Watching From Afar

Gerard’s P.O.V
I had raced Mikey into the kitchen like I always do. Poor Frank was left in the doorway not sure what to do.
After sliding across the countertop, before Mikey, I went over to the fridge to find something to eat. I could cook and I really did not like having Mikey cook.
“Mikes what do you guys want to eat?”
Mikey stood thinking, and Frank stood looking uncomfortable.
“You know you could ask Frank.”
“Oh! Frank what do you want to eat?”
“I don’t care.” He replied staring down at his shoes.
“Kay!” Mikey said skipping over to the fridge.
I rolled my eyes; I knew what we would be eating.
Franks P.O.V
Gerard and I stood staring at Mikey who was rushing around the kitchen grabbing things from cabinets and the fridge. He took some kind of meat and put it in the microwave. Right as I was going to remind him about me being a vegetarian he grabbed out a pre-cooked cheese pizza.
Gerard looked at Mikey with a look that definitely said ‘why can’t your friend eat the same thing we are eating?’
Mikey saw his brothers face and said, “Franks a vegetarian.”
“Okay then. Well, Mikey, while you cook and probably burn the house down, I’m going to go watch TV. Wanna come Frank?”
I looked over at Mikey since he was the one who had invited me; he waved his hand and said he’d call us when it was done. I followed Gerard into the living room, where he sat on the couch. I stood, not knowing where to sit.
Gerard patted the spot next to him, “Come on Frank. I don’t bite.”
You may not bite, I thought, but I know that if you knew I sit outside your bedroom window every night, you wouldn’t be so willing to sit next to me.
I carefully sat down at the other end of the couch away from the older Way brother.
“So Frank.” He started.
“What?”
“Um how’s life?”
“Pretty good I guess besides the beatings everything’s pretty damn fine.” I said.
“Oh why do you get beat up?”
I looked at everything in that room except at him. “I’m gay.” I finally got up the courage and looked him in the eye and his expression hadn’t changed from the smile he had on his face before.
“Me to.”
My jaw dropped. “You? Gay? No way. People love you, and besides you’re too hot.” My eyes widened in horror, did I just say that out loud? In front of Gerard?
He laughed, “People don’t know. They just think I’ve been single my whole life.”
“Oh.”
“Dinner!” Mikey yelled from the kitchen.
Getting up off of the couch Gerard said, “Well, we better go assess the damage.”
We went into the kitchen, and surprisingly nothing was on fire.
Gerard’s P.O.V
Wow, Frank’s gay. I didn’t know what to think about that, but I wonder if he had a boyfriend. He probably did, I thought with a sigh, Frank’s to cute, sexy, and funny not to have a boyfriend.
I walked into the kitchen, holding my breath, waiting to see some kind of mess. I let out my breath when I saw everything was the same as when I left.
The smell of chicken and pizza hit me like a wall. I looked at the kitchen table which was set with plates full of food and glasses full of beverages.
Mikey stood next to the table and put his arms up saying, “Ta-da!” with a big smile.
I smiled back at him, “Mikey, this looks great! And you didn’t set anything on fire.
He glared at me, still smiling, and the three of us sat down.
Frank’s P.O.V
Surprisingly, Mikey was actually a good cook, even though he didn’t have to do much. Since I’m a vegetarian and the Way family isn’t and they don’t have much that doesn’t have some kind of meat incorporated, Mikey made me a pizza. He hadn’t burnt it so I sat at the table contently listening to the brother’s talk.
“How do you like the pizza Frank?” Mikey asked me.
“Good.” I said around a mouthful of crust, which made it sound more like, “Mumph.”
My phone started vibrating, in my pocket so I pulled it out. It was a text from my mom saying it was time to come home
I finished the food and said goodbye, walking out the door.
…
When I got home I thought of all the different ways that could have gone. I could have told Gerard I sit outside that stupid tree every night. I could have told him how I feel about him. I could have just kissed him.
Hundreds of different scenarios went through my head. But none of them had happened, I kept reminding myself, I need to think in reality. Even though I knew I shouldn’t think of what could have happened, that’s what I was doing when I fell asleep, and that’s what I did when my alarm blared at midnight, waking me up to go to Gerard’s house.
I knew the curtains would still be closed, but it gave me time to think.
Gerard’s P.O.V
I lay in my bed thinking of all the different ways that could have gone. Even though today was the first day I had ever talked to Frank, I really liked him. I really want to see him again, really wanted to talk to him again.
I turned over, sighed, and fell into a deep sleep. Falling asleep way earlier then I usually do.
Frank’s P.O.V
After waking up I had picked up a clean shirt, black pair of skinnies, and a hoodie. The hoodie definitely helped if Gerard decided to look out his window, even though that had only happened once. I proceeded to walk back downstairs and out the door, as quietly as possible. Gerard lived about two miles from where I lived to the walk wasn’t that bad. In about twenty minutes I was standing on the sidewalk inform of the house I had just left a few hours before. I just stood there with my hands in the pockets of my jacket, looking at the house where I knew Gerard, Mikey, and their parents would probably be sound asleep.
I slowly approached the house. For a reason unknown to me, I wasn’t sure I wanted to climb the tree tonight. I had been inside the room that I had never been able to look into before. I didn’t think I would get caught, I just felt I was trespassing(which of course I was) but it felt worse when I was so close to the people who called the place home.
Even with my doubtful thoughts, I inched forward. Once close enough to the tree, I put my hand against the cool bark, pausing before climbing up.
I grabbed a branch that was right above my head and pulled myself up. Putting my feel up on the branch a little lower than the one I was gripping, I grabbed the next branch above my head. Over and over I repeated the process until I reached the branch I sit on every night. The branch that points out right in front of Gerard’s window, creating the perfect seat.
Just like I knew it would, the curtains that kept the light from entering Gerard’s room were closed.
I sat in the tree for only a few minutes this time. I replayed my visit inside and decided to go home. There wasn’t enough that I wanted to think about, so I softly climbed down and walked back to my awaiting bed.