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"Um yes, we'll be right there." Gerard hung up the house phone and turned over to Frank.
"What's up?" Frank asked before setting down his mug.
"We gotta go pick up Bella." Gerard said as he grabbed the car keys from the key hanger.
"Is something wrong? Did something happen?" Frank quickly sat up from his chair, almost knocking it over.
"According to the principal," Gerard grabbed his jacket from the couch and slipped it on. "Bella got into a fight."
"Are you serious?" Frank said grinning.
"Hey it's not funny." Gerard said as he threw Frank his camo hoddie. Frank caught it and slipped it on before bursting into giggles.
"It's kinda funny." Frank said. He could just imagine Isabella's little fists knocking out another kid. Gerard rolled his eyes but smiled.
"Whatever, I'm driving."
***
"Thank you for coming, Mr. Way and Mr. Iero." A woman in a gray suit said and led them both into the room. Gerard went over to Isabella and looked over her face and arms for any bruises or cuts. Frank followed behind and he could see the other kid had a busted lip and a bruise forming on his cheek, he held a tissue on his lip as his mother rubbing his arm soothingly. Frank had to fight back a grin, the atmosphere reminded him of when he got detention in high school. The three adults stood straight as the principal, Principal Diaz according to the gold name plate on her desk, sat at her chair. Gerard kept his hand on Isabella's shoulder and from the corner of his eye he could see the boy's mother do the same.
"Mrs. Jones, will Eric's father be joining us?" Principal Diaz asked Eric's mother. Mrs. Jones shook her head.
"Unfortunately he's stuck at work." She replied. Principal Diaz nodded.
"Now, you know we don't tolerate any violence." Principle Diaz said, her eyes on Isabella. She crossed her arms and huffed, looking down at her blue light up shoes. "And we also don't tolerate bullying." Principal Diaz said turning over to Eric who was rubbing at his cheek.
"What exactly happened?" Frank asked. Principal Diaz looked up at him and sighed and shook her head.
"He said the f word!" Isabella yelled, pointing an accusing finger at Eric.
"Bella don't shout." Gerard said giving her shoulder a squeeze.
"He what?" Mrs. Jones said as she looked down at her son. Eric hummed and sinked down into his chair. Frank didn't really see the problem. Kids dropped the f-bomb loads of times, and he didn't see any reason for Isabella to want to kick the kid's teeth in.
"It seems that Eric used vulgar language against Isabella and your family's lifestyle." Principal Diaz explained.
"He said we were a fag family!" Isabella yelled and pointed at Eric who was crying at this point. Frank could see tears welling up in Isabella's eyes as well. Frank kneeled down and put his arm around her, rubbing her arm. Gerard's jaw clenched a bit. What kind of parents would teach that shit to their kids?
"Eric who taught you that word?" Mrs. Jones asked.
"S-Shaun did." Eric squeaked, his voice cracking from hiccuping. Mrs. Jones sighed and shook her head.
"Dammit Shaun." She muttered under her breath. "I am so sorry." She said turning over to Frank and Gerard. "Eric I want you to apologize to Isabella and her parents."
"I'm sorry." Eric said looking up at them. Gerard could tell he was sorry, he probably didn't even know what the word meant.
"It's alright." Gerard said before turning over to his daughter. "Bella, apologize to Eric for hitting him."
"But Daddy!" Isabella shrieked.
"No buts, you heard what Daddy said." Frank said. Isabella huffed and crossed her arms before mumbling a barley audible 'sorry'.
"Isabella.." Frank warned. Isabella huffed again before turning over to Eric.
"I'm sorry for punching you in the face." Isabella said, her nose scrunched up and her small hands were clenched in small fists, her cheeks were slightly pink. Gerard had to fight back a grin, she looked so adorable when she was mad.
"Now," Principal Diaz said as she stood from her chair, "I believe it would be best if Eric and Isabella are taken home for the rest of the day to cool off. Then they can come back tomorrow." Principal Diaz said grinning at the two children.
***
Isabella stomped her small feet as she, Frank and Gerard walked to the car. Her shoes were lighting up greens and reds with each step she took. Gerard slung Isabella's backpack over his shoulder and tossed the keys at Frank.
"Excuse me! Mr. Way, Mr. Iero." From the corner of his eye, Frank can see Mrs. Jones walking towards them with Eric at her side. Frank stopped and waited while Gerard settled Isabella in her car seat.
"Hey, Mrs. Jones." Frank said once she caught up with him.
"Please, call me Audrey." She said holding her hand out to Frank. He shook her hand and smiled at her.
"Frank. Hey Eric." He said smiling at the boy. Eric hid behind his mother but offered a small wave.
"I'm really sorry about today." Audrey said.
"Hey, it's fine. I should be apologizing about Eric." Frank noticed his lip wasn't bleeding anymore, but he could still see the bruise forming.
"Does it still hurt baby?" Audrey asked. Eric smiled and shook his head.
"Only when I touch it." Eric said poking at his cheek and flinching.
"Don't touch it." Audrey giggled. Her smile faded when she looked back up at Frank. "I really am sorry, it's just my older son Shaun he..He doesn't understand." Audrey explained.
"Hey, look it's fine." Frank said, his tone firm. He kneeled down to Eric's level and gave him a smile. "As long as you understands what you said was wrong, that's all that matters, right." Frank said. Eric nodded and grinned, his teeth stained red with blood.
"Right."
***
The drive home was quiet. Gerard could see Isabella from the rear mirror with her arms crossed.
"Bella, you okay?" He asked. Isabella shook her head. "What's wrong?"
"Eric's a big meanie. He made fun of us." Isabella mumbled.
"Bella, Eric didn't mean it." Frank said. "He didn't know what he was saying."
"Yes he did! He said I was weird." Isabella pouted, her cheeks going pink and her eyes watering. "He said I should have a mommy and not two daddies." She said counting with her fingers. Frank sighed.
"Bella, sweetie, you're not weird." Frank said. "Eric was just copying his brother."
"You mean Shawn?" He heard Gerard ask. Frank nodded and kept his eyes on the road.
"So, we're not weird?" Isabella asked, her voice quiet and soft. Gerard turned over in his seat as best he could and smiled at her.
"No, we're not." He said ruffling her dark hair and wiping away her tears.
"We're home." Frank said as he parked the car in their driveway. Gerard unbuckled his belt and went around the car to get Isabella out of her seat. Isabella wrapped her arms around Gerard's neck and rubbed her cheeks on his shoulder, he could feel his shirt getting soaked with tears and snot.
"Bella," Gerard said as he settled her down on the couch. She bounced on it before kicking off her shoes. "We're not weird. We're just a little different." Isabella frowned.
"We're different?" She asked, her voice small and beginning to crack. Gerard smiled and sat down next to Isabella. Frank tossed Isabella's backpack on one of the chairs in the kitchen and sat on the opposite side of Isabella.
"Yeah, we're different." Frank said. "But everyone's different."
"Yeah, it's like.." Gerard paused and bit his lip, trying to think of how he could explain this to her. "It's like how I like creamer in my coffee."
"And I don't. It's gross." Frank's nose scrunched up. So that's where Isabella got it from, Gerard thought and grinned. "We like different things, but that doesn't make us weird, right?" Frank said. Isabella nodded.
"Everyone likes different things, and some people don't agree with it." Frank explained. "Sometimes they don't understand, but that doesn't mean you should like or do the things you like right?" Isabella looked up at him and nodded, rubbing her nose with the sleeve of her sweater. "Feeling better?" Frank asked as he wiped away the rest of her tears. She smiled and nodded.
"So do you guys want mac and cheese or lasagna for dinner?"