Blue Sunflowers

Frank opened the door to Denny’s and we sat down. I looked around and saw Frank looking at me with a knowing grin on his face. “Why are you looking at me like that?” I asked, laughing.

“I like this place too much to have you have us banned.”

I scoffed “You say that as if were like, some delinquent or something. I’m not gonna get us kicked out, I swear Frank.” He narrowed his eyes

“Pinkie promise?” he lifted his pinkie abruptly.

“Pinkie promise, seriously?” He didn’t respond. I held up my pinkie and he entwined it with his. “I pinky promise I won’t get us banned from Denny’s.” I said in monotone. He let go and leaned back, content with ruining my fun.

I chewed on my lip ring and looked to Frank, who doing the same. We laughed and I looked at him. “You know, Frankie, originally, when you didn’t honor a pinkie promise, you’d have your pinkie cut off.” I fiddled with my straw and he stared at me in disbelief.

“You’re so fucking weird.”

I smiled so hard, my cheeks hurt. “I love you, too, Frankie.”
------
We walked down the sidewalk to my car after leaving Denny’s and no, I didn’t get us kicked out.

“Frank?” He turned and put his arm around my shoulders “Yeah?”

I smiled and looked down “You know the guys are gonna beat the shit out of you, right?”

I looked up at him and he looked like he could shit his pants. “Fuck, I forgot about them.”

I giggled and he said “Shut up, I’m serious. Do you really think they’ll be that angry?” He looked at me worriedly.

“Frank, you haven’t been to practice for the last two months. You weren’t even supposed to play that gig, I’d been covering you the entire time.”

He sighed “I’m so sorry.” I laughed a little “I get it, you’re sorry. I’m sorry, okay? That’s it, I don’t want to hear anymore sorrys.” He let out a little laugh, too and squeezed my shoulder.

“You can say that, but the guys won’t.”
-----
I knocked on the Ways’ door and their mother answered. “Hey, Carolina. Oh, Frank. Where have you been all this time?” she pursed her lips and put her hand on her hips. I laughed at Frank’s expression of horror and answered for him.

“It okay, Mrs. Way. He’s just been busy. On the other hand, thank you very much for introducing my sister to Al.”

She grinned from ear to ear. “They’re such a cute couple aren’t they?”

I smiled back and nodded “Yeah, Al’s real cool. I definitely see a future with him.” She laughed and let us in.

We walked downstairs to the basement, with Frank behind me. “Hey guys!” I called out and it echoed. Gerard popped his head out from behind an amp and dropped whatever he was holding. “Hey – “his smiled instantly dropped when he saw Frank behind me. “The fuck is he doing here?” he asked angrily.

Scratch that, angry didn’t even begin to describe Gerard. He was, I don’t know. I could almost see the steam blowing out his ears.

I opened my mouth to speak but was interrupted by Mikey, Cookie and Maddie walking down the stairs behind us. “What the fuck is he doing here?” Mikey asked, only half as angry as Gerard. I could see Cookie holding back her comments behind Mikey.

“You guys, relax. He came to apologize. Right, Frank?” I looked at him and he gulped.

“Um, yeah.” He nodded and managed to avoid Gerard’s glare. “I’m sorry, I ditched you guys and for Laura, much less.” he cleared his throat and scratched the back of his head. “So, yeah. I’m really sorry.”

I looked around to see that their expressions had relaxed and Gerard said “Okay, fine. Whatever, but you try that one more time, your ass is out." He turned back around and added .“And I’m not talking about us.” Frank nodded and turned to me. “See, that didn’t hurt.”

He made a face and I patted his shoulder, giggling.