Say It One More Time

-~- Frank’s POV -~-

We’d been focusing on one tiny section of a song for about an hour now. It was a new one, ‘Honey, This Mirror Isn’t Big Enough For The Two Of Us’. And yes, I did steal the title from Rennie…
We were all starting to get really frustrated, it was just one bit, one tiny bit, but we just couldn’t quite get it to sound right.
“FUCK THIS!” Bob shouted out, throwing his sticks to the ground, “We need coffee” he stood after making a very valid point and left the room to go get some coffee.
“Yeah… I think we need to take a break…” Gee sighed, completely defeated.
I walked over to the sofa after putting Pansy back in her stand. Yes I have named my guitar, so what?
I crashed down on the sofa and pulled my phone out of my pocket to check the time.
“Oooh is that a message from Rennie?” Ray asked, looking over my shoulder, noticing that I did indeed have a message from Rennie.
I opened to see one word.
Yes x

I couldn’t help but smile, well… Grin… Everyone was giving me weird looks, including Bob who had just come back with a tray of drinks.
“So… What’s she saying yes to?” Ray asked being the only one who saw it.
Gee’s eyes lit up, guessing immediately what this was about.
“Well… I asked her out…”
“She said yes?!” Gee excitedly interrupted me.
“Yes! She said yes!” I couldn’t help but grin even more now.
“Congrats dude, it’s taken you long enough” Bob winked, slapping me on the back before handing me a mug.
“To Frankie and Rennie!” Ray shouted holding his mug up in a toast, worryingly, everyone joined in…
“Yeah, alright, no need to get cheesy now… It’s just a date”

-~- Rennie’s POV -~-

We reached the mall quickly from Ally’s house and headed straight into Hot Topic. I’d heard quite a lot about this shop, but I’ve never actually been before.

“Right so I’m thinking a nice dress, nothing too dressy, but nice, you’ve got to look hot!” Iris started as she ran around the shop, looking for whatever she thought was perfect.
“Seriously? It’s just a date, I don’t even know where we’re going, for all I know, we could be going bowling again and dresses really don’t go well with bowling…”

“And now you’re thinking too much, I don’t think he’ll take you bowling, I know him too well, it’ll be something else, a dress will be fine. Just trust us.” Ally winked at me before running off to find Iris, leaving me alone.
I started to look through the racks at some tops to occupy myself while the others searched.
“Rennie? I think we’ve found it!” Iris called from the other side of the shop. I headed over to them, finding them both looking at one dress. Ally held it out for me to see. It was black, fitted at the top with a flared short skirt and bronze buttons down the front. I have to admit, it was pretty cool.
“So? What do you think?” Iris asked eagerly.
“Should I try it on?”
“Yes! I knew she’d like it!” they both high-fived before shoving the dress in my hands and directing me to the changing rooms.
I quickly changed into it, finding that it actually fitted me perfectly and went back out to show the girls.
“So, what do you think?” I asked, getting their attention.
“Oh my god Rennie… I have never seen you looking so grown up… It seriously suits you…” Ally seemed to actually be getting slightly over emotional about this.
“Totally awesome!” Iris exclaimed, “You have to get it!”
“You think?” I checked, seeing them both nod enthusiastically I agreed, “I’ll need some shoes to go with it though…” I knew that this would excite them even more so they ran off in the direction of the shoes while I went back into the changing room to take off the dress.
Keeping the dress in my hand I walked over to the shoes to see what they had… Or what Iris and Ally had chosen for me.
“So, I was thinking, maybe a heeled boot, not too dressy, but not too casual either?” Ally was saying as I approached them.
Hearing what she had said, I picked up a pair of black heeled boots, that were kinda awesome and tapped her on the back.
“Did you mean something like these?” I held up the boots to show them.
“Oh my god! Yes! They are perfect!” she squealed.
I took the boots, as well as the dress over to the tills to pay, leaving Ally and Iris looking at stuff for themselves. I handed the money over and took the bag. As I turned round I saw that both of them were buying stuff, so I went to the door to wait.
I took my phone out, looking at the time; just as I was sliding it back into my pocket, I felt it vibrate. Taking it out again I saw a message from Frank.
That is so awesome! :D I’ll tell you details tomorrow! :D xoxo
I smiled seeing this; I could just imagine him sat with a huge grin on his face… I bet he looked so cute when he read it…

