The Untouchables

That next day at school, Gerard arrives to once again find Frank being picked on. It’s happening in the freshman corridor, and despite the fact that the bullying is blatant as hell, no one is doing anything but watching from the corner of their eye.

As far as Gerard can tell, it’s the same boys that had been tossing Frank’s backpack around just yesterday morning. Two of the boys are rooting through Frank’s backpack, and one is pinning his back to a locker.

Frank is wiggling beneath the boy’s arms, protesting, “Don’t look in there!”

The biggest boy pulls a small, pleather bound journal from Frank’s bag. He opens it, reading the cover page, and grins maliciously. He waves it around over Frank’s head, and Frank blushes and his eyes visibly widen.

“You have a diary, faggot?” he smirks. He opens the book, flipping through the pages. He stops on a page in the middle of the journal, clearing his throat and reading loudly,

“ ‘I’m really excited to go to this new school. Middle school was Hell, so maybe high school will be better.’ “ The boy pauses and raises an eyebrow at Frank, whose face is crimson and head bowed. “Why was junior high so bad, Frankie?”

Frank peers up at the boy, dark bangs hanging in his hazel eyes. “Like I’m telling you.”

The boy acts offended. “Oh? Why not? We’re among friends here.”

“Fuck you,” Frank growls.

“You seem to be a little hostile there,” he mutters. He reopens the diary, going through it some more. Once again, he announces, “ ‘I really think that I may meet my dream guy.’ “ He tosses the diary to the floor and mockingly clutches a hand to his heart. “That’s just so sweet!”

“You’re actually gay?” the teen holding him snorts. “Fucking freak!”

“You know what gay dudes like? Having things shoved up their ass. Why don’t we do that for Iero?” another kid suggests.

“Turn him around,” one orders.

The boy pinning Frank flips him over, holding him by the back of his neck firmly and slamming him once against the locker. He presses Frank’s stomach harshly against the metal.

The biggest boy stands to the side of Frank, and reaches down the back of his jeans, grabbing the waistband to his solid white briefs. He pulls upwards, and Frank cries out. He only tugs harder, and Frank’s heels are lifted from the floor.

Most of the kids in the hallway begin laughing, and one girl even begins to film the bullying on her phone.

At that point, Gerard snaps. He realizes subconsciously that he should’ve been pushed to a breaking point how long ago, but he doesn’t have time to worry or feel bad about that at the moment. All he knows is that these guys are being serious assholes, and by the looks of it, no one else is willing to stop them.

Gerard marches over, tearing the aggressor away from Frank. He stomps on the center of the boy’s foot with his heel, and shoves him in the chest, making him stumble backwards. “Fuck you! Why don’t you pick on somebody your size?”

He regains his balance, and responds calmly, “Because that would be no fun.” He steps forwards, but Gerard refuses to back down. The much larger kid pushes Gerard back with his chest each step, and warns, “You just made a big mistake, creep.”

The other two boys release Frank; Gerard is now the top priority. Gerard stands his ground; and for this he is punched in the stomach.

He groans, clutching his belly, and two of the boys take advantage of the moment by seizing Gerard’s arms and holding them behind his back. The remaining boy holds onto Gerard’s shoulder as he delivers another blow to the stomach, knocking the wind out of Gerard completely.

Gerard begins to wheeze, and before he can catch his breath, he is kneed in the crotch. He lets out a string of clotted coughs as his knees buckle inwards. He falls, and the boys then let go of him, leaving him to hit the floor.

They all move past Gerard with general ease, one of them kicking him. Gerard wraps into a fetal position, blinking back the tears forming in his eyes.

Frank kneels by Gerard, stammering, “I-I’m so sorry. Really, G-Gerard. I- I never meant for this to happen.”

“It’s not your fault,” Gerard promises, still trying to regain his breath.

Frank slowly helps his friend to his feet, insisting, “Yes, it is. If I would’ve just stood up for myself instead of standing around like a little bitch-”

“Don’t say that,” Gerard interrupts. “Trust me, fighting is easy. But fighting back is harder. I know from experience.”

Frank gives a broken, try-hard smile, and it brings an aching, tugging pain to Gerard’s chest. To see this completely happy, bubbly, sweet kid offering a grin he can’t force himself to give… it’s heart shattering.

