I'll Never Let Them Hurt You

Frank

My stomach was back-flipping violently as I felt his soft lips against my own. I felt a soft shudder ripple up my spine, like a wave crashing onto a beach. I felt him pull away slowly but I still felt the soft tingle on my lips where he had been moments ago.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to kiss you, but-" Gerard began as he stepped back from me.

"Gerard." I interrupted.

"It's just, you're so beautiful and I can't help myself and I-"

"Gerard." I repeated, slightly humoured by his rambling.

"I know it was probably the wron-"

"Gerard!" I insisted my voice ringing through the room, causing him to finally stop and listen to me. He looked at me intrigued, making me shrink back into the shadows. I didn't actually know what I was going to say. I racked my brains desperately for something to say. Instead I did the very next thing to show Gerard how I felt.

I felt his lips on mine again as I leaned in. The strange tingling sensation from the first time returned. as I felt his strong arms wrap around me, pulling me in tighter.

"Oh, sorry." Gerard apologised yet again as we broke away a few moments later. "Thank you Frank." He smiled kindly at me. "You've been very forgiving." He admitted.

"I think it's time we got ready to go to school now." Gerard stated suddenly. "It's 7 already." He continued, his eyes darting to a expensive silver lined watch wrapped around his wrist.

"I guess. I'm already dressed to leave." I replied. "But we'll have to leave at 8 if we want to be on time. It takes at least 25 minutes to walk."

"Oh okay." He smiled slightly. "Ray's going to drive my car to school, so I won't have it 'till later. Plus I don't have any of my books, but I don't anything for art or torture 101 and the other teachers are humans so they can shut up." Gerard started talking very fast.

"You're rambling." I reminded him, holding back a small giggle.

"I guess I am." He answered with an awkward cough. "What lessons do you have today Frank?" He questioned inquisitively.

"I have..." I paused for a second to delve into my school bag to retrieve my schedule. "...PE, double Music, English and German." I replied to timidly.

"German last?" He remarked. "You do speak very good German from what I could hear." He smiled.

"Danke." I replied, more confident in the German language.

"Bitte."

"You speak German?" I asked, the surprise obvious in my voice.

"Ein Bißchen." He replied. "Not as well as you though."

"Danke." I repeated.

"Bitte."

"That's enough of that, I think." I added, earning a sharp nod from him as he went to sit down on one of the shabby sofas. I cringed as his fingers stroked at the scrappy fabric. "Sorry about my nasty sofas." I apologised as I walked over and sat on the other sofa. "I can't afford to replace them."

"I like them!" Gerard replied with a smile. "I was just about to comment on how surprisingly comfortable this is." He grinned a little. "So I didn't know you worked at Larry's bar." He spoke a little softer.

"Yeah. I've worked behind the bar for years. I can't afford to pay for the rent for this place if I don't." I commented, looking down at my shuffling feet in embarrassment.

"Don't feel ashamed." Gerard noticed my gestures.

"But I'm so poor, I'm never going to get out of this apartment. I'll still be living here when I'm 40." I stumbled a little. I didn't want him to think I was moaning. I didn't want to be a nuisance.

"I'm sure that's not true. Don't you get money from your job downstairs?" He asked concern flickering in his eyes.

"Yes I do. For every night I work I get $30, so that's like $900 a month or so. But I have to pay $750 a month to rent this place and that's pretty cheap. Plus I have to pay bills, buy food and anything else I need and I'm trying to save for something special, do you want to see?" I could see the confusion creasing his brow as he nodded.

"Sure."

I padded over to the kitchen and bent down to open one of the lower cupboards, retrieving a glass jar from inside. I brought it cautiously back to the sofa, this time sitting on the same one as Gerard.

"What is it?" He asked.

"A jar."

"I can see that." He replied with a smirk. "What's in it?"

"My savings." I answered coolly. "At the end of every month I put whatever I have left over into this jar. Last month I put in a whole $10!" I explained excitedly.

"That's great." Gerard tried to match my excitement but I couldn't help but notice the slight sad glint in his eye. It made me feel pathetic, being excited about saving $10. But $10 was good for me. Usually I'm lucky if I save more that a dollar.

