Don't Worry, We're Just Pretending

Frank Iero’s P.O.V.

“Where are you?” I heard right in the moment I got the phone next to my ear.

“I’m having coffee with someone.” I told him quietly. “After I’m finished I’ll meet you at your office.” I promised him.

“Alright. Please don’t take too long. I need to leave early today.” He asked.

“Oh, sure. Bye.” I said and I was planning on doing. I can never bring myself to lie to Brian, even if I lie to him I just end up feeling guilty and turning it into the truth.

“Bye.” He said and hung up. I put my phone back in my pocket to look at Gerard that was inspecting the script we were given. I was going to look at it only when I got home but it seems that he isn’t very good in the waiting thing.

“Who are you playing?”

“Denny’s best friend.” He answered never stopping to look at me.

His eyes scanned the pages quickly. I don’t know how he managed to understand anything but I didn’t care either. He had such pretty eyes.

“Did you know we fall in love in the end?” He asked me suddenly turning his attention to me. That’s when I noticed I was staring.

“What?” I asked. I looked at him a little scared that he had noticed that I was observing him for too long and that was his way of telling me. Not that by what I had asked him earlier he didn’t already know I found him attractive, or at least that I found, or though I might find men attractive. I’ve heard about this before. At least I know that what I’m feeling isn’t completely abnormal, though to me it is. It might be normal but it sounds like something really crazy, I mean, straight guys having crushes on other guys. And did I really to choose a gay man to have a crush on? This is gonna make it all weirder and more real.

“In the movie. Look.” He said turning some pages in the script and turning it to me, putting it right in my face. I took the papers from him and put them at a reasonable distance from my face. It was the final scene, where supposedly Dennis understands how much he’s been looking for love on the wrong place.

“Oh my god. I turn gay in the end.” I said surprised. Gerard looked at me when I gave him the script again.

“Oh my god.” He mimicked me. “It’s already starting.”

I glared at him for a second before bursting out laughing, because he was right. I did sound gay.

“So… who was it?” He asked, being noisy. “The annoying girlfriend?” He guessed rolling his eyes. I smiled.

“No. The annoying girlfriend is probably telling her girlfriends about how much I so will call her soon to beg for forgiveness again.” I corrected him. It was my turn to roll my eyes. He laughed. “It’s so not gonna happen.” I assured both of us. It’s happened before, but this time it really won’t happen. Seriously? Why do I want that bitch in my life anyway? She’s a bitch. I wonder how I could ever fall in love with her.

“It’s happened before?”

“Yeah.” I admitted ashamed. “But it won’t happen again.” I repeated. I wanted to make sure he knew I wasn’t about to be a sissy again.

“She sounds like a bitch.” He affirmed surely.

“So do you.” I told him. “And I’m not by any meanings trying to defend her. You really do.” I said just to set it straight. Is it weird I don’t want him to think I prefer Jessica over him? Yeah, probably, considering I’m straight.

“My brother says that too, but he’s the bitch.” He said looking at his side, smirking. “My bitch.”

“Wai- wha- I’m not gonna ask.” I said changing my mind mid sentence. He laughed.

“Not like that.” He said.

“Like what?” I asked playing innocent.

“Like what you were thinking.” He accused.

“What was I thinking? I wasn’t thinking about anything. You were the one thinking.” I said pointing at him with a triumphant face.

“Thinking about what?” He mimicked me.

“Naughty stuff.” I told him.

“That’s incest!” He exclaimed loudly. “You’re disgusting.” He said for everyone to hear. I looked at him not believing what he had just done.

“Why did you do that?” I hissed.

“Revenge.” He smiled. “Gerard Way one, Frank whatever your last name his, zero.” He said as if he was informing me of the final scores of some game. I just kept looking at him.

What a fucking child!

I decided to just ignore him.

“Iero.” I told him getting up. “Frank Iero.” I turned around and left. I felt kind of like James Bond. It feel incredibly great to feel like James Bond.

I wonder if it was a good idea to leave him. He might be mad.

No. I told myself. I should be the one that’s mad.

Anyway, I told Brian I wouldn’t take too long. I’ve probably taken too long already.

Blame the highly distractivehandsome black haired guy. The one and only Gerard Way.

I went back to the bus stop and caught the bus. Luckily it stops near Brian’s office. I had to walk for a little bit before finally seeing the dirty white building. I hurried up inside and took the elevator to the second floor. Finally getting to his office door, I knocked.

“Yes?” He said from inside. I opened the door.

“Hey, am I too late?” I asked.

“No, this is fast. I just need you too sing the contract they sent me.” He said opening a drawer and looking for something inside. “So, who was it you were having coffee with?” He asked still going through all the junk on the drawer. He might be the best and coolest person I know but he’s fucking bad at keeping things in its place, or somewhere he will be able to find them.

“Gerard. He’s the actor that’ll play Denny’s best friend.” I explained. “We fall in love in the end.” He stopped looking for the papers to look at me.

“What?”

“We were looking at the scripts and in the end Denny’s falls in love with him.” I explained him.

“Oh.” He said. I wonder if he’s homophobic. Not that it matters because this is only a stupid man crush.

“Is something bothering you?” He asked. I looked up at him. He had moved to another drawer now.

“Well… it’s just… the weirdest thing happened.” I said. I could still regret it and end up not telling him so I don’t feel like I’m about to screw up yet. “Have you ever had a man crush?” I asked.

No, I’m not being obvious. Depending on what he tells me next I have two versions of the story.

First he looked at me with an unreadable face, or I’m just bad at reading people, whatever you prefer. I actually though he was about to tell me that he hadn’t and that it was disgusting. I would have to fake a laugh, luckily something I’m good at, and tell him I agreed and that someone had just told me he had one on me. Luckily I’m good at making up stories, but even more incredibly luckily, his face changed to a smile and he completely abandoned the drawer to walk up to me. He put his elbows on his side of the desk and leaned over.

“Who’s the lucky guy?”

“You’re talking as if this is important. It’s just a stupid man crush.” I told him. I’m not about to tell him who it’s Gerard. I know it’s only a coincidence, but Brian will mock me until I finish filming the movie and even after.

“Yeah, you’re right, it’s just a stupid man crush, but I still want to know who he is.” He said looking me in the eyes. Damn him.

“It’s Gerard.” I ended up telling him after a stare battle.

“I’m just gonna keep looking for the papers to refrain myself from making any comment about the end of the movie and the resemblance to real life.” He said standing straight. I rolled my eyes.

“You just commented.”