When Did Your Heart Go Missing?

"Frank, you sleep on the couch. Layla, you can sleep in Frank's room."

I stared at her, tilting my head.

"No," I stated. Both Ieros looked at me. I held Frank's hand tighter. "I-I don't want to be alone."

Linda sighed and smiled. "Fine. Just don't do anything stupid...that means you, Frank."

I laughed helplessly. Frank groaned, obviously embarrassed. But he turned to me and winked.

"Why does she have your shirt on, Frankie?" Linda asked her son.

"She got cold," he said, shrugging nonchalantly and before I could even start to get nervous.

"You want anything, dear?" Linda said to me after giving Frank a curious look. "Coffee, food..."

"No, I just...I want to go to sleep," I said. "I'm tired."

Linda smiled, nodded, and disappeared into the kitchen.

"Have fun, you crazy kids!" she yelled. "But not too much fun!"

I laughed again. Frank shook his head and smiled at me. He leaned down close to me and whispered in my ear, "Meet me in the bathroom."

I nodded nervously. We walked up the stairs and went our separate ways. Alone in the bathroom, I noticed a pair of scissors sitting on the floor. I was tempted to pick them up and see if...

I leaned down, almost mesmerized, and held the scissors to my wrist. I closed my eyes.

Do it. Don't do it. Do it. Don't do it.

Then I remembered Frank and dropped the scissors. I can't do this.

I stood straight and I pulled his shirt over my head, my own shirt now stuck to it because of the...blood. I heard the door open. I turned around, nervously pulling the shirts down. Frank gave me a small smile. He was still topless.

And we were alone in a bathroom.

He held what looked like t-shirts, towels and a bottle of rubbing alcohol.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but...you'll need to take them off," he said awkwardly. I nodded and turned around. I couldn't look at him when he was...technically half naked.

Why do I think these things?

I pulled the shirts over my head and threw them aside. I felt concious that Frank would be seeing my bra. I heard him turning on the water from the sink and then turn it back off. A second later, I felt a wet coldness on my lower back. I winced. He pulled the wet towel away. I pressed my forehead against the wall.

"Okay," he said. "It's not too deep. But it's pretty damn long..."

"How long?" I asked nervously.

"Six inches maybe?"

I shuddered.

"Okay, I'm gonna put alcohol on it," he said. "It's gonna hurt."

I closed my eyes and felt a sudden sharp pain again as Frank passed another wet towel over the cut. I felt the sting of alcohol and let out a small scream. It felt like it was burning through my skin...

"What's going on up there?" I heard Linda yell from downstairs, probably wondering why I'd screamed.

"Nothing, mom!" Frank yelled back.

I looked back at Frank, not letting him see my front. I barely acknowledged that we were both topless. Alone. In a bathroom. And we like each other...

In a normal stupid teen movie, we'd jump into each other's arms and fuck right here. But, no. This isn't some made-up story. This is my life.

My shoulders shook slightly as I started crying again. Frank's hands went around my waist from behind...comfortingly. I felt his bare upper body press gently against mine. I felt his arms wrap around my narrow waist completely, his warm hands resting on my sides. It felt good. We stayed like this, my body's warmth going into his, his body's warmth coming into mine... He held me until I stopped crying. He kissed me on the cheek and held me a bit tighter, his hot breath falling over my neck. I shuddered slightly as his moist lips touched my bare neck, the cold from his lip ring taking me aback. He leaned down and kissed my upper back ever so lightly. He hesitantly pulled away.

I was fucking dazed.

"Here," he said suddenly. "The bleeding stopped so you can put this on."

I turned my head (but not my body) and grabbed the shirt he was handing to me. I pulled it on and quickly walked out of the room. I didn't want to see my blood on towels. (I resisted the urge to jump into Frank's arms.) I walked into his dark room down the hall and fell onto where I knew his bed was. I closed my eyes.

"Hey," I heard Frank's voice say a few minutes later. I opened my eyes and Frank walked through the door, turning on the light. He was wearing a shirt now.

Good.