Pint-Sized Romeo

FRANK IERO'S POV

It's been 3 days since Gerard kissed me and I haven't spoken to him since. We go to class and he drives me to and from school and we hang out in groups, but he would always find a way to avoid talking directly to me. It was really starting to get on my nerves, too. I needed to talk to him. I had to know what that kiss meant...

I told him not to waste it, his first kiss. To only kiss someone who he wouldn't regret kissing and he somehow decided that meant he needed to kiss me. Does that mean I'm special to him? Does he like me?

Moreover, is he even gay? He's never specified, but apparently he has no issues with kissing other guys. But maybe he was just confused and he used me to help clear things up and I was such a bad kisser that he decided he didn't like guys and I basically singlehandedly ruined the infinitesimally small chance I had of being with him.

But still. He basically admitted that I was someone special, that he knew he wouldn't regret me being his first kiss.

But if he didn't regret it, why did he run away? And why was he ignoring me?

I banged my head against my locker after closing it. Bad idea... Now I had a headache and I was still as confused as ever. I sighed and pulled my bag over my shoulder and walked towards the parking lot to endure another 10-minute long tortuous ride home in awkward silence. Gerard and I didn't say a word to each other the whole way and Mikey had no idea what was going on, so he just sat there awkwardly.

"Frank!" Speak of the devil. Mikey came running down the hall towards me through the crowd of people at their lockers.

I stopped walking so he could catch up. "Hey, Mikes."

"Hey. Gerard got sick, so we're gonna walk home today. Is that cool?"

"Yeah." I said. "I have to bring him his homework from the last two classes, too." Our teachers know how close we are, so they always give either one of our homework to the other when we're sick or absent.

"So, you still coming Saturday?"

"Yeah, I wouldn't miss your birthday for the world. At 6, right?"

"Yeah." Mikey said. "I can't believe I'm going to be 17 in two days."

"I know what you mean. I was filling out college applications yesterday and I had a freakout. Talk about scary! I'm not ready to depend on my own income for everything!"

"Dude, I can't believe you and Gerard are both leaving me. I'm gonna be so alone!"

"Stop being so dramatic. You're still gonna have Bob and Ray when Gee and I leave."

"This is true, but then I wouldn't have anyone to joke around with about their sexualities."

"What do you mean?"

"Wait, have you not talked to Gerard lately?"

"No, he's been avoiding me since Monday... I'm assuming he told you what happened."

"Yeah, he did." Mikey said. "But he also promised me he'd talk to you about it."

"Well, he hasn't." I sighed.

"That's it. I don't care if he's sick. You're coming over to our house right now and you're going to talk to him. You two cannot be awkward on my birthday. I want it to be a fun, laid-back night."

"Are you sure?" I said. "If Gee's sick, I don't want to bother him. You know how snappy he gets when he's sick sometimes."

"I do." Mikey said. "But I cannot have my two best friends ignoring each other. It's almost my birthday and I refuse to spend it running damage control for you two. You're coming over and that's final."

"Fine, fine." I said. "But I have a quiz tomorrow that counts for a double daily grade, so I can't stay long. I need to study. Did I give you his homework already?"

"Nope." Mikey said. "You can give it to him yourself."

By that time we'd turned the corner to their house and were practically in their front yard. Gerard's car was in the driveway, so he had to be home.

Mikey and I walked inside and put our bags down in the living room. MIkey started upstairs to his room and I went to follow him, hoping to delay going down to see Gerard a bit, but no such luck.

"Where do you think you're going?" Mikey aked, turning around and blocking the staircase. "Go. Now."

I pouted, but walked over to the door that led to the basement. Mikey was still on the stiarcase, making sure I went downstairs and didn't chicken out.

I gathered up my courage and knocked lightly on the door.

"Gerard?" I said quietly.

I put my ear to the door and was met with the sound of retching coming from inside his room.

I sighed and walked in, grabbed a pillow and went strait to the bathroom, kneeling down beside a sick Gerard.

I pulled his hair away from his face and rubbed up and down his back comfortingly.

When he was done being sick, I cradled him in my arms before leaning him back with the pillow between him and the wall before going to the sink and wetting a hand towel and filling a cup of water.

"Hey, are you okay?" I said, walking back over.

"Frankie?"

"Yeah." I said while tilting his head up and wiping his mouth and face with the cloth. "Here, drink some water."

He took the cup gratefully and sipped carefully. "I think the lasagna at lunch was bad today..."

"See, this is yet another perk of being a vegetarian- no food poisoning due to bad cafeteria meat." I said, sitting next to him and putting an arm around his shoulders. "I brought your homework, but don't worry about it. You're definitely not going to school tomorrow."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, you need to be better by Mikey's party so we can have a good time."

He got visibly paler at the mention of the party and I looked at him worried. "Do you feel like you're going to be sick again?"

"No, no, I'm fine."

"You sure?"

And with that he leaned forwards to heave into the toilet again. I was already at his side, holding his hair back and comforting him. I knew how much he hated being sick.

This was going to be a long night...