*trigger warning*

I was sitting in class, bored out of my mind as usual, making my best attempt at not falling asleep during today's history lecture, when I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket. As discreetly as I could, I pulled it out and opened my texts.

From Frankie <3: Gee I'm boooored

Smiling to myself, I typed out a quick reply.

To Frankie <3: Too bad you don't have my pretty face in your class to distract you xoG

Seconds later, my phone buzzed again.

From Frankie <3: I miss that pretty face already. Skip class with me?

How could I resist such a tempting offer? My fingers clacked against the keyboard as I quickly sent a message back.

To Frankie <3: Ooh Frankie you are such a bad influence. Meet you out on the bench? xoG

From Frankie <3: See you there gorgeous ;)

Ducking my head to hide my obnoxious blush caused by Frank's last text, I gathered all of my stuff and hastily pushed it into my backpack, not wanting to keep Frank waiting a moment longer than I had to. Since I sat at the back of the class, it was a simple matter to sneak out unnoticed.

I eased the door shut silently, and headed toward my locker with a broad grin on my face. I checked my phone one more time, and saw another message from Frank.

From Frankie <3: I'M FREE!! Did you make it out okay?

Just as I was about to reply, I heard the door to the boys locker room slam open...why did my locker have to be located so close to the hive of jocks I despised with all of my being?

I turned my back on the raucous laughter coming from the open door and began to tell Frank that I would meet him outside in a minute, when my phone was snatched out of my hand. I spun around and came face to face with none other than Thomas...just my luck.

"Give it back..." I tried to make my voice menacing, but it came out as more of a whisper instead.

"I will in a second. I just want to see who the fag's been texting, that's all."

Much to my dismay, my phone was still on my messages screen. I silently begged for my auto lock to kick in before Thomas could read anything, but I should have known better than to expect to get that lucky.

"Ooh - who's Frankie with a heart next to his name? Is that your short little boyfriend? I thought he would have dumped your ass after we taught him a lesson last time."

"That's not how I remember it." I smirked as I recalled how Frank had knocked Thomas out cold during their last encounter.

I should have kept my stupid mouth shut, and I regretted my words the second they escaped my lips. A look of rage contorted Thomas's face into a grisly mask before he grabbed me by the throat, pinning me to my locker viciously.

"Don't you ever get smart with me! You may have had him around to protect you last time, but now it's just you and me, and you are going to pay for what he did."

I couldn't have responded even if I wanted to, it was an endeavor just to breathe with his meaty hand squeezing my windpipe. I struggled to get free, but all that accomplished was to drive the heavy combination lock hanging from my locker even deeper into my spine, and soon I gave up on any attempt to fight back, I was too busy trying to suck air into my lungs.

Just when my vision was going blurry at the edges and I thought I was going to pass out, Thomas relinquished his grip, and I collapsed to the floor, holding my throat and gasping for air.

"I don't even know why you try Way. You are disgusting and pathetic. No one could ever love you. Do the world a favor and just kill yourself already so no one else has to be dragged down by your miserable life."

With a final kick, he threw my phone to the ground and stormed away, leaving me writhing on the floor in agony.

A few minutes passed before I managed to heave myself to my feet, and after retrieving my now cracked phone, I ran to the nearest bathroom as fast as I could.

All thoughts about meeting Frank had flown out of my head, and now my mind was filled with the darkness that Thomas's words had unleashed.

My throat burned uncomfortably and I ached for a drink, but I didn't have anything on me; even I wasn't stupid enough to bring a bottle of vodka to school. I wished I was though; I needed something to take the edge off the sickening feeling that was bubbling in my gut, and alcohol always managed to make me pleasantly numb to all sensations.

I needed to do something - anything - before I had a complete mental breakdown in this nasty bathroom, but without my usual vice, I was at a loss. Just when I was beginning to despair, I remembered something else I had with me that might be able to help...if I was willing to go that far.

Sobbing quietly, I locked myself in a stall and began digging through my backpack, looking for the razor I always kept in the zipper pocket. To this day, I had yet to use it; I would take it out and look at it from time to time, but I hadn't been able to bring myself to actually make the first cut.

But today - something had snapped inside my mind, and I knew that this time, I wouldn't return it to its hiding place unsullied.

I was aware that I shouldn't do this, I had been so much happier lately with Frank in my life...but the fragile walls I had erected around my hate and self-loathing had all crumbled now; I needed some sort of release, and without any alcohol in the immediate vicinity, this would have to do.

With trembling hands, I drew the blade across my pale wrist and watched in fascination as blood sprang to the surface. With each cut I made, I felt the overwhelming pressure in my head ease, and I kept going until my tears had subsided.

When I was finished, seven glistening cuts adorned my previously unblemished arms. Now I understood why people resorted to this; it was similar to drinking in a way, an escape from the cruel thoughts that plagued me when I was at my worst, and even though hurting myself shouldn't have made me feel any better - somehow it did.

