The remainder of the week had gone by painfully slow. The weather was getting warmer and the days were growing longer, the scenery unchanging and unfamiliar faces were all beginning to look the same. Frank’s routine within the center was quickly dubbing itself his new lifestyle with each passing day and he would sometimes wonder if the days were even passing at all. The continuous strain of waking up each morning to a day that was too much like the one before was finally starting to take a grip on Frank’s mentality and he hated himself for allowing to and so easily.

He had hardly spoken to Jepha, Bob or Pete. After Wednesday, he had been spending the majority of his free time cooped up in his room, trying to find a sense of himself with his face buried deep in either a magazine or his pillow. There had been only small discussion on the reason for the fight last week; apparently Nick just wanted the court to himself and his friends, arguing that the last time they all played together, Pete had cheated and that he ‘didn’t want to play with a piece of shit liar.’ Pete hadn’t taken that so well, but unfortunately Nick got the better of him in the end and Pete was far from happy about that once he was conscious again. Contusions still marked his face and body and every time he caught a glimpse at his own reflection he would scowl, the taste revenge sitting on his lips. He told the boys he wasn’t finished with Nick yet, that he was simply an asshole and needed an overdose of his own medicine. He claimed to have something in mind, something unsavory.

-----

Monday morning Frank sat waiting in Gerard’s office, sporting a faded bruise atop his right eye and a slight discomfort in his jaw every now and then. Dean had hit him rather fiercely he had to admit and the better side of him was suggesting he let it go; it was over and they were even, he wasn’t sure of what Dean’s damage was, but he imagined it to be something far worse than his own. But the better side of him was only the size of his fist, or so to speak, and his patience and respect for others was diminishing upon noticing he was pretty much the only one in the center who still possessed that virtue anyway, so it goes without saying, he was looking forward to Pete’s plan. What’s the worst they could get from this place?

“Morning Frankie.” Gerard stepped into the room, smiling warmly and making his way to his desk.

“Morning.” Frank smiled back, before noticing there was something strangely different about his counselor today. “What…Gerard, what is that?” He asked, sounding a little put-off as his eyebrows stitched together.

“What’s what?” Frank sighed, there was no possible way that Gerard had no clue what he was referring to.

“That.” He pointed in the man’s general direction. “What you’re wearing?”

“Oh…” He waved a hand as if it were nothing. “…this old thing? Well actually, Mr. McKay told me on Friday about how you and your playmates got into a bit of a tiffy with that cock of a kid, Nick…” He paused looking around the room suspiciously before leaning over his desk and placing a hand around his mouth cautiously. “…just between you and me…” He whispered, causing Frank to look around the empty room also. “…I don’t like him either. He told me he hates cats. I love cats, Frank. So what did I do? What do I do best?”

“Remove people’s will to live?” Frank interjected.

“No. I sang to him, about cats.”

“Oh, so you removed his will to live then.”

“You shush, I’m talking.” He demanded, still with a hushed voice. “I laughed, he cried, I told him to get the hell out of my office.” Gerard stopped whispering and sat back in his chair. “SO ANNYWAAYY…” He screeched and Frank decided right at that moment that he couldn’t possibly love Gerard’s oddball behavior one bit more. “That was a distraction for people outside who might have been listening, just so they think we’re not telling secrets. Which we’re not, are we?” He tilted his head a little strangely and twitched a bit, making Frank wonder why he was the one being counseled.

“No, of course we’re not. But you still haven’t answered my question.”

“I’m getting there, Frank, Jesus. McKay went into details about the fight. I wasn’t too concerned; I knew you would have KICKED ASS! WHOO!...” Gerard pumped an overly sarcastic-excited fist in the air and Frank just laughed. Should he really be taking sides? He thought. “…but I wanted to wear something that would make you smile, hence the reason my being in my pajamas.” He quickly got out of his seat and done a small girlish twirl next to Frank. “You like?”

“I love.” Frank smiled and quite honestly loved.

