The Plague of Popularity
I Only See Our Demise.
I pulled into my parking space at school, dressed to perfection. I walked over to Travis and Dan who were talking by Dan’s SUV.
“Sorry about Friday, ma said I had to play nice boy to them while they gave me hospitality for the weekend.”
Travis smirked and Dan smiled. My heart cracked with every lie.
“There’s a party Friday night, at Travis’ this time.”
I looked at him, eyes wide.
“Even with all the cops that float around there?”
He smirked. Perhaps I could sneak away to Gerard’s.
“Dad’s the newest donator to their barrack; they won’t be bothering us Friday night. There’s your friends now Frankie.”
Travis stood away from Dan’s vehicle and sauntered over to the bench Gerard was sitting on, this time Mikey was sitting next to him. I could only watch in horror as Travis’ palm collided with the side of Gerard’s head—showing no emotion as the Way brother’s looked past Travis at me.
“Touch him again like that and I’ll call the cops for harassment; you and your brother stay the fuck away from Frankie, he doesn’t need your faggot-ness rubbing off on him. You sick bastard.”
He spit at their feet before turning around and walking back towards us; Dan was laughing like that was the million dollar winner on some show. I heard my own laughter mixing in but I knew it was real. I saw the redness on Gerard’s cheek start to show, Mikey wiped his eyes before walking towards the door.
Gerard may have said I do nothing, but he doesn’t fight back either, he just lets them torment him. Who the hell am I kidding? That’s all Travis and Dan want, is a reaction out of him; he never gave in to them because he knew the moment he did they won. This isn’t some fucking game; we don’t get a start over once we lose our three lives. There’s no restart button; this is real life.
I can’t believe it took me so long to realize how worthless I really was. The Frankie everyone at school knew was not the Frankie I wanted to be. Dan was reliving the moment again as Travis just sniggered and smirked over at Gerard’s form still sitting on the bench—Mikey still no where to be seen. I looked at Gerard closely, he had tears on his cheeks—I snapped.
To hell with my mother, to hell with my money; I did that to him. Those tears and his red cheek were because of me. I did the only thing my mind could process.
“Shut up, the both of you! You’re fucking idiots!”
I yelled louder than I had meant to; I felt every eye on me. I didn’t care anymore; I was done with this stupid charade that was my life. Dan just stood there, mouth gaping and Travis just smirked at me.
“You really think you’re something don’t you Frankie? You wouldn’t be shit if it weren’t for us and you know it. The only reason you were ever on a higher level than us is because you’re nothing but a puppet. No matter what direction your strings are pulled you follow. Go ahead, tell me what you think. Tell me I’m pathetic and I’m wasting my life, tell me I’m nothing but an asshole that everyone hates—go ahead. Just remember, I am the asshole everyone hates whereas you’re just the phony rich, pretty boy.”
I knew everyone heard him and he was right, he was an asshole; he never pretended to be who he wasn’t. I didn’t know what to say and that’s exactly what he wanted—he wanted to humiliate me before I humiliated him. He’d have still won though, he’d have still thrown that in my face—he is who he is.
“Sorry about Friday, ma said I had to play nice boy to them while they gave me hospitality for the weekend.”
Travis smirked and Dan smiled. My heart cracked with every lie.
“There’s a party Friday night, at Travis’ this time.”
I looked at him, eyes wide.
“Even with all the cops that float around there?”
He smirked. Perhaps I could sneak away to Gerard’s.
“Dad’s the newest donator to their barrack; they won’t be bothering us Friday night. There’s your friends now Frankie.”
Travis stood away from Dan’s vehicle and sauntered over to the bench Gerard was sitting on, this time Mikey was sitting next to him. I could only watch in horror as Travis’ palm collided with the side of Gerard’s head—showing no emotion as the Way brother’s looked past Travis at me.
“Touch him again like that and I’ll call the cops for harassment; you and your brother stay the fuck away from Frankie, he doesn’t need your faggot-ness rubbing off on him. You sick bastard.”
He spit at their feet before turning around and walking back towards us; Dan was laughing like that was the million dollar winner on some show. I heard my own laughter mixing in but I knew it was real. I saw the redness on Gerard’s cheek start to show, Mikey wiped his eyes before walking towards the door.
Gerard may have said I do nothing, but he doesn’t fight back either, he just lets them torment him. Who the hell am I kidding? That’s all Travis and Dan want, is a reaction out of him; he never gave in to them because he knew the moment he did they won. This isn’t some fucking game; we don’t get a start over once we lose our three lives. There’s no restart button; this is real life.
I can’t believe it took me so long to realize how worthless I really was. The Frankie everyone at school knew was not the Frankie I wanted to be. Dan was reliving the moment again as Travis just sniggered and smirked over at Gerard’s form still sitting on the bench—Mikey still no where to be seen. I looked at Gerard closely, he had tears on his cheeks—I snapped.
To hell with my mother, to hell with my money; I did that to him. Those tears and his red cheek were because of me. I did the only thing my mind could process.
“Shut up, the both of you! You’re fucking idiots!”
I yelled louder than I had meant to; I felt every eye on me. I didn’t care anymore; I was done with this stupid charade that was my life. Dan just stood there, mouth gaping and Travis just smirked at me.
“You really think you’re something don’t you Frankie? You wouldn’t be shit if it weren’t for us and you know it. The only reason you were ever on a higher level than us is because you’re nothing but a puppet. No matter what direction your strings are pulled you follow. Go ahead, tell me what you think. Tell me I’m pathetic and I’m wasting my life, tell me I’m nothing but an asshole that everyone hates—go ahead. Just remember, I am the asshole everyone hates whereas you’re just the phony rich, pretty boy.”
I knew everyone heard him and he was right, he was an asshole; he never pretended to be who he wasn’t. I didn’t know what to say and that’s exactly what he wanted—he wanted to humiliate me before I humiliated him. He’d have still won though, he’d have still thrown that in my face—he is who he is.