Chapter Text
I step out of the dark movie theater and into the fading daylight. I really only had two things on my mind. Why did people find it acceptable to talk during a movie and wishing i had someone to walk home with me. I usually went to movies by myself cause i really wanted to get into it, really listen, understand it. Which leads to my second problem of walking home alone. No one in the gang really liked movies like i did. Josh tried to understand but he could never sit still long enough to last even half the movie. Andy never tried and was always working. I could have asked Patrick since he doesn't talk unless he's forced too but i still preferred the solitude. But fuck i really wish i had someone to walk home with. It's dangerous for Greasers like me to be out alone when there's Socs around. The Socs were the rich folks on the west side of town. One minute the local papers are complaining about their wild parties and then praising them for the athletic achievements the next day.
They always picked on guys like me, the poorer guys on the east side of town who slicked back their hair, steal, and get in gang fights. They calls us greasers as an insult but we adopted the name as our title. Our classification. What made us different from others maybe even special. It was like the Capulet's and the Montague's in Romeo and Juliet. Except i don't think their would be any greasers and Socs falling in love anytime soon but my point is we were opposite groups who hated each other. We were polar opposites. The Greasers and the Socs. Once you were labeled you couldn't really escape, you were limited to the options your title provided. It was either the east side or the west side. The poor folk or the rich folk. Cigarettes or booze. Gang fights or wild parties. I liked being a greaser. I liked to have my hair slicked back and wearing leather jackets. Sometimes i like the dirty looks i get from people. But i don't like the hate between us, I understand the reason now but not the reason for starting the whole rivalry. I also don't like the fact that a red mustang, a car no greaser could afford, is pulling up next to me. Shit, i remember how bad the Socs had beat the crap out of poor Patrick. The dude had always been quiet but that had fucked him up even more than his dad ever had.
" Hey Grease, need a hair cut?" One of the Socs asks with an evil smirk as pulls out a switchblade. Oh fuck
" No" it was the best i could come up with when it felt like i was gonna blow chunks from fright. I backed up right into another one, of fucking course. They are suddenly all over me like a hungry pack of dogs before i can even blink. They pin my arms and legs while one of them sits on my chest.
" How about we start that haircut right below the chin?"
I fucking lost it at that point screaming for Josh, Andy, Pete, Joe, fucking anyone. The Socs could easily kill me and no way i wasn't at least going to try to save my poor ass. One of the Socs socks me hard and stuffs a rag in my mouth. Who the hell just carries around a rag? Apparently a Soc. Suddenly i hear people running towards me, the Socs disappear and the feet follow. Someone hoists me to my feet making my head spin even more.
" Frank? You alright?" Andy. Who also won't stop shaking me.
" Im fine Andy. Stop shaking me, Andy. Stop!" Andy stops immediately but my head doesn't.
" Sorry"
Andy probably wasn't sorry. Andy was never really was sorry for anything that was just who he is. Andy had brown hair slicked back against his head and always wore a pair of sunglasses. I think the sunglasses were mostly to cover his eyes. Andy looked just like our dad except for his brown eyes. They seemed to be always filled with hard determination just like the rest of his personality. Josh shows up around the corner and drops down beside me
" Heya Frank, you doing okay?" Josh was one of a kind good looking and he had our dad's eyes. He had a mohawk type hairstyle that he always dyed different colors. Today it was red. Josh also had the ability to make anyone smile.
" I'm okay, Josh"
" You got a little cut up" Josh says with a frown, he grabs the rag that use to be in my mouth and presses it against my head.
" Really?"
" Yep" Josh pulls the rag back to reveal it had been stained red. " Did they pull a knife on you?"
I remember the Socs asking me if i wanted a haircut. I don't think i could ever forget if i wanted to. I nod my head at Josh's question which made him look at me closer. I look at the ground instead because i'm about to cry and no way i was crying in front of Andy. No way. Josh ran a hand through my hair making me curse at him and crack a smile. Like i said Josh can make anyone feel better. I really had to stop the tears now because the four guys who made up the rest of our gang started to show up.
Tyler Joseph had was a lanky guy with tan skin. He had brown hedgehog like poof on the top of his head that he had shaved off one time after a breakdown. Tyler and Josh both worked together at the local garage. Tyler was also Josh's best friend. Which was true but not the full truth. Josh was dating a really nice guy named Kellin, he planned on marrying Kellin and everything but you could just feel something special between Tyler and Josh. Tyler didn't like me much cause i Josh always asked me to come along on their " Outings". In layman"s terms, i was getting in the way of Tyler winning Josh's heart. I felt kinda bad about that since i think they would make a cute couple but it's not my fault always asks me to tag along so he can keep an eye on me.
Joe Trohman had a very obvious fro on his head. He also had the brightest blue eyes i have ever seen. Joe was the wise guy of the group. Always cracking jokes and when he isn't doing that, he's stealing. Joe was the best at his craft swiping anything that isn't nailed down with his trusty switchblade ( that he also stole). What made Joe really odd was his love for school despite still being a junior in high school. I liked Joe a lot cause he always kept us laughing.
Pete Wentz was a cut above the rest. The toughest guy in our gang, hell maybe even in this whole town. He had dark hair that was naturally curly, at least that what rumor says, but he always kept straightened so i wouldn't know exactly. Pete had whiskey colored eyes that seemed to hold hatred for everything they gazed at. He spent his childhood in the hoods of Chicago where he apparently got arrested at 10. Truth be told Pete scared me a little but i had to respect the guy for his smarts and criminal record.
