Come One, Come All to This Tragic Affair

I woke up with a severe hangover and a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.
I’d told Frank that I was attracted to him.
“FUCK!” I yelled, and then winced when the noise reverberated in my skull.
So I did what every girl does when she did something stupid.
I called my best friend.
Within ten minutes Charlie was at my door with black coffee and a bottle of Tylenol.
“You have, like, nothing in here.” She said when she walked in.
“I haven’t really gotten around to doing anything to it.” I shrugged. The pills were starting to work on my system.
“Get ready to go and grab some shades. We’re going out.” The look on her face told me not to mess with her, so I did as she asked.
We went paint shopping first and I picked out a green that for some reason reminded me of Frank.
Good Lord, I’m obsessed.
Then furniture shopping.
Then grocery shopping.
And then when I was just about ready to commit hari kari and put myself out of my misery, I spotted Frank, Gerard and some guy I didn’t recognize coming towards us.
“Shit!” I squeaked, pushing my bangs over my eyes. Please don’t recognize me, please don’t recognize me.
“Feeling better?” Frank asked.
Fuck.
“Mildly. I’ve got a hella bad hangover.” I muttered, indicating the shades I was wearing.
“Told you to slow down.” He didn’t sound reproving though. “Sleep helps.”
“That’s what I was planning, but drill sergeant over here dragged me out.” I hooked my thumb over my shoulder at Charlie, who was completely and totally checking out Gerard.
“Hey, can you guys help us move some furniture?” Charlie said suddenly. I wished she could see my eyes so she could see the “WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!” look in them.
“Yeah, sure.” Frank nodded. “Rearranging your apartment?”
“She decided the best time to redecorate my apartment was when I was weak and defenseless from a hangover.” I shrugged.
Am I flirting with him?
“Oh, this is Mikey, Gerard’s little brother.” Frank seemed to remember the third guy who was just standing there. “Mikey, this is Jaden and…” I remembered he didn’t know her name.
“Charlie.” I’ll bet ten bucks Gerard is gonna be in love with her in a couple days.
So they followed us home and Charlie started overseeing the move of all the furniture in my apartment.
I let it happen quietly I knew better than to argue with Charlie. Especially since she knew me almost better than I knew myself.
“I’m gonna order a pizza. What do you guys want? I gotta get a veggie for Frank and me.” I called from the kitchen. Pizza two nights in a row. Yippee.
“Pepperoni sounds good.” Charlie called back. I heard two grunts of agreement from Mikey and Gerard and ordered the pizza.
I forgot how nice it is to have people around in the house. To have people talking and laughing around me.
“Holy shit she smiled.” Gerard interrupted the story Mikey was telling and pointed at me.
“Yeah, people smile.” Mikey looked at his brother like he was crazy.
“Not Jaden.” Gerard snorted. I glanced over at Frank and he was smiling so wide I thought his face would break in half.
“Let’s see if we can get her to do it again.” Charlie pulled a chair over and sat me in it.
“I’m not a fucking dog, I don’t do things on command.” I crossed my arms over my chest.
“Won’t you smile for me?” Frank gave me a puppy dog pout. I struggled with my facial muscles for a second and gave him a tiny smile.
Gerard and Mikey left about an hour later, then Charlie, leaving Frank and me alone.
I could have cut the tension in the air with a knife.
I was suddenly really warm and took off my hoodie so I was just in my ‘I Heart Zombies’ t-shirt.
“I should get going.” Frank startled me with how close behind me he was.
“Thanks for helping me out.” I turned around even though the logical part of my brain was screaming, “NOOOO!” That heat in his eyes was back and I could feel my skin warming up.
My heart rate picked up as he stepped closer and closer.