Crash and Burn
August 1999 - Lillie
It is my first day in New Jersey, and so far, I hate it. It is nothing like my New York. It is rainy and icky and the house we live in is so...normal. Despite all of the flaws of our apartment, I miss it terribly.
Mom told me since I was 17, and in my last year of High School, I could move back right after this year. I can hear her voice in my head. "Lillie, it's only one year.."
Yeah, just one year. One year of going to high school here. One year in high school is the equivalent of five years, more or less. It wears you down, and so much happens that you can't think straight.
We arrive here the week before school starts back. Which, according to mom, gives me time to settle in. But the thing is, I don't want to settle in here. I want this year to hurry up and be over, so I can get back to my friends and my life in New York.
I don't think even mom wanted to move here, but see, we had to. My dad got a promotion. Which means, more money. And we certainly need the money.
"Hey, Lil, get out of the car, and help us with these boxes."
I sigh, and get out. I follow my dad to the moving van and grab some boxes. I can't see over them, but I figure I can carry them just the few feet to the door without a problem. The more boxes I carry at a time, the sooner we can get this over with.
Dad and mom are inside, already pulling stuff out I guess. They are ready to get this move over with. I am ready to get this entire year over with.
I hear footsteps coming near me, and assume that it is dad or mom. I can't see to tell.
I stand there, waiting for them to speak. I can tell that whichever one it is, they are in front of me.
"Do you need any help?"
I freeze. I don't recognize the voice. It is a guy's, a young guy's, voice.
"Um, sure."
He grabs two of the three boxes out of my hands. Now I can see him clearly. He is a few inches taller than me, and has shaggy black hair. He is dressed in baggy black jeans, what appeared to be a misfits shirt, and combat boots. He has a couple of tattoos on his arms.
"Thanks." I smile at him, and he returns my smile. His smile is sweet, and makes him appear more boyish than he seemed to be moments before.
"I'm Frank, but most people call me Frankie."
I laugh. Somehow, that suits him. "I'm Lillie. Only certain people are allowed to call me Lil."
"Nice to meet you, Lil."
I laugh. "Are you assuming you are one of those certain people?"
He smiles that boyish smile again. "I'd like to be."
I can feel myself blushing. He notices, and laughs, then starts walking towards our door.
"I always wondered when someone worth meeting would move in next door."
I stop. "You're my neighbor?"
He smiles. "Yep. I live in the house right over there. I noticed you out here, and thought I would come lend a hand."
"Well, thank you." I continue walking into the house. Frankie follows.
"So where are you from?"
I sit the box in the living room, and turn to him. "New York."
He sits the boxes he carried in down. "Cool."
"Yeah."
He turns to go out the door, but before he can exit, my mom comes into the room, and sees him.
"Well hello", my mom exclaims. She is known for being too polite sometimes. This is one of those moments.
Frank turns around. "Hi." He stands there nervously, fidgeting with his hands for a moment before putting them in his pockets.
Mom smiles. "I'm Lillie's mom, Lisa Smith. And you are?"
"Frank Iero. I live next door. I was helping Lil carry boxes in."
"Lil, huh?" Mom turns to me, her eyebrows raised. I shrug.
"Well, it's nice to meet you Frank. Let me go find my husband, and you can meet him too." She walks out of the room, looking for my dad.
I grab Frankie's arm, and pull him out of the house.
"Why are you making me leave? I wanted to meet your dad!" He smiles at me mischievously.
"Believe me, he is even worse than my mom."
He rolls his eyes. "All parents are embarrassing."
"Mine are much worse than that."
He laughs, "You think so, because they're your parents!"
It was my turn to roll my eyes. "You, Mr., have no idea!"
He grins. "I'd like to."
I shove him playfully. "I think it's time you be headed home!"
He walks towards his house, then looks back at me. "It was nice meeting you Lil. Can't wait to see you again."
I blush, and cannot form words for a moment. "Um, yeah, bye."
Mom told me since I was 17, and in my last year of High School, I could move back right after this year. I can hear her voice in my head. "Lillie, it's only one year.."
Yeah, just one year. One year of going to high school here. One year in high school is the equivalent of five years, more or less. It wears you down, and so much happens that you can't think straight.
We arrive here the week before school starts back. Which, according to mom, gives me time to settle in. But the thing is, I don't want to settle in here. I want this year to hurry up and be over, so I can get back to my friends and my life in New York.
I don't think even mom wanted to move here, but see, we had to. My dad got a promotion. Which means, more money. And we certainly need the money.
"Hey, Lil, get out of the car, and help us with these boxes."
I sigh, and get out. I follow my dad to the moving van and grab some boxes. I can't see over them, but I figure I can carry them just the few feet to the door without a problem. The more boxes I carry at a time, the sooner we can get this over with.
Dad and mom are inside, already pulling stuff out I guess. They are ready to get this move over with. I am ready to get this entire year over with.
I hear footsteps coming near me, and assume that it is dad or mom. I can't see to tell.
I stand there, waiting for them to speak. I can tell that whichever one it is, they are in front of me.
"Do you need any help?"
I freeze. I don't recognize the voice. It is a guy's, a young guy's, voice.
"Um, sure."
He grabs two of the three boxes out of my hands. Now I can see him clearly. He is a few inches taller than me, and has shaggy black hair. He is dressed in baggy black jeans, what appeared to be a misfits shirt, and combat boots. He has a couple of tattoos on his arms.
"Thanks." I smile at him, and he returns my smile. His smile is sweet, and makes him appear more boyish than he seemed to be moments before.
"I'm Frank, but most people call me Frankie."
I laugh. Somehow, that suits him. "I'm Lillie. Only certain people are allowed to call me Lil."
"Nice to meet you, Lil."
I laugh. "Are you assuming you are one of those certain people?"
He smiles that boyish smile again. "I'd like to be."
I can feel myself blushing. He notices, and laughs, then starts walking towards our door.
"I always wondered when someone worth meeting would move in next door."
I stop. "You're my neighbor?"
He smiles. "Yep. I live in the house right over there. I noticed you out here, and thought I would come lend a hand."
"Well, thank you." I continue walking into the house. Frankie follows.
"So where are you from?"
I sit the box in the living room, and turn to him. "New York."
He sits the boxes he carried in down. "Cool."
"Yeah."
He turns to go out the door, but before he can exit, my mom comes into the room, and sees him.
"Well hello", my mom exclaims. She is known for being too polite sometimes. This is one of those moments.
Frank turns around. "Hi." He stands there nervously, fidgeting with his hands for a moment before putting them in his pockets.
Mom smiles. "I'm Lillie's mom, Lisa Smith. And you are?"
"Frank Iero. I live next door. I was helping Lil carry boxes in."
"Lil, huh?" Mom turns to me, her eyebrows raised. I shrug.
"Well, it's nice to meet you Frank. Let me go find my husband, and you can meet him too." She walks out of the room, looking for my dad.
I grab Frankie's arm, and pull him out of the house.
"Why are you making me leave? I wanted to meet your dad!" He smiles at me mischievously.
"Believe me, he is even worse than my mom."
He rolls his eyes. "All parents are embarrassing."
"Mine are much worse than that."
He laughs, "You think so, because they're your parents!"
It was my turn to roll my eyes. "You, Mr., have no idea!"
He grins. "I'd like to."
I shove him playfully. "I think it's time you be headed home!"
He walks towards his house, then looks back at me. "It was nice meeting you Lil. Can't wait to see you again."
I blush, and cannot form words for a moment. "Um, yeah, bye."
♠ ♠ ♠
Please R&R. =)