You Give Love a Bad Name

"What are you doing?"

I gulped down another shot of tequila, watching, mesmerized as the carpet began to swim below me. Was I drunk? No. But I was buzzed enough to enjoy the party.

Before I could pour myself another shot, the bottle was taken out of my hands with a jerk.

"Heeey," my speech slurred a bit as I turned to face the culprit, "give it back."

Melanie shook her head, pulling the bottle closer towards her. "No. Ever sense you came here, you've been drowning in this shit. Now, you either tell me what's wrong by your own free will, or I'll make you."

I sighed, not seeing a point in lying to her. "I had a fight with Logan."

Melanie's face instantly became sympathetic, and she eloped me in a big hug, mumbling against my hair. "Oh, I'm sorry, hun. But things will get better. You and Logan are a strong couple."

I sniffled, pulling away and trying to make the room go steady before my eyes, and feeling a boost of confidence, either from the alcohol, or from being dishonest for so long. "That's a lie. Our whole...relationship is a lie."

Melanie laughed, obviously not getting what I meant. "No it's not. Every couple has it's ups and downs. Goodness, I know Mikey and I had our fair share."

I hiccuped, shaking my head. "You don't understand -"

"Yes, I do," Melanie said firmly, placing the tequila bottle on the nearby table and grabbing my hand instead. "Come on, let's go."

"Where are you taking me?" I tried not to slur my speech as she dragged me through the crowd of people, not bothering to apologize when she bumped into somebody.

"I saw Logan with Mikey. It's time to kiss and make up."

"But -"

"Lena," Melanie sighed and whirled around to face me, an annoyed expression on her face. "No buts. Just do this."

The three recent shots of tequila caught up with me, and a warm feeling started to spread around my stomach. "Okay."

"Good girl."

We marched through the crowd once more, me waving at people I knew, who waved back if I coughed their attention. Finally, Melanie and I walked outside into Bob's backyard, and a very peculiar sight met my eyes.

Logan, without a doubt more drunk than I was, was sitting in between Gerard and Mikey on a bench, both of his arms around their shoulders.

"An' I tolged herr," he slurred as Melanie and I came within an earshot, "I tolged herrr, I said, 'you tell 'im wut ya feel, missy, you tell 'im or else!', you know?"

"That's wut I told 'im too!" Gerard slurred right back, giving a high-pitched giggle. "Lil' fucker n'ver listens to me, though."

"That show is intense," I heard Mikey mutter, and it was evident that he was the 'sober' one out of the group, and that wasn't saying much. "Angel needs to tell Cordelia how he feels! Is that dude blind or what?"

Melanie laughed, making the three heads turn around simultaneously, a process in which Gerard almost fell off the bench. "What are you guys doing?"

"Talking about Buffy The Vampire Slayer," Mikey said proudly.

"She's hot," Gerard offered his two scents, which caused Logan to look at him with sadness in his eyes.

"Gah, that show sucks," Melanie muttered, pushing me towards the bench. "Logan, go make up with your girlfriend before she drinks the whole house dry."

Logan stood up, swaying a little, and took a couple of unsure steps towards me. "I'm sowwy."

I took a couple of steps towards him as well. "Me too. I'm going to do it. I want to do it!"

"Aww," Gerard stumbled up behind us, trapping me and Logan into a bear hug. "She's g'nna do iiit! Logan's g'nna de-flowwwer my lil' sister!"

I stared at my oldest brother, immediately sobering up. "Wait a minute -"

"We're fammmily now, bro," Gerard let go of me, and put his second arm on Logan instead, hugging only him now. "An' y'know wut I do to m'family?"

Logan started to reply, but Gerard took an opportunity to plant a big one on his open mouth, wrapping his hands around my 'boyfriend's' head.

"I seriously hope that's not what you guys do behind closed doors," Melanie whispered to me teasingly. "But hey, who am I to judge? Just because my family is not that affectionate towards each other..."

"Um," I was still staring at Logan, who wrapped his hands around Gerard as my brother deepened the kiss. A sight that made me completely sober, if I was feeling tipsy before. "I'm, uh, I'm gonna go and find Frank. Do you know where he is?"

"Nope," Melanie shook her head, not taking her eyes away from the two freaks who were now making out on the snow-covered ground. "I would try upstairs, though. I saw him go up there twenty or so minutes ago."