And then there was Patrick Stump. Patrick had blue green eyes that were constantly moving and full of fear. He always had his shoulders drawn tightly inwards and his head down. Patrick's hair use to be a reddish blond color but one day he just bleached it. The moment Pete laid eyes on Patrick with his new look, he pulled Patrick away without any explanation what so ever. Pete only really liked Patrick and he had a good reason to do so. Patrick's dad was always beating him while his mom ignored his existence until Patrick actually did something wrong, where she would then proceed to yell at him all night. Patrick was always quiet and skittish but after getting beat half to death by the Socs, he could barely look at his shadow without jumping. We all looked after Patrick even though he was a year older then me.
I had to somehow distract myself and anyone else from my tears " Did ya catch them?"
Joe shook his head " Nope, we chased those no good dirty fuckers all the way to their car" Joe grinned as he continued to curse " Is frank alright?"
" I'm right here and how many times to i gotta tell you guys im fine!?" I sighed before looking up at Pete " I thought you were still in jail?"
" Nah, i got off early with good behavior" Pete answered handing a cigarette to Patrick before lighting one for himself. We all took a cigarette break to calm down our nerves, well my nerves, everyone else just smoked for the hell of it. Tyler disrupted the peace
" Why were you walking home by yourself, Frank?" leave it to Tyler to bring up that question
" well i was walking home from the movies, i didn't really thin-"
" No you never think do you?" Andy sighs " Why didn't you have a blade?" Andy would've had my ass if i had a blade so there is no way i'm winning this one. I can never win with Andy.
" Layoff him, Andy. It's not his fault that the Socs like jumpin' us" Josh glared and Andy sighed
" When i want my little brother telling me how to care of our little little brother then i will ask you alright?" Andy glared but with a little smile but didn't say anything else to me.
" Anyone wanna go to the daily double at the movie's tomorrow night with me?" Pete says as he stubs his cigarette into the curb we are sitting on
" Can't me and Josh gotta work and then go pick up our dates" Tyler answers and Pete smirks at the way Tyler said " Our dates" because everyone knows Tyler just got a date so he can deny any allegations about him liking Josh.
" I got work" Andy grunted. Andy never had time for shit other than work. Pete nodded in Patrick, Joe, and i's direction
" Me and 'trick will be there" i answered for both of us knowing that Patrick wasn't gonna say nothing
" if i decide not to get high i'll be there" Joe shrugged with a grin " or i'll get high and then go, who knows, the world is my oyster"
" cool i'll come pick you guys up, maybe pick up some guys or gals while we're there?" Pete smirked at Patrick who gave a weak smile in return.
" You and Ashley break up again?" Tyler asks
" Bitch was sleeping with some other guy while i was in the klink" Pete spat before wrapping an arm around Patrick, who only flinched a little at the contact " You would never do that me, patty, right?" we all laughed as Patrick blushed a brilliant pink
Everyone in group had someone at least at some point but they were all greaser guys and girls. They swore and wore to much makeup which was okay but what a Soc? I mean they always smelt nice and wore pretty dresses or dress shirts. I shouldn't be thinking theses thoughts. No soc would even look at never mind go on a date with me. I remember one time in gym, a soc girl was being pushed into a corner by another soc. I told the guy to leave her alone and got pushed down instead. Next thing i know i flash my blade and the girl starts screaming her head off, calling me a hood. The guy ran off but i got detention. Andy yelled at me until he was out of breath that time. The girl was really pretty too but she won't even look at me without complaining about greasers and hoods.
Once we were back home i was trying my hardest to do my homework but my mind kept wandering off. Instead of reading " Great Expectations" like i was suppose to for school tomorrow. Why did the Socs hate us so much? What gave them more right to walk down the street then us? I thought about how bad the beat up Patrick. I thought it was unfair that Andy had to work like an old man because our parents died. I thought about how i would probably never leave this town. That no Soc would ever look at me without disgust in their eyes. I look in the mirror in the corner of the room, i have a nasty bruise on my right eye. I also have a cut which would look tough if Andy didn't make me put a band aid on it.
Josh collapses on our bed with a loud thump and an "oof". I look back from my desk to see him face down and half hanging of the mattress. " Turn of the light" Josh mumbled and i obliged since i had no will to finish the chapter i was on. I climb in to bed but instead of falling asleep i stare at the ceiling. I could help but think of the faces of the Socs surrounding me. I shiver at the fresh memory. " You cold?" Josh mumbles and throws his arm over me before i can answer. " When Andy yells at you, that means he loves you alright?" I nod not trusting myself not to be sarcastic with my answer. Andy loved no one but maybe Josh. I decided to change the topic
" Josh? Why did you dropout?"
" Cause im dumb, i was only good at gym and music"
" You're not dumb!"
" Shut up, don't tell Andy but im going to marry Kellin when he gets out of school but i might wait just a while longer until you get out of school"
" Could you please wait i need you to keep Andy of my back"
" Frank what did i just tell you! Andy loves you he just ain't good at showing it..."
" Josh, what's it like being in love, since you love Kellin?"
Josh hums with a big smile on his face " Feels real nice"
After a period of silence Josh drifts off and im left awake. Andy love me? Nah he hollers at me to much to even like me. It doesn't bother me because i don't like him either. I don't need Andy cause I got Josh and Patrick and sometimes the other guys. I know i'm lying to myself. I lie to myself all the time. I just wish i would believe myself for once.