Gerard muttered a pleased ‘Yes!’ as he took to his seat again. They were both silent for a minute or so, most probably calculating how long it would take for Frank to forget what Gerard had just both said and done. Frank watched his counselor intently the entire time, rubbing a knuckle over his lips and trying incredibly hard not to bite it. Would that be too obvious?

“So Frank, tell me how you’re feeling anyway? What happened? What was the quarrel about? Give me the goss.”

“Ahh, it was dumb really. I didn’t know what was going on when I got there I just jumped in, but apparently Nick just wanted the court to himself. I think the week before last, they played a game with my friend Pete - who this all started with, and Nick reckons he cheated or some shit. Anyway it went from there.”

“Hmm. Well, that’ll teach you all won’t it?” Gerard’s eyes averted to stare at the wall for a moment, seeming in deep thought. “Actually it probably won’t, good experience though. It reminds me of a story from when I was in high school, you not knowing what the fight was about I mean.”

“Oh okay.” Frank – only really half interested, nodded shortly and took what little preparation he could to hear maybe one of the most bullshit stories he ever would in his entire life.

“Yeah, I was about sixteen and these freshman were yelling at each other on one of the fields out the back of my school. Crowds had gathered and people were egging them on, as they do, so I decided to trot on over there and see what all the commotion was about. I get there, next thing I know there’s fists everywhere, more screaming and I couldn’t understand a goddamn thing anyone was saying. Obviously the fight got broken up, everyone dispersed and to this day I still don’t know what that fight was about.” He looked off into the short distance.

Frank laughed. “That hardly relates. You weren’t even in the fight. People fight every day and both you and I wouldn’t have a clue what for. I’m sorry Gerard but that story does not count.”

“Yes it does, I didn’t know why they were fighting!”

“No. It doesn’t.”

Gerard scoffed. “Fine. You say a word, any word and I bet you I have a real story for it.”

“Anything?”

“No, by ‘anything’ I meant only words starting with ‘T’. Yes anything.”

“Okay then…” Frank crossed his arms and bit at his lip ring, trying to think of a word he would really like to hear a story about. “…bed.”

“At night I sleep in my bed.”

“Oh that’s original.”

“I’m not telling you dirty stories.” Gerard raised his eyebrows and Frank could see he was holding a smile on the inside of his mouth.

Damnit! “What makes you think I wanted you to tell me dirty stories?”

“You were biting your lip. Just do another word.”

Frank rolled his eyes and shuffled in his chair. “Alright…fire.”

“Fire hey?” Gerard tapped his fingertips together, searching for a story. “Okay. Growing up my family and I lived across the street from this kid, he was fairly younger than me, maybe nine or so. At least once every two weeks, when one of us went to get the mail we would find a small dead animal in the letterbox. I knew it was him. This kid, he was fucking rotten. So one day I go and get the mail and there was squashed frog all over the letters. I honestly didn’t know how the kid had even managed to look at it let alone pick it up, it was that disgusting. It made me sick, I just dropped the mail and threw up in the front yard. Next thing I know he had come running out his front door and was pointing and laughing at me. I decided I was tired of his little pranks so I asked my brother if he’d help me out to get back at him. Childish I know, but we were only kids too, I think I was about thirteen. We planned what we would do, but we needed them to be out of their house so we could get in. That weekend they were going away, as they did every weekend, I think they went camping or something and that’s where he got all the animals from. Anyhow, that night we snuck into their house and garage and pulled all of what we assumed to be the kid’s stuff, out onto the front lawn and burnt it. A little extreme, but so worth seeing him cry when they got home the next day.”

“Oh my god! That’s horrible.” Frank sat still, eyes wide and mouth hanging open.

Gerard shrugged. “He deserved it.”

“Did you and your brother get caught out?”

“No. They didn’t have any proof that it was us. Well our parents knew, they saw Mikey and I laughing through the curtains when they went outside to see what was going on. My mom wasn’t very impressed but dad gave us both a secret hi-five.” He smiled at the memories.

“So, Mikey, you’re brother. That’s who called you the other day right? What, what does he do?”

“Ahh…community work. You know with shovels and picks and stuff, much like you.”

