When Did Your Heart Go Missing?

Here's what's goin' down. It's Friday morning. The seniors are currently getting ready for graduation in just a few minutes. And just to break a few rules and to watch our friends' graduate, we're going to the auditorium to see their crowning moment. Mikey's a relative so he's sitting in a seat somewhere and missing all his morning classes, with permission. But Bob, Kelsey and I...

"No security guard!" I said. We ran down the hall and through the door. Luckily for us, the room was so loud that no one really noticed us walk in and hide behind the last row of seats. But someone was already there.

"Hey, Frankie," Bob said. Frank smiled. Then his eyes fell on me and his smile faded slightly.

"Look for Ray!" Kelsey said, gladly interrupting the awkward silence that errupted. "Imagine how hard it was for him to put on that cap!"

I laughed. So did Frank. I'd missed that melodic laughter...

"I see him!" Frank said. "He's one of the tallest so he's in the front."

"Gerard!" I pointed.

"And there's Mikey, that little bastard," Bob said.

"I see Sarah!" Kelsey said.

When the ceremony began, we stayed silent. Unless Gerard, Ray, or Sarah were on stage, in which case we stood and cheered. Frank turned to me as if to say something. And it was too late for hellos so this had to be good.

"Frank," I heard a whisper from behind say. Of course. The Princess of Perfect Timing. No, not Kelsey.

"Remi?" Frank said, turning to her. Remi had chosen not to break the rules and watch her friends graduate and yet here she was standing, interrupting Frank just as he was going to acknowledge my existence.

"We need to talk," she said. Frank was dazed. Remi grabbed his hand and they walked out together.

"What was that about?" Kelsey asked. I shrugged and looked up, trying to ignore that feeling in my stomach. I've gone passed the stage of denial. I know I'm jealous. Frank shouldn't be holding her hand.

"Dude!" Bob said. I hadn't been paying attention. Gerard had been called up for some type of award. But I really wasn't paying attention. There was something weird about Remi. I just had a feeling...

"I'm gonna go," I whispered, standing up silently.

"You're gonna miss it!" Kelsey said.

But I walked away, losing interest in watching a bunch of eighteen-year-olds in caps and gowns getting rolled up pieces of paper.

I walked down the hall aimlessly, feeling a strange nostalgia for the times when Frank and I were the best of friends. All because of some stupid girl...

After walking around for about fifteen minutes, I found Frank sitting on the floor against the lockers. I guess I'd been looking for him all along.

"Hey," I said, feeling nervous. Frank was looking at the ground, his face covered by his hair. I wondered where Remi was.

Hold on.

Frank alone. After Remi pulled him away? And when he looked up at me, he didn't look all that happy. Could it be-

"Hey," Frank said silently. "You know...I never formally begged for your forgiveness."

I smiled and walked over to him, sitting down beside him. His arm brushed mine. That's the closest we'd been for days.

"She broke up with me," Frank said, looking up at the ceiling. Then he looked at me and I was speechless. "Go ahead. Smile. Laugh. Say 'I told you so'. I deserve it."

And that's just what I did. I laughed. Partially because I was too happy not to and partially because he'd told me to. His face looked almost offended.

"I-I'm sorry," I said, smiling. I felt ecstatic. But Frank looked depressed. Dammit. It's like an oxymoron. "You're...still hung up on her, aren't you?"

Frank sighed and nodded. I continued to smile. He'll get over it. He has to...