Just Don't Take Chances

Frank's POV;

"I hate you," I mumbled, pulling on some white t-shirt with some funky, black design on the front and glared over at Alliyson. She was already fully dressed, having jumped out of the shower instead of staying with me so she could go grab a snack and dry her hair. Somehow, she had miraculously convinced me we were really going to my mother's barbecue with her intense nighttime talks and pleading.

Okay, I'm a liar. She did that stupid neck thing she always does and now she has a new thing to add to it, the ear lobe thing. And because I'm so simple-minded and weak when it comes to her, I of course give in after...not even that long.

Which is why she woke me up early this morning, at about 11 instead of our normal time of 12 or 1 to eat breakfast/lunch and shower so we could be at my mom's at like 2 to help out. Damn my mother, I was going to visit her eventually but I wasn't going to bring Alliyson or anything. Why? I'm not really sure. I kind of feel like she's my secret and I don't want to expose her to anyone else.

But I guess I'm about to, with Alliyson fully dressed in jean shorts with skulls on the front pockets and a white tank top or a 'cami', as she calls it, andher my favorite hoodie with the patches and pins. She's attached a new one, a skull one with little hearts on the bones. In case you haven't noticed, she's obsessed with skulls. She likes to blame it on The Misfits.

After finding a simple black cap and my other hoodie and putting on Converse, I shuffled out of my room, Alliyson following with a container of Oreo Jell-O pudding.

"Have you noticed you're always eating?" I asked, grabbing my Sidekick off of the charger and Alliyson's too and put mine in my back pocket.

"I like food," Alliyson countered simply, throwing out the empty container and put the spoon in the dishwasher. "Did you get my iPod?"

"Nope."

"But we're listening to mine in the car..."

"No we're not."

"But Frank, it's my turn!" Alliyson whined.

"Shut up, it's my turn."

"But we listened to your laaaaaaaaaast time," she continued.

"I don't care," I muttered, walking back to our room to get my iPod and my wallet. "You're making me go to this so you have to do what I want today, which means my iPod wins."

"Ugh, Gerard!" Alliyson yelled, running off to Gerard' room. I sighed and followed her, holding my head down. She's gonna make him pick and he can never deny her, so he's just going to choose her anyway.

When I came in his room he was at the desk, scribbling away some new cartoon with Alliyson perched on the desk, poking him. "Gerard we have to go to Frank's Mom's and Frank won't let me play my iPod in the car and it's not fair cause we listened to his last time and..." She rambled, obviously annoying the hell out of poor Gerard.

Gerard turned to me with a hopeful look and I just shrugged my shoulders and then he turned to Alliyson and then back at me, "Just let her use her iPod so I can get back to work..."

"Yay!" Alliyson cheered victoriously and left the room with a huge smile on her face, sticking out her tongue at me and smacked my butt when she walked past to get to our room. I looked at Gerard.

"You know she wouldn't leave me alone until I told her she could," he explained, raking his fingers through his short black hair.

"I know," I agreed sheepishly, chuckling a bit. "So what are you going to do while we're gone?"

"Draw for a bit, then I have a meeting with the comic book people," he responded, continuing with his drawing. "I'm sure it will be fine at your moms."

"That's not what I'm worried ab-"

"Frank!" Alliyson squeaked from the front of the apartment. "Let's go! I told your Mom like 2 or 3 and it's almost 1:15."

"I'll see you later," I said to Gerard and left his room, closing the door and pet all of the dogs, scratching Sinatra behind the ear and walked out of the apartment with Alliyson.

2:25 p.m.

Alliyson danced in her seat to The Smashing Pumpkins new song Tarantula that blared through the car speakers as I pulled onto the familiar street that I grew up on. I glanced around, everything the same as when I went to get my dogs, with kids running around inside, none really outside. I squeezed Alliyson's hand as I stopped in front of my Mom's house, cars already lining the sidewalk.

"We're here?" She squeaked and I nodded. She squealed and bounded out of the car as soon as I parked it, slamming the door and standing on the sidewalk so she could observe my neighborhood. I took out my key and undid my seatbelt, closed my door and walked around my Jeep to stand with her.

"Which one is it?" She asked eagerly.

