Lily Baby.

Michelle’s POV

Friday’s are always the best day of the week for me. I love my job but just imagine this: thirty hyperactive kids, 6 hours a day, 5 days a week and the alphabet. It gets tiring. But there’s one thing that brightens my day. Possibly my best student: Lily Way.

I really don’t know what it is about her that’s so special, but she just tries so hard to be like the kids in the rest of the school. Like Frankie.

“Michelle, when will I be like Frankie?”

“Oh, honey, someday,” I smiled down at her expectant face.

“He’s perfect.”

“You’ve told me,” I laughed, leading her to her seat on Friday afternoon.

She grinned at waited obediently as the rest of her class filed in, “Did you know he’s my valentine?”

“For the 1000th time, yes!” I cried, giggling at her expression, “And I’m so happy for you, dear, but you’ll see Frankie later.”

“But, Michelle… does this mean Frankie’s my boyfriend now?” she asked, her big eyes shimmering in the light.

“That’s probably a question you should ask Frank,” I said, after giving the question a moment thought.

“Okay!” she trilled, settling as her classmates were seated.

“Hi, everyone,” I said, “Have a good lunch?”

There was a chorus of grunts and an excited ‘Yes!’

“Alright, what did you do Lily?” I said.

“I sat with Frankie and we drew on his bag!” she giggled. I could tell she had fallen for him hard.

The girl next to her made a grunt of disapproval, “What’s the matter Leila?”

Leila looked up, a look of annoyance across her features. She was one of my more… difficult students, “Lily, never sit with us. She always with boy.”

“His name is Frankie,” Lily said loudly, making Leila shudder.

“Shut up!” Leila cried.

“Hey, hey! Leila, calm down!” I said, hoping this wouldn’t escalate. But Leila was already out of her chair and was striding across the classroom to where Lily sat.

“You no sit with boy now!” she screeched, the rest of the class shivered with fear, but merely looked on in horror.

Leila grabbed Lily and pulled her out of her chair, “Leila stop!” I dodged past the desks and grabbed Leila in the gentlest way I could manage. I pulled her back and managed to get her out of the room and into the detention room where a disgruntled Mr Wheeler sat with other unruly students.

My class was stunned into silence when I returned, “Recess,” I muttered, causing cries of joy to erupt from the students. All but one.

“Lily?” she was hunched up on the floor, “Honey, are you okay?”

She shook her head vigorously, extending her right arm. Large red bite marks and scratch marks could be seen decorating her perfect skin.

“Shall we go to the nurse, honey?” I whispered, trying to hold her arm which she quickly withdrew.

She shook her head again.

“Leila can’t get you now,” she winced, “You’re perfectly safe.”

She shivered.

“Do you want me to get someone? Gerard, Mikey…”

“F-Frankie…” she sobbed.

“Okay,” I said, smiling reassuringly down at her, “I’ll get you your Frankie.”

Frankie’s POV

Math sucks. Its all numbers, signs and calculators. I’ve got no time for it. The clock was ticking too slowly, it seemed as if time had ceased altogether.

I studied my newly decorated backpack. There were hearts and stars all over it. Lily’s doing obviously. It looked kinda girly but I guess I am kinda girly…

“Frank Iero?” I looked up. Michelle stood in the doorway.

Miss Navi looked at her, “He’s there, what do you want him for?”

“I- err need him to help me with something important…”

She nodded and I got up, cocking my head to the side but Michelle said nothing, she just beckoned to me.

Mikey gave me a look and I shrugged, “See you,” I muttered.

Once we were out in the hallway I looked at Michelle who sighed, “There’s been an incident.”

“Involving Lily?”

“Yeah, she was attacked in class. Her arms are a little sore. I think she needs you.”

”Okay…” I gulped, wishing i could have protected her. I was scared now. Worried about what had happened to my valentine.

She led me in silence to the door, showing me in and shutting the door after me. I saw her shadow move further and further away. I was alone in the classroom. Or so I thought.

A tiny hiccup could be heard from underneath the desk at the front, so I immediately got down on all fours and crawled to the front of the class, “Lily baby?”

She hiccupped again.

I crawled around the desk and saw her; hunched up and shivering. It only took one look at her for me to grab her in my arms and press her to my chest, “You’re fine, you’re fine…” I kept repeating it over and over.

Her arms were bleeding and it was getting on my shirt but that didn’t matter. Nothing mattered.

I placed my hand on her cheek and calmed her down. It seemed to work well as I never lost her eye contact. She kissed my palm once and I smiled.

I think my smiled encouraged her because before long she was kissing my wrist, my cheek, my shoulder, my neck, my ear, continuously. It actually scared me.

“Lily…” I whispered, she barely acknowledged her name, “Lily baby… stop.”