Stereotype

Chapter 7

It'd been a week since Frank had first talked to Gerard, and he felt like he could already call him a friend. Gerard was a strange but nice guy who could remember dialogs from comics to the letter and quickly read people by their gestures and attitudes. That last detail had seemed a little intimidating at first, but Frank assumed if Gerard was still around after all those days, that had to mean he liked hanging out with him.

They'd discovered that they had a lot in common, and they never lacked conversation subjects. Gerard had only recently started getting into punk, so Frank -being a specialist in that genre- kept suggesting bands that he should check. He had even burned him a CD with the "awesomest, most essential songs that it's vital for you to hear to be officially initiated into punkery". Even though Gerard had still to remember -"Write it down, Way, write it the fuck down!"- Frank had asked him to do the same for him with heavy metal bands. The younger boy might have had his preferences, but he was open to all kinds of music and gave everything a chance. He loved music in general and was always interested in broadening his collection.

Gerard had been insisting that Frank join them when he was with the other guys -some of them weren't bad at all, he had learned. Frank didn't really talk about it, but Gerard was aware of how much he wanted to make friends, how hard he tried while shrugging off the shit he got in return. He thought that maybe, if he was present too and with the guys knowing Frank was his friend, they would refrain from insulting him. That the kid would have a better chance and they would get to know him for real. However, Frank had come up with excuses so far.

Frank wanted to tag along, he wanted the opportunity that Gerard's presence offered, but he couldn't make up his mind and just do it. He kept postponing it, saying he had some texting to do or some homework to check. It was one thing to get each of those guys alone; he could deal with that and even have fun with it. Walking up to all of them in the middle of their usual football conversations was a different matter. It was intimidating, and it's not like his brother being part of the group had ever helped much.

Therefore, for the moment, the two boys hanged out by themselves during part of the lunch breaks and other few moments in between classes. Their favorite place was the one where they'd met; it was like an oasis among all the noise.

********

Frank finished his salad and looked over to the granite table to his right to see if Gerard was ready, waving to catch his attention. The other, who was in company of Ray and Brandon, eventually saw him and smiled.

"Just a couple of minutes!"

"Okay!" Frank called back. He decided to go wait for him in their chosen spot.

When he got close enough to the usually quiet place, it sounded anything but peaceful. He could hear voices and laughter. Someone was screaming as something kept colliding against a metal surface.

Rushing his steps, Frank surveyed the scene. Matt had Brendon's neck in a firm grip, banging his head on the door that led to the bathrooms. Behind Matt stood John and Steve as if they were his bodyguards, the three of them continuously spitting all kind of insults to the frightened younger boy's face. Brendon's hair was disheveled and his nose was bleeding. He was crying out for them to stop, but his pleas only caused them to laugh louder.

"What are you still doing here, fag? Why didn't you follow your little boyfriend?" snarled Matt, kneeing Brendon in the groin.

The victim screamed, but after a few seconds composed himself, glaring at his attacker. "You won't...make me leave, I'll graduate here you l-like it or not!"

"Well...you have three years ahead, do you think you'll survive?" John snickered.

Frank couldn't stand it anymore. Using the fact that the bullies were too entertained to notice him to his advantage, he ran towards Matt and kicked him as high as his short leg reached. The impact combined with the surprise factor made Matt release Brendon, giving Frank time to sneak in between them. He spread his legs to stand firmer and wrapped a hand around one of the iron bars of the near window, looking at the three boys in front of him defyingly.

"Move, Iero. Not your business," Matt growled.

"No. You fuck off, leave him alone," Frank said with faked conviction.

"Leave him alone!" Steve mocked in a high-pitched voice. "Oh, shut the fuck up, dwarf princess, move your pansy little ass and go play dolls."

"Fuck. Off," Frank repeated, eyes fixed on Matt's. The bigger boy seized him by the shoulders and tried to moved him away, but Frank strengthened his hold on the bar, ignoring the pain in his fingers. No sound came from Brendon except for his labored breath.

