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Gerard and Frank had been best friends since they were in diapers, but lately, Gerard had realised that he wanted more. Frank had gone from the cute little kid with more energy than he knew what to do with and an unfortunate knack for getting injured...to the captain of the school football team, lead singer and guitar player in a totally bitchin' punk rock band, and one of the most popular boy's in school. It was inevitable really that Gerard would fall for him, though of course, Frank was also something else...he was blind as a bat to his best friend's affections.
Gerard had realised when he was just a freshman that he was into boys, and of course Frank was the first person he told. Frank had grinned wide, ruffled Gerard's long brown hair and exclaimed that it was about time Gerard figured it out, cause everyone else already knew. But now they were seniors and Gerard hadn't had so much as a kiss from a boy, whereas Frank had lost his virginity two years ago to a girl called Lucy, and had been fucking around with nearly every girl...and boy in town ever since. Just not with Gerard.
Gerard sighed heavily as he put away his math homework and climbed into bed...he didn't stand a chance of getting Frank how he wanted him, so he'd just have to make do with being best friends. Turning off the light on his nightstand, he snuggled down under the blankets and closed his eyes.
School the next day was the same as ever; Frank was surrounded by pretty girls who all wanted to get with him, and boys who wanted to be him, or get with him...and Gerard, who's mind was wandering when Frank suddenly turned to him.
"Hey Gee, you coming to watch the cheerleaders try out after school?...we can hang out and have a laugh. What do you say?"
Frank was grinning that wide, trademark Frank Iero grin and Gerard couldn't help but smile back.
"Yeah I guess. Meet you on the bleachers?"
Frank nodded, grin still in place.
"Sure..."
Just then the bell rang for class.
"I'll see you then."
Frank beamed before turning and sprinting off down the hallway. Gerard sighed, miserable that he didn't have any classes with Frank for the rest of the day, and that he'd just agreed to join Frank while the gorgeous tattooed boy drooled over cheerleaders in tiny, nonexistent skirts as they did high kicks and splits on the field. This was his life; ever the wingman, never the boyfriend. He sighed again and headed toward class.
The end of school came around and Gerard trudged slowly to the football field. He could see Frank already sat on the bleachers, eyes trained on the group of girls as they stretched and warmed up...urgh, why was he here again?...oh yeah, he was the supportive best friend...goodie.
He climbed up the steps and moved along the row to plop down into the seat next to Frank.
"Hi."
He said, with little to no conviction. Frank looked at him and grinned.
"Hey Gee, how was your day?"
"Urgh."
Frank laughed.
"Yeah, mine too pal. Well at least school's over for another week..."
Gerard nodded noncommittaly, gazing out over the field.
"Gee, are you ok?"
Gerard heard concern in his friend's voice and turned to smile weakly at him.
"Yeah, I'm just tired."
Frank stared at him for a moment, then shrugged slightly, looking back out at the cheerleaders.
"Check out the new uniforms...I think the skirts are even shorter than last year..."
Gerard chuckled slightly...he could pull off that look, and look better than most of those girls while he was at it.
"Are you coming over tomorrow? Mom's out and we can order pizza and watch shitty horror movies."
"I'll have to check with dad."
Gerard answered with a quiet sigh. He knew his dad would say yes though, his dad was cool with pretty much anything as long as Gerard was happy...that's just how it was ever since he and mom divorced and mom moved to California with his little brother Mikey, and her new boyfriend Julio.
Gerard stared out at the girls in their tiny skirts, bouncing around and giggling as they got ready to try out...he could do that.
"I got some new CDs too..."
Frank said hopefully, interrupting Gerard's internal pity party. Gerard looked back at him with one eyebrow raised.
"We could check them out if you come over."
"I'll let you know."
It wasn't that Gerard didn't want to spend tomorrow with Frank, cause he really really did. He couldn't think of anything he'd rather be doing with his time to be honest, it's just that...it just hurt too much to be right there with him, yet to never be able to admit how he felt.
Both boys turned their attention to the field as the current head cheerbitch, Madeline, blew her whistle obnoxiously loud, probably deafening the girls stood closest to her. She explained how the trials would work, then sat down with her two besties, Sarah and Sara, and nodded for the first freshman girl to do her thing. Each girl had to do a routine to a song of their choice, and the cheerbitches judged them...bitchily.
Gerard mused to himself that he could do that...he'd been doing gymnastics and dance classes since he was 8, and was probably better than Madeline at this point. Suddenly an idea popped into his head...a crazy, nuts, downright insane idea...but that's what made it great.
"Actually Frank, I don't think I can come over tomorrow. Dad said something about going into the city..."
Gerard looked at his friend and was kinda surprised at just how disappointed he looked.
"Next weekend though, definitely."
"Ok."
Frank said quietly, turning his eyes back to the girls. Gerard felt bad now, but if his plan worked then everything would be ok.
After the try outs had finished, Gerard told Frank that he had to go to the shop on the way home, so he'd see him Monday. Frank gave him a somewhat sad look, then nodded and trudged off home. Gerard watched him walk away for a moment and wondered why his friend was so sad...it couldn't possibly be cause he'd said he couldn't go round tomorrow, could it? Gerard shook his head, sure they were best friends, but Frank had other friends (unlike Gerard), so he could just see one one of them.
Sighing cause he already missed Frank, Gerard headed to the local drug store.