“Well, thanks for helping me out,” Frank proceeds. “I appreciate it, really.”

“I know you do,” Gerard responds. He gazes at Frank, staring into his crush’s beautiful hazel-auburn eyes. It’s strange for Gerard to be imitating the look. When Frank returns the glance, Gerard doesn’t break his line of vision, just stares right back with a burning intensity he hopes that Frank can read.

The bell rings, snapping Gerard out of his nirvana. As the two walk to Geometry together, Gerard finds the courage to ask,

“So… you’re gay?”

Frank blushes, and shakes his head. “Not quite. I’m pansexual, but I tend to lean towards guys.”

“I’m gay,” Gerard informs. “I can kind of relate.”

There’s a pause, and Gerard questions,

“Are you dating anybody?”

Frank again shakes his head, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “If I ever dated a guy, or even someone nonbinary or genderfluid…” Frank’s hands withdraw from his pockets and clutch his backpack straps instead. “My parents would kill me.”

“Like, you don’t mean-” Gerard begins.

“I’m pretty positive that they would actually beat me,” Frank answers, reading Gerard’s thoughts. “So I’m just keeping the whole thing under wraps until I graduate.”

“Ray doesn’t know you’re pansexual?”

“Nope,” Frank replies. “No one does. But because of those jerks, I’m sure everyone in this Goddamned school will be thinking I’m gay.”

“I’m sorry,” Gerard comforts. “My mom doesn’t know I’m gay, but I doubt that she’d mind.”

“Are you ever going to tell her?”

Gerard shrugs. “Dunno. It’s kind of trivial information, at least in my book. I’d just hate to make a big scene out of the whole thing when it’s not a huge deal, y’know?”

“Yeah,” Frank agrees. “Which is why I’m never telling. My parents… they can go fuck themselves, as far as I’m concerned. If they knew I was pansexual, they wouldn’t love me anymore. So I have to wait till after high school to be myself, that’s when I can cut my ties with them if I need to.”

Gerard doesn’t really know what to say. He places a hand across Frank’s back, on his furthest shoulder. He can’t really explain why he does it, but at the moment, it just seems like the right thing to do.

During the drive to Ray’s house that afternoon, Gerard blurts,

“Frank’s being bullied.”

Frank glares at Gerard in betrayal and shock, his jaw agape.

“He has a right to know; he’s your best friend,” Gerard points out. He does feel guilty for telling Ray for only a second, because Gerard knows that the only way Frank’s ever going to be safe is if he tells somebody.

“Trouble has always had a way of finding Frank,” Ray admits. “How you holding up this time?”

Frank’s eyes begin to water, and he turns his head sharply to the window to hide this. “Fine. Just fine.”

The tears are hidden in his eyes, but not in his voice.

“Frank, please don’t get upset,” Ray begs. “It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not!” Frank cries. “Those guys hate me, everyone laughs at me, I’m a fucking loser and I hate it!”

Frank begins to sob so hard that his body convulses, and he starts to hyperventilate as well. Ray pulls over abruptly, hugging Frank and rubbing his friend’s back.

“Deep breaths, okay?” Ray coaxes. “Breathe really deep. It’s okay; everything’s fine. Gerard and I care about you, and we’re here till the end, isn’t that right, Gerard?”
All Gerard can think about is that statements haunting similarities to a contract. This is the one contract that the boy afraid of commitments is willing to sign. “Yeah. We’re here for you.”

“I’m just…” Frank sobs. “I’m tired of being picked on. I’m tired of being on my best behavior for kids that hate me!”

Ray squeezes Frank. “What do you want us to do?”

“Help me be normal!” Frank pleads. “I’m tired. I’m tired of it all!”

“Help you… be normal?” Ray inquires.

“Yeah. How can I keep them away?” Frank asks. “I’ll do anything.”

“Well… I can teach you one thing, Frank,” Gerard offers from the back seat.

“What’s that?” Frank whimpers.

“How to fight,” Gerard replies.

“You can’t be serious!” Ray scoffs.

“The way I see it; these boys can really hurt Frank; and he has to be able to protect himself!” Gerard reasons. “Frank, do you want to be able to beat these guys?”

Frank is quiet. After a solid minute or so of silence, he nods. “Yes.”

“Good,” Gerard says. “We’ll start as soon as we get to Ray’s.”