"The one behind you," I chuckled, slipping my arm around her waist and guided her towards my Mom's house, my heart hammering in my chest.

The closer we got to the house, the uneasier I got and I led Alliyson through the gate to the backyard.

"Hey," Alliyson called, stopping me beside the house for a minute. "Chill out, it's not that big of a deal."

"Is it that obvious I'm not okay?"

"Definitely," she muttered and pecked me quickly. "I'm not nervous, now am I?"

I looked at her. "No, not really."

"Then take the stick outta your ass," she ordered, smiling at me and I shivered.

"Aunt Linda!" A child called. "Frank's here!"

A child appeared, one of my cousin Josie's kids. He had sandy brown and blond hair, at the age of about five or so and he stopped in front of us and grinned. Crap, this was one of the twins.

"Oh god," I muttered. "Which twin are you?"

"The one who lost his teeth already!" He smiled then he glanced at Alliyson beside me. "You look like Barbie!"

Alliyson stared wide-eyed at him, then pointed at him, "And you look like Superman!"

"Yay, I can fly!" He cheered then started jumping up and down. "Right Uncle Frank!"

"Yeah Steven," I sighed then picked him up, throwing him over my shoulder and spinning him around, running with him screaming and giggling and Alliyson just chuckled at me when Steven's brother appeared, Sam.

"Hi," he grinned at her. "Can you marry me?"

"Sure, what's your name?" Alliyson chuckled.

"Sam!"

"Well hi Sam, I'm Alliyson and you're my new husband," she said and held out her hand, which he took and clasped his hand with her and dragged her towards the backyard.

I followed Sam and Alliyson into the backyard where the rest of my family was. On the section closest to the house was concrete with lawn chairs and a table with an umbrella. That's where my Grandparents were and the cooler. The table had like chips on it. At the other end, closest to the house was the barbecue where my mother stood, poking at meat with a BBQ thing.

Ugh, meat.

On the grass part, the larger part of the backyard was where the bench was and the kiddy pool for the children. And a huge volleyball net in the middle and then another table, which all the men sat at with their own coolers full of probably beer and various other types of alcohol, playing dominoes and cards.

I carried Steven over to the other children who were playing by the pool and not in it and set him down and walked over to my mother, hugging her from behind.

"'Bout time you came over to talk to your one and only mother!" She exclaimed, not scared at all.

"I love you Mom!" I sang and she put the spiky thingy down (thank god) and turned to hug me properly.

"Of course you do," she sighed. "And I love my little boy." And she smothered the side of my face in kisses.

"Ma stop, Alliyson around here somewhere and I don't want her seeing you do this to-"

"Right here!" Alliyson called, appearing Sam-less. "Sorry, had to put my supposed 'husband' with the rest of his cousins and brother." She smiled at my mother. "Hi Linda!"

"Well, well, well, Alliyson, we finally meet!" My mom exclaimed, totally pushing me aside to hug my girlfriend and she held her about a foot away from her. "Well aren't you a pretty one. And jeez, do you have legs! No wonder you wear shorts..."

"Mom!" I snapped, obviously embarrassed.

"Oh shush Frank, I like your mom. She gives me more compliments then you do..." Alliyson interjected.

"Oh that's a li-"

"Frank, you don't compliment her? And why not! She's definitely prettier than the last one; I'll assure you that. And speaking of pretty, why are you wearing this stupid thing on your head," my mom snapped, tearing my hat off my head.

"Oh no wonder, your hair is almost longer than Alliyson's. Cut this stupid thing,” she muttered, tugging on my hair.

"No, I like my hair!" I growled - snatching my hat away from my mother and planting it back on my head. "You're so mean to me..."

"Shut up," Alliyson said, reaching over and hugging me close to her. I wrapped my arms around her middle.

"Aw look, she hugs you even when you're wrong. That's cute," My mother gushed. "Here Frank, go talk to your father, he'd like a word with you, while I sit here and get better acquainted with Alliyson."

I sighed and reluctantly agreed, knowing I'd better go see my Dad, Great Uncle, and Grandpa, and before I forgot. I quickly pecked Alliyson on the cheek and left her with my mom to go over to the rest of my family.