All I Wanted

The next few days passed quickly; too quickly. We had fun with his friends and Mrs. Iero was growing on me. When we had to leave I felt almost sick.

"I'll see you after New Years," Frank held me close and rested his forehead on mine.
"I'm gonna miss you," I almost started to cry.

"I'll miss you too," he chuckled and kissed the bridge of my nose, "I promise I'll come and see you as soon as possible."

I hated to make him feel this way; but I was hurting. It was a pro and con of having a boyfriend in a band: Pro: He makes wonderful music and changes lives, Con: He was always gone. The pros out weighed the cons, and it didn't help that we lived a few states away.

"I love you, Frankie," I lifted my head to meet his lips.

"I love you, too," he squeezed my body a little.

I parted with Frankie, reluctantly, and cried on the plane. Mom rubbed my back and cooed me; I hated being in love if it felt like this, but being in love with Frank was worth it.
-

The week at home was uneventful; I stayed home and mom worked, and Normal was still in California. She would call and tell me she got me a surprise every hour; I was getting annoyed and anxious. Frank would call and make me talk; I cried a few times. He would tell me jokes and even played, a show, with the phone open; he would pick it up a few minutes later and say "Did you hear that? Do you hear the crowd?". I missed him like mad.

It was 2 days before Christmas when Normal came back. She came over while I was wrapping my mom's gifts.

"What'd you get her?" she asked, taking her coat off and tossing it on the arm chair.

"Portable DVD player and her favorite movies," I wrapped a bundle of classic movies to surprise mom.

"Nice, how much did it set you back?" she sat beside me and began to help me with the tape.

"Only 150; thank God," I had used the money I was saving for a car, "and I paid the water and heat for January," I smiled to myself.

"When I have kids, I hope they're as considerate as you," Normal gushed, in a teasing way.

"You and I both," I muttered after.

"So, how was the visit with Frank's family, was it nice?" Nor asked as I put the finished DVDs on the coffee table.

"It's was alright, his mom is really sweet and was totally shocked when she found out I was 18," Nor giggled.

"Bob still hate you?" she teased.

"Not anymore...we're all sort of cool now," I smiled with a shrug.

"And Mikey?" she looked over at me.

"He and I are really...sorta...cool," I shrugged again, "we get along...and we didn't talk about you, so don't worry," she smiled happily.

Normal had been worried that Mikey hated her, but it was quite the opposite; he kinda wanted to see her again, but I told him about Cameron.

"How many gifts did you get me?" I changed the subject quickly.

"Oh, lots!" she smiled wider, "I even got your mom something!" I shook my head at Normal.

"Can I have a hint about what you got me?" she had that sneaky smile I hadn't seen in forever, "What?"

"Get your coat, we're going to get one of them!" she rushed me.

"Okay, okay!" I rolled my eyes and stood up.
-

Normal drove downtown, making me ansty. She kept mum about the gift and watched me carefully.

We reach the middle of the town, where there are lots of strip malls. She cruised through one of them and stopped in front of a tattoo and piercing parlor. She grinned, unbuckled her seat belt and got out. I followed behind and stepped to the front of her car.

"Ok, where is it?" I had hope she was joking with me.

"Right inside!" she pointed to the near empty tattoo shop.

"Normal, what are you going to do?" I asked in a whiney/frustrated tone.

"Just come on," she took my hand and dragged me inside.

Inside, it smelled of disinfectant and something else sterile. You could hear some buzzing noise.

Normal and I walked up to the counter, a man, tattooed and pierced all over, greeted us.

"Can I help you?" he asked nicely; his cheek piercings made me smile.

"Yes, I would like a tattoo; a lightening bolt, on my foot," Normal's soft voice was now strong and determined.

"What?" I looked at her; she ignored me.

"Alright," he nodded, "any specific design or colors?"

Normal took off my glove and my damaged hand, "I want it to look like this," my hand twitched and my fingers straighten in his sight.

"Gnarly," he grinned.

"And I want it a electric green color," I shook my head and the man took it.

"Let me get a good look," he eyed my scar, "hold on a sec, let me get my pad and pen," the man let go of my hand and went to the back.

I looked over at Normal and frowned, she just grinned.

"I can't believe you," I muttered setting my hand on the counter.

"I want us to match," she put it simply.

"Sure," I rolled my eyes.

The man came back and started to sketch my scar. It took him a few minutes; when he was done he showed us.

"Yes! I love it!" Normal grinned.

"Alrighty, let me get it stenciled and I call you back."

I sat beside Normal, holding her purse. She sat in a chair, the guy, whose name is Jeff, at her feet putting on the stencil.

"It's cold," she giggled.

"Don't kick me," Jeff joked.

I shook my head at her left bare foot. Her cute snow boots were on the floor next to us. He lifted her right foot to get a good angle, then the buzzing noise of the tattoo gun.

"Ready?" Normal nodded, "Have you done this before?" we both nodded.

This was Normal's second tattoo; her first was a little, pink, melted ice cream cone on her left shoulder blade. She got really drunk, on her 18th birthday, and demanded I take her; and I did.

"What about you?" Jeff turned to me.

"Oh, no," I smiled politely.

"Want one?" I shook my head.

"I wouldn't know what to get," Normal smirked at me.

"Get 'I love Frankie' across you tummy," she poked at me.

"No way," I frowned.

"Frankie your boyfriend?" he asked.

"Yeah," I felt my heart beat fast.

Jeff started Nor's tattoo a few seconds after my response. She giggled and had me hold her hand; tattoo pain makes her giggle.

"You guys best friends or somethin'?" he asked, he never took his eyes off her foot.

"Sunny is my best best best friend," Normal giggled.

"I'm the only one willing to put up with her shit," we all chuckled.

"Are you sure you don't want a tattoo? We have a book of them on the counter," he looked up, "I'm trying to pressure you, but you look like you want one."

I looked over at Normal; I did want one. She shook her head with her goofy grin.

"Alright," I agreed.

In the book of tattoo suggestions I saw lots of swallows and they made me think of Frank; he had 2 across his pelvic bone. I eyed them carefully and went back to the booth with the book.

"What do you think of this?" I showed them the swallow.

"Ooh, I like," Normal grinned.

"Those are very popular," Jeff informed.

"I think I'll get it."