FicWad

The months that followed were both good and bad. They were good in the fact that Frank had now began to relax around me, it had taken a while but eventually he started talking to me without any sign of distrust or fear. He would smile at me if we passed in the corridor, he would stay after class for some ten minutes on most days, just telling me some little information about himself, like how he had completed a video game the night before or come up with a great guitar riff. It was like we were becoming friends and it felt good, he was a great kid. He was interesting to talk to and I realized we had a fair amount in common. The art block was also pretty much completely repaired, of course none of the work could be saved, and there were some small touches that had to be made, but all lessons were now back to normal at least.
But it was bad because he still wasn’t telling me anything about his home life or his father, I wanted to ask him but I didn’t want to ruin the trust we were now sharing. I knew deep down that if the time was right he would tell me, and I couldn’t rush it along. But it was so infuriating, watching him grow from a timid, shy boy into the happy, laughing young man he was becoming yet knowing when he went back home only God knows what happened.
It was so easy when we were just joking and laughing to forget that he may be an abused teenager, that he may have been enduring this sort of life since he was a child. But as soon as I remembered it would make my stomach churn with anger and sorrow. He was so amazing, polite, funny, caring, talented - And he was being hurt by that monster of a father.
Of course, try telling Mikey this and he instantly starts telling me to stop jumping to conclusions. I tell Mikey everything, including what I saw when I went to Frank’s house yet he remains skeptical. I understand why, but I have no doubt in my mind. He urges me to just see what happens and not to try and do something drastic; he's also been telling me not to get too close to Frank. But I haven’t got a clue why.

"Hey, Gerard?" Franks voice was quiet as he walked into the empty art room, school was over and I was just putting away all the art materials. I turned to see him stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, chewing on his lip ring - something I noticed he did when he was nervous.
"Oh hey Frank." I smiled, continuing to put things away. "I would have thought you'd be on your way home by now." I noted, and he shrugged, looking at the floor.
"Yeah... I was meaning to ask you if I could stay here today." He mumbled and I straightened up after putting the paint into one of the cupboards.
"Stay here?" I repeated, raising an eyebrow. He refused to meet my gaze as he nodded.
"Yeah. Just for an hour or so. I want to get some more work done." He said, I tilted my head to the side, observing him as he stood, fingering the strap of his bag.
"You’re not behind on your work." I said slowly, and he shrugged, looking up a little.
"I... I know. I just wanted to stay and do some more." He said casually. I bit my lip and folded my arms, wondering what had possessed him to want to spend an extra hour in the art room on a Friday night.
"Well, normally I would say yes but I'm not staying behind today so you'll be alone." I explained and he shrugged.
"I don’t mind. I promise I'll put everything back and lock up." He answered quickly, looking at me with hopeful eyes. I frowned and sat down on one of the desks, clasping my hands in my lap. Gesturing for him to sit down on the desk infront of me. He sighed and walked over to it, hoisting is somewhat short body onto the tall wooden table.
"Is something wrong Frank?" I asked. He looked down at his swinging feet and didn’t answer straight away.
"No." He simply said after a small pause. I watched him watching his feet and waited to see if he would say anything more but he didn’t.
"Are you sure?" I pushed, and he nodded silently. "You can tell me if there’s something wrong." I said gently, lowering my voice. He went very still, not saying a thing. I waited as patiently as I could, feeling my heart begin to beat frantically in my chest. Was this it? Was he finally going to tell me?
"I... just don’t want to go h - home." He whispered and I could hear his voice was thicker, his breathing uneven. My lips parted and I felt my heart swell with sorrow.
"Hey, don’t cry." I said softly, jumping off my desk and approaching him, going to touch his shoulder but hesitating, would he mind bodily contact? I didn’t have time to make a decision as to my surprise he shifted along the desk and rested his head on my shoulder, his arms wrapped tightly around himself as he began to sob in earnest.
"Hey, Frank - its okay. What’s wrong?" I asked, some what shocked by this. I gingerly wrapped an arm round his shoulders and dug around in my pocket for a tissue. I was sure I had one in there from last lesson since I taught a student who was prone to getting nose bleeds and always made sure I had some with me.
"Its the anniversary of my mums death, and my dad gets so upset, all my relatives will be round and it just makes me feel so upset. Like its my fault she died." He explained through sobs, I gave a sympathetic 'oh' and tightened my arm round him.
"Oh Frank, you shouldn’t feel that way. Its not your fault." I said defiantly, finally locating the tissue I was after and smoothing it out, it was a little crumpled but at least it was clean. I handed it to him and he sniffled a thanks, using it to wipe his eyes.
"Please Gerard - I don’t want to go home." He whimpered and I felt as if my heart could break. But I wasn’t staying after school tonight, Friday was the one day everyone left at the same time and I didn’t have a say in that.
"I'm sorry Frank, I cant let you stay on your own and I cant stay here either..." I paused, considering something. It was fine by me but I wasn’t sure Frank would be okay with it.
"You could... always come back to my place for an hour. If its alright with your dad I mean. And you of course." I felt him tense and there was a long pause as I mentally slapped myself for being so stupid, of course he didn’t trust me that much yet.
"O - Okay... if you really don’t mind." He whispered and I swear my heart skipped a beat. I helped him off the desk and did my best to comfort him as we left the building and over to the car park where he slipped into the passenger seat of my car, wiping away the last of his tears.

