We're Just Friends (Frank Iero)

16.

"No...fucking....way," she laughed, as we walked down the street in the afternoon after deciding to skip our afternoon classes at school.

"I'm serious," I pouted. "She called me a douchebag and shouted at me for looking at her outfit."

"And she's friends with Grace Penney?" she laughed. "That's so fucking weird. Maybe Grace will start wearing more eyeliner, get her eyebrow pierced and start listening to the Sex Pistols."

"If Grace fucking Penney starts dressing that way, I'm gonna eat my fucking hat," I laughed. "No, I don't even have a hat. I'll fucking eat my car. She's never gonna convert to the dark side baby, she's got a playboy bunny tattoo above her ladyparts."

A lack of response made me realize that I had said the wrong thing. I was finding it hard adjusting to life with Poppy as more than just my friend. Once upon a time she would have laughed and then mocked me for having seen Grace's naked body, but now she was subdued. I quickly changed the subject, informing her that her favorite local band was playing in town on the weekend and that I would take her. She instantly cheered up.

We walked down the street, shovelling candyfloss into our mouths that we had just purchased. It was cold out, but the sun was beaming down on us, making January feel like June as it lit up the streets. As we walked, Poppy grabbed hold of my hand and linked her fingers with mine. A rush of adrenalin ran through my body, making me feel giddy.

"This new girl," I sulked. "She told me not to live life too crazily. She was being sarcastic, apparently not wanting to hinder your chances at getting into a good college because of having tattoos isn't cool."

"It's not cool," she shrugged. "You've never wanted to go to college, you always wanted to be a musician."

"I know," I sighed. "But what are the chances that's gonna happen? I always wanted to work with Ray but he's going off to college this Fall."

"Oh boo hoo," she grinned. "You need to do what you want to do Frankie, don't follow a path that everyone else is following just because it's expected of you. You have played your guitar every day for the ten years that I have known you and it makes you so happy, why would you want to waste your time and money at college?"

To impress you, you massive geek I thought to myself, which caused me to crack a smile.

"What are you grinning at?" she smirked. "I'm serious Frankie, I need you to promise me that you will follow your dream and not give up- I know that if you tried, you would definitely make it. You have the talent, the dedication and the looks."

She winked at me, making me blush. Since when did Poppy, my best friend of ten years, make me blush?!

"Alright," I nodded. "I promise."

She held out her pinky finger and glared at me with a menacing look that forced me to link my pinky with hers. She pushed our thumbs together to seal the pinky promise.

"In fact, I think you should just head on over into that tattoo shop over there and get yourself inked up so that you have no other option in life than to become a musician," she grinned, pointing at a tattoo shop over the road. I felt this incredible rush of excitement wash over me- I had always wanted tattoos, hundreds of them. I had so many tattoos that I wanted to get that the list was as long as my arm....heck, maybe one day it would cover my arm in ink. Poppy was inspiring the crap out of me- we would be finishing school in a year and a half and I knew deep down that I didn't want to go to college, and that I would always regret not following my dream.

"Alright, you dared me to," I shrugged. tightening my grip on her hand so that I could drag her over the road and into the tattoo shop. 

"I want a tattoo," I announced to the man behind the desk.