On Top of the World

[Frank's POV]

5:58 A.M.

Two minutes until my alarm is set to go off.

With a frustrated sigh, I blew the hair that had fallen in front of my face away, and rolled over on my side to glance out of the window. The sun was just peeking itself over the horizon, and came filtering in through my curtains in billowy wisps of red, orange, and yellow. I shouldn’t be awake right now. I should be slumbering peacefully, using my covers as a shield to duck away from the beautiful colors of the sun, silently praying in my head for just a few more minutes of sleep.

But not this morning.

After my amazing day with Martin yesterday, I was completely exhausted. I figured the moment I would lay my head down on my pillow, the first thing that would happen once my eyes drifted shut would be for me to have some sweet, sweet dreams about our amazing day, replaying the kisses and touches over and over in my head like a beautiful lullaby singing me to sleep.

No such luck, however. The only thing that flashed in my head the second my head hit that pillow, was this exact moment, right now, when my alarm is now screeching in my ears telling me that I have to wake up and go to school. I’d probably feel a lot better if I knew that Martin would be there, but judging from the little accident on the football field the other day, I really don’t have the slightest idea if he will be.

Cringing at the thought, I hit the snooze button on my phone alarm and crawled under my blanket, feeling a few waves of sleep finally begin to take over my body.

---

“Have a good day, boys,” Mrs. Way called after Mikey and I. We gave her a smile, and headed side by side toward the front doors of the school.

“Thanks for picking me up today, Mikey,” I said to him, sending a smile over in his direction.

After I’d gone to back to bed, I’d received a text from Mikey saying that he’d be giving me a ride to school today. I was not only completely grateful, but I felt a whole lot better about not having to arrive by myself.

“No prob,” he grinned, before noticing the downcast look on my face. “What’s up?”

“Nothing. I’m just not looking forward to today,” I grumbled, kicking a rock out of the way.

“Definitely not,” Mikey agreed, once again glancing over at me. “Dude, you look like hell. Didn’t you sleep last night?”

“No,” I mumbled, catching my yawn with my hand. “I couldn’t sleep. I was too damn nervous about today,” I went on, glancing skeptically at all of our classmates. They were staring at Mikey and I as usual, but their expressions were unreadable. Were they snickering at me, because they still disapproved how I was dressed, or was it because they knew about me and Martin? I shrugged the thought of them aside, and adjusted my messenger bag over my shoulder.

“Listen, if anyone gives you any type of shit today, I want to know about it, okay?” I told Mikey, giving him a stern look to make sure I got my point across. “They know you’re my very best friend, and they might try to give you hell for being associated with me. I don’t want you going down just because I happen to like guys, it isn’t fair to you.”

“Frankie, it isn’t fair that you feel the need to tell me that. You’re my best friend, and whatever happens to you happens to me, too. I won’t let you go down by yourself, either. We’re sticking together, just like we always have,” Mikey assured me, putting his arm around me.

I grinned at him, knowing exactly what he was talking about. We’ve always been the nerdy outcasts, far too interested in Star Wars and watching anime to be concerned with girls or sports. Well… maybe Dragonball Z and Jabba the Hutt can’t be blamed for me not liking girls, but still. We’ve always stuck by each other’s side, no matter what.

So as we continued walking toward the building, I put my arm around his shoulder as well, and didn’t give a fuck as thejack-offs jocks came in to view. They were cluttering the doorway as per usual, and I could already hear their snickers as they noticed the arms of two best friends around each other.

“Look guys, fagboy got himself another boy toy,” I heard one of them cackle, as the guy next to him began to laugh quite loudly.

“Yeah bro, you better not breathe while you’re around him! He might spread hisqueer disease all over you! Just look what he did to Martin!”

I gave them all a wink and a look that said ‘fuck off’ that of course, provoked many more comments that I chose to ignore this time, before turning to Mikey. “I’m sorry about them,” I murmured to him, although my words didn’t seem to reach his ears.

“Mikey?” I followed his starry-eyed gaze to the grassy area over to our left, which was filled with all types of greenery to decorate the school and make it seem homey and cozy; the exact opposite of the way its students made you feel.

“What are you looking at?” I questioned, as our footsteps toward the school’s entrance came to a complete stop.

“Who is that?”

Mikey’s words came out as a whisper, I barely even heard him.

“Who?” I questioned, once again looking over in the direction he was peering at. At that moment, a figure stood up from his previously slouched position against one of the huge oak trees, his gaze fixated upon the book that was resting in his hands.

“Whoa,” I breathed out, not being able to take my eyes off of him. “That’s a good question…”

I watched him; utterly entranced. He had a tall, delicate figure, with gorgeous brown hair that fluttered in wavy tendrils down to his shoulders. His button-up shirt was rolled up to his elbows, exposing numerous bracelets adorning his right arm. The skinny-fit pants that he wore fit him like a second skin; showing off his sleek, slender form.

Everything about him seemed so… dainty, for lack of a better word. The way he pushed the hair that had fallen in front of his ridiculously attractive face was so elegant, as if he were putting the finishing touches on a fine masterpiece. And it was then, as he finished securing a piece of his flowing hair behind his ear, that he looked up at us. He cracked a small smile, before tucking his book in his back pocket, and began to walk away. Even the way he moved was so graceful, it almost appeared as if he weren’t even ‘walking’ at all.

Mikey and I both stood there, neither one speaking a single word, immersed in watching this magnificent stranger glide toward the school’s parking lot.

“I think I’m in love,” Mikey muttered, which immediately made me snap back to earth.

“You what?”

“I don’t know… just… wow…” Mikey stammered, shaking his head. “I mean, have you ever seen anyone so pretty in your life?”