"So err - do you want a drink or anything?" I asked awkwardly once Frank had seated himself on the sofa. We hadn’t talked at all on the way here, and Frank was still giving the occasional sniff.
"Erm... only if your having one." He said politely, a shy edge to his voice.
"Well I'm having a coffee, if you want one." I said, already making my way to the kitchen.
"Sure." He answered, I flicked the coffee machine on and dumped my jacket on the table, leaning against the side while I waited for the drinks. I was a little concerned. Frank, a student, was sat in my - his teachers, living room. It was perfectly innocent, and we both knew that - but if the school found out they would probably take a much different view on the subject. Frank may be coming up to eighteen but he was still my student, and I was still his teacher, and its a suspicious thing when teachers start inviting their students into their homes. I bit my lip and ran a hand through my hair, I knew I shouldn’t be worried but the fact is - I was.
"Hey Gerard -" Franks voice brought me out of my thoughts for a second but then I realized his calling me by my first name probably wasn’t a great thing either.
"Yeah?" I called over my shoulder.
"Can I turn your T.V on?" He asked.
"Sure." I called back, before turning to watch the coffee machine humming away. I wanted to protect Frank, and to me that was just a sign of human kindness. But now I was starting to understand why Mikey had been telling me not to get close to him, what happens if Frank tells me he's being abused, I alert the Police, they find out he's been round my house - it would be too suspicious. If Frank had already 'lied' about being abused, and now I was telling them he was telling the truth but they find no evidence at his house, then find out he's been at my house...
Oh god.
"Hey Frank..." I passed him his mug of coffee before sitting in the chair opposite him. He was flicking through the music channels and seemed pretty content. "Are you sure its alright for you to be here?" I asked, making him look at me in surprise.
"Erm... I guess. My dad wont mind." He said quietly. I bit my lip, before sighing and nodding, sipping at my coffee and trying not to show my concern.
"Hey Gerard... Do you remember that day you told me that if I needed to tell you anything I could? And no matter what you'd believe me?" He asked quietly, tapping his finger gently against the side of his glass.
"Yeah..." I said, my attention completely focused upon him. I felt my heart rate going up again, I could tell he was trying to say something but every time he opened his mouth he would pause, and then close it again.
"Do you need to tell me something Frank?" I asked, trying hard not to push him but I was so impatient...
"Well... sort of... I guess... I mean... yeah..." He mumbled, nibbling on his lip ring.
"Well...?" I asked softly.
"I lied about today being the anniversary of my mom’s death..." He whispered. I frowned but then my stupidity sank in and I couldn’t believe I had actually fell for it in the first place. His mother had died in childbirth - which meant her death anniversary was Frank’s birthday and that wasn’t until Hallowe’en. I mentally slapped myself for being such a retard.
"Oh?" I questioned, setting my mug down.
"Yeah... I just didn’t want to go home because..." He stopped, and I saw his eyes glistening as tears filled them. He took a deep breath, bracing himself and wrapping his arms around himself once more.
"Because..." He whispered. "Of my dad."

A/N: AAAAAGH! A CHAPTER WENT GREEEEN! falls over I was so insanely happy when I saw that that I actually squealed... quite loudly... and my dog gave me a weird look... a really weird look... O. o
Anyyyyway, thank you all so much for your reviews they make me smile like the Cheshire cat... God that cat is funky, its like... purple... and pink... And now I'm digressing xD
So yeah, thank you aaaall and canustakemyheart your review made me laugh ^_^ I didn’t realize I was so... British O. o I will try to use the American terms but I get so caught up in my writing I tend to not think about it head desk
Anyways, lovelovelovelovelovelove -
Rayray xox