Street Kid

Frank’s eyes moved back and forth between his best friend and his lover. The tension in the diner was obvious to even the most ignorant outsider. The three boys were huddled in a booth of the busy building, the smell of frying and coffee wafting around them. Gerard sat next to Frank, holding one of his hands under the table, whilst Alex sat opposite, his eyes sizing up Gerard.

He was trying to decide if the boy had done enough to earn forgiveness. Frank obviously thought so, however he was biased. And as Alex was his best friend he saw it as his duty to ensure that Gerard wasn’t going to cause Frank anymore pain. However, Alex did felt slightly guilty as he spied nasty bruises around Gerard’s neck, peeking out from under his Star Wars t-shirt.

“Sorry again about your neck dude.” Alex spoke, breaking the awkward silence.

Frank, who had been in the process of taking a sip of his Coke through a straw, gasped and then proceeded to choke as he inhaled the fizzy drink.
Gerard looked panicked but Alex only chuckled as Frank’s eyes went wide and he coughed violently.

“That was…” another fit of coughs.

“That was you?” he finally managed to get out as he glared at his best friend.

Alex shrugged. So Gerard hadn’t told on him. Maybe he was an okay guy after all.

“I may have gotten a little angry…” Alex replied sheepishly.

Frank opened his mouth to say something, however was stopped from doing so when his boyfriend’s hand squeezed his.

“It’s okay Frankie, I deserved it. Knocked some sense into me.” Gerard said with a slight smile, meeting Alex’s surprised gaze, nodding slightly.

And then Alex just knew that Gerard had forgiven him, was grateful even, for the angry wake-up call.

“He was just protecting you Frankie.” Gerard spoke softly and Alex watched in amazement as the anger melted from his friend’s eyes and he and Gerard seemed to have a silent conversation though intense stares.

“Yeah. Yeah, I guess. Just don’t do it again.” Frank warned, kicking Alex in the shin slightly.

“As long as I don’t have a reason to, I won’t.” Alex shot a meaningful glance to Gerard, who nodded once again.

“Now. Who’s up for the nicest burgers this side of the US?” Alex asked his stomach rumbling in anticipation.

***

They wolfed down their food once it arrived; making noises of appreciation that would have been taken for inappropriate if they had been overheard elsewhere. The silence that fell among them this time was comfortable. It was safe and warm and expected.

“Uuurgh. That was so damn good” Frank moaned, rubbing his stomach.

“I’m so full I’m going to burst” Gerard agreed as he pushed his plate away.

Alex just let out a large burp, which had half the diner staring at him in disgust and the other half in admiration. Frank’s high pitched giggles filled the air and Alex let out a sigh of content. Now this was the life.

They sat there with smiles on their faces; Frank continued to laugh until he couldn’t breathe.

“So what’s going to happen now?” Frank asked when he calmed down, sending serious looks to the others.

Alex shifted uncomfortably; he wasn’t used to the heavy stuff. Serious conversations were not his forte and he had used up the last of his adult behaviour taking care of his younger friend the past couple of days.

“We carry on.” Gerard said softly.

“But Gee, those guys at...”

“Won’t be a problem anymore, I’m sure.” Gerard grinned slightly. Alex thought it looked a bit manic.

“What did you do?” Frank gasped, eyes wide as he took in Gerard’s bruised and cut knuckles.

“I fought back. I’m fed up of being the victim. I’m fed up of us being the victims. We go back to our schools, and we carry on.”

“We’ll still…” Frank didn’t finish, but he didn’t need to, insecurity had leaked into his eyes and Gerard grabbed his hand again.

“Of course. In the week, I’ll hang with Bob or whoever and you stick with this loser here” he motioned towards Alex with a wink.

“And then the weekends we’ll hang out at the Academy or Foxhole, depending on circumstances.”

Alex smiled as he saw Frank’s eyes light up at the thought of everything finally, <i>finally</i>, working out.

“But what about the holidays?” Frank asked, making Gerard’s confident smile disappear.

“Then you pack your shit up and you get your ass to my house. Gerard, you tell your folks you’re hanging with one of the preppy dudes from your school… and you two spend the holidays helping me eat the piles of food my Ma cooks whenever I go home.”

Both boys stared at Alex, mouths open in shock.

“But…your parents..?” Gerard stuttered.

“Would love to meet you two. I’ve already told my Ma about Frank and she’s dying to meet you.” He grinned as Frank flushed scarlet.

“And my Dad’s happy as long as I’m not setting shit on fire. And my shrink says that I’m pretty much on top of that whole ‘burn everything to the ground’ temptation anyways. I’m sure I can put a lid on it whilst we’re home. You get somewhere to stay and I get someone to divert my Ma’s cooking on. It’s a win win…”

Alex didn’t get to finish because the two teens who had previously been sitting opposite him had somehow gotten around to his side of the booth and were now hugging the shit out of him.

“Thanks Al. You’re the best” Frank sniffed into his neck.

“And don’t you forget it.” He smiled as he ruffled Frank’s hair.

“Thank you. For everything.” Gerard’s voice shook with emotion and Alex couldn’t bring himself to ruin the moment by replying with sarcasm or a witty reply.

“Hell… if you get you’re act together maybe you can even bring Quinn.” Frank snorted before returning to the other side of the booth with Gerard.

“Shut up you little shit.”

“Ooooh Quinn. Hi Quinn. I’m not watching you walking down the hallway Quinn. I like your jeans Quinn. I lo…OW!” Frank hissed as Alex kicked him.

“Silence munchkin!” Alex hissed back, making Gerard laugh at the pair of them.

The three boys sat in the diner until closing time, talking about everything and nothing at the same time. The laughed until they couldn’t breathe, giggled until their drinks came out their noses, played around, danced to the cheesy music coming from the jukebox in the corner and the grins didn’t leave their faces.

They didn’t even notice when the rain stopped outside, the sky brightening up and warming the world below.