Tell Me Angel, Where Are You

“Gerard, what the fuck?” I mumbled out through his sweaty fingers.
“When was the last time you washed your hands?”
“How should I know?”
“Ew.”
Now, I’m not a huge germ-a-phobe, but dirty hands covering my mouth tied my stomach in knots.
“Scared you, didn’t I?” He sounded rather pleased.
“Nope.”
“Liar.”
It was kind of a hobby between all of our friends to try and scare each other. To some that might seem a bit odd, but it wasn’t really. Gerard never really scared me much. I guess that’s why he was so pleased with himself.
“Hey babe.”
“Frankie?”
My eyes were now blindfolded leaving me unable to move due to the lack of sight.
“Heylo, love,” Frankie gently replied as he took a piece of sift fabric and started binding my tiny wrists.

“Anyone care to explain?” I asked, very confused.
All right, I’ll sum it up for you. I walked out of my house at eight on a Friday night in New Jersey, mind you, to be attacked by my lovely boyfriend and my best friend. Now blinded and wrist-bound and I’m a tad bit confused.

“Well,” Frankie said as he lifted me up and slung me over his shoulder, “I’m taking you somewhere special.”
I whimpered as he lifted me up. I have had bad experiences with falling down whenever people carried me.
“So I need to be blinded?”
“Yeah! That makes it more secret,” Gerard chimed in.
“Oh, that makes sense,” I shot back sarcastically.

I was placed carefully in a car seat and an icy seatbelt was quickly slid across my waist.
“Gerard’s gonna drive us, cause I don’t have my license yet.”
“Alright, wanna tell me where we’re going?”
“Nope.”
I shrugged my shoulders in disappointment.
“Well, am I allowed to know anything at all?” I asked hopefully.

“Yes. It’s going to take a while to get there and we’re spending the weekend. You’ve never been there and you told me this in the sixth grade. Also, Gerard’s driving us and I’m about to take the cloth of your wrists. Oh and we raided your room for stuff you’d need.”
“You...raided…my room,” I stated, smiling.
“Yup,” Frankie simply replied.

Even though the blindfold impaired my vision quite a bit, I could tell he was grinning. He kissed me cheek softly and took my freezing hand in his clammy one once he freed my bound wrists.

“Ew, you let my brother raid my room?” I asked jokingly in partial disgust.
“I made sure he didn’t touch or see anything, babe. Don’t worry, no undies or bras for him, that was my department,” Frankie reassured me.
I shook my head, giggling.
“Ew, gross, why would I wanna look at my little sister’s stuff anyway? Half your clothes are located at my house anyway, so we used most of those.”
“Good, you better not have touched my stuff,” I retorted.

I thought for a brief moment and confusion nibbled on my thoughts.
“Why was I wrist-bound...ed?”
“Because I wanted to kidnap you and it’s not a proper kidnapping less you tied the hands together,” Frankie joked.
“Mmhm, I guess your right. Ah, what about Bandit?”
“Sh…love, calm down. Mikey’s taking care of Bandit,” Gerard laughed at my worries.
“I got everything under control, Munchkin, chill,” Frankie stated.
“Aw, you’re too good,” I smiled.
“Hey! I helped!”
“Moment-ruiner…ah, yeah, you did help, you’re pretty wicked too, Gee. Did I mention that it’s pretty fuckin’ scary letting you drive while I’m temporarily blind,” I shivered.

It’s not that he was a bad driver, he just had a lead foot and liked swerving into different lanes too swiftly. When you can’t see, it just makes the experience worse.
“I’m not that bad,” he retaliated.
“Mhmm,” I hummed.
Frankie placed a warm hand over my mouth.
“Can it Munchkin, you’ll get yourself into trouble.”

I smiled beneath his fingers and playfully bit his middle finger.
“Jaws,” he whispered.
“Grr,” I growled in defense.
I rested my head on his shoulder and he wrapped his arms around me after covering us with a soft blanket.

I can’t remember when I fell asleep, but when I awoke, we were still driving.
I yawned and stretched out all the kinks from sleeping in a demented position.
“Hey beautiful, nice nap?”
“You’re comfy,” I blurted out.
Frankie let out a sigh, ”Yeah, I know.”
“How much longerr?” I whined.
“We’re very close, actually, and don’t take off that blindfold till I say so,” Frankie replied.
“Sweet.”
Frankie laughed.
I cocked my head over in confusion. What’s so funny?
He must have seen my look of confusion, but I wouldn’t know, cause I couldn’t see.

“It’s nothing, Munchkin.”
“Mmkay, Princess.”

A few minutes of joking around went by before,
“Oh, here, don’t take these off. I’ll take ‘em off when we’re done,” Frankie said quickly.
Soft foam headphones covered my ears and ‘Basketcase’ blasted into my ears, filling my completely.
Frankie taught me this song on Pansy and so I guess you could consider it our song. He taught me how to play it standing up. Which to me, is a difficult task because I was doing three things at once, singing, standing, and playing guitar. But he never gave up on me when I gave up on myself.

Am I just paranoid? Or am I just stoned?

There was a soft tug at my headphones as Billie Joe broke into the next verse.
“Baby, we’re here…”
“Yeah! Wait…where?”
“Uh-uh-uh, no interrupt,” he said as he placed a delicate finger to my closed lips and slid the headphones down to my neck.

“We just have to check in, don’t take off that blindfold, got it?”
“Roger Dodger,” I replied.

Gerard abruptly came to a halt and turned the car engine off.
“Wait…problem, can’t see, thus I lack the ability to walk,” I stated.
“Gee, can you grab the bags? I’ll grab her.”
“Sure thing.”
“Waitt…where are we going?” I asked in deep curiosity.