"Thanks," I muttered, turning around towards the house.

Ten minutes later, after going to every room, and quickly shutting every door after I found the rooms, uh, occupied, the only thing I found was an ever-growing migraine, but no Frank.

Knowing defeat when it was slapping me right in the face, I decided to go and chill in the basement for a while with a cold bottle of water, and two Tylenol pills.

I haven’t been to Bob's basement in a couple of months, but it was just as I remembered it; dim and musty. The cool thing about the basement, though, was that it was separated with a wall to make two halves - one, the one in the back, was where Bob's father, an owner of a furniture store, kept all of his new shipment, thus the place was littered with unopened boxes. The other side, however, the one closer to the stairs, was the 'general' basement area - a place where old things and old family memorabilia were kept, coated in gray dust.

I decided on the first half of the basement, thinking that I'd have less of a chance of being disturbed there by a stray party-goer from above.

I took a sip of water before coming next to the door and turning the knob, opening an entrance to the smaller dark room. The only reason I could make out the outlines of the boxes was because a little of light from the 'main' part of the basement was seeping through the cracks of the doorframe.

I sighed, happy to be finally alone, and turned my body so I was facing the small room head on. As my eyes adjusted to the dark, I let out a gasp, fallowing by a thud as my water bottle hit the ground.

Frank, nude from the waist up, was backed up against the wall, his hands and lips all over Valerie. Valerie without a shirt.

His eyes opened when he heard my water bottle drop, and his hands, that were hovering above the clasp of her bra, froze.

"Um," I managed to choke out after what seemed like a painfully-slow minute, my eyes slowly glazing over, "um, I'm going to go..."

I heard Valerie gasp as she realized that her and Frank weren't the only ones in the room, as I frantically turned around, blinded by tears.

"Lena! Wait!"

I ignored him. There was no way I could face him right now, not after I've been that close to telling him...

I was almost at the stairs when he finally caught up to me and grabbed me by the arm.

I desperately wiped my eyes with my wrist, turning around to face him. "What? Just go back...to what you were doing."

"Lena," he looked shocked, to say the least. Shocked and guilty. "It's not what you think -"

"Frank," I was seconds away from the actual fireworks, and I wasn't planing on sticking around this basement of hell for an audience, "you don't have to explain anything to me. Honestly. I'm sorry I walked in on you."

"But -"

"Fuck it, Frank," he obviously wasn't about to let go of me, so I let the tears come, "just let me go, okay? Don't explain a thing - you don't owe that to me. It's not like we're dating."

"I don't understand why you're so upset," he said quietly.

"Good," I sniffed, "good - it's best if you don't. Can I go?"

"I think," Frank guided my chin with his free hand so that I was staring into his worried hazel eyes, "I think we should talk."

"No," I tried to look away, but his hand was firm, "I think I should go."

"Lena -"

Trying my luck, I yanked away from him to make a run for the stairs. I only flew up a couple of steps before he grabbed me by the shoulder, turning me around.

"Stop -"

I was silenced by his lips.

He kissed me.

Frank Anthony Iero, my best friend, the only guy that I was ever crazy for, he kissed me. His lips on mine were soft and warm, and the feeling, well, the feeling was more addicting than any drug. I couldn't see, I couldn't think, I could only feel. There were no fireworks in my head, like the legend goes. Oh no, not at all - the only thing that kept running through my head were images of Frank throughout the years.

It was perfect.

"What the fuck, Frank?" Valerie screeched behind us. "What the fuck are you doing?"

Ignoring her, he pulled away, staring into my eyes with tenderness. "I wanted to tell you -"

But I realized what was happening, my eyes turning wide. There was a hint of alcohol on his breath that might as well have been poison to me. He was drunk.

It was a perfect delusion.

"Frank," I started shakily, "I'm going to go now. And we will both forget this happened, okay?"

He inhaled sharply, hurt clearly evident is his features. "But don't you like me?"

I didn't answer, just turned around, the stairs distorted in front of me. Once again I was too late. I was going to lose it.

"You don't kiss like that if...if you don't like the person in that way," Frank grabbed me once again, turning my whole body around. "Why would you do that to me? Is it because of Logan? Is your boyfriend stopping us -"

"God dammit, Frank!" I jerked away from him. How could he be so oblivious? "Logan was never my boyfriend! We faux-dated because he wanted to see if that would make you jealous. You, you, you, you! It always has been you!"

