I got out of work and sighed, thankful that my last class of the day was canceled. Usually Frank meets me here after work but he was in an exam that I assumed was going overtime because he was ten minutes late already. I grabbed my bag and decided I was gonna grab some food at the cafeteria. I was heading down a corridor to get to the stairs when someone grabbed the back of my backpack. I was shoved back into the corner and I looked at Brendon and Bob.

"Hey, baby," Bob said.

My eyes watered, my chest felt like it was going to explode.

"It's pretty hard getting you alone nowadays," he said, stepping closer. "We never finished our special night with Andy, maybe Brendon can fill his spot."

I shook my head, my hands starting to shake. Bob grabbed my face in his hands, smirking down at me.

"Let's go back to the house, huh?" Brendon suggested.

"Yeah, I think we should," Bob agreed.

I sobbed as I shook my head while Bob grabbed my wrist, dragging me towards the stairs. I fought back when Brendon pulled out a knife. Cold sweats were shaking through my body as I cried.

"Just come with us, okay?" Brendon asked, pointing the knife to me.

I choked back tears as I nodded. I started towards the stairs when I heard a familiar voice.

"Gee?" Frank called.

He ran over, standing between me and the two men.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

I didn't say anything, just cried as I pressed myself back against the wall.

"You guys need to back the fuck off and leave him alone," Frank said.

"What are you gonna do about it?" Brendon asked, spinning his blade.

Frank looked down at the knife and scoffed.

"You think you scare me?" Frank asked. "You don't even know what you're dealing with. Back off."

"We're just buddies," Bob said. "Old friends."

"Don't talk to him," Frank said. "Stay away from him and do not talk to him ever again."

"Or what?" Bob asked. "You're just a kid."

"Leave him alone," Frank warned.

Frank led me down the stairs and out to his car.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

I nodded, staring out the window.

"I'm gonna take you home," he said.

It was silent as he drove us and I immediately went to my room where I shut and locked the door.

"Gee?" I heard with a quiet knock.

I hugged Matcha, curling up under the blankets in my bed. I just sobbed into my pillow for hours, wishing I could be anywhere but here. Why couldn't I have just transferred to that school in New York like I was going to? And here I am in a king sized bed from Frank's family in a mansion that I live in rent free. This was Frank's fault for keeping me here. No, it wasn't. It's my fault. All of this is my fault.

Frank never knocked again so I assumed he left. He was probably bored. Or maybe he was just annoyed with me. I could understand why. Because of me he was having to deal with these guys as well. I laid there for a little while before standing up. I opened the bedroom door and found Frank sitting there.

"Gee," Frank said, standing up.

"Can I talk to you?" I asked.

He nodded, walking into my room with me to sit on the couch.

"I need to leave," I said. "I want to move to New York, I-I just can't take being here anymore."

"Oh, okay," he said.

"And until I do, I'll probably move back in with my parents," I said.

"Okay but is there a specific reason?" He asked.

"I-I just think it's best if we don't really talk anymore," I mumbled.

"Oh," Frank mumbled.

I didn't say anything, not looking at him.

"Is this because of what happened with Brendon and Bob?" He asked. "You know I just want you to be happy. If that's what you really want then that's okay."

My lip quivered as I looked down at my fingers.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" He asked.

"No, i-it's okay," I said.

"Okay but it's late, can we wait until tomorrow to move you out?" He asked. "I just don't want you out and on the road driving a bunch in the dark, especially when you're upset."

I nodded, not looking up as Frank left, shutting the door behind him. There was a ball of anxiety in the pit of my stomach as I pet Matcha. I went to the bathroom and turned on the shower. I didn't even bother getting undressed as I got in. The hot water was burning my skin but I didn't care. I just sat in there and cried, wanting to wash away all the disgustingness of other people's hands on my skin.

I was close to passing out in the shower before I shut it off. I crawled out, laying down and eventually falling asleep on the floor of the bathroom. I woke up in the middle of the night with a weird feeling of regret and guilt. I stood up, my clothes dry and stiff in some parts but wet in others. I changed into some sweatpants and a hoodie, going into the bedroom.

It was three in the morning as I walked out into the dark hallway. I went down to Frank's room and could hear two voices as well as crying.

"I'm just gonna miss him," Frank sobbed.

"I know, sweetie, I am too," Jamia said.

I looked down at my feet sadly. I could smell a bit of weed from under the door. Matcha had followed me out and scratched on Frank's door. I heard someone get up to come open the door when I panicked and hid in the closet across the door.

"Hey, sweet Matcha," Jamia said. "What are you doing? Where's Gerard?"

She went down the hall to my room but I stayed hidden. It would be too embarrassing if I were caught eavesdropping. Jamia walked back to Frank's room.

"Hey, Gerard's room is empty," she said.

This time there were two pairs of footsteps that walked down the hall. When I thought it was safe, I stepped back out. I walked out and down the hall. I heard more voices from their office, a room I had never been in or seen before. I bit my lip before pressing my ear to the door.

"But he could be out there alone," Frank said. "It's not safe, it's not. People are out for him, Andy's friends."

"Well, you're the one that got us into the Andy situation in the first place," a man said. "You started it and you need to learn how to finish it. Deal with it."

I stepped back , stumbling over Matcha and falling onto my butt. The door opened and Frank looked up at me, his eyes red and puffy from either crying or smoking. I stumbled up and went to my bedroom as Frank followed me.

"Wh-what were you talking about?" I asked.

"We were just worried about where you were, your room was empty," he said.

"You mentioned Andy, what were you saying about Andy?" I asked.

"Nothing, just about his friends bothering you," he said.

"If you're lying to me then I won't be able to take it," I said. "Just tell me the truth. Do you know where he is?"

"Yes," he mumbled.

"So he's at military school?" I asked and he shook his head. "Where is he then?"

Frank didn't say anything but he wouldn't look at me.

"Frank, what happened to Andy?" I asked.

"He was terrible," he said. "I ran into him while I was out jogging. He talked about you and said terrible, terrible things about you and how he was planning on hurting you with his friends. I couldn't let that happen, I couldn't let him hurt you."

"Wh-what did you do?" I asked.

Frank wouldn't answer and I already knew what happened at this point but I needed to hear him say it, I needed him to confirm it.

"Frank?" I asked.

"I shot him," he whispered.

It felt like my world was falling apart as I couldn't remember how to breathe.

"I-I called his mom," I said.

"We paid his family off on him being in an accident on account of him being on drugs," he said. "We got her phone long enough for you to call her before we disconnected it."

I sobbed, looking down.

"I was trying to protect you," he said.

"You murdered someone," I whispered.

Frank didn't say anything. Or maybe he just couldn't find words either. We both just sat in silence.

"I have to go," I finally said.

Frank didn't say anything as I started packing up a bag.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I just didn't want anything to happen to you. I acted irrationally and I shouldn't have done that but I couldn't let him hurt you anymore. You were stuck in that relationship, manipulated and abused. Leaving on your own would have been so much harder. I was trying to help you."

He put a hand on my shoulder and I jerked away. I put Matcha in her carrier and grabbed my bag. I left the house in the cold night, hearing Frank chase after me.

"Let me drive you to your parents," he said.

"No," I said quickly.

"At least let me call you a cab," he said.

I didn't say anything and he pulled out a phone, calling a cab.

"Wait inside, I'll make you hot chocolate," he said.

I sat down on the curb, turning my back to him. I could feel his presence behind me by the gate the entire time but neither of us said anything, I could just hear his quiet crying. I was shaking from the cold but refused to fold as I waited. The cab pulled up and I got in, trying my best not to look back as I gave the address and the driver took me away from Frank.