The Plague of Popularity
I Can't Accept This Yet.
I turned to where his laughter was coming from and I saw him leaning back in a chair, a huge grin plastered on his face, his eyes shut and the purest form of happiness I have ever seen on anyone. If I didn’t hate him so much for ruining my life I think I’d have fallen in love atfirst sight. He opened his eyes and glanced over at my still form.
I blushed; I was just openly staring at him. He smirked at me and jerked his head as if to say ‘come here’. My feet—against my brain’s wishes—led me to his side. He smiled up at me before turning to his grandma.
“So you’ve met Frankie then grandma?”
“Yes I have, I must say, you’re quite handsome young man. He seems like a very nice boy Gerard; too bad Mikey snatched him up first.”
“Grandma, you know Mikey likes girls too much, plus Frankie stays in my room.”
“But I slept with Mikey last night.”
Wow that sounded really bad. Elena stood up and looked between Gerard and I and I just burst out laughing. So did she, Gerard chuckled too but seemed bothered by something.
“What’s so funny in here?”
He sent a small glare at his brother.
“You and Frankie slept together last night and I think Gee’s a tiny bit jealous.”
“I am not.”
“Oh yeah, Frankie’s so cuddly. He’s so soft and comfy and warm.”
Mikey wrapped his arms around me and laid his head on my shoulder. I saw a small tint of red creep up Gerard’s cheeks. A small buzz interrupted our laughter.
“Dinner’s ready!”
Mikey let go of me and sat down in the nearest chair as Donna helped Elena bring in the food. Gerard avoided my eye-contact as he glared at Mikey every so often.
“So tell me about yourself Frankie. How old are you, have you always lived here?”
Donna smiled as Elena drilled me with questions. Mikey grinned at me as he shoveled food into his mouth. For a skinny boy he sure could eat. Elena was now pestering me about past relationships.
“Well I’ve only ever had one boyfriend. That was when I was fourteen. It’s a bit of a mess really, we just rushed things and now we don’t talk at all, he hates me honestly and I don’t blame him. I’ve learned a lot about myself today that I didn’t even know and I’ve got a lot of work to do.”
“I’m sorry to have brought it up. You’re staying the night again right?”
“Yes, ma said that she’s staying with dad again. I’m glad it’s Friday and we don’t have school tomorrow.”
“Me too! Frankie, we should go back and see Mrs. Bridge!”
“Who’s Mrs. Bridge?”
“She’s the lady who owns that comic book store that I’ve been dying to go to. Frankie took me in today; apparently he used to go there all the time with his dad when he was younger. She still remembered him and she gave us each a free comic, our choice!”
Elena and Donna chuckled at Mikey’s enthusiasm; Gerard just stared at me—I guess he didn’t believe I used to read comics or something.
“Mikey, that’s up to Frankie; he’s free to do what he likes tomorrow.”
“That’d be great, she’s got the whole series I left off on, plus we promised we’d stop in and see her some more. Her husband died when I was ten, I stopped going when I was twelve.”
Elena spoke up.
“Gee honey, why don’t you tag along, I know how much you love your comics.”
“There’s no need to play match-maker, any of you.”
He stood and stormed out of the room, slamming his door shut as he stomped down the stairs to his room. The silence following his exit was horrifying.
I blushed; I was just openly staring at him. He smirked at me and jerked his head as if to say ‘come here’. My feet—against my brain’s wishes—led me to his side. He smiled up at me before turning to his grandma.
“So you’ve met Frankie then grandma?”
“Yes I have, I must say, you’re quite handsome young man. He seems like a very nice boy Gerard; too bad Mikey snatched him up first.”
“Grandma, you know Mikey likes girls too much, plus Frankie stays in my room.”
“But I slept with Mikey last night.”
Wow that sounded really bad. Elena stood up and looked between Gerard and I and I just burst out laughing. So did she, Gerard chuckled too but seemed bothered by something.
“What’s so funny in here?”
He sent a small glare at his brother.
“You and Frankie slept together last night and I think Gee’s a tiny bit jealous.”
“I am not.”
“Oh yeah, Frankie’s so cuddly. He’s so soft and comfy and warm.”
Mikey wrapped his arms around me and laid his head on my shoulder. I saw a small tint of red creep up Gerard’s cheeks. A small buzz interrupted our laughter.
“Dinner’s ready!”
Mikey let go of me and sat down in the nearest chair as Donna helped Elena bring in the food. Gerard avoided my eye-contact as he glared at Mikey every so often.
“So tell me about yourself Frankie. How old are you, have you always lived here?”
Donna smiled as Elena drilled me with questions. Mikey grinned at me as he shoveled food into his mouth. For a skinny boy he sure could eat. Elena was now pestering me about past relationships.
“Well I’ve only ever had one boyfriend. That was when I was fourteen. It’s a bit of a mess really, we just rushed things and now we don’t talk at all, he hates me honestly and I don’t blame him. I’ve learned a lot about myself today that I didn’t even know and I’ve got a lot of work to do.”
“I’m sorry to have brought it up. You’re staying the night again right?”
“Yes, ma said that she’s staying with dad again. I’m glad it’s Friday and we don’t have school tomorrow.”
“Me too! Frankie, we should go back and see Mrs. Bridge!”
“Who’s Mrs. Bridge?”
“She’s the lady who owns that comic book store that I’ve been dying to go to. Frankie took me in today; apparently he used to go there all the time with his dad when he was younger. She still remembered him and she gave us each a free comic, our choice!”
Elena and Donna chuckled at Mikey’s enthusiasm; Gerard just stared at me—I guess he didn’t believe I used to read comics or something.
“Mikey, that’s up to Frankie; he’s free to do what he likes tomorrow.”
“That’d be great, she’s got the whole series I left off on, plus we promised we’d stop in and see her some more. Her husband died when I was ten, I stopped going when I was twelve.”
Elena spoke up.
“Gee honey, why don’t you tag along, I know how much you love your comics.”
“There’s no need to play match-maker, any of you.”
He stood and stormed out of the room, slamming his door shut as he stomped down the stairs to his room. The silence following his exit was horrifying.