I don't like this chapter as much :/

~~

Mikey took the stuffie to the register to pay, leaving me alone with this Frank man.

"Just wondering," Frank started, "What pronouns do you use? I don't want to be rude."

"I'm a boy, so he/him," I clarified, happy that he asked me and wasn't annoying like everyone else.

"Oh, okay," Frank said.

It was silent between us and I looked at his tattoos that littered his arm.

"I-I like your tattoos," I said quietly. "I would get one because they're so pretty but I don't like needles."

"Yeah? What would get a tattoo of?" Frank asked.

I never really thought about that.

"I would...I would get a little puppy because I love puppy's," I said. "Oh, and a tiara because I'm a princess and I'd tattoo whiskers on my face because I'm a little kitty. Maybe my name in a really pretty font with a heart."

Frank smiled, laughing slightly at my list.

"A princess, huh? I'll keep that in mind," Frank said.

I giggled and my cheeks flushed, feeling myself fall headfirst back into little space. I had been depressed after Bert broke up with me, and whenever I'm depressed I tend to come out of little space. Now I'm not completely fixed, but I'm feeling a little bit better than before.

"All done," Mikey said as he walked back.

He pulled the tag of Pippi and handed it to me. I held her tight and grabbed Mikey's hand to drag him to the ice cream shop. He laughed and stopped outside as I rushed in and looked at the array of choices. There was so many, no way I'd be able to decide.

"Which one do you want, Gee?" Mikey asked.

"Pippi says I should get the Blue Moon ice cream," I told him. "She says it's a pretty color."

Mikey ordered it for me, getting a chocolate one for himself. Frank got a mint and we walked to the register. Mikey paid for everything and we grabbed out ice cream and sat on a bench just outside of the shop. I looked at all the rainbow colored sprinkles, smiling as I began to devour it. This is probably the best thing that I've ever tasted.

Mikey and Frank were talking about something else but I wasn't paying attention to them. Who cares about boring grown up stuff when you can have ice cream and sprinkles? And not just regular old sprinkles, but extra sprinkles. I'd take ice cream over responsibility any day.

I licked at the ice cream to keep it from melting over the sides and dripping onto my hand. At one point, I licked it to hard and the ice cream fell out of the cone and onto my lap with a cold plop. I stared at the blue ice cream that stained my perfectly white skirt, tears forming in my eyes.

"Oh, Gee," Mikey sighed.

I sobbed, dropping my cone on the ground.

"We can buy you a new skirt," Mikey said.

"But what about my ice cream?" I cried.

People were starting to look but I didn't care because my poor ice cream was on my skirt instead of in my mouth. Mikey went up to the counter to grab me some napkins.

"Here, you can have mine," Frank offered, holding his out to me.

I scrunched up my nose, hitting his hand away. His ice cream fell on the floor beside mine. He raised his eyebrows, his lips set in a frown.

"Now that's not how we act, is it, Gerard?" Frank asked, his tone laced with seriousness.

I whimpered, looking down at my lap. He held two fingers under my chin to make me look at him.

"Gerard, answer me when I talk to you," he stated.

"No, it isn't," I whispered, my voice shaky.

"Next time we won't behave like that, will we?" He asked.

I shook my head. I saw him smile gently and I felt myself relax a little.

"Why don't we get you a new ice cream, yeah?" He suggested.

I sniffled, nodding sadly. Mikey came back with what looked to be a dozen napkins. He helped to clean off my skirt and the ice creams off the ground. He didn't question why Frank's was on the ground so he must've seen through the window or something.

Mikey say back down and Frank held his hand out to me. I took it nervously, clutching Pippi to my chest with the other. People looked at me weird and I couldn't help but move closer to Frank shyly. But who wouldn't be staring at me? I'm a man in a pink sweater and a skirt with a blue stain on it, not to mention the fact that I was holding a stuffed cat and holding another man's hand.

"You want the same thing?" Frank asked.

I nodded, lifting my hand up to suck on my thumb. It was a bad habit of mine I couldn't grow out of as a kid, so it's stuck with me to this day. I don't do it a lot, only when I'm really sad or in sometimes when I'm embarrassed.

