Smiles Echo In My Memory

Frank’s Point of View
When Sazzy was fast asleep next to me, I gently slipped my arms from her and got out of her bed. I pulled up her blanket over her, tucking her in and placing a soft kiss on her slightly open mouth. I made sure the door was locked and that she was comfortable, before going over to her window and opening them wide. I looked down, checking that the wall wasn’t damp from rain and sung my legs over, standing on the still of the window outside. I closed her windows behind me before carefully climbing down off the wall, using vines that had grown on the wall from the garden for support.
I landed in her garden, right in front of the back door. Perfect. I opened it, and poked my head in, finding Shy, Sazzy’s Mom, sitting in the living room. Shy was short for Shahida, but I never could pronounce it properly.
“Hey, Shy. I was just wondering if you got everything about tomorrow,” I said politely. She nodded, smiling at me.
“Of course, Frankie,”
“Great. See you tomorrow, then!” I replied, before shutting the back door and trekking through the overgrown garden, and into the big car park. I got into my black Punto, driving off.

The next day, I was awoken by my alarm clock going off at 9:30am, and quickly jumped out of bed and had a shower, before I went and got breakfast.
After I ate, I looked down at my wrist watch. 10:30 am.
“Mom!” I called up from the downstairs landing, looking up. I heard her mumble something.
“I’m leaving now!” I called, before grabbing my keys from a shelf and walking out, pulling my black hood over my head. It was windy and cold outside, but not raining, thank god. I made my way over to the driveway, where I parked my car last night, and got in. I made sure it wasn’t too messy, and pulled out my phone. Searching through my contacts, I finally found ‘Charley Baby’, and dialed.
“You know, whenever you call, I always think to change what you saved it as, but I always forget,” Charley sounded, yawning at the end.
“You saved yours as ‘Charley Baby’!” I complained, grinning.
“Somehow, I don’t think that’s as bad as ‘Sexy Beast’,” he stated, a smile in his tone. “Some girl sees it, and thinks I’m gay. The other day I was in H&M and the cashier saw it, and heard your macho voice!” I laughed at his complaint, and started to get to the point.
“Anyways, Charley, start getting ready and shit. I’ll be picking you up in about half an hour,”
“Why? Where are you? I thought you were joking when you said you were picking me up at 11!” he groaned, and made shuffling noises, obviously just getting out of bed.
“I’m in my car. I’m about to leave for Sazzy’s,”
“Fucking hell, man… Your one romantic bastard, you know that?”
I grinned at his stupid comment, and chuckled.
“Is that a compliment…?”
“I don’t know… Whatever floats you boat, man. Anyways, piss off now, I’m about to get a shower,”
“Alright,” I hung up and put my phone in my hoodie pocket, and started up the car engine. I didn’t actually have to drive to Sazzy’s, but I was on a tight schedule.
When I got there, I went through the garden again, like last night, and got to the vines. Shy said that she always wanted vines up the back wall, Romeo and Juliet style. I thought it was kinda cheesy, but it came in handy and didn’t look bad at all.
I grabbed onto a handful of vines above me, and pulled myself up, slowly making my way upwards towards Sazzy’s window. When I got there, I stood on the still like last night, and looked through the glass, seeing Sazzy asleep in almost the same position as I left her in last night. I carefully pried open the window, pushing down the small lever at the bottom to open it out wider, making more room for me to get in. I slipped in, pulling the windows shut behind me, and knelt down next to Sazzy.
“Sazzy? Sazzy, wake up, sugar,” I whispered, brushing a strand of her hair away from her face. I leant down, placing a small kiss on her lips. She stirred, and slowly, her eyes fluttered open. “Frankie…?”
“Happy Birthday, babe,” I whispered into her ear. She smiled, sitting up and wrapped her slender arms around my neck.
“Thank you,” she muttered, still smiling. Her eyes opened properly, and she pulled away from me.
“Did you sleep here?”
