Sweet Children

Gerard's POV

CHRISTMAS, 1989

I love Christmas! And this Christmas is special, because Frank is here with his parents. My parents and grandparents are here too. And Mikey.

Mikey didn't hate us, he wasn't even angry after mom carried him away. He calmed down when Frank promised he is our friend. Not just mine, ours. Mikey was eating chocolate and watching some movie. Our parents were in the kitchen making dinner. My grandmother sat next to Mikey and laughed at Frank, who was trying to bite my nose. I always moved and he missed my nose. Once he bit our couch.

"Hey, boys, be careful! I don't want see Gerard without his nose or Frank without his head," Grandma laughed and Frank went to her lap.

"Is he trying to eat my head?" He asked and I was laughing even more.

"I hope not, but what if you hit your head and it just fly away and..." Grandma told Frank, who looked scared.

"Sorry Gee, I won't do it again," he said and I smiled. I got up and went to sit next to him.

"Frankie, you can do whatever you want and she just lied, your head won't fly away," I giggled and gave him a little kiss on the cheek. Frank smiled at me and hugged me tight.

"Hey, I really meant you can do whatever you want, but do you really want to kill me?" I asked when he didn't let me go.

"No, I just wanted to be sure you're here with me..." Frank smiled still hugging me and Frank's mom came out from the kitchen.

"The dinner is ready, come here and Frankie, stop that, he's gonna die," she said and carried Frank away. I followed them to the kitchen and sat down, next to Frank, of course.

We were eating our dinners and adults were talking about something boring. Frank stole my potatoe and ate it smiling.

"Frank, it was mine!" I said and tried to be angry, but it was hard, because Frank was so cute and fun. I stole his bread and ate it. Frank giggled even more and drank my milk.

"Boys, don't," Grandma said, but started laughing when Frank smiled at her and almost fell off with his chair.

"Hey, Frank and Gerard, what are you doing?" Dad asked a bit angrily, but Grandma just kept smiling.

"I think someone gave too much Skittles to Frank..." she said and I blushed. I did. I always did. Frank loved them and I liked them too. And I just can't say "no" to him. It's impossible! Frank giggled.

"Awww, look at them! They're so cute," my mom said and looked at Frank who smiled. His smile was so adorable. He was.

"Frank, honey, are you still hungry? Do you want something?" His mom asked when Frank had eaten. He just shook his head.

"I'm not hungry, but I want Gerard," he smirked and took my hand. Then he just pulled me away from the kitchen.

"What are you doing?" I asked when he pushed me against the couch and we both fell on it. He giggled again.

"I'm a fish! Super fish!" Frank said and tried to swim away. Then he suddenly yawned and stopped moving.

"Frankie?" I asked carefully. Did he fall asleep? This fast? Weird. So I started to tickle him, like always. He started giggling and fell on the floor.

"Are you alright?" I asked and Frank nodded, still giggling. He stood up and rubbed his eyes.

"My little Frankie is tired, is he? Awwww, he has to go to sleep or he'll faint," I said with my childish voice.

"My big Gee is mean, and his little Frankie isn't tired and he won't faint and..." Frank babbled but he couldn't finish his sentence, because he yawned. Again.

"Frank is almost asleep.. we should open the presents now, right?" His mom asked and everyone agreed.

Mikey gave me a big yellow ball and there was something like millions times "Gerard" or "Gerard's ball". I almost laughed because of ti, but Mikey would be sad, so I didn't. I just thanked and hugged him.

"And here is Frank's..." Mikey started and gave something to Frank. Frank opened it and there was a lot of Skittles, some movie and a red hoodie.

"Mikey this is awesome," Frank whispered and looked at Mikey with wet eyes. Then he hugged Mikey tight. I felt a little sad and stupid and angry. Yes, I was jealous because my best friend is hugging my brother.

"Thanks," Frank said and pulled away.

"You're welcome," Mikey said smiling.

"Here's yours," Frank said and took something.

He gave it to Mikey and Mikey opened the box. There was Nintendo. My best friend gave something like that to my brother! Mikey looked at it in a shock.

"Is this... to me?" He asked.

"Well actually, it's yours but also Gerard's, but I think Gerard doesn't like to play with it.. so it's almost like your own," Frank said and took something else and gave it to me. It was a ring.

"Wow, Frankie, that's beautiful," I said and hugged him.

"I know, it's not like Nintendo, but you can play with Nintendo too, you know. And I just wanted to give something special to you... well that actually isn't special," Frank said a bit sadly.

"It is, of course it is, you gave it to me.. and it's very beautiful," I said and Frank smiled.

Everyone gave gifts to everyone and we had fun. But then Frank was too tired, he actually fell asleep on Mikey's lap. His mother tried to carry him away without waking him up. But he woke up.

"Mommy..? Where's Gee?" He asked tiredly.

"Gerard, Frank wants to say goodbye," his mom said and I walked next to him.

"Merry Christmas," Frank whispered.

"Merry Christmas," I answered and he kissed my cheek. Then they left.