“Oh yeah. Well at least he gets paid I guess. Wait, what do you mean, ‘like me’?” Gerard’s brother’s line of work actually came as quite a surprise, he would have assumed Mikey would be involved in something that he held degrees for.

“Think about it Frank, and you get paid for working.”

“Two dollars an hour.” He thought it was hardly worth it.

“A whole two dollars?”

“I will not laugh. Tell me what you mean about ‘like me’, I don’t want to have to think about it. And honestly we never talk about anything I would imagine we should be for a counsel session. You haven’t even asked me about why I’m in here, don’t you want to know?” It really wouldn’t have surprised Frank if Gerard was to tell him that, no, he in fact did not want to know or particularly care for the reason he was marked a delinquent. The most part of him just wanted to know that Gerard wanted to know all about him and he supposed it wouldn’t hurt to talk about it either.

“I read your file Frank, I know all about you.” Gerard moved forward in his seat, rested his elbows on the desk and for once he didn’t look like he was trying to be creepy or idiotic whist doing so, although his full suit pajamas were taking away a bit on fact that he did look rather serious. “I don’t ask any of the kid’s who see me what they’re in here for because I’ve learnt that when I do, they refuse to talk about it. For that reason, I just talk about anything else until they finally question me on why I haven’t brought it up. I know the vast majority of them think I just don’t give a shit, which generally I don’t, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have to know about them or talk to them about it if that’s what they want. So, if you want to talk about it, then go right ahead, I’m all ears.”

Frank sat, slightly in shock at the more professional side of Gerard finally showing it’s face and now he kind of didn’t want to talk about him, he just wanted to talk about Mikey. Gerard telling him to ‘think about it’ only made him more suspicious.

“No I don’t want to talk about me, I was just trying to make a point. Please tell me what you mean about your brother, it’s really bugging me.”

Gerard shook his head and let out a sigh before getting out of his seat and walking rather slyly around the desk. Frank followed him with his eyes, though not straining his body in anyway to keep his counselor in sight once he stopped to lean against the office door.

“Are you a dishonest person Frank?” He asked, curiously whilst picking at his nail polish. “Well, I know you are technically, considering you broke the law. But generally, are you?”

“Umm, when I need to be. Why?”

“Do you think I’m a dishonest person?” He didn’t look up, but just continued to fiddle.

Frank turned in his seat to face Gerard, not able to figure out where these questions were coming from. “I don’t know. I don’t really know you that well.”

“Do you want to go out this weekend?” He looked up with widened eyes and a straight face. The lack of a disturbing grin making Frank a little uneasy.

“What do you mean, ‘go out’? Last time I checked I was in a juvenile center and I don’t think I’m allowed to just leave to hang out with my counselor whenever I want to.”

“No, you’re right…” He moved from the door and re-took his seat. “…but I can leave when I want to and I can take you with me. With Mr. McKay’s approval, which won’t be hard to get. I want to take you to visit my brother. Think of it as a first date.”

“Ha. That sounds romantic. Yet, not allowed!”

“Well, why do you think I asked if you were dishonest? I can’t get the leave form signed if I say we’re going on a date, that’s why we’ll go visit Mikey as well. I needed to know whether or not you could keep it to yourself.”

Frank was lost for words. What Gerard was implying was no doubt, a complete surprise. He was shocked, excited, nervous and maybe even a little disappointed, all at the same time. He wanted to believe Gerard meant it when he said ‘ first date’, but, God! He thought it just sounded too ridiculous for him to have not been kidding.

Frank’s thoughts on Gerard were clear in his mind enough, but he was not about to openly admit he had any sort of intimate feelings for the man. Since he could remember, girls had always been his sexual preference and weather he was kidding or not, hearing Gerard suggest a first date had put a sense of doubt in his mind, he didn’t know if the way he felt when they were around each other was real, or if he was just subconsciously using Gerard as a replacement for his sanity that the center’s walls were so quickly gnawing away at.

