This Moment was Held for Me

The next morning I woke before Frank did. I quietly lay in my bed just looking at his face. I looked at his dark eyelashes, his nose and down to his lips. I want to reach out and touch his lip ring. I want to brush his hair off his boyish face. I bit my lip and grinned to myself. I really, really, liked Frank. A crash in the hallway interrupted my thoughts. I snapped back to reality and remembered that my mother could, at any moment, open the door to reveal me and a random boy she didn’t know. Now that would be a great way to wake up in the morning.
I shook Frank’s shoulder, “Frankie! Wake up,” I whispered urgently.
His hazel-green eyes snapped open and he smiled at me, “What’s up?”
I looked towards my bedroom door as another noise in the hallway was heard. I turned my attention back to Frank, “It’s my mom, remember? She wouldn’t like to see some random boy in my bed.”
He sat up and tousled his hair, “Oh yeah. What should I do?” he asked.
I blinked, “Uh? Leave?”
He stood up and stretched with a sigh, “Mm okay. How?”
I bit my lip nervously, “Out the window?”
Frank looked into my eyes to tell if I was serious. There was a pause between us.
“Seriously?” Frank said with amusement in his eyes, “I’m not freaking Jacob Black you know.”
I laughed quietly, “I’m sorry! But it’s not a far drop.”
He sighed again and leant out the window to survey the height. He rubbed the back of his neck, “Fuck Mia. Alright, for you. But if I die,” he grinned, “It’s your fault.”

Very soon after Frank left my house, my mother walked into my room to remind me to get up. I couldn’t be more thankful for good timing.
“Quickly Mia! You’ll be late at this rate,” she said to me.
“I know!” I said as I grabbed my bag and a water bottle.
“You should have just stayed at Amanda’s and gotten ready there!”
I gulped nervously as I remembered the lie I told my Mom.
I answered her vaguely, “Yeah I just forgot some school things.”
She looked at her watch and tapped it, “Mia! The teachers will think you’ve forgotten to go to school all together! You need to get a move on!” She pushed me out the door and advised me to run to school. Soon enough, I was outside the school gates puffing.
Amanda was waiting there for me, even though our first class had probably already started, with a grin on her face.
“Well well well, look what the cat dragged in,” she said to me, “Where did you run off to last night?” She winked, “We couldn’t find you or Frank anywhere.”
I smiled at her, “We just ran into some trouble with Jack.”
She seemed surprised, “That was you two? You were the ones that got in the fight?”
I shrugged, “It wasn’t a big thing. We just had to get outta the party before it became a big thing.”
She nodded in understanding.
“Anyway,” I said, “We are really late!”
She nodded, “I know, I just wanted to check that you were okay and that you were coming.” As she was speaking I was rummaging through my bag to find my timetable.
I muttered to myself, “Uh! What class do I have?”
She grinned at me, “You’ve got History!”
I stopped searching for my timetable, “How do you know?” I eyed her in a suspicious but joking manner.
She winked, “I memorized your timetable.”
I soon made my way to History class and sat in the front row.
“How nice of you to join us,” my teacher said to me pointedly.
“Sorry!” I said innocently, “There was traffic.”
He frowned at me but said, “Fine.”
The teacher droned on and on until the end of the lesson when he coughed and said, “Please bring your assignments up to my desk before you leave on your way to lunch.”
A sinking feeling in my stomach settled in. My assignment. Due Thursday. I totally forgot in all the chaos of Frank and my Mom. I groaned and slammed my head into the desk. I had never forgotten an assignment date before. I started to panic. What would my punishment be? Would they call my Mom? How would my grades be affected? I sat nervously at my desk until all the other students had filed out of the classroom.
I then approached Mr Benton’s desk and said, “Sir? I’m so sorry,” I began, “But I’ve forgotten my assignment. I’ve completely finished it though, could I just bring it in tomorrow?” I was wringing my hands with nerves.
He turned around and sighed at me, “Mia, I wouldn’t have expected this from you. How could you forget?”
I shook my head unable to explain, “I don’t know. I’m so sorry, sir.”
He sighed, “I’m supposed to give you a detention and fail any late submissions. You are a senior student and should know better than this. However, seeing as this is your first late assignment submission, I’ll give you an extension until 3pm today. You need to get that assignment to me by 3pm to avoid failing, okay?” he said through his glasses.
I stared at him, not really knowing how to go about re-doing my assignment in the morning tea break. It would be impossible. But I knew he was giving me a chance, so I just thanked him and walked out.
I sighed and sunk down to the floor once I reached my locker. How could I have been so careless? There was no way I was going to get this assignment done in time. Now I was going to fail and my mother would be absolutely furious. No doubt I’d be banned from having sleepovers at Amanda’s.
“What’s wrong Mia?” Amanda rushed over to me as soon as she spotted me by my locker.
I looked up at her, “I’ve forgotten my history assignment. It’s due today. I’m not going to be able to finish it by 3pm!” I ran a hand through my hair with stress.
She frowned, “Okay, well calm down. We can figure this out.”
I shook my head, “You don’t understand! I’ve never forgotten an assignment before. I can’t fail this subject! It’s senior year!”
She placed a comforting hand on my shoulder, “I’ll figure it out. Leave it up to me.” The bell rang and I looked at her with another stressed expression. Now I didn’t even have morning tea to work on it!
“Just go to class,” she urged as she whipped out her phone.

