Coffee and Cigarettes

Gerard leaned back against the brick wall that bordered the back of his school. Or used to. Most of it had been torn down and replaced with fences. He didn't see the point in most of it, but it was his senior year, why should he waste time caring about renovations? He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. After lighting one up he closed his eyes and started to enjoy the remainder of his free period.

"Mind if I sit here?"

Gerard cracked one eye open and focused on the small boy carrying a science book and what appeared to be a calculator. He raised his brows and removed his right foot from the wall. Standing up straight, he brushed some dust from his jeans and took another drag off his cigarette.

"Whatever, man," Gerard mumbled, running his free hand through his hair. "What is that? Physiology or something?"

The boy glanced at his book and back up at Gerard. "Physics," he corrected. "I have an assignment due next period."

Gerard nodded. "Physics is some tough shit, man. I tried it for two weeks and just... fuck. It really mind-fucks you, dude."

The boy laughed and introduced himself as Frank. "I think you were in my class. You sat in the back right?"

"Yeah. Mr. Edwards hated me, but you know... I'm not the best student. Or person. I'll be the first to admit that."

Frank took a seat, leaning against the brick for support. "You seem alright to me. You're actually the first person to talk to me in a while."

Gerard sat down next to Frank and looked down at his cigarette, he flicked the ash off the tip and wrapped his lips around the other end before inhaling. He held the smoke in for a few moments and then exhaled.

"Consider yourself lucky, Frank," Gerard said, turning to face the boy who would soon become his best friend. "You're better off alone. It leaves less people to fuck you over."


"Why physics?" Gerard asked. He'd only recently started on his fourth cigarette.

After a few minutes of conversation, he'd convinced Frank to ditch the physics homework and fourth period. "You can do homework at home. That's where it's supposed to be done anyways. Is that schoolwork? No. Don't waste your life doing it here. Hang around. Smoke a cigarette or two. Enjoy life." His logic didn't make much sense to Frank, but he decided to do as Gerard said. It'd been a while since he had a friend and he didn't want to ruin what had only just begun.

"I don't know." Frank shrugged glancing down at Gerard's cigarette. "You smoke a lot."

Gerard laughed, his smile lingering a little longer than it usually did. "Yeah. Calms my nerves. I'm always so... I'm so fucking jittery, you know? That's probably why I suck so hard at school. I can't keep my body under control."

"If you try, it's possible. No such thing as failures, just quitters."

Gerard narrowed his eyes. "That's bullshit. Sounds like something a father would say."

Frank nodded. "My dad said that. Or says that, actually. He's real bent on winning and success and all that."

"Don't believe everything he says, Frank. All that winners never quit and quitters never win shit... well, that's what it is: Shit. It doesn't mean anything. The truth of the matter is you can't win all the time."

Gerard sighed and took another long drag off his cigarette. He looked over at Frank and noticed the sour expression on his face. The boy looked like he had something to say, but had a hard time deciding whether or not that time was the right time. Everything about this kid rubbed Gerard the wrong way, but he liked it. Gerard liked Frank and wanted to know him a little better.

"What's on your mind?" He asked.

Frank shook his head. "Nothing."

"Say it Frank. There's nothing I hate more than things left unsaid. Spit it out."

"I hate cigarettes," Frank mumbled.

Gerard grinned. "And? So what?"

"You're smoking, that's what. It stinks and it causes cancer and... it's terrible. It's a terrible habit. I know it calms your nerves and all, but Jesus... You've smoked like four in the past forty-five minutes."

Gerard tossed his cigarette on the ground and used his heel to put it out. "There. Happy? No more lung cancer."

"That's not the point, Gerard. You're only going to smoke again." Frank sighed, shaking his head.

Gerard leaned back on his palms and looked up at the sky. "I can't promise you that I won't Frank because chances are I will. I mean... there's like a .00009 percent chance that I won't smoke another cigarette within the next twenty minutes, but you know... I'll try and smoke less."

Frank laughed, mimicking Gerard's position. "Alright. I'll hold you to that."

The two of them sat like that for the next few minutes until the bell signaling the end of fourth period rung. Frank stood up dusting the dirt off of his jeans. He picked up his bag and shoved his calculator and physics book inside.

"You coming?" He asked once he noticed Gerard was still on the ground.

Gerard shook his head. "Nahh. I think I'll go home or something. I'll see you around though. Maybe after school. I'll be in the parking lot.

Frank nodded and started to walk to class. He stopped, turned around and looked back at Gerard once more. "Is that an invitation? I mean.. you want to hang out after school?"

"Yeah, sure," Gerard answered. "As long as you don't chew me out for smoking or do something ridiculous like physics homework."

"Alright," Frank replied, shifting the weight of his backpack on his shoulder. "I'll see you later."