When Did Your Heart Go Missing?

Frank didn't get over it. His friends' attempts at getting him to talk to me were in vain and my attempts at talking to him...did not exist.

The worst part was lunch that day. Apparently, detention was not enough. As an extra little punishment, we had to get our trays and eat at our homerooms. Just so happens that the only punished freshmen in my homeroom are me and Frank.

He sat as far from as he could.

I had no appetite for cafeteria-burger.

"Frank..." I said softly, turning my head in his direction. His head was on the table, his face hidden by his hoodie.

"Fra-"

"Shut up."

Shut up? He told me to shut up? Unbelievable.

Well...at least he acknowledged my existence.

To Present time, though. Last period, Tuesday. Mikey and I played games on papers. You know...Hang Man, Tic-Tac-Toe, stuff like that. And Frank? I looked back and saw...the worst thing I could see.

I pinched Mikey and pointed to the back of the room, where Remi and Frank were eating each other's faces.

"Oh shit," he said. "Are you serious?"

Mikey sounded angry. And when I looked at him, he looked angry. It was a rare occurrence, getting Mikey mad.

I lay my head down on the table, losing all purpose to live.

"We'll talk to him, Layla," Mikey whispered. "Don't worry."

Don't worry. Don't worry?

Sorry, Mikey, but...I'm worrying here.

Wednesday. Still nothing from Frank. I'm sitting here in math class, wondering how long it could take that idiot to use the bathroom. I know, I know...I shouldn't care, right? Wrong. He may be a totally idiotic and blind ass hole, but we've been friends all our lives. And I was worrying. He'd gone to the bathroom a while ago. It doesn't take fifteen goddamn minutes to use the bathroom.

Considering the teacher wasn't paying attention to anything or anyone, I slipped out of the room and made to look for Frank. Bad Layla, bad Layla! Not more broken rules!

I heard grunting coming from around the corner. I knew some jocks were probably beating the shit out of a helpless kid. But I had to go that way, considering the bathrooms were there. And no one deserves what ever it was they were doing to him.

I care too much. I realize that. But, what can I say?

You can only imagine what I saw when I turned the corner. Go on, guess. You're smart.

"Rodney!" I yelled. The ass hole looked up at me. His friends ran off in the opposite direction. But he walked towards me, slowly. It was sickening, the way he looked at me.

"Hey, baby," he said with a smirk, licking his lips once he was in front of me.

"Don't touch her!" a strained voice said. Not just any voice. Frank's voice. He was the kid on the floor that had been getting kicked at by Rodney and his stupid friends.

"Why not?" Rodney retorted, putting his hand on my waist.

I shoved him away and ran towards Frank. Rodney laughed and walked away.

I kneeled in front of Frank, who was barely sitting up. He was clutching his stomach. His lip ring was on the floor.

"Oh my god," I breathed, bring my hand to his bloody face. "Th-they pulled out your lip ring?"

Frank turned his head, enabling my hand to fall to the floor. His lip was bleeding horribly.

"Frank, I need to get you help-"

"I'll get my own help," he groaned.

"But, Frank-"

"Go away. I don't need you."

I stared at him in disbelief. "You defend me from Rodney but you don't want my help?"

"No girl deserves to be touched by him. Not even you."

The small hole in my stomach that I'd felt for the passed few days grew into a black hole, sucking in everything in sight.

I wasn't that sad anymore. I was more angry. Frank just didn't make any sense. He just wasn't worth it. Even when he was so helpless and obviously needed his best friend.

"Fine," I said, choking back tears. "Hope you don't get infected. Good luck. Have a nice life."

I stood up. He looked up at me. I couldn't bear to see him so bloody and helpless. I turned around.

"Wait!" Frank called after me. I stopped. "Maybe...maybe I do need you."

Maybe he is worth it. Maybe he can make sense.

Of course you need me, Frank. Of course you do...