Smiles Echo In My Memory

When we all got to Pizza Hut, we were immediately seated at a table for six, even though there were five of us. Frank and I sat on one side, while Ani, Shine and Katie sat opposite us, with Shine in the middle of them. Frank and I decided we’d share Nachos, and Katie and Ani wanted to share wedges and Shine wanted a starter salad. During the first part of the meal, we’d gotten to know Katie really well. She was my age, and going to transfer to Varndean soon, because Hove Park, were she currently is, is too far from Shine’s place. And Shine wanted her to come to Varndean because then she’d know me, and I’d show her around, and the like. She wouldn’t be in my form, but she’d be in my Drama and Media.

When we were halfway through eating our pizzas, Frank’s phone buzzed violently in his pocket. He pulled it out, flipping it open and the screen flashed ‘Mom’. He excused himself, and went outside to answer the call. “So, Sazzy,” Katie started, sipping on her lemonade. “I’ve been wondering is Frank you’re… Is he your boyfriend?” I choked on the piece of Pizza, but quickly swallowed it so I didn’t make a scene. “Oh! No, it’s not like that. We’re just really close friends. We see each other everyday, all the time, and that sort of thing. It’s kinda hard to get rid of him,” I joked, smiling. She nodded, returning the smile and carried on with her meal. I looked over to the window to see Frank waving his hands around, looking pretty pissed off. I saw him mutter into the phone and then shut it, sliding it back into his pocket and walking back into the restaurant. Before Frank sat down, I stood up, grabbing his wrist. “Frank, I need to speak to you outside. Sorry, we’ll be back in a minute,” I said, addressing Shine and the others, before dragging Frankie outside.
“What the hell was that?” I asked as soon as I felt the cold wind hit my face as I walked out of the glass door.
“It was Mom, she’s in London and said she won’t be around for about five days,” he muttered, a sour look on his face, looking down at his shoes.
“Frankie? What’s so bad about that? I’ll stay with you those days if you want… Frank?” He wouldn’t make eye contact with me, and seemed to have found a sudden interest in his white converse. “Frankie? It’s not that, is it?” I whispered, placing a hand on his arm, trying to get him to look at me. I’d never seen him like this before, and it was unnerving. I despised the feeling it sent through me, to see him like… this. It was awful.
“Fra-”
“Sazzy, just leave it. Please.” The look his eyes gave me sent a whole wave of emotion through me. He looked down again, sighed and looked up with a small smile on his face. “I’m fine. Everything’s fine. Let’s just go back in, yeah?”
My hand that was placed on his arm dropped back to my side, and I looked on at Frank in disbelief. He could be such a schizophrenic sometimes.
“Frank, I-”
“Let’s do this later. Not right now,” he cut me off bluntly, taking my hand and leading me back into Pizza Hut. We sat down in our seats and Shine and Ani already knew that we’d had a ‘fight’ of some sort. They can just tell when it comes to mine and Frank’s relationship.
“Errm, we already ordered the desserts; I ordered cookie dough for you both to share… That’s okay, isn’t it? You guys always have that,” Shine asked delicately, leaning forward in her seat slightly. I glanced over at Frank on my right side and nodded, smiling slightly at her. She did the same, probably knowing I was feeling like shit.

After the meal, Shine dropped me, Frank and Ani home, as it was already about seven, and getting really dark. We said bye and our general thanks, before Shine and Katie drove off, leaving us standing in the car park.
“Ani, could you go ahead of us? We’ll catch you up,” I said, looking over at my younger sister. She nodded, raising an eyebrow and walking towards home. Frank leaned up against the brick wall and pulled out his pack of cigarettes, lighting one.
“Frank, I’m sorry if I-”
“No. You didn’t do anything. I’m really sorry, it’s-” I cut Frank off by tackling him into a hug, pushing him up against the wall he was leaning against. He seemed taken aback, and took a while to wrap his arms around me, making sure his cigarette wasn’t burning a hole through my back.
“Look, Sazzy, stay over mine tonight? I’ll tell you… I’ll tell you everything.”
I looked up at him from his chest, wondering what the hell he was on about. His gorgeous hazel eyes were full of distress and watery.

It was heart-wrenching.