When Did Your Heart Go Missing?

"Let me get this straight. You dated us to make each other jealous but you cheated on us anyway?"

I was frustrated. Rodney looked thoughtful. Than he nodded.

"Yeah, pretty much." Rodney shrugged and smirked.

"But why us? Why a bunch of stupid freshmen?"

Rodney sighed. "You ready for a speech?"

"From you?" I said sarcastically. "What fun."

"You guys have been in love with each other since, like, before seventh grade. You only realized how much you liked each other when it was impossible to be together. I think...I think you losers avoid that kind of contact, for some reason. We did you guys a favor. And you were too easy a target. Torturing people is fun. Now, everybody's free to be with whom they please. Go fuck him and get it over with."

I gaped at him.

"Ha." he chuckled. "I just thought of something. Love quadrangle."

I punched him.

"You speak bull shit," I tell him.

"Believe what you want," he said, putting his arms in the air in defeat. "We're not saints. We wanted to hurt you guys because it was just funny. You people are pathetic."

"So why'd you beat him up?"

"I thought it'd be fun to beat up the man slut that my ex-girlfriend wants. And I was right."

"Walk away, pretty boy."

He laughed one more time and walked away like I told him.

"Remi's such a good lover!" he yelled through the halls, in a fake Mexican accent. "But Layla's so much better!"

Fourth period. I told Frank everything. Well, almost everything. I told him to promise he won't do something stupid. Then I told him that Remi dated him to make Rodney jealous and Rodney dated me to make Remi jealous. And that they had cheated on us with each other anyway. I had to repeat it a few times because he was confused...and angry.

I left out the part where they basically said they wanted Frank and I to be together. But I put in the part that they wanted to torture us.

"You okay, Frankie?" I said, processing the information in my own head.

"I promised you I wouldn't do something stupid," Frank said through gritted teeth. His fists were clenched on top of his desk. "So I will try not to."

I leaned over and gave him a light kiss on the cheek. "They're not worth it, Frank." I put my hand on his arm. He smiled and turned to me. He grabbed my hand and brought it to his lips, kissing the back of my hand lightly. I felt myself blush.

I want him, I want him not. I want him, I want him not. Fuck it. I want him.

"You are so brave," Frank said softly.

"Me?" I asked. "Sorry, you must have me confused with the other girl that has blue hair..."

He laughed. "No, really. You are. I would've never done what you did. Going up to them like that. I feel like a wimp but I'm so proud of you."

I smiled. You flatter me, Iero. You really do.

"What are we doing after school?" I asked him, ignoring the butterflies that multiplied in my stomach with each passing second that Frank held my hand.

"Going to Kelsey's, of course," he stated. "That dirty little rich girl."

"We'll be out of this place in one more hour!"

"Partying it up at Kelsey's."

"Wet T-shirt party."

"No T-shirt party."

I laughed. We laughed. And everything was normal. Just two good friends. Nothing more and nothing less. Remi and Rodney are a thing of the past. Not worth it. Never were.

Hello, summer. My name is Layla.