You Give Love a Bad Name

"So wait, you told Bob that Gerard was a Vampire, and he believed it?" Melanie clapped her hands in amusement, roaring with laughter. "Dude, I have Bob in two of my classes, and he didn't strike me as the gullible type."

It was ten minutes before school ended for the day, and about an hour since I met Melanie Hamilton. Let's just say that when Mrs. Dalton said that there might be some potential friendships in this room, she was 100% right. There was something about Melanie that pulled me in and made me want to find out more about the girl as a person. I had no doubts that same time next month, we would be at my house, hanging out like we've known each other for forever.

During the short amount of time that I'd known Melanie, I found out not only that she had a little sister named Nicole, or Nikki for short, and that she was hopeless when it came to the kitchen department, but also that she moved to New Jersey from Connecticut only two weeks ago, and was still settling in. That would explain why I didn't see her before on campus, and believe me, I would have definitely remembered if not her superb sense of fashion, then her hard to find, easygoing personality.

Currently both of us sat on the counter top of my school's mini, rundown kitchen, waiting for the chocolate chip cookies, which were baking in the oven, to reach the desired golden color that we were aiming for, so we could bring it to Mrs. Dalton for grading. Seeing as the cookies still needed to bake for about fiver or so minutes, Melanie and I were exchanging stories about family and friends.

"I know, right? When you first meet him, he looks like someone who'd stab you in the alley while in the proses of mugging you, with his tough-ass attitude and those intimidating glares, but when you get to know him, he's just like a teddy bear! Plus, he gives amazing hugs," I informed Melanie, hopping off the counter and going to check up on our edible creations. "Awesome! These look just about done. Another minute or so, and they're good to go!"

"That rhymed," Melanie grinned, swinging her legs back and forth. "What would I do without you, O Amazing Partner?"

I tapped my chin with my index finger, mockingly looking thoughtful. "Fail this class perhaps, missy?"

Melanie rolled her eyes and bit her lip to stop herself from grinning. "I would say something back to defend myself, but we all know that it's true."

"Oh snap! Who got served? MELANIE GOT SERVED!" I yelled out the last part victoriously, instantly clapping a hand over my mouth after the room got quiet and a couple of heads turned to look in our direction with bewilderment.

"Heh, you're such a loser," Melanie said good naturally, chuckling as my cheeks slowly started to turn pink. Rolling her eyes, she cleared her throat. "Okay, everybody look away now. There's nothing to see."

I took out the steaming tray of chocolate chip cookies from the oven, looking up to make a face at Melanie, but stopped when I saw something past her slumped form; two faces pressed again's the small window on other side of my class' door, making distorted grimaces.

"Oh. My. Sweet Jesus on a cracker," I tried to make my voice stern, but failed when one of the faces started to drool, 'causing me to choke on a fit of giggles. "Excuse me while I go and kick some ass."

Melanie raised her eyebrows as she turned around, but her look of sheer confusion quickly left her face and she snorted. "Is that...Bob? And who's that other moron with him?"

Laughing at Frank, who was now sucking his face in, only noticed by Melanie and myself while the rest of the class went about their business, I started to walk towards the door. "That, my dear, would be Frank. My best friend and every mother's worst nightmare. I'll be back in a minute, I just need to see what those two want."

"Okay doke," I heard her reply behind me, as I pushed the door open, almost hitting Bob in the face.

"Jeez! In a hurry much?" Bob yelped, jumping away from the swinging door like it was made out of hot iron.

"Nooooo, I'm in class. Unlike you two," I pouted and crossed my hands on my chest. "Which brings me to ask this; why are you not in class and instead are drooling on my classroom's door?"

Frank mimicked my position, sticking his bottom lip out even more than mine and making his eyes wide and innocent. "Well, if you'd pick up your phone once in a while, we wouldn't have to disrupt your learning experience, now would we?"

"What he said," Bob dawdled, striking a gangster pose.

I groaned and reached into my jean's pocket, fishing for my cell. "That still doesn't explain why you two aren’t in cla-holly shit! Thirty-four missed calls?" My mouth opened in shock as I started to look through the numbers. "Frank... Frank... Mikey...Bob... Mikey... Cara... Frank... Laurie... Ray ...Gerard... Frank... Frank... What did you guys do? Call me every five minutes for the past hour?"

"A: We're not in class because...well, you're gonna find out. B: Yes we did, but only to tell you to skip Foods and come home, because we're planning Laurie's fair well party. Everyone's already there. And C: I like your shirt," Frank informed me, lowering his glasses to check out my baby blue shirt that had hearts, starts and lightening bolts randomly sprinkled all over it.

"Uh, thanks," I answered distractedly, playing with the sleeve of my hoodie. I winced as the shrill sound of the bell rang through the hallway. "What party are you talking about?"

"Get your shit, and we'll tell you in the car," Bob stated, fumbling with a pack of cigarettes.

"If you're gonna get caught with that," I nodded towards the pack with a smirk, "and get a detention, I'm gonna laugh. Hard."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Frank rolled his eyes, taking a cigarette and putting it between his lips, as he held up a lighter. "Are you going or what?"

"Are you going or what?" I mimicked him in a high pitch voice, ignoring Bob's laughter and pushing past the stream of people going out of the classroom so I could get my things.

"Well someone certainly took their time," I heard Melanie’s voice behind me, as I grabbed my backpack. I turned around and saw her holding two plates of cookies which I presumed to be ours.

"Oh, I'm sorry," I shot her an apologetic look, feeling bad that I abandoned her to present our project by herself. "Bob and Frank are being stupid and discreet again. But," my eyes lit up as an idea struck me, "what are you doing later today?"

Melanie bit her lip in thought. "I'm supposed to go with my Mom and sister to buy paint for our living room. Why?"

"Oh," I sighed in disappointment, reaching in my backpack for a piece of paper and a pen. "Well, if your plans fall apart and you have free time on your hands, want to come over? We can chill or something."

"Yeah. Yeah, that sounds great," Melanie beamed at me.

"Lena! Get your ass over here!"

"Shut up, Frank! I'm coming," I yelled over my shoulder, hastily scribbling down my cell's number on a piece of binder paper.

"Are you sure you guys are just friends?" I looked up to see Melanie's eyes twinkling in amusement. "You two sound more like an old married couple to me."

I rolled my eyes and extended my hand with the scrap of paper in my palm. "Positive."