I was having a fantastic dream about Frank and I living together in our own apartment, without any parents or restrictions, when my arch enemy - the alarm clock - decided to ruin it for me. Scowling at it irritably as if that would turn it off, I finally got out of bed and hit the snooze button.

Frank was still fast asleep, and I decided to let him rest as long as possible while I hopped in the shower.

While I was lathering up my dark locks with shampoo, I pondered what to do about Frank's situation with his stepdad. I couldn't let him go back to that harmful environment, but he was much too young to get his own place, and he couldn't stay in my house indefinitely - as much as I would love that.

All I could think of was that we would have to tell Frank's mom what had happened, and hopefully she could protect him when I wasn't able to. I was still worried though, she worked all the time, and it was inevitable that Frank would be left alone with his stepdad at some point.

Shutting off the water with a dejected sigh, I retreated back into my room and began pulling on a pair of black skinny jeans and a Green Day shirt. I wasn't sure if Frank would be emotionally okay to go to school today, and my mom had already left for work, so she wouldn't know if I skipped or not.

I sat down on the end of the bed and began stroking my boyfriend's hair gently - I would never get tired of calling him that. Frank stirred and raised his sleep tousled head, emitting an adorable yawn in the process.

"Hey Gee," he mumbled quietly.

"Morning gorgeous." I smiled down at him warmly.

"What time is it?"

"Seven-thirty, but we don't have to go to school today if you aren't up for it."

"I'd rather not..."

"How are you feeling?" I asked tentatively.

"Better than last night, but still not that great. I just don't know what to do Gee...I'm scared to go back home."

"I know baby...I think we need to tell your mom what happened though."

"I don't know...I mean - what if she doesn't believe me? She is head over heels for my stepdad, and in the past when I have tried to tell her about his drinking, she has just brushed me off," Frank ended on a wail.

"That was before he hurt you though. She has to believe you now," I encouraged him.

"I guess you are right. She is probably at work already...can I borrow your phone so I can call her?"

I handed him my iPhone and watched his face scrunch up in concentration as he pulled the number out of his memory. He placed the phone to his ear and absentmindedly tapped his fingers against his knees while waiting for someone to pick up.

I laced my fingers through his errant ones and squeezed gently, letting him know I was here for him.

"Can I talk to Linda Iero please?" Frank's voice shook slightly as he spoke.

Another few moments passed as the call was transferred over, and I could feel the nervous tension radiating off of Frank.

"Hey mom - it's me. Are you busy? I kinda need to talk to you about something important."

I couldn't hear the other end of the conversation, so I just waited patiently for Frank to begin talking again.

"Well...um...it's about dad...he came home really drunk last night, and he broke my phone, and threw a beer bottle at me."

The voice on the other line became shrill, and even though I couldn't understand the words, I knew Frank's mom was upset.

"What...no - why would I lie? No - you can't talk to him right now, I'm not at home....Fine - you do that, but I never thought I would see the day when you trusted someone you barely know over your own son! Whatever mom...Don't expect me to come home tonight." Frank hung up the phone as tears pooled in his eyes.

"She called me a liar...she said she was going to get his side of the story, but I can tell she thinks I am making it all up...she said I am just trying to get attention because I miss my dad..." I pulled Frank into my arms as he sobbed brokenly.

"Frankie - I am so sorry..." I whispered. I couldn't believe that bitch would say those terrible things to her own son.

"What do I do now?" he choked out.

"Well for now, you are going to spend the day with me. I will ask my mom if you can stay the night, I am sure she won't mind. We will figure this out okay? Let's just take it one day at a time."

"Can we go get coffee?" he sniffled.

"I will buy you all the coffee you can drink." I smiled down at him.

So I spent the entire day with Frank, trying to keep his mind distracted from the horrors that awaited him at home. I took him to Starbucks - even though their coffee is way too expensive, but it's fucking delicious - where we wasted away the morning drinking inhuman amounts of coffee and just enjoying each other's company.

Afterwards - we decided to walk around the mall, even though we were both too broke to afford anything, we still had fun window shopping, and Frank needed to get a new phone since his old one was destroyed - thank god for insurance.

"Frankie!" A shrill voice broke through our conversation, and I groaned when I saw Jamia bouncing toward us.

"Hey Jamia," Frank gave her a halfhearted wave, and I had to admit that it made me happier than it should have that he didn't seem too enthusiastic about her presence.

My good mood dissipated like smoke on the wind when she wrapped her arms around him in a hug, causing him to release the hold he had on my hand.

"Why weren't you at school? We missed you." Jamia giggled like an idiot as she flipped her hair over her shoulder, and I had to literally bite my tongue to keep myself from saying something hurtful.

"Oh umm - sorry, I just didn't feel like going today."

As they continued talking, I went and sat down on a nearby empty bench and buried my face in my hands. I knew they were just having a normal conversation, but I actually felt like I was going to be sick from jealousy.

I was being plagued with the same sense of loneliness that I was so used to enduring before Frank came into my life...I had forgotten how desolate my existence was before him, and now the sensations came crashing back all at once.

Frank wasn't doing anything wrong, and I wasn't mad at him for chatting with a friend, I was just disgusted with myself.

Frank was so social and easy to like, even if he didn't have me, he would be fine. On the other hand - if I didn't have Frank, I would be adrift; I had become so attached to him in such a short amount of time that it was terrifying.

There was this evil part of my mind that wouldn't leave me alone whenever I felt like this, and it was firing at full speed right now.

Frank doesn't need you...

