I Can Read You Like an Open Book

"You little fucker!" Frank threw pillows at Mikey who was across the room, running and dodging Frank's attacks.

Linda was currently working, leaving Frank all alone. He was glad Mikey was here so he wouldn't get bored to death. Yep. To Frank, dying out of mere boredom was possible.

"Hey! Who's the little one here?" Mikey picked up a pillow, seeing Frank had already ran out of pillows, and hit Frank square in the nose. Frank cried in pain, carefully touching his sore nose.

"It's not my fault you suck at Mario Kart!" Mikey had easily won every game of Mario Kart as long as he was playing with Frank.

Mikey crouched down beside his small friend, (Oh Frank would kill him if he heard him call him that.) making sure he wasn't badly hurt. Hey, he wasn't that heartless.

"Whatever man. But if I finally beat you, you'll run around the neighborhood naked." Mikey was about to retort when they heard the front door open.

"Who's naked?" Linda was already across the living room, eyeing the two teens.

"No-nobody mom." Frank stuttered. No, he wasn't afraid of his mom. He was just careful around her. He calculated his every move, every word said, just so he wouldn't disappoint her. He felt like it was his duty not to make his mom's life more miserable since you know.. since his mom and dad got divorced.

"Okay then. As long as you're not doing anything troublesome behind my back, everything's fine. And you," Linda turned to Mikey, "your mom called a while ago saying you should eat dinner with them tonight. It's not like I mind you visiting us almost everyday but you should spend some time with your family too."

"It's okay Mrs. Iero. I was just about to leave anyway. It's no fun playing when you just keep on winning."
"Asshole." Franked cursed quietly, making sure Linda didn't hear him but loud enough for Mikey to hear.

"Okay. Want me to give you a ride?" Linda asked Mikey and just pretended not to hear Frank.
"Nah. It's just 10 minutes away. I'll just walk." Mikey glanced at his watch. 6:53 PM. Fuck. Seven minutes left before dinner starts. Everyone, especially Mikey, knows an angry Donna Way doesn't mean good news. There was one time Mikey sneaked off into the night to go to some hot chic's party. It didn't end up well. But that's another story.

"See ya Frank! Mrs. Iero!" Mikey was already on the other side of the street as he waved goodbye.

"Bye Mikey! And it's Linda to you!" And with that, she closed the door of her humble abode.

...

"Mom, do I really need to come with you?" Frank was eyeing his outfit in the mirror: a white polo shirt, black slacks and his battered converse. He knew his mom would hate to see her son look like those punk kids you see almost everywhere so he wore normal clothes, if boring is how you define normal. Frank's just glad Linda didn't mind him wearing his favorite pair of converse than those 'classy' shoes.

"Yes dear. You wouldn't want to disappoint your mother, wouldn't you?" Linda smiled at her son but Frank was still looking at himself in the mirror, not wanting to meet his mom's gaze.

Frank frowned. It's been a week since his mom joined that stupid book club. He didn't mind it though, since it was one of the things that helped her cope up with the divorce and all the other shit they've been through. Frank should be glad she didn't choose drinking as an outlet. But still, why did he need to come every god damn time?

Oh yeah, because he was forced wanted to be the perfect son.

He sighed.

Linda saw the look of disappointment on Frank's face so she thought of something to lighten up his mood.

"How 'bout I buy you any music album you want tomorrow since you've been a good boy lately." Frank frowned at his mom calling him a 'boy'. He was fifteen for goodness' sake!

"Okay." Frank answered, his face showing no emotion but the excitement in his voice said otherwise.

...

"This week, I chose to read the novel Sister Carrie. The story is about a young country girl who..." Frank was already half asleep when Jess, another member of the book club, was just starting to tell her review about the said novel.

"Frank. Wake up." Linda elbowed her son inconspicuously, her eyes still on Jess who was engrossed with sharing her thoughts to the other members.

"I'm awake I'm awake! Stop elbowing me." Frank whispered, rubbing his now sore side where Linda elbowed him.

Linda tore her eyes off of Jess to look at Frank in the eye,"Fall asleep and I won't buy that music album." and then she turned back to Jess.

Frank muttered something incoherent and sat up straight to get a good look of the so called 'book club'.

He hadn't really bothered to look at the place the first time he came in here, it looked like an abandoned cafe shop from outside but once you come in through those battered up, double wooden doors, to say that it's a wonderful place was such an understatement.

Frank was too busy observing his surroundings he hadn't noticed a particular person staring at him, practically burning holes through his head, who was just seating across him.

It was only a few moments later when Jess had finished speaking that he came back to his senses. He turned his head a little to the right to look at the next person who'll speak but as he scanned the line of people, some guy with bright red hair caught his attention.

No, it wasn't just his hair that caught Frank's attention. Because at the moment he saw this guy looking at him with those hazel eyes and that knowing smirk that seemed to never leave his face, Frank already knew he meant trouble.

And without even noticing, Frank's 'perfect son' image he had been maintaining for years now was already falling apart.