When Did Your Heart Go Missing?

Gerard wrapped and arm around my waist and I cringed. He pulled away so quickly, I cringed again.

"Am I not allowed to do that?" he asked softly.

"No, no, it's just that..." I trailed off. I don't think he knew about the cut, and I don't think I want him to know. But Gerard was smart. I watched him look down at my back. His left hand found its way to the left side of my lower back and I cringed again. He lifted my shirt slightly.

"Oh my God," he said. "I knew she was bad but...not this bad...shit..."

He pulled his hand away and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. I rested my head on his shoulder for a second. Then I pulled away completely and stood.

"Where you going?" Gerard said. Everyone looked up.

"I'm...tired," I stated.

"It's not even six o clock yet," Bob said.

"Bye, guys," I said distractedly, ignoring Bob's comment.

I walked up the stairs silently, making it to the guestroom that Kelsey said would be my room. I turned the knob and looked around. It looked like a normal bedroom. A wardrobe, a dresser with a mirror and a phone on top of it, a carpet covering the floor entirely, and a bed. Nothing special. Except that the bed was meant for two and there was a glass door that led to a balcony.

I sighed and fell onto the bed. I stared at the ceiling blankly. I felt miserable and depressed. I remembered picking up that scissors in Frank's bathroom and wondered if there was some somewhere in this room...

Then I picked up the phone and dialed.

"Hello?" came Linda's sweet voice from the other end of the line.

"Hey, can I talk to Frank?" I asked her.

"Sweetie, he's not up for the phone ri-"

"Is that Layla? Let me talk to her!"

I smiled. His voice still sounded nasally but at least I'd heard it.

"Layla, sweetie, I'm sorry but he'll be sneezing all over the phone," Linda said apologetically.

"No I won't!" says Frank defensively in the background.

"It's okay," I said. "I'm...I got what I...I'll talk to him later."

"Alright. Bye, Layla."

"Bye."

That's all I needed. To heard his voice. I feel better now.

I hung up the phone and stared at the ceiling...

His face slowly inched towards mine. When our lips met, I felt complete bliss. Each second, the kiss deepened, with our tongues now playing in each other's mouths. I held his face with my hands, wanting it more than anything else...

"Layla, are you sleeping?"

I shot up in the bed.

"Now I'm not," I said with a sigh.

"Okay," Kelsey said. "Good. You know you just missed two great movies, right?"

I shrugged nonchalantly.

"What is wrong with you?"

I cocked and eyebrow at her.

"Ugh, I mean..." she said defensively. She sat down beside me and sighed. "Why are you so...depressed?"

"Do I need a better excuse other than the fact my mom wanted to kill me?" I retorted rolling my eyes, my words dripping with so much sarcasm it almost hurt. But Kelsey smiled.

"That's what I mean!" she said excitedly. This girl is so weird... "You never let anything keep you too down. You're the sarcastic girl we all know and love and when we try to help you, you usually accept-"

"So that's what tonight was," I interrupted. "Help the poor sad girl-"

"Help our best friend when she's down, more like. Because, you know what? We love you. Seeing you hurt hurts us. Sorry for trying to make you smile."

I looked away.

"I know there's something else bothering you," she said softly. "Is it Rodney?"

I smiled helplessly. "It's Frank."