“No,” I said, chuckling, and gripping onto her hand. “I climbed out the window last night. I got in from the window just now,”
“The window?! You idiot, Frank! What if you fell?! Lost your balance?!” She whispered/shouted, getting all upset.
“Hey, hey, I won’t! I’m used to that sorts of stuff, been doing it for ages,” I stated calmly, smiling weakly to reassure her.
She looked so beautiful, with her eyes all wide and concerned, even though she had yesterday’s make-up on, and her hair all sticking out everywhere. She was amazing. She was mine.
She stroked the side of my face gently, before pulling me to her again. I smiled, and pulled away from her quickly, looking at my watch. 10:39am.
“Sazzy, listen, I haven’t got long. But here’s what you have to do,” I started, grabbing both her hands and lacing them with mine. She nodded, gesturing me to go on.
“I’m going to leave out of the window again. Don’t tell anyone I was here. I came because I wanted to be the first to wish you happy birthday, really,” I said softly, before smiling and carrying on. “Your family are gonna be giving you your presents and stuff at around 12. So start spending a little time with them. I’m gonna take some of your clothes with me now, because you’re gonna stay at mine tonight. I’m gonna pick you up at 2:30 on the dot. You have to be ready, and waiting downstairs. I’ll come in through the front door that time,” I said, giggling. She giggled softly, and nodded.
“Okay, anyways. When I pick you up, you have to be dressed… Smartly,” I said, holding my breath. I was unsure of her reaction to this.
She burst out laughing, leaning forward slightly, her eyes closed.
“Smartly?” she gasped, in between fits of laughter. I grinned stupidly, and soothed her hair down, making her slowly stop laughing.
“Yes,” I whispered, squeezing her hand. She nodded, biting her lip to stop herself from laughing.
“Like, suit smart?” she asked, still grinning madly.
“Oh, god no! Just like… Dress smart,”
“So… You want me to wear a dress?”
“Yeah,” I said, getting up from her bed, her hands still in mine. “I have to go now, sugar,” I said, smiling down at her. She pouted her eyes wide.
“Why?!” she grumbled, gripping onto my hands tighter. I giggled, squeezing back.
“Babe, I got stuff to do,” I explained, still giggling.
“Like what?!”
“I can’t tell you!” she pouted again, and made to get out of bed. I held her in place, and leant down to be eye level with her.
“I’ll be back, 2:30. Remember? Don’t forget, babe. This is the time for your family to celebrate your sixteenth,” whispered to her, reasoning. She could be immature at childish at times, but I loved that about her. She nodded, and I pressed my lips against hers, my hands tangled up in her hair. She responded by parting her lips, my tongue slipping into her mouth. I pulled away after a while, panting slightly.
“Sazzy, sugar, I have to go now,” I whispered, standing up again. She nodded, and stood up in front of me.
“Right, you want to take some stuff, right?”
“Yeah, like your clothes for tomorrow and later. You can use my clothes to sleep in,” I said, and started to walk towards the black and red curtain that made her wardrobe. I pulled out her purple skinnies and her ripped light blue ones, showing them to her.
“These?” she nodded in reply, and carried on sorting through a drawer. She pulled out a medium black rucksack, shoving in her white Keds and all-black Converse. I threw the skinnies to her, and she put them in after the shoes, and shoved various make-up items and underwear into the front pocket of the bag.
“Get me two tops, Frankie,” she asked, looking over at me. I nodded, and pulled out a Green Day tee and a Misfits tee, along with her grey hoodie. I chucked them at her, before she put them in the bag, and zipping it up. She handed it over to me. I hung on strap over my shoulder, letting the other hang. I jumped up onto the window still quickly, opening up the window and swinging my legs outside, and ducking my head under. I bent down, and saw Sazzy on the other side. I leant in, and pecked her on the lips.
“2:30, don’t forget, okay sugar?” I said a hand on her cheek. She nodded, smiling. I smiled back, and grabbed the vines, making my way down the wall.