“I have, actually,” I grinned, instantly thinking about my Martin, who still had yet to make an appearance. Granted, Mikey and I did get to school at least twenty minutes early, and still had at least five minutes to spare until the first bell is supposed to ring. Still, Martin was nowhere to be found; so I think it’s safe to say that he won’t be attending school today. That was somehow the last thing on my mind, however, as Mikey’s previous words came back in to my memory.

“Wait a second, you do realize that was a guy, right, Mikey?” I added, just to make sure we were on the same page.

“Yes, Frank. I do realize that was a guy…” Mikey retaliated, before his own words clicked in and made sense to him. “Oh God, what the fuck is happening to me?”

“Aww man, it’s too late!” I exclaimed with a wide grin, shaking my head. “Looks like I spread my queer disease on you.”

Mikey tussled my hair as we both began to laugh, and with our arms once again draped across each other’s shoulders, we entered the building, basking in the glow that our light-hearted moment had created.

“Ah hell,” I cursed, just as Mikey and I made it to our first-period class. “I forgot my book again, it’s in my locker. I’ll be right back,” I said to Mikey, before rushing off toward the stairs to get to my locker.

I really don’t know why I was rushing; I had literally three minutes to work with. There was no way I’d be able to make it up the stairs, down the hall, open my locker, grab my book, then make it back down the hall, down the stairs, and back to my class in time. So I decided to take my dear, sweet time, and walked casually down the hall toward my locker.

Upon doing so, the bell rang, sending the few students that were littering up the hallway to head for their respective classes. I grinned at the empty hallway, and was able to finish up with my current errand at hand in peace.

The peace didn’t last for very long, however, as the sound of voices resonated from a room a few doors down from my locker. I tucked my book in my bag, and sauntered over toward the door where the voices were coming from; I knew that I was being nosey, but I couldn’t help myself. Something was drawing me toward them, as if I were somehow being invited in.

The door that contained the voices didn’t have a number on it, simply a name, stating that this wasn’t a classroom, but the office belonging to one of the teachers. I could make out two figures in the distorted, stain-glassed window, their voices still inaudible, yet seeming to grow in volume as every second ticked by. As my eyes read the nameplate that was nailed upon the door, my heart sank.

It belonged to Coach Beckett; and I knew that whatever was happening on the inside of this door couldn’t possibly be anything good. I can only hope that Martin isn’t in there, but the chances of that are actually slimmer than my best pal, Mikey.

Sighing, I slipped myself away from the door and began to walk away, just in time for the door to the coach’s office to burst open.

“This isn’t over!”

The voice made me stop in my tracks, for I could hear it so clearly now. Although my back was turned, I knew that voice from anywhere; It was the same voice that spoke sweet nothings to me all day yesterday, but now spoke words in volumes that I can only hope would never be directed at me.

“You can’t get rid of me so easily, Coach. I will be back,” I heard him speak once again, just as angry as before. With that, I was able to turn around just in time to see Martin slam the door to the coach’s office shut, anger and frustration painting up his amazingly beautiful face.

He buried his face in his hands as he leaned up against the lockers, as a frustrated groan slipped from his lips. I didn’t know what to do; I wanted to console him, but I felt that I had intruded upon something that was none of my business.

As I turned to walk away, my shoes squeaked, causing me to cringe.

“Frankie?”

His voice, that only moments ago was so angry and venomous, was so small and fragile now. I turned to face him, my heart sinking even further into my gut as I made eye contact with him. He looked devastated.

“Hi, Martin,” I greeted him. “I um, forgot my book again,” I added, completely not knowing what else I was supposed to say. He grinned.

“I’m sorry you had to witness that,” he spoke softly, lacing his fingers with mine once he was within arm’s reach of me. “Come on, we can’t talk here.”

He led me down the hall toward the boy’s bathroom, where thankfully it was all clear. Upon entering, he instantly pulled me into his arms, and crushed his lips firmly to mine. I melted; through everything, he still wanted to kiss me.

“Oh, Frankie,” he murmured, leaning his forehead against mine. His fingers were playing with the hair that fell lazily on the back of my neck, causing tingles to shiver down my spine.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you this morning, I planned on meeting you, but I got caught up with something…”

“You’re apologizing to me?” I replied incredulously. “If anything, I’m the one that should be sorry. I’ve done nothing but fuck your life up since I came here. Really, if you want to stop seeing me, I’ll understand-”

His lips were upon mine in an instant, shutting me up before I could say anything else.

“Nonsense,” he spoke with a smile, cupping both sides of my face. “You are amazing. Don’t forget what I said yesterday, because I still mean it, more than anything.”

Martin pulled me into another kiss then, this one more desperate than before, almost as if to distract him from something. “You should probably get to class, Frankie,” he suggested, his facial expression changing into a more somber one. “I have some things that I have to sort through, but I promise I’ll come and find you, okay?”

I nodded, leaning up to kiss him again. “Okay,” I whispered, grinning as he placed one last kiss upon my cheek. Before I knew it, Martin was out of sight, and he had taken my grin along with him.

I let out the breath that I didn’t even know I had been holding as I slumped against the wall, desperately trying to come to grips with what was happening.

I had been so pre-occupied with the fact that my life is changing at such a rapid pace, that I’d failed to open my eyes and see what was going on with everyone around me; huge things are happening for Martin and me, but also, for Mikey. I can’t get over his reaction to that guy from earlier; and more importantly, we still don’t have any idea as to who he is.

So many things are left uncertain, but there is one thing that is for absolute certain. High school is turning out to be a lot harder than I imagined it would be; and it’s only getting started.