"Gerard and Mikey, it's late, you should go to sleep," mom said. I nodded slowly and went to bed.

"No. I don't want to sleep because I want to see is my Nintendo working!" Mikey shouted when dad carried him to his bed.

"No! No. No..."

Then Mikey fell asleep and I heard how everyone else did that too.
Except me.

I was looking our of my window. Frank's house wasn't far, actually we counted, there's six meters between our houses. It's nice, because in the summer, we usually keep windows open and we can talk like that. And sometimes I throw Skittles to him. Okay, there's also stupid things. Like once, I was sleeping with Frank in his bed and we woke up when Mikey threw cones at us.

But now I was looking at Frank's window. I couldn't see inside, because he had curtains closed. I still stared at his window. Maybe I wished he would wake up, open those curtains, smile at me and we'd meet again. Sounds like I'm never gonna see him again. Thank God I am. Nobody knows what he had done for me. He's been always here when I needed him. He was just 8, and still my best friend. Sometimes my classmates say I'm pathetic, that I don't have real friends and that's why I'm with Frank. Well, everyone else but Ray. He is my classmate too and sometimes he beats those kids. That's why I don't actually tell him what the others say.
Then I heard it.

Scream.

Frank was screaming. And he screamed so damn loud. I tried to see what was happening there, but there was still those damn curtains.
He didn't stop it. Actually I heard, he was screaming MY name.
I ran out. I noticed that everyone else has woken up too.
I ran to Frank's house and open their back door. I had done this so many times before. His parents were standing in the doorway and they were shocked.

"Why don't you do anything?" I almost shouted at them.

"Oh my God, Gerard, what are you doing here?" His mom asked.

"I heard him, he isn't okay, what's wrong? Why don't you help him?" I was crying now. Frank was still screaming.

"He screamed that we can't go there.. Trust me, it's better if he falls asleep," his dad said and tried to stay calm.

"I don't care, he needs me! He screamed my name!" I shouted and I ran closer. Now I saw him and he was so scared. I don't even know how to describe it. It was awful.

"Frank? What's wrong? I'm coming!" I said and Frank stopped it. Just like that. He stopped it.

"Gee... don't come or he kills you," he cried. His parents were even more shocked. His dad didn't try to stop me anymore. I didn't even try to go there.

"Who tries?" I asked.

"Those things... vampires, skeletons, ghosts," he answered and pointed at the corner. I smiled a bit. I know what to do. I had that thing when I was younger. My Granny helped me.

"Close your eyes, Frankie... just close them and keep them close until I say you can open them," I said carefully. He looked at me, but nodded. And closed his eyes.

I went to there and sat on his bed.

"Open your eyes," I whispered and he did it.

"You.. didn't die," he said.

"I know. They can't hurt me," I said and stroked his hair.

"They said they would do it," he cried a bit. I hugged him tight.

"They won't. And I'll never let them hurt you, I promise," I promised and he nodded.

"Now, Frankie... Look at them," I told. He was going to ask something, but he didn't. He stared at those monsters.

"Now, close your eyes again," I said. He did it again.

"You're strong. Remember that. Remember that they can't hurt you. They can't hurt you. You have to tell it to yourself. You have to tell them that they really aren't there. I know, they are, but tell them they aren't. Tell it to yourself too. You can kill them, Frankie. You can, they can't," I whispered and held him close.

"Alright," he answered shaking. I gave him a little kiss on the cheek again.

"Open your eyes," I told. He did it again and blinked them.

"They're gone," he whispered and I nodded.

"I know. They shouldn't come back, but if they do, do this thing again," I said and he nodded.

"Wow, Gerard... you're amazing," I heard his mom's saying. I turned to his parents and smiled.

"I'm not. Grandma taught me," I said and then I saw that Mikey and my mom were standing in the doorway too.

"What's going on?" Mom asked, a bit shocked.

"Your son is amazing... come, I think Frank needs some sleep... and Gerard could sleep here with him," she said and I nodded. My mom was like a big question mark. Then they shut the door.

"Is it okay to you if I sleep here?" I asked.

"It's more than okay, you should live with me!" He exclaimed and hugged me.

"Frankie, I almost live with you now. I see you everyday and everything," I laughed
.

"I'm just wondering... you won't get sick of me?" He asked.

"Never, why did you think like that?" I asked and I was worried. He shouldn't think like that.

"Jake just said he got sick of me and I'm a stupid little idiot..." he answered.

"You're not! You're the most amazing person and my best friend!" I almost shouted again. He giggled.

"I know and that's why you're here right now. Where's my teddy bear?" He asked and looked around.

"I don't see it..." I said and tried to find it.

"Okay, I don't need it, you can be my teddy bear," he smiled and put his hands around me and hugged me tighter than ever.

"Goodnight, Mr. Gee, Frankie's Bear," Frank said so cutely that I almost cried. Just because that was so cute!

"Goodnight, Mr. Frankie, the Cutie," I said and soon we both fell asleep.