I woke up the next morning with some excitement in my gut. I would be hanging out with Frank. I knew we would be a long time. I don't know. I'm not sure if he wants to listen to my problems. Everyone's got problems. I'm sure he has a few of his own. I don't need to dump that on him.

I got up and put on a Mötorhead shirt with some black skinny jeans and high top Converse. I brushed my teeth and put on my makeup. I brushed my hair and then came back to my room to just hang out until school got out.

Once it was nearly time, I took some comics, my cigarettes, my lighter, my phone, and my iPod and put them in my bag. I snuck out and drove off to the school. Venus should be gone by now.

I parked in the parking lot and was about to get out when my phone rang. I took it out and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Hey, sweetie." I had to suppress a gasp. It was my mom. She was talking to me.

"Hi, mom, what's up?"

"I just want to know if you're having a good time."

"Oh, yeah, I'm having a good time. How are you?"

"Uh, hold on." She left but I could still hear her voice. "Jim, she asked me something you didn't write down."

My mouth slacked. I felt something in me shut down. I clicked the disconnect button and just threw it on the passenger seat. I put my hands on the steering wheel and clenched my jaw. Tears started coming down my cheeks. I tried to fight them. I told myself I wouldn't cry over this shit anymore.

I can't believe this. She called me, but she was only reading off of a script Jim wrote for her. I don't know what happened to her.

After crying for about ten minutes, I calmed down and wiped all my tears away. I took my phone and shoved it back in my bag. I got out and put my bag over my shoulder and got out to meet Frank. I felt bad that I was going over there pissed, but it wasn't my fault that my mom's a pussy.

I walked to an area with a bunch of trees and saw he was just leaning on one of them. I felt my heart flutter again. That was kinda hot. I mentally shook my head and went up to him. He saw me and smiled. I did too. He really saw my face though and his changed to concern.

"What happened?" he asked.

"It's…it's nothing," I replied.

"It sure doesn't look like nothing." I looked at him. He had those same eyes that he had when I told him about why I came. What was it with him? It's like he had this radar for people in pain.

"My mom called me. I haven't really heard her talk to me for awhile. I asked her how she was and she actually went over to him and asked him what she should do because he didn't write it down." Sympathy was written all over his face. I felt a tear come down my cheek. He moved and wiped it away. Wait, we've only met for like, 15 minutes right? Then why did I feel so comfortable with him?

"I'm sorry that happened to you. I get when a person shocks you like that. It hurts." I just nodded and took a few deep breaths.

"So, what about you? I feel like all we pretty much talked about is me."

"There's really not that much to me. I've always wanted to be in music. Both my dad and my grandpa were drummers. They wanted me to be a drummer too, but I decided I didn't want to do that. I tried a few different instruments. I wanted to play the saxophone, but you can't play it and smoke, so, that's why I ended up with a guitar." I laughed. He did too. Oh my God, what a cute laugh. It was so infectious. "What about you? Can you play anything?"

I shook my head. "No. I'm not really a musician. I can sing a little, but it's not really what I want to do."

"What do you want to do?"

"It's kinda weird, but I want to work somewhere in the corporate sector of Ulta."

"What the fuck is that?"

"It's a makeup place."

"Oh. Huh."

"I never really understand it either, but I like makeup. Even though I don't really wear a lot I can do pretty much anything with it." He nodded.

"It's cool. Everyone has their flaws, right?" I just laughed. I took out my pack with my lighter.

"Do you mind?" He shook his head and I lit it.

"Would you mind if I get a light? I forgot mine at home." I nodded and he took out one of his. I lit it and he puffed it.

"So you smoke too?"

"Oh yeah, big time."

"I like the way it makes me feel."

"Yeah, it's a stress reliever."

"I feel like my life is nothing but stress."

"Tell me about it. My mom's been on my ass lately."

I looked at him with cocked eyebrows. "I thought you said she was cool."

"She is, it's just…she thought I was done with being in a band after I left my first one. Now that I'm with another one, she thinks I'm gonna start going to parties and getting drunk."

"Ah, I know how that is. I used to be a hardcore partier."