During the next two periods I was stressed. I couldn’t concentrate nor could I ever consider starting the assignment from scratch again. By lunch break, I was in big need of a cigarette. I had no idea where Amanda was or what her plan was. I had basically given up. It was 1pm, there was no point trying. Instead, I walked around towards the back fence of the school where I knew some people that smoked.
“Hey,” I approached a friend from my English class.
She smiled at me knowingly, “Need something Ms Mia?”
I smiled weakly, “Do you have any cigarettes Sarah?”
She offered me a stick, “Here, looks like you need it,” she smiled and turned back to her conversation. I continued walking up a path and turned into a secluded corner of the school. It ran parallel to the main road so lots of kids didn’t want to sit close to the traffic. I closed my eyes and smoked my cigarette. I smiled when I got a head spin.
“I thought you didn’t smoke?” a familiar voice said.
I snapped my eyes open with a grin, “Frankie?”
He held a plastic folder in his hand . “Forgot something?” he said with a smirk.
I gasped, “How did you know?” I took the folder off him and checked that my assignment was in there.
“Amanda texted me,” he explained as he shoved his hands in his pockets.
I suddenly threw my hands around him and hugged him tightly, “Thank you thank you thank you! You have no idea, you just saved my ass.”
He raised his eyebrows and looked over my shoulder, “Did I now?”
I pulled away from him, “Did you just look at my ass?”
He laughed but didn’t say a word.
I laughed and smacked his shoulder, “Don’t be such a boy!”
The bell interrupted our conversation. It signaled the end of lunch time. I had to find Mr Benton and hand in my assignment immediately.
“I’ve got to go!” I said to Frankie.
“What?” he looked surprised.
“I’ve got to get to class! Thank you!” I explained hurriedly and went to turn around.
He grabbed my wrist, “I literally just ran to your school and all I get is thank you?”
“I hugged you?”
He repeated himself, “And all I get is a hug?”
I laughed, “Well what do you want?!”
He grinned, “Well how about a kiss?”
I raised my eyebrows and sighed, “Really?”
“Remember, I ran.”
“Oh,” I said sarcastically but with a smile, “Well in that case.” I leaned in and gave him a gentle kiss on the lips. His hands snaked up around my waist and pulled me closer. His tongue ran across the bottom of my lip, asking for entrance. Our mouths opened and his tongue entered and fought for dominance. I couldn’t help but smile as we kissed. As we kissed, he pushed me gently against the brick school wall. One of his hands travelled down to the hem of my skirt. He didn’t falter one bit. His warms hand slipped up my thigh, pushing my skirt with it. My leg was now hitched around his hip. My fingers were tangled in his dark hair. I couldn’t help but moan a little into the kiss.
His hands continued to roam up my thigh and went to slip closer towards my underwear. Suddenly, I heard a gasp. I quickly pushed Frank off me and straightened my skirt again.
“Ms Edwards!” the surprised voice said sternly. It was Mr Benton.
“What on earth are you doing?” he continued.
My eyes were wide with shock and I couldn’t think of a thing to say.
Eventually I stuttered out, “Uh, here’s my assignment,” I said lamely as I handed the folder to him.
He snatched the folder but continued lecturing me, “What is going on with you? First you forget your assignment, and now I catch you kissing some…” he turned to look Frank up and down. Frank just grinned at him cheekily.
“Kissing some delinquent!” Mr Benton finished.
He took up another breath and continued, “You, get off this school property,” he said to Frank, “And Ms Edward, get to class immediately. You are lucky I don’t call your Mother.”
I gulped. I didn’t like the sound of Mom knowing. Frank gripped my hand, quickly pecked me on the cheek, and quickly walked away onto the busy road.
Mr Benton cleared his throat, “If I ever see you exhibiting such behaviour again, I will not hesitate to punish you. But for this time, I won’t call your mother or give you a detention. Do you hear me?”
I nodded, “It won’t happen again, sir. Thank you.”
And with that, I quickly made my way to class. But I couldn’t help but grin as I walked down the school hallways.