Frank couldn't quite believe that it was already spring break, he felt like just yesterday he was off on Christmas break.

"Are you sure you really wanna go?" Linda asked. "We can just stay home, I'll take some time off and we can do something fun together."

"I really wanna go, mom," Frank said, rolling his eyes.

"Are you sure?" She asked. "Florida is a far ways away from Belleville and you always got car sickness."

"I haven't gotten car sickness since I was a kid," he said.

Frank knew that Linda was just scared to let her son go. He's never gone on a trip before, Gerard decided to arrange this. The biggest trip he's ever been on was when him and his mother went to the coast when he was ten for the day. But now it was spring break of senior year, he wanted to join his friends on this big trip down to Florida.

"You have enough money?" She asked.

"More than enough," Frank said. "I've been saving up for months now."

"And you have your phone and charger?" She asked and he nodded. "What about Mr. Waffles?"

"Mr. Waffles? My stuffed bear from when I was a kid? Mom, I don't need to bring Mr. Waffles, I haven't slept with him since I was nine," Frank said with a small chuckle. "I'm gonna be fine, mom, I promise. I'm an adult now."

"I know, I'm just gonna miss you," she said, kissing his forehead. "No drinking, no smoking. I know that I can't stop you and you probably are but at least just do it responsibly. No driving if you're not sober. No getting into the car with anyone who's not sober. Be careful, okay?"

"Yes, mom, I know," he said.

"You'll probably take turns driving on the way there but I don't want you taking a turn to drive," Linda said. "You only got your license two weeks ago and you're just not ready to take on a drive like this just yet."

"I wasn't really planning on driving, Brendon doesn't want me to drive his mom's car anyways," he said. "I'm gonna be okay, though, I'll only be gone six days."

Linda sighed. "I know, you're an adult now. It's time for you to go out and do things on your own. I'm just going to miss you a lot and I am going to worry."

There was a honk outside and Frank smiled.

"They're here," he said.

"Okay, be careful and I love you," she said.

"I love you too, mom," he said. "I'll call you when we get to Florida and then again as often as I can."

Linda smiled and kissed his cheek. Frank grabbed his duffel bag and hurried downstairs. Brendon was borrowing his mom's minivan and the slid open. He tossed his bag into the trunk before going into the backseat where Gerard was. It was the six of them, Gerard, Frank, Jamia, Pete, Brendon and Ryan.

"Oh god, this is going to be so much fun," Ryan said. "I'm so glad that we're doing this."

"Too bad Debby and Josh couldn't come," Jamia said.

They both wanted to join their friends on the trip but Debby was eight months pregnant now and couldn't be traveling away from home.

"I don't think a pregnant woman and Florida during spring break would be a good combination," Gerard said. "Far too much booze."

"Yeah, Josh told me he was gonna take her on a picnic and to the pool and things like that," Frank said. "So at least they'll get to have some fun during the break."

"How long is it gonna take to get down to the motel?" Pete asked.

"About fourteen more hours so get comfortable," Brendon said.

Frank sighed, snuggling close to Gerard. It was definitely getting warmer outside but the two still cuddled up underneath a blanket.

"Frankie, I love you," Gerard whispered, making Frank giggle.

"I love you too," he said.

Frank could remember the first time that they told each other that.

Frank smiled, holding Gerard's hand. It was surprisingly warm out and the two were sleeping under the stars in Gerard's backyard. It was quiet and peaceful, they were so happy to just be here wrapped up in each other's arms.

"Happy three month anniversary, Baby," Gerard said.

Frank smiled, kissing Gerard's cheek.

"I love you," he whispered.

Gerard looked over in slight surprise, making Frank worry that he hadn't done the right thing by saying that. Gerard was quiet as he stared at Frank.

"I love you too," he said finally.

"You do?" Frank asked. "Y-you don't have to just say that because I said it."

"No, it's okay, I was just a little bit surprised," he said. "I'm really glad that you said it. And I do mean it, I really do love you too. I was just surprised, I never really thought that I would ever be here with someone that I love so much. It's surprising and I really, really like it. I honestly never thought that I would be so in love with someone."

Frank smiled at Gerard, holding his hand.

"What?" Gerard asked.

"Nothing, just thinking about the first time that you told me that," he said. "It was really nice to hear."

"I really like to say it," he said. "And you know what tomorrow is?"

"Our five month anniversary," Frank said with a proud smile.

Gerard smiled, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. It's been four months since they last received a letter, leaving them alone and peaceful. Gerard was just thankful that Lindsey was back on her medication and seeming to be feeling a lot better now.

"I'm gonna take you out somewhere nice," he said.

"No, don't do that," Frank denied. "You know I don't like nice places. They're expensive and i always feel so out of place."

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"Yeah, to me it sounds even better to just have a peaceful night in at the motel with you," he said.