"Really? You?"

I laughed. "I know you probably can't tell now, but I used to get wasted every weekend. I was almost raped. That's what got me to stop."

His eyes widened. "Damn. That would make me stop too."

"Yeah, it wasn't fun. I wasn't as drunk as the guy thought I was. At least he gets a nice scar on his cheek where I scratched him."

"Nice. That bastard deserved it." We high-fived. "So, I heard from what you were telling me yesterday that you like comics."

"I do. I'm a huge Batman fan."

"Hell yeah." He gave me another high-five. "Me too."

"That's cool. I like the X-men too. That's why I was never really accepted by comic lovers because I like both DC and Marvel."

"That's retarded. I like both of 'em too."

"You're the first person I've ever heard to agree with me."

He laughed. "Yeah me too. So, who don't you like?"

"Holy shit I cannot read Spiderman."

He looked at me. "Where have you been all my life? I can't fucking stand Spiderman."

"Really? Anytime I bash Spiderman I get a flood of reasons why I'm wrong. But he just whines and whines. It's like dude, we get it, you didn't ask for it, but you're the one who got big balls and made a costume to fight crime. If he didn't want to be a superhero, he shouldn't've have started."

"Dude, I totally agree. That's why Batman kicks so much ass. For one, he actually knows how to kick ass, and two he actually doesn't get all whiny when he's in deep shit."

"God, I've never met anyone like you."

"I don't think I've ever met anyone like you either. Man, we haven't hung out all that long and we're already talking like we've known each other for years."

I laughed. "Yeah, I really haven't had much of anyone to talk to for a few years, at least since my mom got remarried." My cigarette was gone so I flicked it on the ground and stepped on it, wiping the ashes of my shoe. I took out another one and lit it. He did the same.

"Are we even allowed to be doing this?" I asked.

"Yeah, it's after school. We're good."

"Good, 'cause if I get in trouble and my stepdad hears about it, I'm gonna be grounded for a long time. I don't want to know what he'd do to me then."

"What has he done to you?"

I sighed. "When I found out my boyfriend cheated on me, he was the first person I went to. I thought he'd actually give me some help, but instead he told me that it was my fault he cheated on me. I wasn't being a good enough girlfriend. I told him to fuck off and he slapped my face. That was only once. He's done it two other times." I rolled my tongue in my mouth. Something about his expression got me. He looked kinda pissed, like he was already protective of me.

After a minute or so of silence, he said he had to go check his locker. I said I'd come with him. We snuffed out our cigarettes and walked together.

When we got there, we saw there was an envelope sticking out of it. He took it and opened his locker. After getting what he needed, he closed his locker and opened the envelope. He cocked his eyebrows as he read it. He had me look at it. My eyes widened.

"Oh my God, she didn't," I said.

"Yeah, I don't think I'm gonna go."

"You're one of the lucky ones. I have to go. My fake aunt and uncle are making me."

He put on a thoughtful expression. "Hmm, I might have a reason to go now." I just smiled. "It did say I could bring guests. Hang on." He took out a sheet of paper and wrote some names on them. He tore it out and gave it to me. "Could you give this to your fake aunt and uncle? It's my guest list." I looked it over and saw it had eight other names.

"Sure, I can do that."

"Great, I gotta go. I'll see you in a few days?"

I smiled. "You will. Don't puke when you see me, I may be wearing pink." I shivered.

"I'm pretty good at holding it in. I'll see you later." We hugged. It seemed to go on for longer than the average "just-met" hug. We realized that and let go and walked opposite directions. I don't know about him, but I sure as hell was blushing.

I got home and found my fake aunt and uncle in the sitting room. They saw me and Matt waved a hand for me to come in. I walked in with the list and said, "One of the guests Venus invited has a guest list."

"Who?" he asked.

"Some guy named Frank Iero. I found it when I was just roaming around the school." I handed it to him. He looked it over.

"That shouldn't be an issue. We'll take care of it." I left at that. I didn't want to stick around in case he wanted to start something. With what happened last night, I believe he wouldn't hold back.