Goody, Like Two Shoes

"How's the head?" Frank asked, blowing a lungful of smoke into the early evening air and glancing down at Buster who was scampering along beside us.

"Still throbbing a bit; but that's expected, obviously."

Frank nodded his reply and adjusted Buster's bright blue leash in his hand, "You going to school tomorrow?"

"Depends on if my head hurts. I doubt I'll go in though."

"'Okay. If you're not going, ring me in the morning and I'll hang out with you."

"You seem to have abandoned your friends or little ol' me, eh?" I smiled, brushing a bit of hair from my face.

"They're a bit of a bad influence, you know. And, anyway, I like spending time with you, it's like making up for all of the time I was a bastard to you."

"'You're better off without them anyway, Frank ... Mikey's not too bad though, I guess."

"Mikey's harmless." Frank laughed.

"Do you really like spending time with me, or do you feel obliged?"

"No, no, I really do. I mean, we both have different interests; that's what makes our conversations so interesting."

I smiled a little, "You've changed so much, you know? I'd never have thought that you and I could become friends."

"Best friends, even?"

"Possibly."

"You help me let my inner-geek out."

"Oh, touché, Mr. Iero." I pushed him playfully and we headed up towards my house, and I got my keys at the ready.

"Can Buster come in?"

"Sure."

Mom and dad's cars were both in the drive, and Frank grimaced.

"What's wrong?" I asked him, "You look constipated."

"Does it look good on me?"

"Not particularly..."

"Hmm, well, the thing is ..." Frank began, "I'm not too fond of your parents."

"At times, me neither."

"Can I let Buster do his business on your mom's slippers?"

I laughed, "If you get the opportune moment, yes!"

Frank smiled cheerily, following me up onto the porch and waiting as I opened the door.

We went inside, and Frank sat on the bottom stair, kicking his shoes off while I pulled his pink hoodie over my head, careful to not catch the bandage .

"Here." I held the hoodie out to Frank, and raised an eyebrow as he shook his head.

"No, you keep it."

"But what about your feminine days?" I asked with a crooked smiled.

"I won't kid myself; it looks so much better on you."

"Thanks." I bent down to hug him and the living room door opened, and dad stepped out.

Frank quickly moved his hands from my waist, down to the backs of my thighs, and I pecked Frank's nose quickly.

"Hi, dad."

"What happened to your forehead?!" his mouth dropped open, and he rushed over to me.

"I just had a bit of an accident at the concert I went to last night."

"Are you okay, though?"

I nodded.

"Are you sure?"

I nodded again. "Frank took care of me."

"Okay, well you take things easy. I have to go out for a business dinner now, so I'll see you later, sweetie."

When the front door closed behind dad, Frank linked his hand in mine, "Let's go say "hi" to your mommy!"

After dinner, Frank and I went upstairs, taking Buster with us, and we lay down on my bed.

"Me and you --"

""You and I", Frank." I corrected him.

"Whatever. Anyways, we should go shopping together sometime. Do you like shopping? All girls like shopping, don't they?"

"I don't know. I've never really b--"

"You've never had a proper shopping-spree?! You, my girl, are extremely uneducated!"
Frank rolled onto his side, almost squashing Buster in between us, 'The stores in New York are amazing; I vow to take you sometime.'

"Isn't shopping boring, though? I went shopping with my grandma once, and I wanted to die."

"Sugar, that's probably because your grandma was buying candlesticks, moth balls, cat food and old-lady pantyhose."

We both shuddered, "Ew."

Frank groaned, "I never want to be an old lady."

"Don't you mean "old man"?"

"Shut up, you old lady boobies person' he started to giggle.

"Eurgh, will you shut up."

"'course. But I want a hug in return."

Mom's friend, Kara, arrived a few hours later, and, as usual, they opened a bottle of wine and put on a Tom Cruise movie.

Frank and I headed down to the kitchen for a snack and to check up on Buster who had taken up residence in the basket in the kitchen with my dog, Muffin.

"Can I stay over tonight?" Frank asked, standing on the countertop, attempting to find my stash of cookies that he thought had been shoved up on the top shelf.

"Sure." I grabbed the Ribena from the fridge and slapped Frank's knee, careful not to make him fall, "The cookies; they're in the cupboard behind the fruit bowl."

Frank pounced off the counter, placing a sloppy kiss on my cheek, "Mmm, cookies!"

"Come on, Captain Cookie, hurry up!"

He grinned, linking his arm in mine and dragging me into the hall.

"Frank, wait." I said quietly, pulling on his sleeve and walking to the living room door, where I could hear my name being pulled into conversation.

"Why can't Sasha be like your Paula - outgoing, like any other girl...pretty" Mom sighed.

Frank glared at the door as if it were my mother.

I knew that mom had had a few glasses of wine, and maybe she didn't mean the things she had saying, but that didn't lessen the pain, and the tears began to well up.

Frank rubbed my arm gently, "Come on."

Once back upstairs, the tears started to fall, and Frank hugged me.

"Don't listen to her, Sasha. You are beautiful. You're special; and I don't know why I'm the only one who can see it. Because I can see it."

I backed away from him, wiping my eyes, "I'm so lucky that I have you as a friend, Frankie."

He pulled me so that we were lying side by side, and he wrapped his arms around my waist, "Get some sleep. You'll feel better in the morning."

He pecked my cheek gently, and I rested my head on his chest, "G'night, Frankie."