You Give Love a Bad Name

"Um...sure."

I guess the bemused look on my face was particularly amusing, because Frank started to laugh even harder.

"Leeennnnnaaaaaaaaa!"

"I'm coming, Emily," I yelled over my shoulder, stepping aside to let Frank in. When he was inside, I closed the door. "Why aren't you at the movies with the rest of them?"

He shrugged and leaned against the wall. "It was boring, so I left early. Who wants to watch Mikey and Melanie swap spit anyway?"

I made a face and gestured towards the kitchen. "I guess you know that I'm stuck babysitting my little cousins, so I can't hang out. I would invite you over, but it's a war zone over here."

Frank raised his right eyebrow at me, crossing his hands against his chest. "Is that your nice way of telling me to leave?"

"No, it's my nice way of telling you that if you stay, Emily will smear makeup all over your face."

He grinned and started to walk towards the kitchen. "Hey, as long as the guys won't find out about my little make over, I'm game. Kids love me."

I snorted, following in his footsteps. "I'm sure."

He turned around to face me, still walking backwards. "Is that sarcasm I hear in your voice, Way? I'll let you know that my Aunt Beth always lets me babysit her son whenever she's in town. David admires me."

I flashed Frank a teasing smile and pushed past him as Emily yelled my name once again, but this time with more whine in her tone. "Is that why he yelled 'You suck!' and slammed the bathroom door in your face that one time I came over when you were babysitting? I bet David wants to be just like you when he grows up. Nope, no doubt about it in my mind."

"Hey," I heard Frank protest behind me, "he was going through that phase that all teenagers go through! He would yell in your face too!"

"The keyword is teenagers here, Frank. The boy is ten."

"A mid life crisis?"

"Are you saying he's gonna kick the bucket at twenty?"

"Well, I dunno then! He must be having some kind of crisis with all the shit he's been pulling lately. I mean, come on! Suspended from school, fights, profanity, Auntie Beth is just livid -"

I rolled my eyes, pushing a stray strand of hair out of my face. "Hey, guess what? I think that there's a big case of 'Pot-Calling-The-Kettle-Black', here. If I'm not mistaken, you were the same way, if not worse, when you were ten. I guess David was just lucky enough to inherit that irresistible Iero charm."

Frank caught my arm and pouted. "That was definitely sarcastic."

I tilted my head to the side, "Nooooo!"

"You're being sarcastic again!"

"You think?"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"I was being sarcastic."

"Aha!" Frank leaned in and poked my nose with his index finger. "Gotcha! I win."

"But -"

"Leeeennnnnna!"

I groaned and turned to my head towards the kitchen's doorframe. "Yes, Jason?"

Ignored me, he looked at Frank instead. "Ohhhhhhh, is that your boyfriend?"

In an instant Emily was by his side, starring at me and Frank with wide eyes, cheese smeared all over her face. "Boyfriend? Lena has a boyfriend?"

My eyes widened. "Um -"

"I heard my Mommy say on the telephone to your Mommy that she couldn't believe that you and Mikey had a boyfriend." Jason continued, looking proud with himself. "Mommy said that it seemed like it was yesterday when you drew all over Gerard's face with a sharpie when he was sleeping."

I could feel heat creeping up to my face. "I was four! And Mikey doesn't have a boyfriend! He has a girlfriend."

"That's what those Brokeback Mountain dudes wanted people to believe too," Frank snickered beside me, still not letting go of my arm.

I flashed Frank a sweet smile. "Well, whenever you and Mikey decide to go fishing, be sure to tell me - I'll pack you some whipped cream."

Frank shot me a look and let go of my arm, going over to Jake and Emily and leaning over so his face was at their level. "Hi, I'm Frankie. What's your name?"

"I'm Emily! I'm five years old!" Emily smiled at Frank, sticking out her right hand that had all her fingers spread out. "See?"

Frank grinned and turned to Jason. "What about you?"

Jason looked him over with suspicion. "I'm Jason. I am seven and a half. How old are you?"

I bit my lip to keep myself from smiling at Jason's remark. I remembered that when I was little, I too used to put that 'half' part in. Back then it seemed so important. Now, half a year flew by with just a blink of an eye.

Frank straightened up and rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm eighteen."

Jason's eyes lit up. "Gerard is eighteen too! He's gonna take me gun shopping!"

I coughed and stepped up, laughing nervously. "He means water-guns. Right, Jason?"

"No! The real thing!"

I groaned and vowed in my head to slap Gerard upside the head next time I'd see him. "No, guns are bad, remember?"

"Guns are cool!"

"Are you Lena's boyfriend?" Emily piped up, looking at Frank with those big, innocent eyes of hers.

Oh great. Now the only thing that was missing was my Mom, Grandma, Auntie Carol and Uncle Roger, so then we could all talk about my love life and guns together.

"Do you kiss her?" Jason asked Frank before either one of us cold say anything. "On the mouth?"

Frank shot me a panicked look. "Um -"

"My friend told me that when grownups kiss, they stick their tongues in each other mouths," Jason continued. "Is this true?"

Emily screamed and started to giggle. "Ewwwwwwwwwww!"

I with wide eyes, I dashed towards Jason, ignoring Frank who was practically cracking up besides me, so I could cover my cousin's mouth with my hand. "Jason!"

He mumbled something incoherent against my hand, while Emily still giggled, jumping around in circles like a little maniac.

"I think you should ask your parents that," Frank replied, still laughing. "I'm sure they'll tell you."

Somehow, I got the feeling at the bottom of my stomach that this was going to be a loooong night.