Glades and Playgrounds

I swear I felt bile coming up my throat when I saw him open the door. I never knew that was the reaction to nervousness and anger. I focused on washing my hands as fast as possible and tried to make it look like I hadn’t even noticed how he was standing like a statue at the bathroom door, like I didn’t notice how he was shifting around on the spot, thinking about whether he should leave or not.

“Hi.”

I threw the paper towel in the trash can and hastily walked over to the door. My plan was to completely ignore him and just slip past him, but to my surprise, and annoyance, he put a hand on my chest and pushed me backwards.

“Please… don’t tell Alicia,” he pleaded, “I know you’re mad, but it will be nothing compared to what I will be-“

“I don’t give a rat’s ass about if Alicia knows or not,” I muttered, both surprised and annoyed about the fact that he was talking to me, “but don’t fucking threaten me.”

“Frank-“, he started, but had to stop as I tried to walk past him. He grabbed my shoulder, yanking me around to face him again, and a silent struggle began, me wanting to leave and him wanting to talk.

“What I don’t understand,” I growled as I ripped my arm away from his grip, only for him to grab me by the waist to keep me in place, “Is how Mikey wanted you to tell me so bad, but neither of you find it necessary to tell Alicia- Can you fucking let me go?!”

“Because we-“, he panted and I made a ridiculous pirouette to get away, but he caught me, “We didn’t think- think it’d be such a big deal!”

“Big deal?” I hissed and finally got a hand free to press it into his chest, making him stumble backwards and hit the wall in a very non-dramatic way. “How can it not be?” I felt my throat get clogged by emotions and decided to get out of there.

“Frank, come on,” he caught up with me just as I opened the door to exit the boys’ bathroom, and because of my strong emotions, I swung it open a little too hard. It hit Gerard right in the face just as he was about to yank me backwards to continue talking.

He didn’t scream or yell; he just gasped, stumbled backwards and brought his hands up to his face. I stood, like a statue, just like he had done before, in the doorway but got shoved forward by a sophomore who entered one of the cubicles without even looking at us. As blood came oozing out of Gerard’s nostrils, my paralysis broke and I took a step forward.

“Uh… I… Shit…” I mumbled and stared wide-eyed at Gerard as he bent over, one hand on his knee and the other pressed against his nose. “A-are you okay?”

He looked up at me, one eyebrow raised high and I had to mask my laugh with a cough. “Gerard?”

“Can you ‘to’ ‘uck’n’ ‘taring a’ ‘e an’ ‘el’ me?”

“What?”

“’El’ me!”

I jumped at his sudden desperate yell and yanked a bunch of paper towels and handed them to him, clenching my teeth together hard enough for it to hurt as I felt an itchy feeling in my throat and lungs, but I didn’t wanna start laughing, as there really was nothing to laugh about.

Even though I had given him at least ten paper towels, he didn’t seem to clean himself up, being too afraid of touching his aching nose. Instead he smeared the blood out over his lips and cheeks. He looked like a gothic clown.

I groaned, “Let me help you.”

“’O!”

“Look up,” I ignored his respond and forced him to look at me. “Bend your head back.”

He did as he was told while angrily mumbling “You didn’ ‘ave to ‘reak my noth’, you kno’,” as I dabbed his face.

“Huh?”

“You didn’- nev’min’.”

I continued dabbing his face with paper towels and found myself being forced to fake another cough just to let out a short laugh. I cleared my throat, but as I saw his lips stretch out in a smile for a second, I practically snored.

“I’m sorry,” I chuckled lightly.

“Don’t laugh,” he snapped, “Ow.”

“I think-“ I cleared my throat, “I think the nurse has to check your nose out.”

He gurgled some incoherent shit and pushed me away so he could spit out the blood into one of the many basins, splattering crimson blood everywhere. He turned on the water, cupped his hands under the tap and very carefully dipped his face into it, being ridiculously careful not to touch his nose.

My body were shaking with suppressed laughter, and I could not hold it in any longer as our eyes met in the mirror. I laughed heartedly, rubbing the bridge of my nose in a weak attempt to disguise the insane smile I was sporting.

“Shut u’!” he snorted and got a mouthful of blood.

“Come here,” I laughed and tugged at the hem of his shirt, “We really need to get you to the nurse. Do you think it’s broken?”

He ripped off a few more tissues and gently pressed them against his nose, shrugging. Leading him out of the bathroom, I felt him grab a fistful of my shirt so I’d be able to help him avoid bumping into something. It actually felt very tempting to lead him into someone, or something just to cause him more pain.

“You deserved it,” I mumbled as my laughing-fit passed and we were left zigzagging through the corridor in silence.

“I ‘ink we’ e’en…” he mumbled quietly.

“What?”

He cleared his throat and tried his hardest to pronounce the words. “Even. I think we’re even… now…”

I glared angrily at him for bringing up the subject of us fighting.

“This doesn’t exactly equal incest,” I growled, whispering the last word so the students passing by us wouldn’t hear.

“Frank-“

“We’re here,” I cut him off abruptly and stopped outside of the nurse’s room. “See you.”

“But-“

“Hey, Ger-what the hell happened to you?”

“Nothin’, Be-“

“Did you to this?” A soon to be infuriated Bert stood before me, eyebrow raised.

“What, me?”

“T’was a’ accide’t,” Gerard groaned, “I’ go’a go I’side, okay? Do’t kill eashhothe’.”

“What?”

Gerard rolled his eyes and entered the nurse’s room alone, leaving me and Bert standing alone in the corridor.

“What happened?” he asked, seemingly fonder of me now that he knew I hadn’t lashed out on Gerard.

“He’ll explain,” I sighed and turned on my heels, “Tell him to come and see me later. After school,” I added while still debating with myself whether that would be a good idea or not. I couldn’t avoid it forever anyway. I had to break up with him properly, or let him explain and apologize.

“Alright,” Bert said, sounding a bit insecure about it himself but didn’t say anything.