"Closer"
Prologue
"Watch your back."
"Eh?"
"I can see that LJ one over there. I don't like her one little bit. She's always plotting something. And I don't like the look she's giving you right now."
Frank turned his head and looked over; sure enough, there she was, eyeing him up with a twinkle in her eye and smirk on her face. Clearly, the enemy faction had figured out how to get revenge for their last prank. Damn it, why were the A7X gang always one step ahead? Just when Frank thought he'd earned the upper hand, he had to be on his guard once more. He turned away from LJ's gaze and back to Suety, who had been warning him.
"I don't know how you can be friends with her."
"She's no friend of mine." Suety emphasised this point by giving LJ a subtle finger, the latter merely chuckling aimlessly and walking off with a fashionable smash of her locker door and swing of her hips. "I just tolerate her when we're in Grace's company."
"Yeah, well I don't think you spending time with her is a good idea. She's probably using you for information."
"Please, like she's smart enough, or I stupid enough to give anything away. Don't worry. Kirsty, Chey, and I are going to see Grace tonight, we'll see what we can find out."
"That Grace one is a double agent and you shouldn't be trusting her either."
Suety burst out laughing, gathering her things between giggles as the bell for classes sounded.
"Frankie sweetie, you are adorable. I love the way you think this is all a game of espionage, and not a prank that went wrong and was taken out of context."
"When it's been going on for more than a year it's espionage." Frank crossed his arms resolutely. "Be careful tonight."
Suety rolled her eyes. "Yeah yeah. Grace isn't going to lock us up or anything."
"She's weird. I don't trust her."
"As I've gathered. Don't worry. I know Gracie just a little bit better than you, we'll be grand. She hasn't sacrificed us yet."
Frank rolled his eyes. Suety giggled again and leaned in to kiss him. He dramatically spun away so she got his cheek instead.
"You big spoilsport! I'll see you later."
"Bye."
He squeezed her arm as she took off down the corridor. Turning on his heel, he noticed another unpleasantly familiar face in the mirror inside his locker.
Shadows.
That seedy bastard.
He was grinning sardonically, the smile baring just enough tooth for Frank to have to suppress a burning desire to smash it.
Damn it. Something was going on, he knew it. LJ, Shadows...two of the Enemy's core brains were both making their confidence known around him and he didn't like it.
He decided to report back. Never mind Drama. That could wait til tomorrow, or he'd have a tragedy of Shakespearean proportions of his very own to enact.
Frank slammed his locker shut and pulled out his phone.
He loved the way Gerard could read his mind.
Dude, the Enemy are up to something. Zacky and the Rev were hanging around the art room earlier, giving me evils. I don't like it man. Conference? PS Word has it Grace & Gates are back in town, and you know what that means.
Too right. With the mediators (i.e. only people who could play both sides) around, the Enemy would hate to leave them out of a job.
"Eh?"
"I can see that LJ one over there. I don't like her one little bit. She's always plotting something. And I don't like the look she's giving you right now."
Frank turned his head and looked over; sure enough, there she was, eyeing him up with a twinkle in her eye and smirk on her face. Clearly, the enemy faction had figured out how to get revenge for their last prank. Damn it, why were the A7X gang always one step ahead? Just when Frank thought he'd earned the upper hand, he had to be on his guard once more. He turned away from LJ's gaze and back to Suety, who had been warning him.
"I don't know how you can be friends with her."
"She's no friend of mine." Suety emphasised this point by giving LJ a subtle finger, the latter merely chuckling aimlessly and walking off with a fashionable smash of her locker door and swing of her hips. "I just tolerate her when we're in Grace's company."
"Yeah, well I don't think you spending time with her is a good idea. She's probably using you for information."
"Please, like she's smart enough, or I stupid enough to give anything away. Don't worry. Kirsty, Chey, and I are going to see Grace tonight, we'll see what we can find out."
"That Grace one is a double agent and you shouldn't be trusting her either."
Suety burst out laughing, gathering her things between giggles as the bell for classes sounded.
"Frankie sweetie, you are adorable. I love the way you think this is all a game of espionage, and not a prank that went wrong and was taken out of context."
"When it's been going on for more than a year it's espionage." Frank crossed his arms resolutely. "Be careful tonight."
Suety rolled her eyes. "Yeah yeah. Grace isn't going to lock us up or anything."
"She's weird. I don't trust her."
"As I've gathered. Don't worry. I know Gracie just a little bit better than you, we'll be grand. She hasn't sacrificed us yet."
Frank rolled his eyes. Suety giggled again and leaned in to kiss him. He dramatically spun away so she got his cheek instead.
"You big spoilsport! I'll see you later."
"Bye."
He squeezed her arm as she took off down the corridor. Turning on his heel, he noticed another unpleasantly familiar face in the mirror inside his locker.
Shadows.
That seedy bastard.
He was grinning sardonically, the smile baring just enough tooth for Frank to have to suppress a burning desire to smash it.
Damn it. Something was going on, he knew it. LJ, Shadows...two of the Enemy's core brains were both making their confidence known around him and he didn't like it.
He decided to report back. Never mind Drama. That could wait til tomorrow, or he'd have a tragedy of Shakespearean proportions of his very own to enact.
Frank slammed his locker shut and pulled out his phone.
He loved the way Gerard could read his mind.
Dude, the Enemy are up to something. Zacky and the Rev were hanging around the art room earlier, giving me evils. I don't like it man. Conference? PS Word has it Grace & Gates are back in town, and you know what that means.
Too right. With the mediators (i.e. only people who could play both sides) around, the Enemy would hate to leave them out of a job.