Frankie Fever

Okay, I bet you all hate me and think I'm a freak right now.

But, believe me, I'm not a freak!

Rohypnol, pfft.

Why would I need that? My parents had enough prescription sedatives and sleep-aid pills between them to knock out an elephant. In fact, that was probably just the bathroom cabinet.

I was searching through the obvious places first, like the bathroom cabinet, the medicine box and then Mom's handbag and Dad's drawer etc.

The bathroom cabinet was mainly full of the sleep-aid and drowsy cough/cold medicine. I grabbed at the various packets and inspected them carefully. A couple of pills would be no harm. That's what I kept telling myself.

Kalms sleep
Promotes natural refreshing sleep

Why not?

All the cough and cold pills with the words drowsy were mine. Okay, not all of them. Mom and Dad would have noticed. I took one roll per pack. And a bunch of headache pills. The entire Kalms container was coming with me. And then there were Mom's anxiety pills. She'd never gotten rid of them after she stopped taking them. They helped her sleep. Thank you, Mom.

With the pockets of my school pants stuffed with sleep-aid pills, I rushed into my room and spilled them all over my duvet cover. I looked around the place for somewhere to hide them. I sighed and went for the ornate box my Grandma gave me. Mom and Dad wouldn't look there! I never touched it as it was special to me. I didn't want to ruin it.

I shuddered to think about what Grandma would say if she knew what I was considering.

I was hormonally insane, okay? I was so desperate to get my hands on him I wasn't thinking about anything else.

Then I raided the downstairs medicine box to see what I would find. The sedatives were lurking down there. I smiled and grabbed a couple of rolls. These would work.

Then I got the shock of my life.

"What are you doing?"

I whirled around to see Dad stood there having just gotten off the phone. We both stared at each other for a few seconds; I clutched tighter at the foil covered pills in my hand. Never! I'd never surrender!

Dad helped himself to a glass of wine and sat at the table, lighting up a cigarette. He looked over at me and forced a sweet smile.

"How was school?"

"Sucked, like usual."

"How's Frank?"

"He's fine."

There was a silence. Dad took a gulp of wine and another drag of his cigarette. He exhaled thoughtfully and turned to me.

"Look, Gerard," He began "I know things haven't been great between us and they haven't been easy for you-"

"Pfft, please, Don," I scoffed "Save the concerned father act for someone who believes it!"

I managed to manouever out of the room whilst keeping the contents of my hand concealed. Mission Impossible, puh-lease! Gerard Way's the real deal!

"Anyone home?" Mom called.

"Hi, Mom," I called cheerily as I was making my way upstairs.

"Hey, honey," She called back.

Then I was holed up in my room. I smiled and began popping the pills out of their containters and into the box. Who'd ever know? Frank wouldn't remember, Mom and Dad were going out for an anniversary dinner together, Mikey would be holed up in his room doing star-trek. . . star-trekky things.

I lounged on my bed as I popped the pills into the container, pulling my chemistry textbook close to me, just in case. Every so often there was a soft ripping sound as I popped a pill through the foil and into the ornate box.

My phone vibrated from its place on my nightstand. I sighed and sat up to check it. It was a text from Frankie.

So, whts happening 2nite?
R ur rents going out or nt?

I smiled and stabbed at buttons with my thumb to write out the reply.

Yh, as far as I know!

I placed my phone next to me as I stretched back out to continue writing my work. My phone vibrated again with the reply to my message.

Awesome, cn I come ova l8r then?

Yh, sure

Awesome! C u l8r! XO

I smiled at the hug and kiss he offered at the end. I imagined what it would be like to kiss him and hug him close. It'd be so good. I was so sure of it. Surely it wouldn't be long now. I felt a shiver of excitement run through me. A smile spread over my face as I reached for my chem textbook to finish some exercise homework.

* * *

I was working away at the periodic table when there was a knock at the door. It couldn't be Frank, it was way too early.

I looked up curiously to see Dad poking his head round the door. He looked almost worried for a nanosecond before plastering on that oh-so-famous smile.

"Geraaard," He wheedled sweetly.

What did he want to borrow?

"Can we talk?" He simpered.

Ah, the sweet sweet warning. Buckle your belts and get ready, it's gonna' be one bumpy ride. It was the indication that Dad wanted to have a father-son talk with me about something. I've suffered a number of these in the past. There was the talk about how my beloved green budgie turned blue overnight. And the wonderful now-you're-an-adult discussion (quote: Nothing different, just zits, the discovery of girls and the realisation that you have two vital organs and there isn't enough blood to function both at the same time.).

I nodded, closing my book and bracing myself.

Dad slipped into the room and shut the door delicately behind him. He smiled softly, almost caringly. He didn't say anything for a moment and just watched me, his expression looking concerned again. This was starting to freak me out.

I stared silently at him, waiting for him to talk.

"It's about the sleep-aid pills, sedatives, cough and cold medicine, headache pills and anxiety tablets you've been hoarding up here."

Oh crap.