Running Like Forever [Frank Iero][1]

Part 8

*

I had told Gerard to drop me at my house instead of Frank's, but it didn't make much of a difference since they were right next to each other. I wanted to look nice for Frank... and his mom. I really wanted her to like me. I thought about Gerard the whole time I was re-straightening my hair. I felt bad about the kisses, but he said it was okay, so I tried to forget about it. I did not want to lose Gerard as a friend because of this. I could easily see him becoming my best friend.

I put a minimal amount of make up around my blue eyes and stood back from my mirror. I could handle this. I pulled on a pair of tight black jeans, a purple tank top and a loose lacey white tank top over that and nodded in approval, slipping into a pair of white converse before heading out of my room.

The walk over to Frank's house was short, but I tried my hardest to move as slowly as I possibly could. I was nervous to say the least. Taking a few deep breaths, I knocked on the door, Frank answering it seconds later with a big smile on his face. As his eyes scanned over what I was wearing and the smile only seemed to grow.

"You look really pretty," He said as I walked into the house and he quickly closed the door behind us.

"I really want your mom to like me." I felt awkward telling him.

He laughed. "She'd like you even if you came here wearing a trash bag."

I smiled and nodded, feeling giddy all of a sudden. He led me through the front hall, past the flight of stairs leading to the second floor and toward where I guessed the kitchen was. In those few moments I took in what he was wearing. No shoes, just socks. I always thought it was weird when people wore shoes in their own home. A pair of faded jeans with rips in the knees and a fitted white v-neck adorned his body. Regardless of its simplicity, he looked good.

I followed him wearily into the kitchen, still a little anxious about the dinner, to find a tiny women with her back to us. She stood in front of the stove, her left hand was place against her hip as her right stirred whatever was emitting the wonderful aroma.

"Hey mom, Lennox is here." Frank motioned toward me even though she had yet to turn around.

She stopped what she was doing almost immediately and turned to face me. She was really pretty and had the same big hazel eyes as Frank. She smiled happily and bounced up to me like a little kid.

"Hi! It's so nice to finally meet you." She gave me a light hug and I happily hugged her back, finally feeling comfortable. "Frank has talked non-stop about you for the past couple weeks and- Oh crap the pasta!"

She turned away again and grabbed the boiling pot of water off the stove. I glanced over at Frank who was staring at the ground nervously. He looked up at me through his long bangs and smiled timidly. I tried not to pay mind to the butterflies that had just erupted in my stomach at the fact that Frank's mom let slip that he talked about me a lot. I guess Gerard hadn't been lying earlier.

"Dinner will be ready in a few minutes, how bout you two go wait in the living room and I'll call you when it's done." She smiled. "Lennox, I hope you like spaghetti and meatballs."

"Yes I do!"

She smiled again, nodding once. With that Frank grabbed my arm and pulled me into the living room and sat me down on the couch. I laughed a little as he sat there quietly picking at the black chipped nail polish on his fingernails.

"I like your mom." I glanced over at him, breaking the silence.

"I think she likes you too." He smiled.

"Kids! Dinner!"

We headed back into the kitchen without another word. I took a seat in one of the four chairs at the small table in the corner of the kitchen, Frank taking the seat across from me. His mother set down two big plates of spaghetti in front of us and some homemade garlic bread wrapped in tin foil to keep it from getting cold. She then took a seat in the chair closest to the door, smiling happily.

"Well... eat you two!"

We picked up our forks and dug in. There was small talk, but nothing awkward. His mother asked me about California and school and about what I wanted to do once I graduated high school next year. I glanced at Frank every so often to see him watching me and listening intently just like his mother.

"Well, I have to go," Mrs. Iero stood with a sigh. "I have the night shift again this week, Frank."

Frank groaned and sat back in his chair with a huff, looking more than upset. "You always have the night shift, mom. When are they going to switch you? Did you ask again?"

"Yes, honey, I did ask." She kiss his forehead goodbye. "They're doing the best they can, there aren't as many staff members at the hospital as there used to be."

I watched Frank, the frown on his very evident. "Then they should hire more people."

"Don't worry, I'll be up in the morning to make you breakfast." She walked toward the door, but turned back like she had forgotten something. "Lennox, it was so nice to finally meet you! I hope you're around more often, Frankie needs someone like you in his life."

I blushed at her words before I spoke softly, "Thanks. It was nice meeting you too."

She smiled and left. Frank sat there in silence for a few minutes and just stared at the table and the empty plate in front of him. I watched him carefully. I could tell that there were so many things going around and around in his head in that moment, but I wasn't sure if he wanted me to ask or not. I wanted to help him, but I wasn't quite sure how to go about it.

He stood after another moment and grabbed both our plates. "Now you see how fucked my family is."

"What?" I stood up and followed him over to the sink. "What are you talking about?"

He looked angry and sad as he started to wash the plates. "My mom has to work her ass off to make ends meet. I had to get a job to help pay bills as well. She just has to do so much now, all because that asshole up and left us."

"Frank," I touched his shoulder, trying to calm him down.

"My dad left us a few years ago..." He rolled his eyes toward the ceiling, his hands gripping the edge of the sink, turning his knuckles white. "He left us for his secretary at work. How cliché is that?"

I gripped both his shoulders, turning him toward me, and pulled him into a tight hug. What else could I do? His strong arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me that much closer. I could feel the tension that had built up inside him start to melt away as I ran my hand over his back in a soothing manner. We stayed like this for a while, but I don't think either of us minded.

Frank pulled away first and smiled half-heartedly. "Thanks for not saying anything."

"You're welcome." I smiled back.

We didn't do much after that, just huddled up on the couch in his living room and watched countless reruns of whatever was television. Throughout our time spent on the couch, his head ended up resting against my shoulder, his body pressing against my side as we both became more comfortable with the situation. I couldn't help the butterflies that fluttered in my stomach the rest of the night.