"About another year and halves worth of saving and I'll be able to buy it." I stated happily.

"Buy what? What are you saving for?" Gerard questioned.

I blushed a little. "Oh just one of the guitars that's in the music shop window that I see on the way to school." I looked away from him.

"That's wicked. I know that shop. Which one is it?" Gerard asked again.

"The white Epiphone Les Paul." I murmured through my hands. "it's so beautiful."

"I couldn't agree more." Gerard nodded happily and stretched into the sofa. "How much does it cost?"

"That one costs $600. I know that it's not the cheapest one I could get, but I figured that if I'm going to get a guitar, I might as well get one that will last me my life." I explained as I saw Gerard's raised eye brows.

"That's pretty cheap for a guitar, I thought. But I agree with you, get a good one that lasts." He smiled and reached out his hand, so that his fingers could play with mine. It was quite therapeutic. "Frank?" He turned to face me, his face more serious.

"Yes?"

"How long have you been saving for?" He asked with the same sad eyes which made my head hang with shame.

I looked down. "It will be 2 years next month."

"That's a long time." He stated and I felt him leaning in a little towards me, so that I could feel his hot breath on my cheek.

"Well I haven't got very much money to save." I commented shyly.

"I'm sorry about that Frank." He commented sympathetically, still edging closer to me, hazel glistening in his eyes.

"Don't be Gerard, I'm more lucky than so many other people." I said, watching as a small smile appeared on his face.

"I can't help but look at you." Gerard said suddenly, after the room had fallen into comfortable silence. "You're so perfect."

I scoffed. "I don't think that's right."

"But it is." He nodded his head vigorously. "It is right. You're the perfect Fertile Frankie."

"You called me Frankie." I whispered shyly, trying to avoid his compliments.

"Is that okay?" He asked, a small crease of worry staining his brow for a moment.

"Yes." I replied simply.

"Can I kiss you again Frankie? I liked the one we had earlier." He spoke softly, with a small smile on his lips.

"You don't need to ask." I insisted. I was beginning to feel much more comfortable around Gerard already. He grinned broadly at this and leaned forward an inch to bring our lips together.

This undoubtedly set off the ravage butterflies in my stomach. It seems that the animal kingdom isn't my friend in my times of nervousness. I felt him pull away, and again I wished to feel contact with him.

If possible, his smile seemed to get even wider but he didn't break his eye contact with me.

"Gerard I-." I remarked, trying to ignore his hazel eyes piercing into me.

"Can I ask you something Frank?" Gerard questioned slowly, cutting me off mid-sentence, his gaze still not lifting. I could hear him breathing heavily behind the words.

"Of course you can." I smiled back at him, my thin index finger self consciously brushing against my lower lip.

"Did you like that?" He asked cautiously. he was obviously trying to be as sensitive as possible.

"Would it be bad if I said yes?" I said in a tiny voice.

"I don't think so." He whispered a little. His voice making the minute hairs on the back of my neck prickle.

"Then yes I did like it." I continued slowly.

"As did I." He agreed and leant in a little further so that our heads were almost touching. "You're so beautiful Frank."

"Thank you. So are you Gerard." I blushed heavily and shied away from his soft touch as he brought his index finger gently under my chin to raise it up off my neck, where I had buried it.

"And don't you ever forget it Frankie." He whispered in my ear.

"I-I w-won't?" I stammered awkwardly.

Gerard chuckled a little, before letting go of my fingers, which he had still been holding. Anyway. I think it's time we headed for school." He suggested, getting up off the sofa, in one fluid movement.

"Did you want anything to eat. I could try and find you something?" I asked as got up off the sofa to follow him.

"No thank you. Are you not having anything?" He asked me. I shuddered, feeling his eyes dart down the length of my body.

"I never eat in the mornings." I told him.

"Why not? You're so small, you need your food." Gerard looked worriedly at me as I spoke my reply.

"I simply can't afford to." Gerard fell silent after this and stood by the door patiently as I gathered my bag together. Then we left the apartment and started the walk to school in the cool September air.