"Let's go..." John whispered in Matt's ear, followed by something Frank couldn't fully hear but surely included the words "next time."

Thankfully, Matt agreed. He released Frank without even glancing at him again, but instead at Brendon.

"You'll change your mind, Urie, you'll change your mind."

They left after that, laughing obnoxiously. It was only then that Frank noticed someone else standing there as quiet as a statue, incredulous huge eyes meeting his.

"What the...?" Gerard forgot what he was going to say as he saw Brendon slid his body out from behind Frank and run away, not for a second looking back. "Are you okay, Frankie?"

"Yeah," Frank replied, letting himself fall to the floor on his knees and sitting back on his heels. He flexed his fingers, wincing until the soreness disappeared.

"Did Brendon even thank you? You just saved his fucking ass!"

"He never thanks me. He hates me 'cause those assholes don't hurt me like they do him."

"And...why don't they?" Gerard had been able to hear some of what those guys were saying to Brendon. He had an idea of what their -stupid, retrograde- problem with him was. So it didn't make much sense for them to not only leave Frank alone, but also apparently abort their bullying session because Frank said so.

Frank raised an eyebrow accusatively and Gerard got the hint right away, suddenly aware of how wrong his question had sounded.

Frank had to refrain from laughing when he saw the worried look on his friend's face.

"Oh...no!!" Gerard said. "I...of course I don't think they should hit you! I just...I mean, pretty sure I know why they do this to Brendon and to some other kids I've seen them bully. And you would, I guess, fit their kind of target? I...fuck, I don't want you to take this the wrong way, I just don't know how to explain myself, you're a fucking awesome kid, I..."

"Gerard. It's ok, I know what you mean, calm down!" Frank laughed light-heartedly, patting the ground to invite Gerard to sit down. "Yes, I do fit their kind of target, that's what angers Brendon."

"Do they respect you because you're Ray's brother?" the other questioned. He couldn't think of any other reason.

"Oh, no. One of the other kids is Brandon and Adam's brother. Do you think they care? They're only careful not to do anything in front of them. Urie still believes that's the reason, though. So did I for a while. I'd assumed it had to be that."

"Oh...and what's the truth, then?" Gerard went on, unable to figure out any other possibility.

"Well, I once asked Ray, mostly 'cause I wanted him to do something for the other boys too, since he could stop his stupid friends from beating me. He laughed and said he had nothing to do with it. He knew they'd do whatever they wanted behind his back no matter what he asked them. I kept pressing for an answer and he wouldn't tell me, which of course only made me insist more. He finally said that they don't touch me because they see me as a girl, and they wouldn't lay a hand on a girl." Frank rolled his eyes.

"Uh, I don't even know what to say, honestly." Gerard frowned. "And how do you feel about it?"

"Honestly? Just weird. Like...on one hand I guess I should be happy? But I'm not, because it's not nice to see other kids go through all that shit while I'm safe. I'm not saying I want them to beat me up too, I'd stand no fucking chance if they did. But it's not fair that I'm spared of it for such a ridiculous reason. I'm no different than the other boys they beat up. No matter how much I may look like one or even dress like one sometimes, I'm not exactly a girl. So...I don't know, it doesn't make much sense, but I feel kinda...guilty? And I wish I could do something. I don't want a special treatment, I want everybody to be respected and safe at school. Fuck..." Frank sighed, picking up a rock and throwing it away with fury.

Gerard gave Frank the most instant comfort he could offer, hugging him tightly and rubbing his back. "I understand, I swear I do. Those assholes would have probably found a reason to beat me up too by now if I wasn't my dad's son. I'll see what I can do, I'll talk to them..."

"It won't work, Gerard, they hear no one."

"Just let me try, you saw what a bunch of ass kissers they are."

"Yeah but still, if they ignore Ray..." Frank pointed out.

"But I'm not Ray. I'm Gerard Way, son of the school's champion!" He grinned.

Frank snorted. "O-kay, you arrogant bastard, let's see what you can do."