The Past is Only the Future with the Lights On

After school, Frank and I met up with Mikey and Dahlia at our lockers. Frank and I put away our papers and books from fourth period into my locker, Frank being too lazy to open up his, and the four of us made our way to the front of the school.

“So I was thinking we could just spend a couple hours walking around the mall,” Frank started, in reference to our Frankie-Kelly time, I’d assumed, “but then I remembered that you aren’t allowed to go back…” he laughed, receiving a light slap on the arm from me, though I was smiling as well, “so do you have any ideas for what we could do?”

I twisted my mouth thoughtfully, racking my brain for something fun to do. Not having much luck, either. Your fun source is kind of limited when you’ve been kicked out of the place with the most options for things to do. “Uhm…we could just chill at my house, if you want,” I suggested, watching Frank nod out of the corner of my eye. “I’m sure we could find something to do there.”

“Okay,” he agreed, nodding once more.

As we walked out the doors of the school and made our way across the grass, I was met by the sight of Skyler sitting on the sidewalk on his skateboard, looking up at his twin and having a conversation with him. He laughed at something Camden had said and looked away, his eyes connecting with mine instantly. Biting his lip to hide his ever-growing grin, he rose to his feet, picked up his board, and made his way towards me.

“Hey,” he breathed out, shooting me a warm smile.

“Hello,” I returned the smile. Dahlia ‘accidentally’ bumped into me as her and Mikey walked around the three of us, nearly running me into Skyler. “Thanks, D,” I said sarcastically, an innocent smile plastered on her face as she waved to me.

“Uhm…I think I’ll walk with them,” I heard Frank mumble from beside me as he stalked away from us and caught up with our friends.

Eyeing him weirdly, I turned to Skyler, that smile still on his face. “So are you still up for hangin’ out today?” he asked, getting in step with me as we walked a few feet behind Mikey, Dahlia, and Frank. Camden and his friend that had walked home with us a time before, strayed behind us now, too.

“Er…well, actually, I had forgotten that I’d promised Frank we’d hang out today…so is it okay if we make plans for another day?” I asked hesitantly. I didn’t want to make my boyfriend of a day mad at me for wanting to hang out with one of my friends instead of him.

“Yeah, that’s cool…but only on one condition.” I glanced up at him quickly, not expecting him to respond with something like that.

I looked at him cautiously, which he simply smiled at and boldly grabbed my hand, lacing our fingers. “You let me walk you home.” It surprised me how confident he suddenly was. I honestly didn’t think he had it in him to do such a small thing as grab my hand. Clearly I underestimated him.

I smiled and helplessly laughed at him. “I think I can handle that.”

So began our walk back to my house. Skyler and I kept engaged in a conversation about anything that popped into our heads at the moment, and, as he said something about a band that was about to be releasing a new CD, one thought crossed my mind, as much is it pained me to think it.

This could quite possibly work. Maybe Skyler really could cure me of the disease Frank had infected me with…

Reaching my front door, an impatient Frank already there, tapping his foot against the wood, I said my goodbye’s to Skyler, giving him a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

“Damn, Frank. Do you even have a single patient bone in your body?” I asked as I walked past him and opened the front door to my house. He followed close behind me, taking off his shoes and kicking them off in the entrance as I did the same with mine.

“What do you mean?” he asked, sounding genuinely confused. I just shook it off and walked into the kitchen, grabbing two Cokes and retreated to the living room, finding Frank sprawled out across the couch.

“Scoot your fat ass over, Iero,” I said to the boy, pretending to have fallen asleep already.

His eyes were shut, but a smile found its way onto his face. I swatted his leg lightly, motioning for him to get up, which he simply shook his head at, his eyes remaining closed.

“Oh, you’re sleeping, huh?” I asked, laughing as he nodded his head vigorously up and down. I set our sodas on the coffee table before returning to the grinning Frank and placing my hands on my hips. “Now where ever will I find someone to be my pillow while I watch a scary movie and my best friend is sleeping?” I thought aloud, immediately watching him sit up and open his eyes excitedly.

I laughed and sat down next to him, grabbing my Coke and taking a sip of it. “What movie are we watchin’, Dumbass?” Frank laughed as I called him by the nickname I’d given him.

He got up and walked to the DVD collection that had somehow transferred itself from upstairs to the living room - no doubt from the countless hours the two of us spent down here having movie marathons. He spent a couple minutes going through them, every now and then pulling one out to inspect its cover, before finally settling with The Invisible. Not exactly a scary movie, but still one of my favorites.

Watching him put the disc into the DVD tray, a squeal left my mouth as I jumped happily in my seat. This only caused Frank to look back at me questioningly. “What?…Justin is so amazingly gorgeous.” I smiled innocently as he shook his head at me, repressing a grin, and continued starting the movie.

The menu covered the television screen and Frank returned to his spot next to me on the couch, remote in hand. Almost immediately, I laid down and rested my head in his lap, facing the TV.

After spending most of the duration of the movie yelling at the air in front of my face because everything someone did pissed me off, despite the fact I’d seen it before and knew what was going to happen, I finally fell asleep, still strewn across the couch and my best friend. That was, until, I was violently shaken from my peaceful slumber.

“Huh? What?!” I asked, alarmed, shooting up and opening my eyes. I looked around the living room, my eyes finally landing on the smirking boy beside me.

“You fell asleep and missed the ending of the movie, smartie,” he told me, with a look of pure amusement on his face. “I hadn’t even realized you’d fallen asleep until it clicked in my head that you were no longer yelling at Annie to ‘stop being such a fucking idiot’ and started snoring.”

My jaw dropped in response to his statement. “I do not snore!” I said, slightly offended for some reason.

He simply laughed at me and shook his head, standing up now that he was free of a sleeping body.

“Where are you going?” I asked him, rising to my feet as well and following Frank to my front door.

He pulled his shoes back on and grabbed his backpack, throwing it over one of his shoulders. “Ray called me while you were sleeping. I’m gonna meet him, Gerard and Bob at the mall to get a quick bite to eat and catch up on things, I guess,” he explained, turning back to me.

“Pfft,” I scoffed at him, watching him smile at my childishness. “Sure, go to the mall of all places to eat. You’re just goin’ there ‘cause I’m not allowed back and you’re getting tired of me.” I crossed my arms over my chest and looked down sadly.

“That’s not it, Kells,” he said, going along with the act. He put his hand on my shoulder, forcing me to look up. “We chose the mall because we know we can go there and talk allll about you and not have to worry about you popping up out of nowhere.” He smirked at me, which I simply returned with a flick of his nose.

He laughed and kissed my cheek. “Bye, Kells. I’ll talk to ya later, ‘kay?”

As I watched Frank walk out my door and make his way down the pathway and in the direction of the mall, I couldn’t help but think of what the real reasons for him leaving were. After all, if he was going to leave, he knew Skyler wanted to hang out with me. Or was this really a last minute decision that Ray made?

And that last thought only made me wonder other things. Were they really going there to talk about me?

Oh boy. I officially need a life.