted his head to the side. “I-I mean, once in a while…and if I tell him to stop, he does, usually. Man, some guys don’t care the slightest bit if they hurt me – if I say no for once…God help me if they run into me at 7-11…They’ll drag me home by my hair if they need to. But, I shouldn’t complain. It’s not like I can’t just stop…” Gerard’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped the slightest bit.
“You’re doing this to yourself!? Frank, I can’t believe you! Why would you ever do that to yourself?!” Gerard exclaimed. Who in their right mind would ever do such a thing? Frank nodded sadly, standing to pull his jeans back onto his weak frame. He was just like stained glass -- absolutely gorgeous and impressively breakable – just not as easy to see through.
“Well, since we’re trying out the honesty thing…I need money! No one smart enough is going to fire a fifteen-year-old high school drop out-to-be!” Frank paused and waited for a reaction. Gerard’s eyes searched the floor for answers. But he would have seen him at school – wouldn’t he have? Sighing loudly, Frank went on. “Yea, Gerard, I do go to your high school. And I’ve even seen you – you just can’t take the time to notice me. God, we have the same fuckin’ lunch period! What, you’ve never happen to look up and see this random kid always running into school as if his life depended on it, just because he can’t stand being late? Not every boy has parents to throw them out of bed – some were kicked out! Jesus, I thought the whole goddamn school knew about that! I mean, seriously, who kicks their son out? Who goes months at a time without telling him they love him, just because he turns out to be a queer? How the fuck do they expect me to live – who does that?!”
Frank had tugged his shirt back on aggressively when he began, and now was pacing back and fourth, half yelling at Gerard, and half yelling at his parents; maybe even a little to himself. Gerard, dumbfounded by Frank’s boldness to admit to all of this, to yell it nearly to all of Jersey – if not, the whole apartment building – finally tore his eyes off of the floor to face the boy in hysterics. “Frank…I don’t know what to say besides I’m sorry…I don’t pay to much attention, especially in school – you should be able to tell that about me. “ Gerard replied softly, as if he was afraid of startling him. Glare softening, Frank shrugged.
“Whatever, it’s no big deal. Let’s go back, you should sleep. Unless you wanna go home, now that you’ve paid me back.” Gerard shook his head violently as he stood.
“No way! I’m not leaving you alone for anything, not if you’re gonna go out and have some old dude bang you for a few bucks.” Gerard said quickly. On cue, the man lying on the floor began to stir. Gerard grabbed Frank’s hand and ran out, closing the door behind him.
“I guess I’ll see you in the morning then?” Frank asked once he and Gerard were back at his apartment, finally smiling, the two of them exhausted.
“You can count on it.” Gerard replied lightly, smiling himself. “get some sleep, kiddo; you’ve had a rough day.”
“You’re the one who-!”
“Shut up.” Gerard interrupted, placing a finger over Frank’s perfect lips. Chills ran down the younger’s spine. Gerard laughed casually as he turned to get ready to go back to sleep, causing Frank to turn quickly after a moment,
Once Frank had gone, Gerard lay back on the couch, pulling the covers this time to his chin. God, he was exhausted – more then he had thought he was. He cursed himself for not remembering Frank, but praised himself for waking at the perfect time. He fell asleep to Frank’s laugh, his smile – the image of his frail frame.
Frank, on the other hand, lay awake for an hour or so. He tried, tossing and turning, to make himself comfortable and stay that way. It was always this way in his own bed; as though if he wasn’t in a strange man’s bed, the Sand Man refused to visit him that evening, forcing him to remain in his nightmarish life until all hours. He thought over his day; how much had he made this time? Only 1500 do to a small lack in costumers, and with the beating Max – the man next door – had received tonight, there was doubt of him returning.
Frank sighed, turning on his back again. What was he going to do for money now? Gerard had been the first and only person who told him that he had to stop. But if it had been anyone else – if it had been his father -- would he have listened? Gerard if he remained Frank’s friend or not, had defiantly made a lasting impression on Frank. Hopefully, he would at least get Gerard to remember him – one way or another.
Such a thought made him smile as he finally drifted off to sleep.