It was too confusing and rather overwhelming, and probably not worth the stress of thinking about. Frank knew he didn’t know Gerard all ­that well, but he knew him enough to know that a proposal like that seemed a little too straightforward, even for him. So instead of blushing like a big girl, in hope that all his ‘uncertain dreams’ had come true, he opted in believing Gerard was just being nihilistic again and left it at that.

“I’m sure I can manage to keep those minor details to myself. You don’t have to worry Mr. Way.” He smiled excitedly, scrunching his nose up and shrugging his shoulders as if keeping secrets was the most fun ever!

“You are a gigantic smart-ass. I’m trying to be serious here Frank and you just want to be a dick.” Gerard folded his arms, staring at the boy opposite him almost coldly and Frank just laughed.

“Oh come on. You don’t honestly expect me to believe that do you?”

“I wouldn’t have said it otherwise.”

Frank swallowed his subsiding laughter and his eyes darted around the room. He honestly felt a little bad, but he supposed it was better than feeling embarrassed, if he had accepted what Gerard said was true straight away and then found out he had just said it for fun, he would have regretted that more, still he wanted to take it back.

“Do you have a time machine?” He asked. Hopeful.

“Ah, feeling a little penitent are we?” Gerard smirked. He couldn’t stay angry with Frank.

“Don’t get in my head.”

“I don’t. You do a pretty good job at letting me know what you’re thinking all on your own.”

Frank settled on having no comeback for that. Instead he just watched Gerard as he fiddled with papers and searched for a pen, assuming he was readying them both for another round of ‘Mr. Way’s ten rapid questions’.

“QUESTIONS!” He belled, much like he did last time. “Okay. One. What color are your eyes?”

“Brownish-Hazel-IDon’tKnow.”

“Two. What color are my eyes?”

“Same-ish as mine, I think.” Frank watched the top of his counselor’s head, as it seemed he was actually writing things down on his paper today.

“Three. How many minutes should it take to break down a network connected security system?”

“Depends on the system coding and how many firewalls the program contains.”

“Four. What if you’re using a wireless authentication mechanism?

“Maybe up to twenty minutes.”

Gerard looked up from his paper, giving Frank a quick glance before adverting his eyes back down and taking more notes.

“Five. Do you believe yet, that what I said about this weekend was true?”

Frank paused, unable to answer straight away and Gerard remained focused on his papers, still writing. So many answers for that question ran though his mind in the short amount of time he was quiet, but in the end he settled on risking the embarrassment he tried to avoid not so long ago and decided to say what he really thought.

“I’m hoping it is.”

“Six.” Gerard continued. “Do you wish to kiss me?”

“Yes.”

“Seven. Then why don’t you?”

“I don’t really know.”

“Eight. Would you prefer it if I kissed you?”

“Yes.”

“Nine. Then why don’t I?”

“Because it would be awkward if you had to get up and walk over to me in order for you to do so.”

“Ten. Don’t say things that are in fact correct, that then proceed to cause me to be unable to come up with another constructive question.” Gerard finished what appeared to be the last of Frank’s answers, before looking up and him and smiling widely. “Good reply though.”

“I know.” He shrugged, mirroring Gerard’s expression.

“Well Frankie, I must bid you goodbye for now. I’ll see you on Wednesday and I’ll let you know if I got you approved for this weekend then, cool?”

“Yeah, that’s good. Thanks so much Gee.” Frank squinted at his own choice of words as he got up from his seat and headed towards the door.

“You’re so very welcome.” The elder smiled again and got up from his seat, quickly heading for the door and opening it for the boy.

“Oh, why thank you.” Frank stepped out and turned slightly, taking a couple of steps, almost backwards, keeping an eye on Gerard as he studied him walking away.

“Wait!” He called, holding up a finger before quickly turning back into the room.

Frank stopped for moment in the middle of the hall and Gerard soon stepped out of the office with a folded piece of paper in his hand.

“I forgot the video. I hope this is some sort of a compromise.” He handed over the paper and returned to his office, leaving Frank in the empty hallway with a rather detailed picture of two intimate Lego men. He laughed softly to himself; he knew there was no way Gerard had been taking notes.