Frank P.O.V

Gerard's cold touch had already become a comforting notion to me- I adored it. I pressed my face into his chest, his fingers wrapping around stray strands of my hair. I liked it when he held me, he made me feel safe, loved.

"Do you ever feel like leaving? Like disappearing of of the face of the earth?" I asked, it was a thought that had occurred to me a lot lately. It was something that dwindled in the back of my mind, clawing at my rational thoughts. I wanted to pack my bags, take all of the money from my bank account, and disappear. Sadly, still being in school, that wasn't really an option for me. My mother would've noticed my disappearance- maybe that would've been a good thing for her.

"Every day. I feel like I want to build a shack about ten miles away from any civilisation, and live there until the world sorts itself out." He admitted, resting his chin on the top of my head. His jaw would dig into my scalp with every word that he spoke.

"We should do that. I'm a weakling, but I have other uses." I suggested with a nervous laugh. I'd have loved to have ran away to anywhere with Gerard. I wanted to be near him for the rest of my life, and the rest of his.

"That's a good idea. All that we need to do is wait a little while, that's all." I was disappointed that he didn't say 'Let's go now. Let's run away, together, right now' but I accepted that these things would take time, and that he had at least thought about it.
I nodded, my grip on his waist growing tighter. He suggested that we continued to walk, I agreed.
I loved the forest in the Fall. The colours of the leaves as they fell, and the fact that I knew that Halloween was on its way. I kept hold of his arm, burying my shoes in the piles of leaves at our feet.

"You'll ruin your shoes." Gerard chuckled in a fatherly way. I pushed him playfully, continuing to shuffle along the pathway.
"Don't moan to me when there's crap in your shoes." He pouted with raised eyebrows as a way to say 'don't make me have to say that I told you so.'

"Sorry dad." I laughed, kicking a stray rock down a mini cliff at the edge of the path. He frowned, taking my little comment to heart. I said that I loved him really, and his scowl instantly disappeared.
I knew that showing my affection to him would clear away any bad moods that plagued his day.

Me however, it was a lot more difficult. I couldn't help my naivety, it was a difficult trait to manage. But I had told myself that I'd try, for Gerard. I knew that he loved me and he cared about me, that if he didn't there would be no doubt that he wouldn't have saved me from Max- when we had first met that night. I had once again tried to drown my sorrows with free drinks, and had fallen into a drunken stupor.

"Lighten up Frankie, don't dwell on the past." He picked me up, spinning me around; he was smiling. My head span, but I managed to keep a hold of myself. I smiled too, feeling like he had shaken my negative thoughts away.
~>•<~
We went back to Gerard's house, arm in arm. It was growing dark, I was clutching onto him harder than I had thought. Fortunately he didn't seem to mind, as it was made me feel safer.
Gerard shoved the front door open, the loud sounds of laughter filled our ears. Gerard frowned, he was just as confused as I was. Mikey had gathered a bunch of popular idiots in the living room. Gerard offered his brother a confused stare, a glint in Mikey's eyes told him that he knew exactly what he was doing.

"Come on, we'll sit with them. It shouldn't do us any harm." He gripped my hand tightly, dragging me into the living room. I didn't want to sit with them, but the fact that Gerard was there gave me a small slither of hope.
I sat as close to him as I could, making sure that I wouldn't have to converse with any of them. I knew each and every one of them, I used to be friends with them until I fell into that depressing cycle of whatever.

"Frankie, you've changed!" One said, my brain had purposely forgotten their name. To keep things friendly, I smiled, nodding along to whatever came out of their mouths. It wasn't as awkward as I had envisioned.
I had no interest in talking, or rekindling any friendships. They hadn't shown me any support when I was falling into a huge, dark, pit of my own misery. They just left me, whilst they continued to climb the school hierarchy- leaving me alone in the past.

Gerard squeezed my hand, reminding me to think positively. He must've known from my body language, or my vacant facial expression; I was reminding myself of my past mistakes. I looked up from the floor, smiling at each little fragment of a stupid joke, or little part of dumb conversation.
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Song Of The Chapter- Highly Suspicious by My Morning Jacket

A.N
I'm reading this book by Helen Oyeyemi and I've never been more confused about reality and imagination in my entire life xD And I've had a little bit of a My Morning Jacket obsession today :3