“Frank, I-“
“He doesn’t usually get aggressive.” Frank said. Gerard, confused, tilted his head to the side. “I-I mean, once in a while…and if I tell him to stop, he does, usually. Man, some guys don’t care the slightest bit if they hurt me – if I say no for once…God help me if they run into me at 7-11…They’ll drag me home by my hair if they need to. But, I shouldn’t complain. It’s not like I can’t just stop…” Gerard’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped the slightest bit.
“You’re doing this to yourself!? Frank, I can’t believe you! Why would you ever do that to yourself?!” Gerard exclaimed. Who in their right mind would ever do such a thing? Frank nodded sadly, standing to pull his jeans back onto his weak frame. He was just like stained glass -- absolutely gorgeous and impressively breakable – just not as easy to see through.
“Well, since we’re trying out the honesty thing…I need money! No one smart enough is going to fire a fifteen-year-old high school drop out-to-be!” Frank paused and waited for a reaction. Gerard’s eyes searched the floor for answers. But he would have seen him at school – wouldn’t he have? Sighing loudly, Frank went on. “Yea, Gerard, I do go to your high school. And I’ve even seen you – you just can’t take the time to notice me. God, we have the same fuckin’ lunch period! What, you’ve never happen to look up and see this random kid always running into school as if his life depended on it, just because he can’t stand being late? Not every boy has parents to throw them out of bed – some were kicked out! Jesus, I thought the whole goddamn school knew about that! I mean, seriously, who kicks their son out? Who goes months at a time without telling him they love him, just because he turns out to be a queer? How the fuck do they expect me to live – who does that?!”
Frank had tugged his shirt back on aggressively when he began, and now was pacing back and fourth, half yelling at Gerard, and half yelling at his parents; maybe even a little to himself. Gerard, dumbfounded by Frank’s boldness to admit to all of this, to yell it nearly to all of Jersey – if not, the whole apartment building – finally tore his eyes off of the floor to face the boy in hysterics. “Frank…I don’t know what to say besides I’m sorry…I don’t pay to much attention, especially in school – you should be able to tell that about me. “ Gerard replied softly, as if he was afraid of startling him. Glare softening, Frank shrugged.
“Whatever, it’s no big deal. Let’s go back, you should sleep. Unless you wanna go home, now that you’ve paid me back.” Gerard shook his head violently as he stood.
“No way! I’m not leaving you alone for anything, not if you’re gonna go out and have some old dude bang you for a few bucks.” Gerard said quickly. On cue, the man lying on the floor began to stir. Gerard grabbed Frank’s hand and ran out, closing the door behind him.
“I guess I’ll see you in the morning then?” Frank asked once he and Gerard were back at his apartment, finally smiling, the two of them exhausted.
“You can count on it.” Gerard replied lightly, smiling himself. “get some sleep, kiddo; you’ve had a rough day.”
“You’re the one who-!”
“Shut up.” Gerard interrupted, placing a finger over Frank’s perfect lips. Chills ran down the younger’s spine. Gerard laughed casually as he turned to get ready to go back to sleep, causing Frank to turn quickly after a moment,
Once Frank had gone, Gerard lay back on the couch, pulling the covers this time to his chin. God, he was exhausted – more then he had thought he was. He cursed himself for not remembering Frank, but praised himself for waking at the perfect time. He fell asleep to Frank’s laugh, his smile – the image of his frail frame.
Frank, on the other hand, lay awake for an hour or so. He tried, tossing and turning, to make himself comfortable and stay that way. It was always this way in his own bed; as though if he wasn’t in a strange man’s bed, the Sand Man refused to visit him that evening, forcing him to remain in his nightmarish life until all hours. He thought over his day; how much had he made this time? Only 1500 do to a small lack in costumers, and with the beating Max – the man next door – had received tonight, there was doubt of him returning.
Frank sighed, turning on his back again. What was he going to do for money now? Gerard had been the first and only person who told him that he had to stop. But if it had been anyone else – if it had been his father -- would he have listened? Gerard if he remained Frank’s friend or not, had defiantly made a lasting impression on Frank. Hopefully, he would at least get Gerard to remember him – one way or another.
Such a thought made him smile as he finally drifted off to sleep.