When Did Your Heart Go Missing?

"Yey! Kitty!"

Kelsey laughed at me. We'd been watching lame movies, doing each other's hair, and painting our nails for the passed few hours. Kelsey had just drawn a cat on my thumb. My mom was in a surprisingly good mood.

"Hey, Deloris?" Kelsey said. My mom rushed into the room, smiling. It scared me. She was so...happy.

"Yes, Kelsey darling?" she said. Kelsey winked at me.

"I'm having this...get together, shall I say, on July fourth. Just me and a bunch of my nearest and dearest friends goofing off and celebrating our...freedom."

I laughed helplessly, although I wasn't sure where she was going with this.

"And, I know Layla is grounded but...I was just wondering...can she go?"

I glared at Kelsey angrily for a moment, then looked up at the Dictator. Her smile was gone. I couldn't tell just how angry she was.

"Of course," she said softly. My eyes just about bugged out of my head. "But...just that one day."

"Because, you know..." Kelsey went on, looking and sounding just as shocked as I was. "Just one day isn't enough." I elbowed her. "She needs to be around her friends, you know?"

"Kelsey!" I hissed.

"Tell ya what," my mom said, smiling. She stood in front of us, covering the screen. "You can have your summer back, sweetie." She held my hands gently, still smiling. "Recent events have made me realize just how harsh I am on you sometimes. And I'm sure you've learned from your mistakes. Just don't do anything you'll...regret. Okay?"

I nodded, gaping at her. She smiled again, kissing my forehead. Then she left the room. I stared at Kelsey, who looked just about ready to squeal.

"Recent events?" I said, quoting my insane mother. That's when Kelsey finally did squeal.

"I just won your summer back!" she said, jumping up and down. I laughed.

"I would hug you if it weren't for the fact that my mom's just plain weird."

"Ha! Yey!"

We laughed and went back to doing our nails.

"I've been meaning to ask you something, Layla," Kelsey said softly. It sounded almost like she was being careful.

"What?" I asked, blowing on my nails.

"Do you have feelings-"

"Oh dear god..."

"...for Frank?"

I tilted my head back, hating Kelsey for mentioning him. The entire night, I hadn't thought of him. Well...not exactly. But I hadn't thought of him as much. And she just ruined it.

"Well?"

"Yes I do, Kels."

She squealed.

"You know, you're real mature for a fifteen year old," I muttered, hoping to change the subject.

"I'm sixteen," Kelsey said. I laughed.

"You're not helping your case!"

"I'm trying to help yours."

"Elaborate."

"Ask him out."

I stood and made to go to the kitchen.

"Going to the kitchen?" Kelsey called after me.

"Yeah," I yelled back.

"While you're there, can you do two things for me?"

"What?"

"Bring more popcorn! And think about what I said!"

I'd rather punch you in the face, Kelsey. Is that an option?

I came back in the living room five minutes later with a fresh new bag of popcorn to find Kelsey looking through the DVD cabinet.

"Let's see some eighties shit," Kelsey said, pulling out the movie Stand By Me. 'Stand by me'. The fucking irony...

"So what you gonna do about your love for our darling Frankie?" she asked after popping the DVD in the DVD player.

I sighed. "Nothing."

She glared at me. "Well, you have to do something. Can't always expect the guys to make the first move, they're not that smart."

"I can't let it get too far," I muttered. I didn't want to have to explain this to Kelsey. She's the type of girl to scold you about something like that.

"Are you gonna tell me what the fuck is going on in your head or am I gonna have to push it out of you?" she said. I sighed. Guess I am gonna have to tell her.