"Well too bad you're not gonna get that because we are gonna be partying our asses off," Ryan said. "It's spring break! Have your movie marathons some other time!"

Frank chuckled, kissing Gerard's cheek.

"Maybe when we get back home we can go out to eat somewhere," Frank said. "I'd rather not eat out in Florida, I feel like everything is going to be so much more expensive."

"Yeah, you're probably right on that," Gerard agreed.

"It's gonna be kind of late when we get down there," Brendon said. "We'll stop for fast food on the way and then tomorrow we can go to the store for some food, get like bagels and things to make sandwiches and that kind of stuff."

"Oh, my mom and I bought some stuff before we left, too," Jamia said. "Chips and pretzels and pops, things like that."

"Ooh, remind me to text your mom later to thank her," Frank said. "Also, what is this playing right now? Are we having a sadfest?"

"Ryan is playing his Sad Boy Playlist," Brendon said. "He's controlling the music."

"Oh my god, change it, please," Pete begged. "I do not want to listen to Let Her Go and Yesterday on our way to an epic party vacation in Florida."

"Ryan, did your cat die or something?" Jamia asked.

"Hey, sad songs are the best in car rides," Ryan said. "Especially while it's raining. It's like you're in a music video."

"Um, change it or else I'm taking the aux," Pete said.

Ryan rolled his eyes but still changed it to a more upbeat playlist.

"You guys just don't understand," he said. "Sad music is the best music. No one can beat my Sad Boy Playlist."

"I-Is that the actual name of the playlist?" Gerard asked.

"Yeah, it is," Brendon said.

"I've been here for five months and honestly I'm still learning so many new things about everyone," Gerard said. "Did you know that Josh still sleeps with a night light? I didn't wanna say anything when I stayed over at his place but, like, why?"

"Oh, when he was younger he started having these...sleep paralysis sort of things," Frank said. "He usually wakes up in the middle of the night and has these hallucinations and having some light in the room makes it a bit less creepy."

"Oh, that makes so much more sense," he said.

"Why were you sleeping over there?" Jamia asked. "He doesn't usually have people sleep over recently since Debby's moved in, he doesn't wanna interrupt her sleeping since she's pregnant and all."

"Oh, I was helping him build some of the furniture for the nursery and it got late so he said I could just crash on the couch," Gerard explained. "It's pretty cool how him and Debby actually live together in their own place now, they're only eighteen."

"You know, it is really awesome that your eighteenth birthday is gonna happen while we're down here in Florida," Pete said. "You're gonna get to celebrate it in style."

"My friend Patrick's birthday is at the end of the month and he always has this huge party," Gerard said. "You guys should all come with me."

"He wouldn't mind?" Jamia asked.

"God, he doesn't care, he's wasted within the first half hour," Gerard said. "Seriously, half of North Brunswick comes, people that we don't even really know."

"Any excuse to party is an excuse to me," Ryan said. "We would love to go."

Frank looked out the window at the cars they were passing and at the city in the background that seemed far and tiny. He was a little bit nervous and for a moment the anxiousness started to get to him, anxiousness that he hasn't felt in a long time. He was a lot better now, was so much more confident. But his stomach was twisting uneasily as he thought about leaving New Jersey and leaving his mom and going to a place that he's never been to before. Oh god, what if this was a mistake? Maybe they should just turn around, it's not too late to be dropped off.

"Hey, you okay?" Gerard whispered.

"I-I don't think I can do this," he whimpered. "I-I can't go all the way to Florida. I should go home. I need to go home, this was a mistake."

"We can go home if you want," Gerard said. "But is that really what you want to do?"

"I-I don't know, I'm just really nervous," he said. "I've never left home before. I think I'm homesick."

"Baby, you've only been away from home for forty-five minutes," Gerard said with a small chuckle.

"I know," he said. "I-I'm just...Oh god, I'm just nervous."

"Hey, Frankie, it's gonna be okay," Jamia said, turning in her seat to give him a small smile. "We're all here for you and if you don't want to go then that's okay, we can drop you back off at home."

Frank was really considering that option, considering choosing the safer route. But he knew he would probably regret not going when he saw his friends posting all kinds of cool pictures and videos. He was nervous now but he knew that once he got there and started having fun the nerves would be gone. He would just have to wait until the nerves went away.

"No, I'll be fine, I'm just a little bit nervous," he said.

"Well guess who brought some pot?" Brendon cheered.

"You're really bringing drugs across state lines?" Ryan asked.

"It's been so long since I've smoked," Frank said. "I've been saving for this trip so I haven't bought anything in forever."

Brendon reached into the console and tossed back a baggie of weed and some rolling papers. Frank sighed, carefully rolling a joint on the back of his phone. He didn't wanna spill the weed all over the backseat of his friend's mom's minivan. When he finally got it rolled he began to relax as he smoked and they all laughed as they passed it around, singing along to the music.