This Elevator Only Goes Up to Ten

I was waken up by muffled shouting.

"Shut up Frank," I muttered. "No one is out there. Give it up."

"What?" Frank asked. I looked over at him. He was rubbing his eyes, just waking up. So, it wasn't him. I looked at the door. It couldn't be, could it? There wasn't a chance. The elevator shook. My heart beated with hope. I looked over at Frank and smiled. He nervously smiled back. I scooted over and grabbed his hand. He squeezed it and stared at our hands, holding each other together. We were both messed up in more ways you can think of, but we found one another. Age didn't matter. Love was love. I looked at him and kissed him. He kissed me back, of course. We pulled away after a second though. We didn't want the doors to open and have people stare at us, kissing. A guy kissing another guy who was a teenager probably wasn't the best thing to find.

The elevator shook again, this time more forcefully. Frank fell into me, trying to keep his balance. "Sorry," he said.

"No, its fine," I said.

The elevator starting moving. It was MOVING. I looked up above the door. The arrow was moving upwards, to the tenth floor, like it was intended to do. We had been stuck between floors seven and eight. When the arrow stopped at ten, we saw the little gap grow bigger, and after a second it opened. My brother Mikey was there. He ran up to me and hugged me, hard.

"God, Mikey, let go," I muttered into his shoulder.

"I thought I lost you," Mikey sounded like he was crying. "And if I did, the last words I would've said to you would have been 'I hate you'. I never would have been able to live that down. I love you so much." Mikey hugged me harder until I found it hard to breathe. I gently shoved him away.

"I know you don't hate me. You were just mad. And for a good reason, too. I don't even remember why."

"I don't either. But I shouldn't have said it. I'm sorry, I'm so fucking sorry."

I looked over my shoulder. "Where's Mom?"

"She was here the first four days, but she didn't want to find you dead. So she stopped coming. She started to give up hope."

"Yeah, we began to give up hope as well."

"We?" Mikey looked over at Frank, noticing him for the first time. "He's been in here with you?"

"Yeah. That's Frank."

Frank gave Mikey a small wave that Mikey returned.

"He was moving into the room across from me," I continued. "And then the elevator broke down."

"You never take the elevator. What gives?" Mikey tilted his head to the side, making him look like a confused puppy.

"August and I broke up, and I didn't want to walk anymore. I felt pretty useless. I was going to get high, and then I took the elevator." I looked down at my shoes.

Mikey shook his head. "You need to stop the drugs. And I knew she was bad news from the beginning. What happened?"

"I wouldn't sleep with her," I said dryly.

"And why is that?"

"I like guys."

Mikey studied me for a second. "Okay. That's cool. And August is not a guy. Do you have anyone in mind?"

I looked at Frank. "Him," I whispered.

Mikey glanced at Frank. "How old are you?"

"Seventeen," Frank admitted. I wished he lied. It would have been easier to explain.

"What?" Mikey's face changed into anger. "What the fuck, Gerard? He's a fucking minor. Do you realize how wrong that is?"

"But I love him," I whispered.

"Oh god." Mikey put his hand on his forehead. "Please tell me you didn't have sex with him."

Frank flinched. I bit my lip and closed my eyes.

"Shit!" Mikey exclaimed. "You had sex with him!" He looked at Frank again. "Were you a virgin before you slept with my brother?"

"Yes," Frank mumbled.

"Gerard, really? In an elevator? In this elevator?" Mikey looked at the elevator walls in discust. "I shouldn't be mad. I'm not mad. You guys are cute together. I can call mom and have her have dinner with us. In your place. And Frank can join us."

"I shouldn't," Frank started to protest.

I grabbed his hand. "It's okay, trust me. It'll be fine."

Mikey stared at our hands and sighed. Frank and I stepped out of the elevator for the first time in days. I breathed in the air, it smelled so much nicer then an elevator with two guys that haven't taken a shower in over a week. There were reporters and many other people staring at us. People taking pictures, people trying to talk to us, security pushing those people away. I grabbed my key out of my pocket and put it in the door. What I needed was a shower, a change of clothes, and peace and quiet. Mikey and Frank understood as I closed the door in their faces.