What is This Feeling?

I continued to mentally abuse myself as I washed away the light blood trails from my face.

"Damn nose bleeds," I muttered.

I scrubbed until I had changed the small area under my nose from its normal porcelain color to a slight red. I sighed figuring that was as good as it was going to get. Now all I had to do was wait for Ray and Mikey to return. Unfortunately, for me, after a five-minuet period of awkward silence I gave up on their returning. Hoisting myself up on the sinks I stared at the wall ahead of me.

Its ugly green tiles reminded me of a decaying head of lettuce. Grime filled the once white cracks in between the grotesque tiles. Some were chipped in the corners while many other adorned graffiti of all types, most of which I found disgusting. I scoffed at one stating,
I fucked Kayla McGreen.
Why I, or anyone else needed to know that, is beyond me.
Noticing my irritation, Frank turned to me and spoke.

"Why did you do it?"

Slightly surprised by his sudden out burst I turned to face him. He sat, body rigid, with a blank stare at the same wall that I had been studying earlier. I turned my head towards him and gave him a questioning glance.

"What?" I asked.

His blank stare soon turned into that of an angry glare. He still refused to look at me. I waited for a response as Frank continued his internal battle. Nervously, I began to pick at my fingers and biting my lip. I hated awkward silences. My thoughts raced as I tried to think of what he could be accusing me of. I hadn't done anything to him in the past few days that I could recall. Maybe he was irritated about using crutches and blamed me for it. As if I didn't already feel guilty enough. I shook my head. That couldn't be it. Frank was lazy. Crutches meant that he didn't have to take gym for a month and that he could boss people around. Now that I thought about it he should be thanking me for that. I quickly dismissed the thought.

How narcissistic am I?

Abruptly, a thought came to me.

"I didn't start those rumors," I whispered, my head hung low. I felt awful about those rumors. I would never start something like that about anyone. Frank didn't respond so I began to rant in an effort to make him understand.

"Really, I didn't. I kept telling people that it wasn't true and Greg. I'm so sorry about him. I-I guess since I wasn't able to see him much, actually I was avoiding pretty much everyone so never mind." I stopped and sighed in frustration.

"Besides I don't even know how it started or why it did. As if it weren't obvious how much you hate me and how much you annoy me…" I paused to take a breath and trying to stay on track.

"But I'm sorry about the rumors and almost getting you killed." I sighed as a weight that I didn't know I had was lifted from my chest. I blew some hair out of my face and crossed my arms over my chest. I began to bite my lip.

I had just spilled my guts to a person who hates me. Once again, good going Jamie!
I glanced at Frank who was sitting in the same position. He showed no signs of reacting to my previous rant. It was if it had never happened.

"I don't hate you."

This statement shocked me and at first, I wasn't sure if I had heard him correctly.

"W-what?" I asked as my voice cracked slightly.

"I don't hate you," he repeated still not looking at me. My mouth dropped open slightly.

"You," I paused trying to collect my thoughts, "You don't hate me?"

I felt as if I were in the Twilight Zone. Maybe I was. Or maybe I had passed out and this was all a dream? That made much more sense than Frank saying that he didn't hate me.

"That's what I said isn't it?" He ground out.

"Well excuse me if its hard for me to believe that," I spat at him.

"How is that hard to believe?" he asked finally turning towards me to glare. I rolled my eyes.

"You say that you don't hate me," I started. He scoffed at me. "Then explain the last eight years! I know that it just wasn't an act." I glared at him waiting for an explanation. He sat there glaring back. Finally, he answered slowly,

"I guess it just became a habit." I stood and crossed my arms over my chest. "Now that I think about I haven't hated you for the past two years. I just acted that way because I thought you hated me," he said looking at the ground. My arms fell limply at my sides. I didn't know what to do.

"Well?" He asked. "Aren't you going to say anything?"

"I-I," I stuttered. "I don't know what to say."

"Figures," he mumbled.

"Excuse me?" I asked getting slightly agitated.

"I just expected you to act this way," he grimaced.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I said, my anger getting the best of me.

"Well I don't know?" he said sarcastically. "Maybe it’s the fact that I just opened up to you and you act like a bitch to me!" his voice rose.

"Oh really? Because having nothing to say and then stating that is such a bad thing!" I yelled back at him. "Where do you get off telling me that? At least I have enough decency to keep most of my thoughts to myself." I began to pace around the bathroom ignoring the pain in my leg.

"You're such a conceited jerk! Y'know that?" I stopped and turned to face him.

"You see!" He yelled. "This is exactly why I don't talk to you!" I rolled my eyes. "You always start something with me," he said. My eyes lit on fire. Walking up to him, I said right to his face,

"Don't you dare blame eight years of rivalry on me." He backed up in his seat eyes wide at my sudden closeness. "If I remember correctly you were the one who was an ass to me when I first met you."

He smirked.

"Who's blaming who now?" I straightened up and regained my composure.

"Its not blame when the accusation is correct," I said quietly but firmly.

Frank opened his mouth to speak but a loud buzzing from his pocket cut him off. With some difficulty he pulled his phone out and opened it. A confused graced his features. As I was about to ask what was wrong my phone went off. Swiftly I pulled it out of my dark jeans and flipped the screen to read,

New Text Message!

I rolled my eyes at the screen and pressed okay.

HIDE! Mr. P!

I gasped.

"Shit!" I then ran to the door and opened it to see Greg distracting the principal whose back was facing me.

"Shit shit shit shit shit," I muttered. Running towards the sink, I began to discard all the bloody tissues and other evidence that we had been there.

"What's going on?" Frank asked clearly disturbed by my actions.

"The principal," I said shortly. "I need to hide."

He nodded his head in agreement.

