Diary of a Jersey Misfit (Frerard)

Eight- Gerard's Tutoring Session Really Makes an Impact in Frank's Thick Skull

Frank quickly did some mental math. "Seven."

"Excellent. Now we have seven equals three X. What now?"

"Um...it's a positive three, so subtract..."

"In maths, when there's a number next to a letter, what you want to do is divide. That's because the letter, the variable, is being multiplied by the number. So you divide three, and the three goes away. What does X equal?"

"Um...I don't know?"

"That's my fault. It's two point three repeating, but you get the basic concept?" Gerard smiled when he nodded. "Good job! Think you can try the next one on your own?"

"Maybe?" Frank picked up his pencil. He did a few quick calculations. This was actually kind of easy, once he broke it down like Gerard taught him. "Mm...twelve."

"Yes, good! You're doing very well, Frank, keep going."

Frank scratched out some work. He furrowed his brow and sucked his lip into his mouth.

"Stuck?" Gerard asked.

"A little..." Frank counted something on his fingers. "What's thirty six divided by four?"

"Nine."

"Okay..." Frank bit his lip. "I don't think this is right."

"Let me see." Gerard tilted the paper toward him. "Almost. You should multiply the number next to the variable."

"Right," Frank murmured.

He and Gerard worked on some more math together until four fifteen. The time flew by, and before they knew it, they were walking back to their dorms together.

"Your birthday was recently, right?" Gerard asked. "October thirty first?"

"Oh, yeah." Frank had completely forgotten about that. "Yeah. I'm eighteen."

"You're old enough to drink here." Gerard smiled. "You can use your student ID at the pub in town. They accept that. Maybe we should do something to celebrate."

Frank shrugged and opened the door to walk outside. "I dunno. It's already passed, and it's, what....what day is it?"

"The fourth."

"Yeah. Exactly. It's already the fourth."

"That doesn't mean we can't celebrate," Gerard said. "Clo was disappointed that we missed your birthday. She said she wanted to give you a gift."

"Really? She hasn't mentioned anything. I think she said happy birthday, but honestly, it's been too much of a blur." Frank sighed and rolled his neck. "When's your birthday?"

"April ninth. I hate it."

"Why do you hate your birthday?"

"My family is pretty much required to host huge parties whenever there's a birthday in the family. It's good for their reputation. They always invite a lot of people I don't know. I've never made a friend at a party, and I always have to dress up. I..." Gerard sighed. "I turn eighteen this year, but honestly, I don't know if I'll ever enjoy a party. I'm an adult. Well. I will be. But what's the point if I can't enjoy it?"

Frank nodded, deeply engaged by his speech. "That sounds like it sucks. There's something kind of romantic about it, though. You could sneak away with a friend, bring a bottle of whatever fancy shit you drink and make out behind your house or whatever."

"Security is tighter than Satan's asshole, Frank, there's no way I could do that." Gerard stopped at a koi pond to throw some food in for them. "Hi fishies."

Frank giggled at his euphemism. "There's nothing you like about them?"

"Well...there is this one girl..."

Frank immediately shut down. He crossed his arms across his chest. "That's great."

"She's a fashion designer. She asked me what I wanted for my sixteenth birthday, and I jokingly told her a dress, and she made me a dress. It's actually one of my favorite articles of clothing." Gerard paused. "I guess I shouldn't call her a girl. She's thirty this year."

"Oh." Frank softened up again. "That's really cool. You like wearing dresses?"

"A little. They're less restricting than pants, and much less than suits. I can't wear it unless I'm alone in my room, though, and sometimes when my family is out I wear it to the beach next to our house."

"Where do you live?"

"It depends, but during the summer, in the house I have the dress, there's a mansion in Florida. But I spent a little less time there this summer. I stayed with Ray for a while this summer here, so it would be easier to get to school quickly. We were in London for about three weeks."

"Oh, that's cool," Frank said. He opened the door to the dorms. A few people were there, Mikey among them. "So I'll see you next week?"

"Three o'clock," Gerard said, catching on quickly.

"Got it." Frank smiled and walked upstairs.