The Past is Only the Future with the Lights On

After making my way through the frozen streets of Jersey for the second time today, I had said my 'see ya later' to Frank, for he had left Dahlia's house with me and now had to get ready for dinner, and then entered my own heated home.

"I'm back," I called out to my grandma as I unlaced my shoes and kicked them off at the door.

I walked towards the kitchen, a festive smell instantly filling my nostrils. That was probably one of my favorite parts of Christmas.

A huge-ass homemade Italian dinner, although the last couple of years my grandma had been absent, so we didn't get that.

"Hey sweetie. Have a good time?" she asked, mashing some potatoes in a pot at the stove - okay, so maybe the dinner wasn't completely Italian, but it was made by an Italian.

I nodded enthusiastically, a huge smile on my face. We spent practically three hours doing absolutely nothing and just goofing off, but my friends always seemed to make simply hanging out in the living room a trip to Disney World.

"Yeah, I think I'm gonna go clean up real quick before dad or the Iero's get here. Call if you need me," I told her, watching her nod before escaping to my room with my presents from my friends in hand.

Looking at my reflection through the mirror hanging on my closet door, I noticed the cold weather had made my eyes water, resulting in my eye liner smearing. I reapplied some black eyeliner, using a better, longer lasting kind this time in case I were to go outside again later.

I pulled off the denim jacket, that used to be Frank's until I claimed it as my own, that I had been wearing to block out the cold and set it on my bed, thankful that my grandma was like me in the sense that we both liked to keep the house at a sweating temperature when it was cold. Well, it didn't make us sweat. We liked it. Just anybody who came into our house complained it was too hot.

I glanced at my alarm clock on my nightstand, seeing that I had about thirty minutes to kill before anyone arrived.

Grabbing my iPod from my desk, I put the earbuds in my ears and blasted the music pouring from them, which was currently Heart-Shaped Box by Nirvana. I then laid down on my back across my bed and closed my eyes as my fingers tapped on my stomach to the beat. I knew if my grandma were to call me, I'd be unable to hear it, but didn't particularly care enough at the moment, as bad as it sounded.

I was just finishing up listening to Green Day's Hitchin' a Ride, singing quietly along to it, when a sudden weight was thrown on me. A scream left my lips as I immediately shot my eyes open and pulled the headphones out, seeing a beaming Frank hovering over me.

"What the hell, Frank?" I said, turning my iPod off as he sat up, pretty much straddling me now.

"Your grandma called you down like. . .thirty times now. So I offered to come up and see if you were still alive. . .have I ever told you what a lovely singing voice you have?" he asked, smiling teasingly down at me.

I felt my jaw drop and my cheeks flush as I attempted to smack him on the head, only to have him grab both of my wrists and pin them above my head.

"Seriously, we might have to replace Gerard," he laughed as I pointlessly struggled to get out of his grip. He was to strong for me to barely move an inch.

"You know what would be great right now?" I asked Frank with a smile, his knitted eyebrows and creased forehead making me continue. "If my grandma and your mom were to walk in at this very moment," I laughed, Frank biting his lip to fight back a smile. His eyes abruptly lit up, as if he'd remembered something.

"Nah, I think it would be funnier if your dad were to walk in right now. He already doesn't seem to like me much, I'd love to see his reaction to this," he smirked, confusing me slightly.

"My dad's here? Why didn't you tell me?" I demanded, sitting up once his hands had released me, our faces only a few mere inches away from each other.

"I just did," he continued smirking, dropping it once he realized there was no humor in my narrowed eyes.

"Now get up so I can go see him," I ushered him off of me, trying to wiggle my legs out from underneath him, unsuccessfully of course.

"I'll only let you go on one condition," he teased, his lips never looking more tempting as his tongue slowly glided along his bottom lip.

"And that is. . .?" I asked, noticing he was waiting for me to say something before continuing.

He took my hands in his, delicately slicing his fingers through mine. Nervous butterflies instantly filled my stomach, tingles of excitement running up and down my spine. I nearly choked on my breath as he placed his mouth by my ear, his cheek and nose brushing lightly against my skin.

"You have to kiss me," he whispered alluringly, my eyes closing from his soft, velvet voice.

"Fine," I replied nonchalantly once he'd pulled away a few inches, shrugging my shoulders indifferently.

I don't know how I managed to keep my voice from shaking. I was anxious as hell. I had only kissed Frank once (if that even counted as a kiss) and that was nearly two months ago.

But instead of doing what I wished to do and what Frank apparently wanted me to do, I chickened out and pressed my lips to his cheek.

I pulled back, watching him smile and shake his head in disapproval.

"I didn't mean like that." He ripped his right hand away from me, slowly bringing it to my face and tracing my somewhat parted lips. "I meant the right way. On the lips," he whispered, literally making my heart skip and splatter uncontrollably.

"And if I don't?" I pressed, raising an eyebrow at him.

"I guess you don't want to see your dad, then," he shrugged, his smirk reappearing.

It was taking all the effort I could muster not to just attack him with my tongue right then and there, like I'd wanted to ever since I met him. And he was now giving me the chance to kiss him, yet I wasn't taking it. I guess I just didn't want him to find out how I felt about him. Because, knowing me, I'd enjoy the kiss far too much, and let myself slip or something. And I couldn't have that.

"You know, I could always just yell for him," I pointed out, smiling victoriously. There was no way Frank was going to win this now.

His eyes suddenly went wide, his jaw dropping in astonishment. "Y-yeah, but you wouldn't. . .right?" he asked, seeming unsure.

I smirked before opening my mouth. "Ohhh, daaaa-" I started to call out to my father before Frank's hand quickly clasped over my mouth.

"Ssh!" he shushed me, making me giggle under his hand. "Fine, I'll let you go see your dad, but I will kiss you sometime tonight, Kelly," he promised me, rising to my feet and helping me up as well, his warm hand holding mine protectively.

"Sure," I rolled my eyes as we walked down the stairs together, and I could swear I heard him mutter "fucking tease" under his breath.

Just as we mounted the bottom step, my hand still attached to Frank's, the sight before me caused me to stop walking completely, confusion taking over me.