Frank paid for the cone and held it out for me. I looked at the cone and took my thumb from my mouth, the hand still holding the cat and my other had Frank's hand.

"I-I don't have enough hands," I said sadly.

If only I had a third arm.

"Here, I'll hold Pippi for you," Frank offered.

I looked at Pippi then back at him, then at the cat and at him again.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt her, silly," Frank said, puffing out his chest. "I'm like a knight in shining armor, I'll protect her."

I giggled and nodded my head. I set Pippi on the counter and took the ice cream from him. Frank grabbed her and we started walking back out.

"Are you happy now?" Frank asked.

I nodded my head, licking my ice cream and being careful not to drop it again. I sat back down in between Mikey and Frank, swinging my legs happily.

"Here, for Gee's ice cream," Mikey said to Frank, holding out some money.

"No, it's fine," Frank dismissed. "I want to buy things for him."

Mikey looked at him and then at me, a small smirk playing on his lips.

"Okay," he said quietly.

What's he thinking about?

"Hey, Gee, I have to run to the University really quick, there's an emergency in the science room," Mikey said, standing up.

"Y-you're leaving me here?" I squeaked.

"No, Frank can take you home, right?" Mikey asked Frank, giving him a small wink.

"Yeah, I'll take care of him," Frank said, squeezing my hand.

Mikey nodded, saying goodbye and walking off. I looked at Frank shyly and quietly finished my ice cream.

"I'm done," I said, holding my hand up.

He sighed, a small laugh escaping his lips. He grabbed a napkin and wiped off my hand and my face.

"Let's go buy you a new skirt, yeah?" Frank suggested.

I nodded excitedly, taking Pippi in my hand. I stood up and started off to my favorite store.

"Hey, Gee, don't run off from me," Frank said catching up.

He held my hand and I blushed. I led him to my favorite store, the one that was all pink and had such pretty clothes. I hopped over to the cash register and hopped onto the counter, smiling at one of my friends who works there a lot.

"Hi!" I chirped.

"Hey, Gee," Lindsay replied, looking over at Frank. "Who's this?"

"This is Frank, he's my friend," I said. "He said he would buy me a new skirt because I accidentally spilled ice cream on mine today."

I hopped off the counter and started browsing through the racks of clothing. Frank stayed by the counter and talked with Lindsay, looking at me every now and then. I saw Lindsay write something down on a piece of paper and hand it to Frank with a wink. Frank smiled and pocketed the paper.

I scowled, grabbing a new white skirt and stomping back up to the register. How dare she do that. Frank isn't supposed to date other people, he's mine. Stupid Lindsay. Stupid Frank. Stupid people. I hate everything.

Frank paid for the skirt and I took it and walked out of the store before Lindsay even had a chance to hand Frank his change. Not the only thing she's handing him, also her v-card. Stupid Lindsay.

"Um...bye, Gee!" Lindsay called.

I ignored her and continued walking. Frank caught up to me, looking half confused and half mad.

"Gee, stop walking off like that," he scolded. "There are bad people in this world and you could get hurt."

"I can take care of myself," I stated, clutching Pippi to my chest.

"No, Gee, people are mean and big and strong, and some of them would love to get their hands on little boys in cute skirts," Frank said.

I looked around, suddenly scared that someone would try to take me.

"I don't want to scare you, I'm just trying to look out for you," Frank said. "Why are you so upset?"

"Because you were flirting with Lindsay," I said.

"Flirting? No, Gee, that wasn't her number that she was giving me, I asked her to give me your number," Frank clarified.

I stopped in my tracks and looked at him in shock.

"Really?" I whispered.

He nodded his head. I wrapped my arms around him in a tight hug, tears pricking my eyes.

"I'm sorry, Frank," I cried. "I should've listened to you, I shouldn't have walked off. I was bad, I'm so sorry, I'm sorry."

I heard him chuckle softly and run his hands through my hair.

"It's okay, Gee, don't cry," Frank whispered soothingly, I lifted my head up to look at him. "You're not bad, I was just worried that someone might hurt you. You're very pretty and pretty little boys need to be kept safe by a knight in shining armor."

I blushed as he wiped my tears away softly. He kissed my forehead and held my hand, leading me out of the mall.