FicWad

"Frank, dude! Over here," I heard Jason yell at me from somewhere in the cafeteria. I scan the room, trying to pick them out from every other table in the room. They're not hard to find. They're all waving frantically, like the nutcases they are, and as I watch Asher hoists himself onto Gerard's shoulders as if they haven't created enough attention already. I grin to myself and start to pick my way through the throng of people who haven't seen each other throughout the holidays. I catch a glimpse of Gerard's little brother Mikey, and I smile hello at him. He grins back, and I'm glad when I see him with a big group of kids. It's his first day of freshman year so Gee will be glad to know he's doing all right.

As I get close to the table I see Asher's face twist into one of alarm and then he slips off Gerard's shoulders and lands flat on his arse on the floor. He looks a bit dazed for a second, and then he grins and holds out his hand.

"Jason, Patrick, five bucks each please. I lasted more than two minutes up there," he grins, obviously pleased with himself.

They sigh, but reluctantly hand over the money.

I laugh and sit down at the table. "What's going on guys?"

"Ash got his ass beat down in P.E," Patrick laughs. "God it was funny."

"I did not, and it was not," Asher says, rolling his eyes. "You know Jenny Harrington? Well her boyfriend Brad punched me one because 'I looked at her funny'. All I was doing was trying to work out if she'd had a boob job over the holidays. They're huge man!"

"Just be thankful you only have her in P.E. I have to sit beside her in Biology because I got Mr White. A.K.A Mr Alphabetical-seating-plans-are-my-wet-dreams. Oh, and she hasn't has a boob job. She's just wearing a push up bra. At least that's what she wrote on the note she passed to Anna, her BFF."

"Ooo Frank. That's gotta hurt. Biology sitting with Jenny. Did she speak to you?" Gerard asks.

"Nah," I lie, not wanting to tell them I spoke to her first. I'd never hear the end of it. "Just glared at me like it was my fault our names followed each other in the alphabet."

"God, she's such a bitch. What with her perfect life, perfect boyfriend, rich parents and the slut ain't stupid. Why does she insist on being the 'Queen of Everything'? What more could she possibly want?" Patrick spat.

"Who knows man?" Gerard drawled. "She's probably a control freak or she has OCD or something," he sniggered.

The bell rang and we all headed off to class. I walked with Gerard for a bit and we decided that I'd go to his place after school.

"Meet me out the back, yeah?" We've gotta wait for Mikey," he said, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah. Sure thing. See you later."

*

We were walking home and I was slowly giving up the will to live. Mikey had never talked so much in his life. He was rabbiting on about how he was so glad that he knew me and that Gerard was his big brother. Apparently we were somewhat legends around the school and all the kids in Mikey's class had heard about us from their older siblings or cousins etc. We were like his instant ticket to popularity, and let's face it, everyone wants that in freshman year.

When we got to their house Mikey peeled off to ring some girl that had given him her number and Gerard and I headed up to his room. I flicked through his CD collection and got 'Appetite for Destruction' playing.

"Wow. Have you ever heard him talk so much?" Gerard asked, puffing out his cheeks. "It was like he had verbal diarrhea."

"I know, right? But at least he made friends."

"Yeah. I'm glad about that. I was a bit worried you know? He's so shy."

"I don't know where he got that from," I grinned. "Deffo not from you."

"Shut up," Gerard laughed, smacking me with a pillow.

"Oh and Gee? Mikey's gonna get a girlfriend before you if you're not careful. He sounded pretty keen on that girl he ran off to phone."

"Ugh. I know. How embarrassing," he replied, trying to make light of it, but not quite succeeding.

Oops. I'd forgotten that Gerard was sensitive about the whole girlfriend issue. We were 17 and he was the only one out of our group that has never had a girlfriend. It was the one area that was off-limits to tease him about.

"It's all good Gee." You'll get a girl someday. Who could resist your good looks and charm?" I grinned, mock punching him on the arm.

"Exactly man," he replied, perking up. "It's just a matter of time."

I stayed at Gerard's for tea and then I finally went home. I went up into my room and played my guitar into the small hours of the night, wondering what the next day would bring. One thing was for sure; this year was going to be very interesting.