The Infamy of Frank Iero (frerard)

Chapter 12

I was walking down the hallway at school looking down at my phone and checking comments and some guy put his face two inches from mine and whispered "roar" then walked away and I don't know who it was and I haven't stopped laughing

~~

I frowned as I sat on the edge of the playground. I was one of the oldest kids in the fifth grade, which made me one of the oldest in the school. It was the first day of school and I was not happy at all, despite the reigning dominance of being one of the first to have a birthday in my grade, which was coming up in just over a month.

I looked at the kindergarteners who just got out for recess. They all wore colorful name tags on their shirts. Some kids were rejoiced while others cried, scared on their first day of school. I noticed one of the kindergarteners skip up to me. He had messy, black hair and a pink sweater with black jeans and black shoes.

"Hi! I'm Gerard!" The small kid chirped happily.

"Gerard? What kinda name is that?" I sneered, standing up so I was taller.

"My parents gave it to me," he said.

"I think it's stupid," I said. "It sounds like retard."

"But it's Gerard," he corrected.

"I think it's fucking stupid," I stated.

"That's not a nice word," he said.

I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms. "Why are you even here, kid?"

"I don't know anyone, you were alone so maybe we can be friends," he said.

I pushed him down and he landed in a puddle of mud.

"My sweater!" He cried.

I laughed and some other kids surrounded and laughed too.

"Gerard the retard!" I shouted.

The other kids laughed and pointed at him.

"Gerard the retard! Gerard the retard!" They chanted.

Gerard cried, his body covered in mud.

"No!" He cried. "I-I'm changing my name! I'm Gee now!"

I laughed as the kid got up, running away crying while everyone made fun of him.

-+-

Gee held onto my hand as I led him up to the garage. He froze when we stepped inside the room and I flipped on the lights.

"Daddy, no," he whimpered, shaking his head.

"Baby, I thought you said the car accident was a good thing and that it's good they died," I said.

"B-but it was still scary," he whispered. "It hurt a lot."

"You don't have to get inside it, sweetheart, just face your fears," i said.

I tried to pull him closer but his whole body went rigid. I pulled him against my chest, hugging him tight.

"Hey, I'm right here," I whispered. "I'll be right here the whole time."

I lifted him up into my arms and he wrapped his legs around my waist. I carried him over to the car and Gee clung tight onto me while he cried.

"I'm right here, baby," I muttered.

I gently set him onto the hood of the car while he sobbed.