I put my phone back in my pocket once again, and looked up around the mall. I wish I hadn’t looked up, or that I’d stayed in the shop… Cos right on the other side of the mall I saw something that I really hoped I would never see…
I stood staring in shock, and was still in the same position when the girls came and joined me.
“Rennie, are you ok?” Ally asked when I didn’t acknowledge them. I just pointed at what I was seeing.
“Holy shit… Is that your dad?” Ally asked, looking over into a café window. Yep, I had spotted my dad here at the mall…
“Ermm… I guess that isn’t your mom he’s with then..?” Iris asked slowly.
“No. It’s fucking not.” I was so angry now, “All this fucking ‘overtime’ at work and really he’s having a fucking affair?!”
I started to run to the café, not completely in control of my actions. I stood in the doorway, unnoticed by dad, watching them for a few seconds. Then they kissed.
“What the fuck are you doing?!” I screamed.
Everyone turned to look at me, including dad, when he realised that it was me his face changed to a look of pure terror.
“Well?! Are you going to tell me?!” I shouted.
“Rennie… It’s not…”
“Don’t you fucking call me Rennie. And don’t fucking lie to me. I’m not stupid, I saw you kiss her!”
“I… I can explain…” he stammered.
“Well go on then.”
“The move… It’s been so hard on me…”
“Oh really? You’re going for the fucking sympathy vote?! It was hard for you? Don’t you think it might have been hard for me too? You know, getting raped and everything?”
“Ren… Lorena… Please, you don’t understand…”
“Oh and why’s that? Cos I’m just a kid? Well I’ll have you know that I understand a lot more than you realise. And no excuses are gonna get you out of this.”
“Don’t tell your mum.” I heard several people around me gasp when he said this, “Look, here’s… $300”
“Fuck you.” I snarled, snatching the money and throwing it back in his face.
I turned around and left the café in complete shock.
“Rennie? Are y…” I heard Ally start, but I didn’t listen, I carried on walking, picking my pace up to a run.
I needed some air.
I carried on running until I could no longer breathe. I stopped where I was and collapsed on the floor crying. Well… Sobbing…
I can’t believe what I just saw. He kissed another woman. And tried to buy my silence.
I soon started shivering, the evening chill was setting in and I realised that I had no idea where I was…
I took my phone out and saw that I had 21 messages and 38 missed calls.
Ignoring all of them, I called the one number that I knew would make me feel better.

“Hello?” Frank’s voice sounded shaky.
“Frankie…”
“Rennie! Shit! Are you ok?! Ally told us what happened, we’ve been looking for you for ages!”
“I’m sorry…”
“Lorena, you do not need to be sorry. Where are you? Me and Gee will come and pick you up”
I started crying again.
“I… I don’t know Frankie… I’m scared…”
“Shit…” he mumbled, barely loud enough for me to hear.
“Are you near any shops?”
“Yeah…”
“Tell me what shops are near you and we’ll find you, I promise.”
“There’s a pet shop opposite me… And book shop next to that…”
“Pet shop… Book shop… That’s where Mikey works! Gee take us to Barnes and Noble” I heard him command, “Don’t worry Rennie, we won’t be long”
“Ok…” I whispered.

As he said, they soon pulled up at the kerb next to me.
Frankie ran out as soon as he could and pulled me up off the ground into a hug.
“Please never do that again, I was so scared!” he said to me. I was crying again…
We went straight back to the car where Gee drove us back to my house.