I can't sing

Gerard and I walked into the launch hall side by side. As we walked further in the insults started.

“Oh look, the squeamish emos! So scared of blood when it’s not their own!” and,

“Oooh! The emo fag has a girrrlllfriend!!”

I didn’t bother pointing out the contradiction in that sentence and walked on purposefully. We reached a table that was already half full. Gerard motioned to the four guys.

“These are my guys,” He said smugly “...and yours too.” He pulled up a chair for me.

“Should you choose to accept us. Cassandra right?” said a living ‘fro, offering me his hand and dragging me into the seat. During our conversation earlier Gee had made a reference to a ‘Poofball’ and I risked guessing the name.

“Ray?” I tentatively offered and was rewarded with a ginger head of fluff bouncing up and down. The fact he already knew my name registered in the sensible part of my brain telling me that the news of the girls who’d done a bunk on her first day had definitely reached their ears.

“Welcome the dark side! Cool hair!” said a geeky looking guy on my left.

“Do you have cookies then Mikey?” I replied, earning an excited squeal and a hug. On his left sat Gerard who gave me an encouraging smile. From next to him a blonde kid waved to me and on his left was...As I turned to the last seat at the table I damn near had a heart attack. If I’d thought Gerard was hot, this guy was...dazzling.

He was slouching in the chair, one leg sticking out at the side. I could see black converse that bled seamlessly into black skinny jeans. My eyes travelled up his slim legs to his belt buckle shaped like a guitar, it protruded slightly from underneath an Iron Maiden shirt that hugged his chest. He was wearing skeleton hand warmers and his long fingers rested lightly on his knees. His hair was really short apart from a fringe that would have covered one eyes had it not been tucked behind one ear.

“Frank?” I managed to croak. He seemed miles away, chewing on an (honest to god) lip ring.

“OI! Frank!” Ray thumped his thigh and Frank shot about 50 metres in the air.

“WhatdidImiss?” he said in a rush.

“Gerard brought the new girl to lunch and you missed her checking you out. “ Mikey’s statement was brought up with an “OW!” that may have had something to do with my knee being unnervingly near his crotch. I turned bright red and stared at the floor. If It hadn’t been for the groans and ‘Here we go again’ from Bob the blonde kid, I never would have noticed the arrival of the two jocks.

“Hey Frankie,” said one “when are you and Gerardella making it official?”

“Yeah,” said the other “Bet you two can’t wait for the honeymoon!!” They cackled like it was the best joke in the world.

“Cocksuckers!” said the first and they high fived.

However shitty those insults were, they were still mean. I stood up and turned to face them.

“You both seem so interested in their love life maybe you want to be a part of it? Or do you just need advice?”

I could tell Frank and Gerard weren’t actually together. Otherwise Gerard would have mentioned it...I hoped – but that didn’t stop Gerard stroking Frank’s leg for effect.

Ok, It was a shitty comeback to a shitty argument but it had the desired effect. The two idiots jumped away from each other and turned bright red. They exchanged a look and ran for it.

“Gay.” I said, before dropping back into my seat.

“No way!,” said Ray, and dropped the slice of Pizza he was holding into Mikey's lap.

“Your gaydar seems to be fully functional anyway Cass” commented Gerard as he slid back into his own seat.

“I’m clever like that.” I replied. The rest of lunch was spent in celebration; everyone seemed suitably impressed by my attack on two of their main aggressors. Frank had decided I could be trusted and he was all up in my face asking me endless questions. By the end of lunch I was sat on his lap and he had taken to calling me ‘Cassiebean’ Needless to say. I was ecstatic.

I went to clear the trays with Gerard and when we’d finished throwing away all of Frank’s skittle wrappers we made our way back to the table. The guys were in a huddle and as I got closer they broke apart.

“Cassie, stick with Gee after school and we’ll see you at six!” squealed Frank, jumping on my back. Standing up I could see he was actually a midget. Cute and compact. I laughed and looked at Gerard, he grinned back at me. My guys were plotting something and I was excited...but terrified.