Lily Baby.

Frank’s POV

February 14th. The day I dread the most, to be honest. It makes me think of all of the girls I’ve dated. I’ve dated a whole bunch of girls but I’ve never had a valentine. I still remember my first kiss: Kai Weston and that was a total mistake. She smelt like tuna and her house was full of cats. I dated her for about a week but only to prove to my mom I wasn’t gay. She still isn’t convinced, though. At the time, Kai was just easy to get; now she’s a cheerleader and I kinda hate her but that’s another story. She’d crushed on me for about a year and Mikey forced me into taking her out. I was about 14 at the time and I was naïve. I’d never kissed anyone- not that I hadn’t had chances, but I’m kinda picky about girls.

I walked to Kai’s house and stood outside with a bunch of flowers I’d stolen from Mrs Jefferson’s garden. She opened the door wearing the ugliest sweater I’d ever seen but I was too nervous to care. It actually was the colour of puke. We went to the park and sat on the bench. The park used to seem like the ultimate date location but now… its kinda not. She ended up trying to kiss me numerous times. She only managed to do it once but it was still weird. It felt like a fish was kissing me, it almost did turn me gay but my second kiss was a lot better. Leanne Dawson was hot. Still is, but I’m not interested.

Anyway, today is Valentine’s Day. Oh, joy. Just another day to think about how crap my love life is and how there’s nothing I can do about it. The worst part was, Lily wasn’t even at school today so I couldn’t see her and be happy, you know, because she makes me smile like that…

“Lily’s ill or something,” Mikey muttered, glaring at me when I inquired about her.

“What do you mean ‘or something’?” I said.

“Well, mom never said she was ill, she just said she’s to distressed to come to school,” Mikey said, shrugging, “She spent all last night making something with mom and now she’s probably tired.”

I gave him a blank look and he sighed, “All I know is that when mom told her she couldn’t come to school she cried her eyes out moaning about her ‘card’- I don’t know. I don’t care, less hassle for me.”

I sighed. Mikey has been really horrible to Lily lately. Its starting to piss Gee off and when Gee’s pissed off he hits stuff, and in this case ‘stuff’ might just include ‘Mikey’.

“Anyway, Frank, seriously, stop worrying about my sister. She’s an idiot. Let’s just… concentrate on revision, yeah?” I sighed in frustration at the task at hand. We had exams in two weeks and I had to revise hard if I wanted to pass. It’s easier for Mikey; he’s been put in for the lower paper- but as for me? I get the higher paper don’t I, due to the fact that I am ‘technically gifted.’ What the hell? Seriously, I’m a dumbass.

I looked down at my revision guide and let out a frustrated groan as I made my way through the pages. We had a free period before lunch so decided to sit under the myspace tree in wait for the others who were still in class. It was nearly the end of the period and I could see the envious looks from the students still in class, who obviously wanted to get outside on this oddly warm day.

“How do you spell onomatopoeia?” asked Mikey, looking up through his glasses at me in confusion.

“O-N-O-M-A-T-O-P-O-E-I-A, why?” I said.

“Just testing you, smartass,” he grinned for the first time in a while as the distant echo of the school bell echoed through the school, “Ha, here comes the cavalry.”

He gestured to the field as we saw Gerard, Bert and Ray all making their way towards us.

“Alright wankers?” roared Bert in his weird little affectionate way, causing people around them to stare oddly.

“Yeah, you?” I called, closing my books and shoving them into my bag.

“I’m alright you know, can’t wait to leave this dump,” he laughed, plonking himself on the grass next to me and stretching himself out beside me like a cat bathing in the sun.

“Mmm…” agreed Ray and Gee.

“It’s alright for you! Frank and I still have ages left here, you’re nearly done,” moaned Mikey.

“Sucks for you,” said Ray, playfully. I actually love Ray. He helped teach me how to play guitar, but I kind of have different styles to him when it comes to guitar. He’s always been there for me, even if he is quiet.