He has so many other people that care about him...

Maybe he doesn't even love you...

He could be bi...

Jamia would be such a better girlfriend for him than you are a boyfriend...

You are just dragging him down...

I groaned softly and willed my self-destructive thoughts to shut the fuck up for one second. Squeezing my eyes closed in a desperate attempt to silence my brain, I pressed my palms against my eyelids so hard, I started seeing spots.

When I felt a hand touch my shoulder gently, I almost squealed from fright - god that would have been embarrassing. I lifted my head and looked up at Frank, who was gazing down at me questioningly.

"Are you okay Gee? You just disappeared back there."

"Yeah - I'm fine, I just have a headache...that's all," I lied through my teeth.

I couldn't tell him what was actually bothering me, he had enough on his plate already. Plus - it wasn't like he could do anything to help me, he wasn't the one being a shameless flirt.

"Do you want to head back to your house?"

I nodded in response, and we left the mall. Frank waved goodbye to Jamia as we passed her, and I grit my teeth together painfully.

After we had dropped by Frank's house to gather up a couple changes of clothes and his school things - we made sure his stepdad was gone first of course - we retreated back to my home. Frank had continued to ask me if I was really okay, but I kept shrugging him off.

My silly problems didn't need voicing, and even though I didn't like hiding things from him, I decided that it would be best if I kept quiet. I would tell him one day...maybe.

My mom was working a double shift again, and Mikey was spending the night at his friend Ray's, so we had the house to ourselves for the night.

I was grateful for that, as much as I loved my mom and brother, I didn't want to have to interact with anyone else besides Frank right now. Today had been mentally exhausting for me, but Frank seemed to have cheered up, which was the whole point of taking him out.

"Can we watch The Nightmare Before Christmas?" Frank asked eagerly once we had gotten all of his stuff stowed away.

"Again? You have watched that movie at least ten times since I met you," I teased.

"Because it is the best fucking movie ever - duh!"

"Well I can't say no to you, just let me put it in."

After I got the DVD player set up, we cuddled together on the couch, and even though we had both seen this movie a hundred times, I really enjoyed it. Everything seemed better with Frank around, even movies.

When the credits started rolling, I shut off the TV and glanced down at Frank. He had fallen asleep leaning against my shoulder, and he looked so adorable, I wanted to take a picture so I could carry it with me forever.

I scooped him into my arms and carried him upstairs to my room, trying my best not to jostle him. I tucked him into bed before changing into a pair of sweatpants and slipping under the covers beside him.

"Gee?" When I glanced down at Frank, he was staring back up at me with a wary look in his eyes.

"Yeah baby?"

"Does it ever bother you that we don't do - uh - physical stuff?" Frank stammered out nervously.

"What do you mean?"

"Like - you know...all we ever do is kiss..." Frank trailed off awkwardly, and I felt my cheeks flame bright red when I understood what he was saying.

"Does it bother you?" I asked, trying to gain myself some more time to think up an answer.

"No...actually - I like it. I have never done anything besides kiss before, and I kind of want to keep it that way for now. I was just wondering if you were okay with it?"

Honestly - I had never really thought about it in too much detail. I was a seventeen year old, and every now and then I would imagine it - especially when I was in the shower, but I hadn't considered actually taking things any further with Frank. He was too young for one, and I didn't want to put either of us in a position that could get him or I in trouble, but that wasn't the only reason.

I was happy with our relationship the way it was, I could kiss him for years and never get bored of it, so I wasn't desperate to bring sex into the equation. It could complicate everything, and honestly I was scared; I was still a virgin, and I wanted to wait until we were both one hundred percent ready.

"I feel the same way. I am perfectly happy with what we have right now," I finally answered Frank when I had gathered my thoughts.

"Are you sure? You don't have to lie to me to protect my feelings," Frank pressed me.

"I'm not lying baby - trust me. I have never done anything with anyone before you either, so this is all new to me too. I want to take our time and make this special."

"Thank fuck...I was hoping you would say that."

"Did I give you the impression that I was unhappy?" I wanted to know what had caused Frank to have these thoughts, because if it was something I had done, I needed to know so I could make sure I wouldn't do it again.

"Well - I guess it just popped into my head recently since I have been staying over at your house. I know most people your age want to do...that stuff, and I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't - fuck I don't know - holding you back from a relationship with someone else." Frank twisted his hands nervously as he spoke.

"Frank I would never think that. I love you okay - more than I ever knew it was possible to love a person. I don't want anyone else, and I don't think I ever will."

"Really?"

"Of course." I leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to Frank's cheek. He closed his eyes in contentment and snuggled into my side.

"Gee can you sing to me again?" Frank asked without opening his eyes.

"You heard that last night?" I blushed fiercely.

"Mhmm - your voice is amazing. Pretty please?"

I couldn't deny him, so I took a deep breath and began to sing. It was nerve wracking knowing that Frank was listening to me, but I slowly gained confidence as Frank smiled and began humming along with me.

As I continued the song, all of my worries from earlier dropped away like petals from a dying flower. The way Frank gazed up at me with adoration in his eyes reassured my twisted mind that he loved me...and only me.

I know this chapter is really short, but I haven't really been myself lately, and this was the best I could do. The next chapter should be a lot longer and much more drama filled, so stick around :)

This chapter is dedicated to Robots_Afterlife because your comments reminded me that I needed to update this story and I am so happy that you are enjoying it :)

Umm yeah...I don't know what else to say, this is the lamest authors note ever haha.

Keep it ugly

<3 star