The Art Way

The second Jamia had left Gerard's office she had texted her boyfriend Frank the good news.
Frank, who was usually unoccupied during the day, had decided to pay her a visit during lunch break and maybe go for a coffee with her.
Frank didn't actually like the concept of “The Art Way”, it went against his world view that art would be commercialized like that, he himself being the front man of a punk band at least so well known that it paid his bills but nowhere near mayor label. Leathermouth had an album out but most money they made with regular gigs at more or less local venues, throwing in a tour here and there.
Also: Who would name themselves G. Art Way? Frank imagined Jamia's new boss as a fifty something balding stuck up dude in a suit, sitting in his office all day counting all the profits his company made and probably getting turned on by all the money. The image made him shudder and so he pushed it to the back of his mind.

~*~*~

So normally, Frank wouldn't be recognised by strangers on the street. Even less he was being recognised by big-shots in the music business, but here he was, standing in front of TAW's building and Patrick Stumph had just exited it, stopped and looked at him declaring “Holy smokes, you're Frank Iero from Leathermouth”
“Uh, yeah, that's me, and you're Patrick Stumph.”
Realising that they had just told each other what they most probably already knew they laughed a bit until Patrick said “No, but seriously, I have seen your band live, you guys are really good.”
“I didn't think we'd be your genre of music...”
“Music is my genre of music”, Patrick declared, “but I see where you come from, in my high school freshman year I played drums in this nu metal band, they'd probably call me a sell-out now...”
“I'm not saying that what you do is completely rotten, it's just that, to me, art has to be freer than that...”, Frank said, gazing up the building in front of him.
“So, what brings you here?”, Patrick asked, catching the hidden meaning of Frank's statement.
“My girlfriend, actually.”, Frank confessed, “she's a new intern.”
“Same”, Patrick laughed, “well, boyfriend and a bit higher up than an intern, but still”, he smiled, thinking about Pete.
“Yeah, so Jamia doesn't actually know I'm visiting, so I should head up to catch her on her lunch break... It was nice talking to you.”
“Yeah, maybe we see each other again, I'm actually here quite often, Pete's boss really doesn't mind.”
'The boss doesn't mind', Frank thought as he was heading into the building and towards the elevator, 'maybe I can visit Jamia more often?'
Once he was in the elevator Frank noticed that he had no clue which floor Jamia worked on so with a “Shit!” he made his way back through the closing elevator doors, out into the lobby.
Behind a desk sat a boy a couple years younger than him playing with his phone. He was wearing a purple hoodie and red glasses. The plate in front of him informed Frank that he was talking to 'Spencer'.
“Uh, hey uhm, Spencer?”
“Brendon”, was the reply, served with a blinding smile.
“No, my name is Frank...”
“No, sorry, I'm Brendon, Spence is currently... not available, but if I can help you?”
“Well, I wanted to visit my girlfriend, Jamia Nestor, she just started working here and now I wanted to surprise her on her lunch break, but I don't know which floor she'd be on...”
“Nestor, Nestor”, Brendon mumbled, going through files on a computer “She an intern?”
“Yes”, Frank confirmed.
“Ah, O.K., here we go, Jamia Nestor... Top floor.”, he smiled.
“Thank you.”

~*~*~

So now Frank was looking around on the top floor, that was admittedly somewhat bigger than he had expected, and tried to find Jamia.
Suddenly he collided with something, no, someone he realised.
Before he had the chance to apologize the other person was already talking.
“Sorry, sorry I didn't see... Frank?”
“Gerard?? What are you... You work here too?”
“Yeah, no, I... I mean yes, I work here”, Gerard offered, “but you don't, I mean, I've never seen you...”
“No, I don't work here, but my girlfriend, Jamia does... Wow, this is kinda awkward...”
“Yeah, so I uhm... my boss he needs uhm... coffee!”, Gerard exclaimed as his eyes found the cup conveniently still placed in his hand.
“Wow, so that's the interns job here? Poor Jamia... She was really exited to work for that big-shot Way, didn't listen when I told her he probably cares zero for his interns...”
“Yeah, well anyway, see you”, Gerard winced and hurried around the next corner, and when he noticed that Frank was still looking around for Jamia, he jumped into Ray's office.
Frank was still a bit shell shocked from seeing Gerard again. He had mostly forgotten about the guy, or, well, tried to forget about him, but in high school he had admired the older boy for being an artist and already knowing where he wanted to be when he grew up.
It all had, quite literally, climaxed at a party they both had attended, and after a sloppy blow job in one of the houses bedrooms, Frank had stopped thinking about and talking to the guy, not yet ready to face his sexual identity.
Frank shook himself out of it, realising that he didn't even remember the dudes last name.

~*~*~

When your best friend's brother, who is also kind of one of your best friends, even though he's a total social recluse and in addition, your boss, is suddenly standing in your office, back pressed on the door and breathing hectic you try to stay calm. At least when you are Ray Toro.
“Gee, Gee, calm down, what happened?”
“I met... there is... he can't be! He hates me!”
“Is, is there someone threatening you? Do I have to talk to them?”
“No, god no!”, Gerard rushed, “It's just... can I stay here for a while?”
“Ooookaaayy, I guess?” Ray said and got back behind his desk and worked away at his computer.
Gerard sighted and sat down on one of the other chairs in Ray's office, taking out his phone.
After opening and closing some apps he eventually opened the messenger and wrote a text to Mikey:

Hired a new intern today and we have something in common. I blew her boyfriend in high school. Do you think she knows? xogee

You did what?? m

I didn't know that when I hired her! xogee

Of course you didn't... m

Where are you? m

Hiding with ray xogee

I'm coming m

Gerard knew he wouldn't be able to talk his brother out of it so he didn't even bother.
A minute or so later the door to Ray's office opened again and Mikey entered.
“Dude, do you know who I saw in the hallway? Frank Iero! You know, the dude that was so obsessed with you in high... Oh god Gee!”
“I'm... sorry?”
“I always wondered why he stopped stalking you! I assumed he realised that you're a weirdo! Seriously?”
“twas a party 'n we were drunk...”, Gerard mumbled.
“Apparently not drunk enough to forget it though! Does he know who you are?”
“He recognised me as Gerard from high school, but I think he assumed I was interning here...”
“And you didn't correct him?”
“...No?”
“Oh my god, you like him!”
“I... uhm”
“Gerard, he's taken!”
“Seems to be my type”, Gerard mumbled.
“What? Never mind, I'm gonna check if it's safe for you to leave...”
But Mikey's comment had made Gerard realise, that yes, he liked Frank, and yes, he wanted to talk to him again.