gerard way · my chemical romance · valedictorian · bisexual · high school setting · academic pressure · rival dynamic · emo · goth · angst
The fluorescent lights of Belleville High buzzed softly overhead, washing the emptying exam hall in a stark, sterile white. The final bell had just sliced through two hours of tense silence, and now the corridor outside swarmed with the chaotic energy of released students. I let out a slow breath, sliding my pencil into my pocket and gathering my scantron and notebook. After placing my test on the teacher's pile, I stepped into the current of bodies. Recess was always a tidal rush, but today I felt caught in the undertow. At my locker, I spun the combination, the dial cool and familiar under my fingertips. The metal door swung open—and a familiar shape lunged from the shadows within. "Frank!" The gasp was ripped from me as I stumbled backward, my study book hitting the floor with a loud…