"Get in a stall," I ordered. He complied and began to stumble towards the stall. Quickly I shoved the chair he had been sitting on towards the other side of the door. I looked around quickly to make sure that I had cleaned everything properly. Feeling satisfied I looked for a place to hide. The bathroom was very simple. The only plausible place would be in a stall. I looked down at my feet to see my turquoise flip-flops on. There is no way I could pass those off as guy shoes. And I couldn't hide with my feet in a stall by myself. There were only two and it would be suspicious if both doors were shut. There was only one other option that I could think of and it made me slightly nauseous.

I sighed.

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Quickly I ran over the stall Frank was in.

"Frank," I said.

"What?"

"Open the door," I said urgently while looking over at the entrance to the bathroom.
Thankfully the door opened and there sat a very confused boy.

I can't believe I'm doing this…

"Frank don't take any of this personally okay?" I asked. He nodded. Carefully I pressed myself into the stall and shut the door behind me. Turning around I made to step forward but walked into Frank's chest instead. I mumbled a quick apology before telling my idea.

"What about your feet?" He asked. "The principals going to be able to see them."

"No he won't now please just do like I asked," I said. Frank complied and I avoided looking at him. Instead, I was more focused on hearing the principal enter. Hopefully this would work. If not this would look very wrong.

"Tell him that you're sick and that's why you didn’t show up to your next class," I said while pushing him to sit on the toilet. It was just then that I realized just how wrong this looked. I held back a laugh. He eyed my oddly but still did as I had asked.

"Please don't give any crap about what I'm about to do," I asked him.

"Jamie," He said. "I'm sitting on the toilet in a bathroom stall with you. There's nothing else that you can do to make this any weirder."

"Actually there is," I mumbled. He eyed me again but ignored it and took a deep breath.

I seriously can't believe I'm doing this…

"Lean back," I instructed. He did so but not before giving me a look like I was crazy.

I most likely was.

Bracing my hands on the stall walls I put my legs over Frank's shoulders and propped myself off the ground. Carefully I walked up the wall until most of my weight rested in my legs. I tried to contain a squeal of pain the shot through my arm and Frank noticed this. He opened his mouth to speak but was cut off again as the door squeaked open. Quickly I flipped my body so the my stomach was above Frank's head and I slowly walked my hands back until I was perched behind Frank's shoulders. I held my breath and shut my eyes, trying not to move.

"Mr. Iero?" The principal's deep voice spoke. Frank didn't respond.

"Mr. Iero?" the principal said again. I pleaded with my eyes for Frank to respond.

"Y-yes?" he said, added a cough for effect.

"Is everything alright?" he asked.

"Everything's fine sir," Frank responded. "I just don't feel well."

"Well come out here and I'll take you to the office," he ordered.

I felt panic wash over me, the same with Frank. He looked at me wide eyed not knowing what to do.

"Mr. Iero," the principal said again. He sounded angry. "Come out here now."

Frank looked at me opening his mouth and shutting it, not knowing what to do. I didn't either until something stuck me.

I mouthed, 'get my purse'. He obeyed and reached for it and set it on my lap. I rolled my eyes at him before mouthing, 'I can't use my arms'. He mouthed 'oh' before patting his lap.

You've got to be kidding me…

Quietly I sat on his lap trying to be careful of his leg, and began to hurriedly look through my bad. Finally, I found a small bottle of water a pulled it out of my bag. I twisted my body so that I was sitting behind him again and whispered in his ear,

"Can you act like you're throwing up?"

He smirked and turned his body so his head was near the toilet. I twisted the cap of the water bottle off and nodded my head. We both mouthed a countdown and at three, he began to wretch as I poured the water violently into the toilet. It made the perfect effect.

"Mr. Iero?" the principal asked again, only this time with less anger. Frank continued to wretch as the principal knocked on the door.

"Mr. Iero," he said more urgently. I almost laughed at the scenario. Finally, after a superb performance Frank answered.

"S-sir," he coughed. "Is it alright if I leave?" I was crying from trying not to laugh. Frank sounded so pitiful it was almost too good to be true.

"Yes, of course," the principal replied. "I'll inform your homeroom teacher."

"Thanks," Frank sputtered out before retching again. God this kid would be a good actor.
The sound of the door shutting broke the silence between Frank and I. We both started laughing uncontrollably.

"S-s-sir?" I said between laughs. "Since when h-have you been so r-respectful?" I wiped at my eyes as Frank stood laughing.

"I d-don't know," he laughed.

I stood also . I was about to open the stall door when I heard the front door squeak open again. I panicked.
Reacting quickly, Frank sat down and pulled me onto his lap, my back against his chest. I put my feet up on the stall door and tried to get my breathing under control.

"Frank?" a timid voice asked.

"Mikey?" he responded.

"Yeah! Where are you?" he asked.

"In here," Frank spoke. I could feel his voice vibrating through his chest.

"Where's here," Mikey asked. I rolled my eyes.

"In a stall moron," Frank said.

"Can you come out?" Mikey asked.

"Is there anyone else with you?" Frank inquired.

"Yeah," Mikey said. "Ray and Greg's still outside, but he's hiding somewhere from the principal."

"Yeah, he came in here earlier," Frank said, referring to the principal.

"Really?" Mikey asked.

"Yeah."

"Where did Jamie go then?" a new voice asked.

"I'm right here Ray," I said.

"Where?" he asked. "I don't see you."

Careful of Frank's leg I climbed off his lap and opened the stall door. Unfortunately, Mikey had pushed as I pulled causing me to fall into Frank.
Mikey coughed and Ray laughed.

"Interrupting something are we?" he asked.
I stifled a laugh and stood while brushing myself off.

"As always Ray," I said. "Both you and Mikey have impeccable timing."