From Sunsets to Monroeville

Mrs. Iero finally pulled up in front of the local mall and Frank threw open his door and jumped out, then slammed the door closed and waited for everyone else to get out of the car.

His mother was impossible. Since when was she the good parent? 'Oh I'm taking you kids to the mall!' Bullshit! Since when does she give a shit about Frank and his friends, about Frank having fun? Since never. All she cares about is seeing the bottom of an empty bottle and the excitement of getting a new one.

Allison opened the door to the back of the car and held it open for Mikey and her friend Sahina to walk out and then closed her door and stood next to her fuming boyfriend.

"What time do you want me to pick you guys up?" Mrs. Iero asked, cocking her head to one side. Frank shrugged and Allison elbowed him. He looked at his mother through the open window.

"I don't know, all right? I'll call you or something thirty minutes beforehand," he answered and looked at Allison for confirmation that what he gave was a suitable answer. But she was looking down.

"Listen Frank, don't get smart with me," his mother snapped. "I did you a favor driving you over here and-"

"Oh shut up," Frank growled, grabbed Allison and pulled her towards the entrance to the mall.

Mrs. Iero cursed him loudly and sped off, Sahina and Mikey running after Allison and Frank. Allison tore her hand out of her boyfriends grasp and slowed down as he plowed through Macy's.

"Calm down!" She shrieked.

Frank had no idea why he was so heated about his mother. Maybe it was the way she came down that morning, maybe it was how she said they had plans to drop him at the mall in front of his Nan, who knows. But being a complete ass to his girlfriend wasn't right, since she didn't do a damn thing to him. So Frank came to a complete halt and turned to her.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled.

Allison sighed sadly and leaned her head over to kiss him on the cheek, "You're forgiven."

His eyes searched hers for a second before he hugged her, her arms circling around his body as he cuddled into her, "I just don't know what came over me, I mean I told you what happened and-"

"Frank it's fine, you don't have to make excuses for me," Allison stated simply and pulled away from him. "Don't even worry about it. It was just a little awkward, that's all."

"There you guys are!" Someone called out and Gerard, Bob, Mikey, and Sahina appeared, coming straight towards them. "We thought you guys ran off or something."

"Nope, right here," Frank said and the group began walking again.

"So where are we going anyway?" Bob asked.

"Well I thought I'd buy Frank here a cell phone for his birthday," Gerard said as they neared the perfume department and made a left.

"But my birthday was in October," Frank said, confused. "And it's not for another seven months or so."

"Yeah but I didn't get you anything for your birthday and I have some money so I thought I'd get you something while we are here," Gerard said simply and Frank grinned at his best friend.

"Thanks Gee," he said quietly and squeezed his girlfriends hand as she chatted with Sahina.

The group walked out of the Macy's section as Allison guided them all over until she remembered that the T-Mobile section of the mall was on the second floor, and Mikey finally consulted a map. Then Gerard asked a security guard, who was very much afraid of him because of his attire and directed them the wrong way, he was so scared. Then they decided to trust Sahina who finally got them there.

"Jesus," Bob groaned. "Your mall is so big and annoying."

"Tell me about it," Allison agreed and they approached the T-mobile booth.

"And no one knows where anything is," Mikey said.

"Shush!" Sahina said and hit both Mikey and Bob. "I know where stuff is."

"No idea why we didn't listen to you first," Mikey said and they both started to giggle.

"Quiet you two," Gerard said and they stopped in front of the booth, and an Indian guy with glasses approached them, wearing a blue striped shirt.

"How may I help you?" He asked.

"Um, I'd like to add another phone to my plan, I think," Gerard answered and Frank and Allison stifled a laugh.

"I see, any specific phone you'd like?" The man asked, looking down at the glass case under him and Gerard bent down to look.

"Uh, how about a Sidekick 3?" Gerard suggested and the guy nodded, going to the other side of the booth to get some other stuff.

"One moment please."

"Gerard, you can't buy me a Sidekick 3!" Frank shrieked. "That phone is so expensive!"

"Yeah Gerard, what the hell? You didn't buy me a phone for my birthday, you son of a bitch," Allison said angrily, smacking Gerard on the arm.

"Okay, ow! And I have a lot of money, Frank. It's fine. Plus you need one."

"And what am I supposed to tell my parents when they see it?" Frank asked, genuinely interested.

"He's got a point," Bob pointed out.

"Tell them you bought it. I'm paying for the bills and everything," Gerard said.

"You know that won't work with th-"

"It doesn't matter," Gerard said. "I'm buying the phone, I'm paying the bill, and that's that. It'll be under my name only you will be using it. So stop worrying about it."

Mikey and Sahina started giggling and poking each other, then tickling the hell out of each other which caused a scene as they fell to the floor in a heap of giggles. Bob, Frank, Gerard, and Allison looked away and pretended they didn't know them, waiting for the phone guy to come back.

The guy finally appeared with a bunch of papers and stuff for Gerard to sign and read and also a box. After Gerard and the guy signed all the papers and release forms, he gave Gerard the box in a bag and shook his hand.

"Where else do you guys wanna go?" Gerard asked a little while later as they mulled throughout the mall.

"Yo no se," Mikey said.

"You speak Spanish?" Sahina asked and he shrugged and then nodded.

"I guess so."

Sahina started saying things in French and Mikey in other languages as the group approached the food court. Bob squealed when Johnny Rockets appeared and ran to order himself a strawberry shake. Then they all went to the mattress store and got kicked out, and then they went to Hot Topic next door to it.

Sahina, Mikey, and Allison bought a couple things and then they went to Spencer's to fool around a bit. Then they went across the food court to FYE so Bob could get the new Brand New album and then they decided they should leave.

"I really don't want to call my mom," Frank said sadly as they walked into Macy's once again to leave.

"Then don't," Bob replied.

"How am I going to get home then?"

"I'll drive you," Gerard answered and they exited the mall and headed for Gerard's car.

When they got inside, Allison helped Frank activate his phone and he put all the important stuff, along with the Sidekick in his pockets and they drove off towards Baldwin.

"Thanks for the ride, Gerard," Frank said when they pulled into the complex.

"No problem," Gerard said. "Are we hanging out tomorrow?"

Frank looked at Allison for confirmation and she shrugged and he nodded.

"Sure, why not?"

Gerard stopped the car in the middle of the complex and Frank and everyone else clamored out of it.

"See you later," Bob said from the passenger window and the car made a u-turn in a parking space and left the complex.

"Let's go to your house," Frank suggested to Allison and they walked towards her side.