“Shut up, Toro,” I smiled.

“Hey Frankie-boy, guess what I found on your locker door when I went to fetch my art book?” Gerard giggled, waving a pink tinted piece of paper at me.

“What?” I said wide-eyed, although I could guess.

He coughed and held the paper in front of him and read, “Dear Frankie, I see you everyday but I never have the courage to talk to you. You’re so gorgeous and amazing that I’m too scared to say ‘Hi,’ possibly for fear of rejection and embarassment. So here’s my chance on the most romantic day of the year: Be my valentine? Love from, your soon-to-be-not-so secret admirer… Oooh, Frankie’s got an admirer!”

“Give me that,” I growled, snatching it from his claws, “Who sent this?”

I scanned the handwriting, knowing in my heart it couldn’t possibly be her but I still had to check.

“Well, I guess you’ll find out pretty soon,” Mikey smiled as all the others cracked up.

“Ugh, I hate not knowing things!” I cried angrily, my eyes scanning the courtyard for any signs of giggling girls.

“Ha, I bet it’s a first year, Frank. They’ve got their eye on you. Hey, they might be watching us right now!” Bert laughed, “What if it’s a dude?”

I glared at him and stamped my feet.

“I guess we’ll have to wait,” grinned Gerard as I cursed whoever sent the wretched thing, wishing Lily was here to talk to instead of these guys…

*Time Lapse*

Walking home alone was the single most terrifying thing ever. I expected to be confronted by creepy girls (or guys), throwing themselves at me. I quickened my pace, checking nervously behind me, praying to God I wouldn’t get raped.

By the time I reached my road I was basically sprinting and I sighed in relief when I reached home, checking anxiously behind the curtains and in cupboards for intruders/stalkers.

“Mom?” I called nervously and stupidly, knowing full well she worked late on Thursdays.

Obviously, there was no reply.

The doorbell rang and my heart began to race as I crept to the door, “Don’t be a stalker!”

I peered cautiously through the peep whole to see two familiar blue-hazel eyes peering up at the door.

Relief washed through me as I opened the door, “Lily!”

She looked adorable in her pastel pink dress and purple cardigan with little black dolly shoes.

“Hello, Frankie!” she beamed, her hands behind her back, “I missed you!”

“Aww, that’s sweet. Why weren’t you at school?” I asked, hugging her and ushering her inside, peering nervously outside to see if anyone was lurking out there.

“Mommy said I was too tired from making your present,” she trilled, her hands were still behind her back.

“You made me a present? It’s not my birthday babe,” I said, she grinned even more when I said ‘babe’.

“Not that kind of present.”

“Well, let’s see then,” I said, putting my hands in front of my body expectantly.

“Close eyes!” she ordered and I obeyed.

I felt something light fall into my hands, and I opened my eyes rebelliously. She frowned but said nothing.

“Breemahfallfetye?” she mumbled, rushed.

“What?” she pursed her lips and sighed, closing her eyes.

“Be my valentine?” she said, slowly in-between shuddering breaths.

I looked down at the thing in my hands. It was pink, heart shaped and smelled slightly like lavenders. There was a massive multicoloured heart outlined, made out of skittles she had glued on. I opened it and looked inside at Donna’s curled handwriting and smiled: Roses are red, Violets are blue, Lilies are white and Frankie’s are cute! Yep, Donna definitely had something to do with it.

I giggled slightly, and she gave me a look that I had never seen before, “No laugh!”

I laughed even harder, “Sorry babe, it’s just cute.”

Her eyes clouded and tears filled them, “No, don’t cry! Of course I’ll be your valentine, silly!”

She beamed again, wiping her eyes with her cardigan sleeve.

“Yay!” she cried, throwing herself around me. I lifted her up and span her around, much to her delight.

And that’s when it clicked.

It wasn’t Quinn at all.

It was me.