Frank looked shocked by my outburst. But only for a minute. Realization was seeping into his eyes, and his frown was getting replaced by a grin.

But I wasn't done.

"But I never said anything because I didn't want to ruin the friendship that we had. And you fucking beat me to it."

"What are you -" he began softly.

"Excuse me," Valerie interrupted him, and I could see her holding a shirt to her chest, trying to coverup her bra, her face red from anger, "but wha -"

"Shut up," I snapped.

"Lena," he tried again, trying to grab my hand, but I cut him off quickly, taking a step back.

"I'm not another one of your conquests, Iero," I whispered, feeling nothing short of betrayed. "I thought our friendship meant more to you than this. How could you do this?" I glared at him, taking another step back. "How could you ruin something that I tried so hard to preserve?"

"I -"

"Fuck you, Frank," I whispered venomously, "I can see that I'm just another girl to you."

Feeling like I was about to burst at the seams, I ran for the door, hearing Frank's footsteps thundering behind me, as well as Valerie's complaints.

I was crying as I ran through the rooms, through the people, and finally through the front door. I never ran that fast or cried that hard. Never in my life. Not once. Not even after my parents divorced.

The feelings...the heartbreak, the betrayal, and the realization that I just lost my best friend was just unbearable. It was poisonous.

Frank finally caught up to me as I flew down the porch's steps, his hand grabbing my shirt. I turned around, feeling cold for the first time.

"Wait!" He tried to reason with me desperately. "Please let me -"

I couldn't, I just couldn't. Closing my eyes, I kicked him in the balls as hard as I could, hoping that it would be enough.

Frank groaned, letting go of me as he doubled on the ground, clutching himself in pain. I took that chance to whirl around and continue my flight, running towards the first thing I saw; Jake and Cara frozen by Jake's car, staring at scenario before them with wide eyes.

I ran up to them, panting heavily, the tears blinding my vision. "Get in."

"Lena," Cara began in a panicky tone, "ca -"

"Please?" I whispered desperately.

She nodded, looking at Jake heavily, before getting in, followed by her boyfriend, who unlocked the door for me as well, still trying to make sense of what was going on in the direction of the house.

The car door slammed behind me as I blindly fumbled for my seat belt, bitter tears of anger and disappointment cascading down my cheeks in two hot streams of liquid.

"Lena!" I heard Frank's voice not to far off, yelling my name.

I looked over at Jake. "Drive!"

His eyes met mine with uncertainty in the rearview mirror. "Lena-"

"Dammit, Jake! Please don't argue with me on this one!"

"Jake," Cara pleaded with him in a hushed tone, "just do what she says."

The engine was on, and so was the radio. "It's almost time, folks," a pleasantly husky voice informed us cheerfully, "the ball is about to drop. For those of us who are just joining us, we're in the middle of our countdown. Thirty.."

I tuned out the radio, turning to look out the window instead.

This was the start of my New Year...

"Twenty three..."

"Lena!" Frank was only a couple of feet away now, and with each passing second, he got closer and closer. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean it, you hear? I didn't mean to do that!"

"Nineteen..."

Trying to block out his voice, I leaned back in the seat and closed my eyes, finally snapping the seatbelt in place. "Go!"

"Fifteen..."

Jake pushed on the gas pedal and the engine reeved.

"Thirteen..."

I was going to be free from this nightmare. Tomorrow I was going to wake up and laugh at this stupid dream. Laugh at the fact that I ever thought that Frank would want to fuck up our friendship like that.

"Eight..."

A bright light caused me to open my watery eyes in confusion. Through the chaos, I could hear people around us trying to scream something in our direction as the light moved closer and closer towards Jake's blue Geo Prism.

"Five..."

I could see the object clearly now.

"Four..."

My eyes opened wide, and I felt my blood turn cold.

"Three..."

It was so close now that it illuminated the faces of my friends, their reflection clearly visible in the windshield.

"Two..."

I could see Jake's mouth move, his eyes wide with horror, Cara frozen in shock in the seat next to him. "What the-"

"One!"

I opened my mouth to scream, only to be silenced as the spinning truck crashed into us.