Frankie Fever

God, I was an idiot! I should’ve said no and distanced myself from him forever! Better that than everything that pursued this moment! Sorry, sorry, I keep getting overexcited and a little bit ahead of myself!

Frank was still getting dressed when I arrived. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from his torso. God, what would I give to be able to run my hands up and down that? Frank smiled at me as he turned to look at me.

I tore my eyes away from him quickly.

“Everything okay?” He asked.

“Yeah,” I nodded a little too quickly for it to be true “Why wouldn’t it be?”

He shrugged his shoulders with a smile. I seated myself awkwardly on the edge of the bed, twiddling my thumbs while he rummaged around, trying to decide on a shirt. Which one? Which one?

I sighed to myself, my chest heaving while Frankie rummaged around, smiling over his shoulder at me every so often.

I don’t want to talk about it. I should’ve cancelled on him. Then maybe he’d still be here now.

I stood up and reached out for his tie as he battled viciously with it, having chosen a white shirt.

“Here,” I offered “Let me.”

He smiled gratefully as I took hold of the red material, carefully tying it up for him. It was soon hanging around his neck in a neat little knot, hanging lower than it should- just the way he liked it.

A wide grateful grin played his lips and he made a kissing gesture at me to show his gratitude. I smiled and inclined my head awkwardly. I hated it when he did that. I always played it over in slow motion in my head afterwards. It was painful and I always ended up trying to beat the image from my head.

Soon, Frank had himself dressed and we were sneaking a bottle of vodka out past his Dad. Then we were running along the veranda, giggling like maniacs. We’d done it.

We were a beautiful devious duo.

Frank giggled, resting his head on my shoulder as he caught his breath. I looked at him and giggled too, breathing in deeply. He caught my eye and smiled again. He then linked his arm through mine and began skipping down the road, dragging me along behind him.

Why was I so stupid?

* * *

“Okay, cigarettes, now!” Frankie said with a grin, rummaging through his pockets for the box.

I smiled and took a swig from the bottle we were sharing between us. Frankie sparked up and grinned, passing the cigarette to me. It fit snugly between my fingers, smoke curling softly in the air. He then lit up another for himself, grinning and taking a drag slowly. It was sexy.

He grinned, sitting up straighter and crossing his legs in a business-like way.

“Women,” He said with a grin.

Oh, God.

I sighed, taking another swig of vodka, passing him the bottle. He took it and took a good, long gulp and looked at me expectantly. Oh God, he wanted me to talk

“What about them?” I questioned, placing my cigarette back between my lips.

“You never talk about them,” He said “Who’ve you got your eye on?” He demanded.

“Well. . . no one,” I shrugged.

He smirked knowingly, taking a drag of his cigarette and exhaling the smoke slowly. I reached out slowly, taking the bottle from him for a swig.

“Well?” He demanded, then pausing for a think.

I took a sharp gulp of vodka.

He waited for me to finish, a smirk on his face. I smirked right back, waiting to hear his new theory so I could shoot it down.

“Maybe,” He said with a smile “You don’t have your eye on anyone because you have Sarah,” He finished with a proud smile.

I choked on my vodka, spraying it everywhere.

“What?” I demanded to make sure I’d heard him right “W-what?”

“You do, don’t you?” He grinned widely “You and Sarah! Oh my God! How could you keep it a secret from me?”

I blinked at him with a wide-eyed expression, too shocked to say anything.

With each word, he was getting more and more excited, sitting up straighter and grinning excitably. He pushed his fringe from his eyes impatiently, looking at me expectantly. I still couldn’t speak.

Me and Sarah?

Yeah, no.

“So, what’ve you done with her?” He questioned eagerly “C’mon, spill the beans! Is she good?”

“I’m not with her!” I protested, finally finding my voice “She’s so not my type. I mean. . . it’s just. . . eww. She’s nice and all but she’s not my type at all!”

“So that’s why you act all weird whenever she’s around, is it?” He questioned with a smirk “Yeah, I’ve seen you! Maybe you like her and you’re trying to hide it from me!” He giggled, taking a sip of vodka.

“Uh, no!” I protested “She’s so not my type! I do not like her!”

Frankie shrugged and then burst into a fit of the giggles over some sort of private joke.

Oh God! Here it comes.

I rolled my eyes and took a final drag on my cigarette before stubbing it out with a gentle circular grinding motion, waiting to hear this fantastic joke. Frankie gave one final giggle and looked at me, shaking his head.

“Maybe. . .” He giggled again “Maybe. . . maybe you like me and you’re trying to hide it from her!” He finished, once again exploding into a fit of the giggles.

But the giggles eased off to a stop when he realised I wasn’t laughing with him. When he realised I was just sort of staring at him. His eyebrows crossed at my gentle expression. It was like he couldn’t quite understand why I didn’t see the funny side in his hilarious joke.

“W-what?” He questioned, trying to resist another nervous giggle.

I didn’t say anything. I was completely frozen. My voice was lost. My limbs were beyond my control.

Frank continued to give me the puzzled look. What could I say? There was nothing to say. I’d just made it blatantly obvious. No point trying to hide it now.

Unless. . .

He hadn’t realised it yet.

“Nothing!” I said quickly “F-funny joke!”

Frank leaned away slightly, giving me a puzzled look. He sat there, surveying me for a couple of seconds.

Here we are:

Suddenly, his eyebrows furrowed and his almond-shaped eyes narrowed.

“Oh my God. . .” He said slowly, his voice wavering uncertainly “O-oh my God. You. . . y-you like me, don’t you?”

My world crashed down around me. It had happened. He’d worked out I was a pillow-biter- no! I wasn’t a pillow-biter. He’d worked out I had a thing for him. And then he’d start to piece things together. Maybe he’d work out why there was that pile of pills that time. Maybe he’d work out why I’d gasped when he fell into me and our crotches touched. Maybe he’d work out why I’d asked for him to go lower down my back - Oh God, please no.

Oh God.

Oh. My. God.

No.

Ohgodohgodohgodohgod.

Why did this have to happen to me?

Get out of there now!

Frank surveyed me with an inexplicable expression. I saw everything.

Fear.

Shock.

Disgust.

Curiosity.

Uncertainty.

Realisation.

Concern.

Everything.

I grabbed at my jacket quickly.

“I-I’ve gotta’ go!” I gabbled quickly.

He turned away from me, staring at nothing in particular as I tried to walk speedily but calmly away. That last peek over my shoulder before I turned the corner and ran with tears spurting down my cheeks showed him chugging the last of our shared vodka bottle.

What hurt was the way he stared at the top of it with hesitation.

I ran all the way home, not once looking back.