What You Mean to Me

Lena.

When I woke up I found my face buried in Frank's chest, holding onto his tightly. I sat up rubbing my face and glancing at my clock: nine fifty-two.

It wasn't too early, and it wasn't too late, not a bad time to wake up after watching movies all night.

Then I remembered my ankle-- I leaned over, pushing the blanket aside, and pulling off the ice pack that I had wrapped around it. The swelling had gone down, and there was a thin purple band near it, but I could move it-- a little. I could move it slightly in a circular motion, but I still was in a little pain.

"Your ankle feeling better?"

I looked over at Frank to see him awake with his eyes open, and on me.

I smiled. "Um, yeah, it's better."

Frank reached up and pulled me back down next to him, laying on top of me.

"Frank…" I complained. "I gotta get up…"

"Why?" he asked, matching my tone. "It's Saturday… we don't have school, you can't walk… let's just stay in bed all day. Besides, you're really comfy."

I rolled my eyes. "Frank, seriously, I need to get up."

"Fine," he gave in, letting me up.

I smiled, getting out of bed, gently adding pressure to my ankle, seeing how well I could walk on it. I was able to manage my way to the bathroom to brush my teeth without falling over.

"Hey, Lena, Gerard says to meet him a this place in five," Frank said walking in already changed.

I nodded, putting my toothbrush away. "Lemme get dressed so you can brush your teeth, and we can go."

"Cool," Frank mumbled sticking his toothbrush in his mouth.

Exactly five minutes later Frank and I were in my car pulling up to Gerard's house, thanks to the fact that Frank never drives the speed limit. The door was opened by Gee's loving mom who gave us both hugs and ushered us down to Gerard's room, or the basement, before she rushed off to the kitchen to bring back some just-out-of-the oven chocolate chip cookies.

"Frank, my man," Gerard gave Frank a high five. "Lena, my lovely," he gave me a hug.

"Hey Gerard," I smiled before going over to Mikey and giving him a hug as well.

"Lena, what the hell happened to your ankle?" Mikey asked as I sat next to him on the sofa.

I glanced down at the cream-coloured stiff fabric-bandage that was wrapped around my ankle for support. "I rolled my ankle at practice last night," I shrugged. "No big deal."

"Are you okay?" he asked concerned.

"Yeah, fine, fine," I assured him.

"Lena, sugar, you really need to be more careful," Gerard told me.

"I'll try," I promised.

I pulled out my sketch book, showing Gerard the idea I ha been working on for the band, and we went over it, critiquing it and the like, when Gee's door burst open, followed by the grand entrance of Bob and Ray, who were carrying another plate of cookies.

"Hey, Mikey, Gerard, your mom can seriously bake!" Bob mumbled with his mouth full.

We all said our hellos, then the guys started getting their instruments together for practice.
I settled back into the sofa, nibbling on a cookie watching the guys as they started into "Drowning Lessons".

"A kiss goodbye…" Gerard sang, blowing me a kiss.

I smiled, winking at him, before looking over at Frank. He looked so happy playing, so full of life. He was a great guitar player, and had truly gotten so much better over the past few years.

I watched as his fingers moved along the fingerboard, his body moving in time to the rhythms he was creating; watching as his creative energy flowed out of his every single pore.

He was amazing.

And he was my best friend.