If your heart stops beating

~*Frank’s Point of view*~

When I walked through the school gates that afternoon to meet Alec, I found him again surrounded by Kevin and his mates. This time, though, Alec was laughing with them. As I approached, curious, Alec noticed me and waved. Kevin turned around and quickly stepped a few paces away from Alec.
“I’m not hurting him, honest.”
“I’m not going to beat you up for just being around him, Kevin.”
After a moment, Kevin looked up from his shoes to catch Alec’s eye.
“Well, I better go home. Happy Birthday, Alec.”
“Bye Kevin.”
The three bigger boys turned and walked away. Alec came up to me and I took him by the hand.
“What was that about?”
He shrugged.
“I don’t know. They just suddenly started being nice to me today. They kind of avoided me for a while after you said you’d beat them up, but today they started talking to me.”
“Probably because it’s your birthday.”
He sighed.
“Great. Then they’re going to be nasty again tomorrow?”
I realised I had said the wrong thing.
“Or maybe they can see what a great person you are.”
He rolled his eyes.
“Yeah right. Every adult says that. They’re all wrong. People don’t just suddenly see good in other people for no reason.”
“You’re very perceptive.”
“No. I’m just not an idiot.”

A few weeks later, I was aware as I woke up that Gerard was standing by my bed. I rubbed my eyes and yawned.
“What the fuck- Gerard, it’s 6:30.”
He nodded.
“Guess what day it is?”
I yawned again.
“The day you fuck off and leave me alone?”
“No.”
“The day I get to sleep until eight o’clock?”
“Not even close.”
“Then tell me.”
“Well, it’s April...”
“Duh.”
“It’s the ninth...”
I groaned.
“Fuck off Gerard. Happy Birthday, all that shit. Piss off.”
He sniffed and walked away from me, towards Mikey. Halfway across the room, there was a loud snapping sound.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck- MIKEY!”
I laughed.
“He didn’t forget.”
At that point there was a loud thump as Alec fell out of bed.
“What happened?”
Mikey sat up, laughing and reaching for his glasses.
“Every year, Gerard! You never learn.”
Alec carefully inspected the floor.
“Ah! Mousetraps!”
Mikey nodded.
“About 20 of them.”
Gerard carefully picked one up without setting it off and flung it at Mikey. Mikey dived under his sheets and lay there, occasionally teasing Gerard by sticking out a hand or foot. Meanwhile Alec tiptoed carefully between the mousetraps and sought refuge behind my bed.
“Oi Gerard.”
He turned around.
“Yes?”
I pointed at his foot.
“You’ve still got a mousetrap on your toe.”
“Oh right.”
He bent down and carefully unhooked the trap before throwing it into the large pile on top of Mikey. Then he walked out to go wake up Ray and Bob.
Mikey peered out at us.
“Is he gone?”
I nodded and he sat up.
“Ah... I do that every year and he always falls for it. Every year he convinces himself that this time I’ll be a little nicer. Oh, he’s so wrong.”

Twenty minutes later I walked into the kitchen where Gerard and Alec were sitting having breakfast.
“Happy Birthday, by the way.”
“Thanks. Did you get me a present?”
I bent down and kissed his cheek.
“There you go.”
“You’re gonna have to do better than that.”
“Fine then.”
I kissed him on the lips and he grabbed my face, kissing me harder. Then he let go of me and went back to his breakfast. I caught Alec’s eye and grinned at the revolted expression on his face.
“Gross. Are you guys gay?”
Gerard responded without even looking up.
“Yep!”
I laughed.
“No, we’re not, we just act it sometimes.”
Gerard cleared his throat.
“Maybe you’re not.”
A moment passed in which I watched Alec for a reaction.
Then Gerard pushed his chair back and howled with laughter.
“Aaaah, you should’ve seen the look on your face!”
I nodded in Gerard’s direction.
“He’s always a prick on his birthday.”
“Shut up!”
He grabbed me and started tickling me. I turned around and sent a badly-aimed punch which connected with his face.
“Shit!”
“Oooh, sorry.”
He grabbed me again and proceeded to tickle me again while I tried to fight him off.
“Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries thou hast done me, therefore turn and draw...”
We both stopped and turned to Alec.
“What the fuck?”
He looked startled.
“What? It’s Shakespeare!”
Gerard rolled his eyes.
“Shakespeare?”
We continued our fighting.
“Incidentally, Alec, your English teacher called. She says you’re a smart-ass.”
“What, she actually said those exact words?”
“Words to that effect. You don’t pay attention in class, you’re disruptive, then you reel off everything she’s just said and more.”
“But it’s boring. We’re doing Shakespeare, and I already know it all!”
Gerard and I stopped fighting again and stared at each other incredulously.
“Did you hear the words from that boy’s mouth? ‘I already know it all.’”
He flushed red.
“Well, I know a hell of a lot more than the rest of them.”
“Okay, okay. Let’s say you do know lots about Shakespeare. Then paying attention in class isn’t going to boost your knowledge much, is it?”
“No.”
“But it will boost other things. Like your attention span, for instance. And how much your teacher likes you.”
“But she hates me anyway!”
“She doesn’t hate you. She is most likely pissed off at you because she knows you’re smart and yet you goof around in class.”
“Same diff.”
“No, not same diff. If she hated you, nothing you did would make any difference. If she’s just pissed off at you, then if you start paying attention and being a good boy she’ll like you.”
“Oh really?”
“Ya, really.”
He looked down at his empty bowl.
“Ok, fine.”
“Good boy.”
He sighed.
“I’d better go get ready.”
He stood up and walked out. I turned to Gerard.
“He’s smart. Possibly a bit too smart for his own good.”
Gerard laughed.
“Possibly?”