~Time Passes-Monday, after school~
Gerard and Frank had no classes together on Monday, and the few times that Frank had caught sight of his best friend, Gerard had been rushing off somewhere with a beanie tugged down firmly on his head and his hood up. Frank texted Gerard several times and only got one word answers...he was getting worried. As the last bell rang, he pulled out his cell and dialled Gerard's number. It rang three times and then Gerard answered.
"Uh, hi Frank. What's up?"
"What's up?!...I could ask you the same thing. Why have you been avoiding me all day Gee?"
"I haven't, I've just been busy."
Frank huffed as someone jogged his arm and he nearly dropped his phone.
"Gee, can you meet me at the bleachers?...please?"
He sounded upset and Gerard felt a stab of pain in his chest...he didn't want to hurt him.
"Yeah, uh sure. I'll be there."
Frank sighed with relief.
"See you in a few."
Then he hung up and headed for the football field, where the second day of cheerleader tryouts were taking place. When he got there, he went and sat in the same seat he'd occupied on Friday.
Gerard bounced nervously on the balls of his feet...he could do this, he just had to be strong.
Frank watched the cheerleaders walk out onto the field, followed by the wannacheers. There were a half dozen girls in short red skirts and barely there tops, but one in particular caught his eye. She was slim and pale but her hair, that's what caught his attention...it was bright, firetruck red.
Frank sat forward in his seat, leaning his elbows on his knees as he watched her. She stood a little apart from the others, her head down, nervously playing with the hem of her too short skirt...Frank was fascinated, he could feel his pants tightening a little.
Madeline blew her whistle and a repeat of Friday's trials began. The red head was last in line and Frank barely even glanced at the other girl's routines as he watched her shifting foot to foot, looking like she might run away at any moment. There was something about her that Frank found so familiar, yet he couldn't quite work out what.
When her turn came around, the girl put her chosen CD into the player, then got into position. Frank was more than a little surprised when one of his band's songs started to blast out of the speakers. The song was called I'm A Mess, and it was so different from the peppy pop songs that the other girls had put on that the cheerbitches looked like they were about to attack the red head...then she started to move. Everyone's mouthed dropped open at how good she was, how high she could kick and how bendy she was. Frank thought that if she didn't get on the squad with that routine, then no one should.
When the song ended, the girl removed the CD and put it carefully back in it's case as Madeline walked over to her. Frank couldn't hear what was said, but from the slump in the red head's shoulders, he could guess that it wasn't good. The girl turned and ran back toward the changing rooms, Madeline and her bitches laughing behind her. Frank frowned and left the bleachers, giving Madeline a sour look on the way past. He headed over to the changing rooms, hoping he could catch up to the girl before she changed and disappeared.
He knocked loudly on the door but only heard quiet crying from within. Taking a breath, he pushed the door open and stepped inside, keeping his eyes on the floor in case the girl was getting undressed.
"Sorry to bother you but...are you ok?..."
The crying stopped abruptly with a startled gasp. Frank looked up slightly, then nearly got whiplash when he snapped his head up quickly, eyes going wide.
"GEE?!...what the..."
Gerard sniffed pitifully.
"I thought...I though if I g-got on the squad, that you might n-notice me."
Frank blinked stupidly for a moment.
"Notice?"
Gerard looked at the floor, tears flowing down his cheeks.
"Yeah, y-you notice everyone...but me."
Suddenly Gerard found himself wrapped in a pair of strong, warm arms as Frank pulled him into his chest.
"You did this for me?..."
Gerard nodded against Frank's shoulder as he clung to his shirt.
"You dyed your hair red, put on a cheerleader's uniform and went to try outs...for me?..."
Gerard nodded again, hiccuping slightly.
"Why?"
Gerard looked up. His eyes were red and wet and his eyeliner was streaking down his pale cheeks...he was miserable.
"Because I...I l-love you Frank...and I just th-thought, maybe if y-you saw me l-like this..."
He glanced down at his uniform, then back up at Frank's eyes.
"That you m-might see me as m-more than a friend. I'm sorry..."
He pulled out of Frank's arms and flopped onto one of the benches, burying his face in his hands.
"I'm an idiot."
Frank took a deep breath, trying to work out what the fuck was happening right now. He slowly let the breath out, then sat down next to his best friend in the whole world...and the boy he'd been in love with for forever.
"You're not an idiot Gee...I am..."
Gerard shook his head, face still buried in his hands.
"And I noticed you Gee...a long time ago. I just didn't think you could ever notice me."
Gerard lifted his head up, red rimmed panda eyes peering out of his curtain of bright red hair.
"You're lying."
"I'd never lie to you Gee, not about something this important."
Gerard sat up and turned his body more toward Frank.
"Prove it."
Frank raised an eyebrow.
"How?"
Gerard swallowed down his nerves as best he could.
"Kiss me."
His voice was barely more than a whisper, but Frank heard him. He smiled and reached up to brush Gerard's hair from his face, the boy was a mess of tears and ruined makeup, but to Frank, he'd never looked more beautiful. Gently cupping the other boy's cheek, Frank leaned in and softly pressed his lips to Gerard's. The kiss was sweet and chaste and...perfect. When Frank broke the kiss, pulling back just an inch or so, he looked into Gerard's beautiful eyes.
"I love you too Gee..."
He smiled.
"Let's go home, yeah?"
Gerard smiled properly for the first time in ages and nodded.
"Yeah, let's go home."
Gerard gathered his things then still in his little cheerleader's uniform, walked out of the school and toward his home...his hand linked happily with Frank's.
~The End~