I was never patient. It was a virtue I hadn’t been graced with. I guess that’s a bad thing since someone told me I was going to hell solely based on the fact that I didn’t have any patience.
“Just be patient, Doll-face…I’ll show ya soon,” Frankie said, laughing.
“Doll-face…that’s a new one.”
“Yeah, but you’ll always be my Munchkin.”
I mumbled. I mean, I pretend to hate that name. Secretly, I kind of liked it. I don’t really hate the fact that I’m small…sometimes it was just annoying because it limited me from doing things. Everyone called me that, but Frankie used it the most. I was always his Munchkin.

Frankie gracefully picked me up, one hand under my legs and the other held my back, and carried me in the direction of our destination.
A rush of cool air hit my face as we walked and hushes voices were all around.
“Gee, can you check in, it’s under your name cause we aren’t considered “adults” yet, go figure.”
“Ah, too young to understand adultness.”
“Dude, that’s not even a word.”
“Shut it. I’m going. God, didn’t even say please.”
“Please and thank you,” Frankie laughed.

Usually, I could find a way to see through blindfolds. I’d lift my head so that I could see a bit. However, Frankie put it on too well to get any peeks.
“We’re in room 257.”

Frankie walked in another direction and I heard the elevator door shut and the bottons being clicked. I clung onto Frankie for dear life. I had fear of elevators. Childish, I know. Being stuck in an elevator for a few hours can drive you insane and leave you with a drastic fear of falling. I have an excuse or two. Elevators really weren’t my thing. Frankie knew it and he held me closer.
“It’s okay, I gotcha, I’d never let anything happen to you.”

The “ding” of the elevator told us that our ride was over and we made it out alive. Frankie stepped out and continued walking to what I guessed was our hotel room. A few minutes later, there was an immediate stop. With the “click” of the key in the door, I assumed we arrived at our room.

“Hey, what about the…”
“Get rid of all that stuff, she can’t see it.”
“She can hear you, you know,” I added with a grin.
“Shut it,” Frankie joked, shifting my weight.
“Alright it’s away, put her down.”

Frankie gently placed me back on my feet.
“Here,” Frankie said as he removed the torturous blindfold.

A hotel room.
That’s what I saw.
But there had to be something else.
I’ve been to hotels and he knew that.
There was something else.

“Since it’s late, I’m taking you tomorrow to where your surprise is,” Frankie joked.
“Aw, come on you can’t tell me?” I whined.
“Nope,” Frankie laughed.
“No! Come on! So not fair!”
“It is so. You have to wait.”
“Well I’m going to get to my room, it’s connected to this one. Night guys, better not wake me up, either," Gerard said, rubbing his eyes.
“Alright, night buddy,” Frankie said.
“Night, Gee, and thanks for everything,” I said while hugging him.
“Anything for my little sis,” he smiled.
I smiled as he walked into his room.

“Don’t open the windows either, you’ll ruin it.”
“Windows?”
I searched for the window and it captured my gaze. I slyly edged closer to the window as Frankie grabbed our suitcases, just to get a small peek. I had to know where we were because as of now, I have no idea where I was. I don’t even think we’re in Jersey anymore.
“Hey!”

Frankie grabbed me from behind and ripped me away from the window before I had the chance to push the curtain back. He threw me over his shoulder as I shrieked. He playfully slammed me to the bed and pushed me down.

“You can’t ruin it. It’s a surprise, you’ll know tomorrow!”
“I can’t wait that long! Just tell me!”
“No!”
“Tell mee!”
“Ask me again and you’re in for it, Munchkin, I swear!”
“Tell me?”

He went to tickle me and before he could,
“No! No, no. Don’t, I’ll know tomorrow. Jerk.”
He smiled and got off of me, proudly.
“You’ll love it, I swear,” he said, as he kissed my cheek.

“Your stuff is in this one,” he said pointing to the suitcase still lying on the bed.
“Go, get changed, cause we have a big day tomorrow.”
I hummed a silent response. I grabbed my Ramones shirt and my red boxers.
“Turn, I’m changing.”
“I still have to turn?”
“Mhm,” I said, grinning.
He sighed and gave me a look with a sly grin, “Do I hafta?”
“Tell me where we are and you don’t have to turn.”
“Fine, I’m turning,” he said while he turned, slightly shaking his head.
I laughed evilly and changed.
Frankie had already stripped to only his boxers and was in the one bed that I guessed we were sharing.

He patted the bed. I ran and jumped over his to the other side. It was an air-conditioned room and it was already pretty cold, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
He flicked the lamp off next to the bed and tugged me close to him.

“You’re going to love it, baby, I can’t wait to take you,” he whispered into my ear.
“I know I will, I can’t wait to go...where ever you’re taking me.”
He kissed my cheek and pulled me even closer and I relaxed in his arms.
We fell asleep together within five minutes.

“Get up! Now! We’re leaving! Get ready! Up, up, now!”
Gerard hopped up and down on the bed, Frankie was already dressed as well as Gerard.
“Can I take a shower?” I asked.
“Yup, go, quick!”
“Okay, okay!”

I took a quick shower and walked out of the bathroom in a fresh set of clothes, only to be greeted by that dreaded blindfold again.
“I have to wear that thing again?” I asked in agony.
“Yup,” Frankie said as he tied it tightly around my head.

A short car ride later,
“Come on! We’re here!” Frankie said tugging me out of the car.
He took both of my hands and dragged me to our destination.
It smelt amazing. Mixed foods filled my senses and voices of small children reached my ears. Everyone around me was so excited. I could hardly wait to get this blindfold off. I decided after this trip that I was burning that thing.

“Ready?” Frankie asked. His voice dripped with anticipation.
“Yeah!”
Slowly he slid the blindfold off.

A wide grin crashed onto my face as I looked at where we were.

Hershey Park.