FicWad

Part 1

Gerard's POV:

I trudged over to the pavilion, dragging a stuffed duffel bag behind me and slouching from the weight of my backpack. I slid into a seat under the creamy white structure and threw my bags up onto one of the many picnic tables lined up in neat little rows to accommodate the 50 or so boys that were here.

"Hello to all!" Mrs. Abramesco had began to speak with an annoying, nasal voice.

"You will be taking part of Restoration Path's six week long intensive about finding your true self. I hope all of our campers have gone over the pamphlet and brushed up on our rules and regulations so you will all be fully prepared for this cleansing process."

I inwardly scoffed, and I thought to myself Yea right.

Mrs. Abrameso continued, eyeing everyone suspisciously, " You will be rooming with 4 other campers and one counselor per cabin, like I explained earlier. Your counselor will be there to guide you through the following six weeks, you will also have a Forgiveness Force member occupying a bunk also and then two other new campers."

"My daughter Lisa and co- counselor Bob will be giving you your cabin numbers. Please report to the back table where you will receive them. All of the cabins are in numerical order just past the bathroom and shower buildings" she concluded, pointing to the building next to the one we were sitting at.

"You have 2 hours to unpack and settle in your rooms. Have an enlightening first day!" the speaker finished with a conniving smile, turning around to speak to another middle aged adult.

I dragged my belongings apathetically off the table, already exhausted from just being here. The buzz of chatter grew around me as everyone moved over to the counselors table, the air already laced with nervous breaths and anxious smiles.

I eventually made my way to the front of the line, relieved to see my high school freind Bob, still sitting in the seat.

"Hey Gee, you're in cabin 4. Good to see you again." he smiled, "I'm going to be your counselor while you're here."

Awesome. I smiled to myself, knowing that Bob was going to be a great counselor. The only reason he worked here during the summers was so that way he could help other campers out and repair the inevitable damage they faced after one on one counseling and so his devout Catholic parents didn't think he was gay.

Maybe this will be easier than I thought it was.

*

Franks POV:

Nervously, I pulled my heavy suitcase behing me, struggling to walk forward, my Gradpa's harsh words still echoing in my head. Get away from this abomination. He belongs here with all of the other freaks.

Freak.

Abomination.

Frank Iero.

Same thing. I thought bitterly, plopping down onto the bench, replacing "Mrs. Abramesco's" whiny voice with thought roughly tumbling around in my mind on a sea of anxiety.

All of a sudden, everyone shifted grabbing their bags and began heading to a table in the back of the pavilion, babbling with a talk of cabin numbers.

Inwardly wincing, I made my way over to the writhing crowd of faces, apprehension gurgling in my stomach into visible panic on my face.

Deep breaths Frankie, deep breaths.

Yea, why are you so scared anyway?

Useless baby.

You're only her- "SHUT UP!" I audibly yelled.

I only now realized that I was already in the front of the line, facing a blonde counselor.

Sheepishly I hung my head, apologizing in a low mumble.

Nice going there Frankfurter.

Be quiet.

"It's okay. I'm gonna be your counselor and you'll be staying in cabin number 4. I'm Bob by the way." the boy, apparently Bob replied with a small smile.

"Thanks." I replied, still flustered from my stupid outburst, lugging my suitcase to the path towards cabin four.

I had two hours to unpack before we had a cabin meeting, where our schedules would be explained for the rest of camp.

I skipped up the steps to the entrance of our light blue and navy cabin. I flung open the door and kicked my suitcase in.

There were already two other people in the cabin and one of them looked like he was going to speak but I just glared, taking the bottom bunk of the bed closest to the back, pressed against the wall.

I threw my suitcase onto the bed, furiously organizing, trying to clear my head.

The door swung open again and in came Bob and another nameless face.

*

Gerards POV:

I came striding into the cabin a few steps behind Bob, tossing my crap all on the first empty bunk.

"Hey Bob, did you get my guitar to fit into your suitcase?"

"Yep, but cram it under your bed or something, no unapproved music here." He responded.

That was really where I stopped listening when my dad read me the information about "Restoration Path".

I mean, really?

Did they want us to die?

I mean, Straight camp? I can deal with.

Intolerable pricks? I'll live. I go to school everyday, don't I?

No parental contact? Fine with me, it's not like I want to talk to him anyway.

But no music?

I already have my will and funeral business written down just in case I shrivel up and die while I'm here.

So, naturally, I did the only thing a music fanatic like me could do. I called my little Bobbypants and asked him to smuggle my guitar in his suitcase, along with packing a decoy phone and Ipod since they were going to confiscate all electronic devices.

