Not Quite Average

It's Not Stalking, It's 'Observing'

Frank jumped into the chair in front of his desk, pulling out a notebook from his backpack.

He had made it home, and was still stuck on Gerard's strange mannerisms.

"He's definitely not human..." Frank muttered to himself, pulling out his phone.

Frank had taken a picture of the tall guy after school, waiting for the bus. Coincidentally in the shade, and wearing a hood. He then called up a friend of his.

"Hey Ray? Can you come over? I have something important to share," Frank spoke calmly, his voice shaking with excitement.

"Yeah sure. I can drive over, I'll be there in 5."

—

"Hey Frank, what's up? You seemed excited on the phone," Ray closed Frank's front door behind him, entering the kitchen.

The two of them walked down a hallway to Frank's bedroom, sitting cross legged on his bed.

"Okay so I've been... observing the new kid-"

"Why are you stalking the poor guy?" Ray asked, shaking his head.

"No- Ray, you don't understand. He's not human," Frank went through his camera roll, and found the image of Gerard at the bus loop.

"Frank, he's just waiting for the bus," Ray sighed, looking at the photo.

"No, Ray! He's freezing cold and avoids sunlight, that's not a normal human thing!"

"Frank-"

"Ray I know you don't believe this stuff but I'm dead serious, he-"

"Frank!" Ray shouted.

Frank stopped and took a deep breath, looking at Ray, who had his attention close on the photo.

"Did you look closely at the picture?" Ray asked in the same nervous yet calm tone Frank used on the phone.

"Yeah. He keeps his hood up and hides from the sun, and-"

"Frank. He's not in the picture."

"What do you mean? He's right there," Frank took his phone and pointed.

"No, Frank. Look closely. There's no one under the hood."

"What- holy shit. O-oh my god! He doesn't show up on film!" Frank gasped, jumping up from his bed.

"I don't believe in this shit, are you fucking with me?"

"No- he bumped into me and was freezing, he tapped my shoulder when I fell asleep in class and was cold, he doesn't show up on film, hides from sunlight- dude he's a vampire or a ghost or something!"

"Frank, maybe you're overthinking it," Ray responded.

"No. I didn't edit that and I don't even know how... Ray I'm serious," Frank fumbled nervously with his hands.

"Okay... what should we do about it?" Ray asked, standing up and being alert with Frank.

"Uhm... what do vampires hate?" Frank thought out loud.

"Silver?" Ray suggested.

"That's werewolves."

"Oh. Um..."

Frank snapped his fingers, "garlic! Also, pack some bandaids. I'm gonna 'accidentally' get hurt in English. He sits next to me."

"A stake?" Ray suggested again.

"That's last result. I don't think I could get away with a stake in school," Frank made his way down the hall to the kitchen, Ray following behind him.

"A cross?"

Frank turned around, "Ray you're a fucking genius!"

Ray went to Frank's living room and grabbed a cross necklace that was on the mantle, "should I grab the big cross too?"

"No, that'll bring too much attention. Since I sit with him in English I'll wear the cross. Bring some garlicky foods and we'll find him during lunch and lead him to a table outside in the sunlight," Frank had begun to write notes down in a notebook.

"Okay. What next?" Ray asked.

"We go to school tomorrow like normal, and try to befriend Gerard. I hope it's as easy as it sounds."

Ray nodded and grabbed his bag, exiting Frank's house and driving back home.