I knew my mind was in a sick state, but I didn't care anymore, not as long as I got some relief.

I quickly cleaned up the razor and my arms before anyone could enter the bathroom. Luckily for me, class hadn't been let out yet, so I walked unmolested down the hallway in a daze; my arm throbbed, but the pain was like a drug, and I welcomed it.

Just then - my phone exploded, or so it seemed to me in my hazy state. I picked it up and saw that I had ten missed texts and two missed calls - all from Frank.

I hurried outside to see him pacing by our bench frantically; when he caught sight of me, his face literally lit up, and I swooned on the spot. I was such a freaking girl around him - I swear - I would be embarrassed if he didn't make me so happy.

"Gee - there you are! I was worried you couldn't sneak away. What happened?"

As Frank ran up to me, his previously ecstatic face deflated like a balloon, and he raised his gloved hands up to touch my neck. I had forgotten about the very obvious marks that Thomas's assault had left on my body in my hurry to get to Frank, but as he gently touched the bruised flesh, the pain returned, and I hissed slightly.

"Oh well - um - I ran into Thomas...and you can guess the rest."

"Sit down, I need to check you out. Those look really bad."

"I didn't realize you were a certified doctor Frankie," I joked halfheartedly.

"Shut up and get your fine ass over here," Frank giggled, which of course made my heart melt instantly.

He grabbed my wrist to pull me over to the bench and I winced in pain. I tried to play it off as nothing, but before I could stop him, Frank had pulled up my sleeve; my attempt to yank it back down was futile, he simply swatted my hand away as if it were an annoying fly.

All I could do was close my eyes so I wouldn't have to see Frank's face when he witnessed my self-mutilation. Now he would hate me...how could anyone care for me when I despised myself so much?

"Oh Gee..." he whispered softly.

I squeezed my eyes shut even tighter, so I was caught off guard when I felt Frank's slender arms pulling me into an embrace. His unexpected display of affection caused me to lose control completely, and I broke down sobbing.

Frank didn't say a word, he just held me tighter and stroked my hair until all I had left in me was soft sniffles and the occasional hiccup.

"Why did you do it?" Frank asked me in a soft voice.

"I don't know...I mean - I have thought about it hundreds of time before, but today...something in me just broke. Usually when I feel this way, I drink, but when I couldn't resort to that, I had to do something else. I didn't even think - I just did it, and it made me feel better. I am such a fuck up...I understand if you don't want to be with me anymore."

I buried my face into his shoulder, trying to prolong this moment as long as I could before I lost Frank forever.

"Gerard - look at me."

I shook my head and refused to move, so Frank took matters into his own hands and gently forced my chin up until we were eye to eye.

"I understand, I really do; hell - I have done it a few times myself, see?" He pulled up his own sleeve to reveal a tracery of faded silvery scars.

"I thought it would make me feel better too, but I ended up realizing that it hurt me more than it helped. I get why you did it though, and I will never judge you - or leave you because of it, so please get that thought out of your head before I am forced to smack you." Frank smiled softly to take the sting out of his words.

I was completely awestruck; just when I thought Frank couldn't be any more amazing, he goes and proves me wrong by saying this. I couldn't believe I was ever worried about our age difference; he may be four years younger than me, but he was more mature than most adults I knew.

"I do want you to promise me one thing though Gerard. If you ever feel like doing this again, please call me? I want to help you, and I can't do that if I don't know how you are feeling. I will never get upset with you for wanting to do this, but I have to know. I want to be there for you, and pick you up when you fall down - please?"

"I promise Frank, and thank you...I seriously don't know what I would do without you." I realized that my statement closely echoed what Frank had previously told me when he had been upset about his father, and the fact that we both meant so much to each other made me smile.

I truly meant what I said, and even though I knew it would be hard to actually ask for help when I had suffered for so long on my own, I was willing to force myself to do it for Frank.

"Well you won't have to find out." And with those words, Frank pressed his perfect lips against mine, and I melted into his kiss. His touch erased all the pain and sorrow from earlier, and I lost myself in the way he made me feel.

Frank was my lifeline, and I clung to him with all the strength that I possessed.

Yay so I finally updated again!

I feel like I am taking forever, but time is all wibbly wobbly in my head right now, so I don't even know what day it is. Work has been crazy, and I have barely had any energy to do anything besides sleep lately.

So I know this chapter isn't the best...I feel like this kind of story has been done a million times before, but everyone's got to have one vanilla Frerard right?

P.S. I am literally asleep on my feet (well I guess my ass since I am sitting down) so if the editing is terrible, I apologize, but bear with me - I will fix it :)

And finally - I wanted to dedicate this chapter to moffatsapprentice because your comments always make me smile and you are the main reason I keep updating this story as much as I do <3 So thanks a million, you don't know how much the fact that you are reading this means to me.

<3 star