Oh yes, I know I'm a badass. Hold the applause please.

"Will do, I'm just gonna unpack all my... stuff..." I trailed off, gazing at the other camper staring gloomily into his suitcase.

Dark chocolate fringe swirled gently around his cheeks, flaxen eyes rimmed in purple tinged bags only added to the striking angles of his face.

He glanced up, and noticed me staring.

Crap.

His auriferous eyes flashed with the workings of a smile, throwing a mischievous glint across his features, before disappearing quickly into a glaring scowl.

Well then.

I turned my attention back to jamming my guitar case underneath the bed, and didn't bother with "settling in". I just kicked my shoes off and launched my self lazily onto my bed.

Some time later, Bob called all of our 5 campers over into a circle, to discuss what camp would be like.

"Hey everyone. Let's all introduce ourselves. I'm going to be your cabin "Forgiveness Force" cabin counselor." Bob began with a roll of the eyes. "Gee, why don't we start with you."

I stood up, taking a visual of the guys that I was sharing our little place with.

My eyes stopped on the arresting boy with deep chestnut hair.

"Hi, I'm Gerard." I admired his face intently, willing him to look up at me.

"Or Gee if you want. I don't want to be here. I'm 16. I like the Misfits."

That made a small grin caper across his full lips, leaping off like a scampering bunny.

Well, I got a smile... right?

"I sing, I play guitar a bit and I have an inexplicable love for comic books and coffee." I finished my introduction with a beaming smile.

Bob motioned with his head for the kid next to me to stand up. He got to his feet quickly, curly mass of hair bouncing above a unique face.

"Hey guys. I'm Ray. I'm a "Forgiveness Force" assistant. I've had 10 weeks of previous experience. I just want to say now, that this camp... It is bullshit. Don't listen to a thing the individual council staff say. Don't take anybody's shit and never let them take you alive." A/N Sorry, I couldn't resist.

I smiled at that. No way were some stupid, practically fascist religious freaks going to break me.

I was coming out of here the same Gerard Way I've always been. Whether the world like it or not.

Probably or not.

Hey, what can you do?

My thoughts were promptly yanked from my head when Frank stood up, head hung shyly, staring down at his shoes.

"I'm Frank. I'm 15. I like Black Flag, The Bouncing Souls, and The Beastie Boys. I love Billie Joe Armstrong and I'm gay. Like that wasn't obvious."

Frank.

That's who the beautiful boy was.

He scoffed, glancing upward, a fleeting look of nostalgic aching momentarily ablaze in his eyes as he plunked back down onto the hard floor.

"Welcome to camp Frankie. I'm sure you won't enjoy it." Bob scoffed. "No one does. But, if you ever need anyone to talk to, you can talk to me. Okay?"

A mumbled grunt of agreement came from Frank as he returned to boring a hole in his red converse with a laser sharp stare.

The two other campers, Matt and Mikey introduce themselves. Everyone in my cabin seems pretty cool, but throughout everyone's introductions his pained eyes kept haunting me.

I wanted to know him.

"So, now that everyone knows each other, I'm going to fill you in on what's gonna happen here." continued Bob.

"Breakfast is served every morning from 7 to 9am. You should probably be up sometime before 8:45. By the way, food here is HORRIBLE so, if you want some real food, in that closet next to the half bathroom there is a stash of food. Do not tell any other camp counselors about it."

Dangerously smirking, Bob went down the list of what to do and what not to do.

"I am here to help you. Around other counselors and leaders I really can't do much, but I promise you I will do everything in my power to make this a hell of a lot more tolerable than everyone else does. Understood?"

Yeppers, Captain Bobbert.

"The shower building is for everyone. There are a bunch of individual bathrooms with showers in them, since we only have half baths in the cabins."

"One more thing, they can and will use isolation for punishment. It's a tiny room and they will lock you in for 24 hours on an account of "bad behavior". There are two "isolation boxes" on either side of the shower buildings."My dear friend Mikey has been here 4 years in a row, and that damn box has his name engraved on all of the walls. He is the man if you want to get in trouble."

Trouble? That's almost my middle name.

Bob continued as her got up and headed for the door, "Since it's your first day, you really have free reign. I have to go to a counselor meeting, but I'll see you all after dinner at 8. Light's out is at 9 o'clock and you all have the first group therapy session. See you later!"

The rest of the day went by lazily strumming on my guitar and singing. Matt and Mikey were talking on the top bunk across from my bed, and Frank had fallen asleep with his nose in a book.