Street Kid

We left Gerard's house for good, leaving a shouting Mikey, a blaring phone and a family held together by a thread... and the thread had just walked out of the door.

While it was still light we slowly walked around Belleville in the glowing orange light of the low sun. We messed around, talked and thanked each other endlessly.

When the sun finally decided to rest we chose a spot close to my bridge, although Gerard didn't know that, and lit a fire in a garbage can. It was down a grassy bank and well away from the wondering public eye whose looks could kill.

Gerard and I sat around the fire and the flames danced in the dark heavy air of the night, giving off a warm glow that lit up everything in a fairy tale fashion and creating long moving shadows that occasionally ran across our faces as we ate leftovers from the mini-fridge.

Gerard had been silent for a while but sighed loudly, which knocked me out of my thoughts.

"What's the matter?" I asked nervously, thinking that he regretted todays choice.

"Just thinking" he mumbled

"About?" I squeaked, now even more worried.

"Well...I'm now just Gerard. No Gerard Way... No home, no money, soon even no food." He spoke quietly but I heard every word.

"I know.. this is my fault, I'm sorry... I would like.. understand if you wanna head back"

"No! God no... just, it's weird. Yuh know, disappearing from society."

I remained silent but nodded my head.

"What was your last name Frankie?"

I almost choked on the piece of bread I was eating.

Surname? C'mon Frank, think! Shit... it's urmm??"

"Urm... I can't...I don't remember." I whispered, feeling tearful as a sudden realization came over me... I had taken my mothers maiden name.. and now I'd lost my only link with her.

"It's gone" I choked out.

Had it gone when our car collided with that truck? Or was it later? Did one of my father's punches steal it from me? Or was it me, did I loose it someplace? Sometime when I should have been thinking about my mother, not my lack of food or where I was going to sleep that night.

Gerard came closer to me and put his arm a round me.

"It's not gone... you'll remember- just try real hard." he said firmly

I nodded and thought back to earlier times.

Memories swirled around in my head and I felt Gee's eyes on me as I desperately tried to remember.

I felt the tears run down my cheeks as I sat in the corner of my room on my dark carpet. The door creaked open but I didn't look up.

"Oh Frankie... what's the matter?" the heavenly sound of my Mommy's voice came over me, almost immediately soothing me,

She came and sat next to me and pulled me into a tight embrace.

"The...th..the big boys..They all laughed at me 'cause I couldn't remember my name... I know it's Frankie and I told them that but then they asked me my second name cause all the football players are called by that name.. but.. I only have one... don't I?" I sniffed and tried to stop the tears, cause big boys don't cry.

"There, there" she whispered, wiping my face with her soft palm "You my honey, are Frankie Iero. The Iero was my mother's and her mother's, Iero women never change their name when they get married you see, it's a tradition.

"Iero...?" I said unsure

"Yeah, your Frankie Iero, and you'll always be an Iero." she smiled proudly and I giggled and repeated,

"Frankie Iero..."

"IERO!" I yelled, making Gerard jump

"My name is Frankie Iero" I said, beaming

"There yuh go Frankie Iero." Gerard grinned back. The way he said my last name rolled off his tongue and I launched myself at him.

"Thank you so much Gee!" I shouted hugging him tightly.

This guy was truly amazing.