Take Me Away (Frerard)

BEEP.

BEEP.

BEEP.

No. Not happening. No way in hell am I getting out of this bed.

BEEP.

BEEP.

BEEP.

Shut. The. Fuck. Up.

BEEP.

"Fuck it!" I groan, slamming my fist around on the bed-side table until I've finally turned off the damn
alarm.

I sit up straight and begin to wipe away the sleep from my eyes. Just a normal day in the life of Frank.
Right? Wrong. Today would be just as bad as every other day. I would go off to Belleville High and meet
up with my best friends Mikey and Ray. Probably come home later and get beaten by my drunk father and
ignored by my mother. No wonder I would never want to wake up. My dreams are better than my reality. I
stumble out of bed and hobble to the bathroom down the hall from my bedroom. I try to be quiet so that I
don't wake anyone, wanting to be able to slip out of the house with ease.

Slipping through the door way of my small bathroom I try not to squeal as my feet touch the cold tile
flooring. My reflexion looks hazy in my fogged up mirror. I look like shit. Running my hands under the cold
water, I try to brush down my unruly hair with my fingers and then wash my face. I carefully then apply
some black eyeliner on my waterline and slip back into the hallway. I can hear some clatter downstairs
and my breath hitches in my throat. My mother or father must be up.

Shit. Shit. Shit. I look around the hallway frantically. I can't go downstairs, I can't risk having another fight
this early in the morning. Maybe if I sneak out my window? I walk slowly to my bedroom so that I don't
make any sounds in the hall. Pulling open my door I carefully close it behind me and grab the bag by my
bed. I throw on a pair of beat up, black Converse and sneak out my window. Our house is small so as I
dangle from the roof I easily drop onto the pavement of the even smaller driveway. And then there's the
bang from inside the house. The bang of my father throwing pans and dishes around in the kitchen. Of
course I know that sound; much to well to be honest. I hear him open the front door of the house and
that's when I begin to run. I dash out of the drive way and down the street, turning the corner so that he
doesn't see me. Clearly luck is on my side today and no one chases after me or stops me. I run all the
way to school.

*

Let me tell you, high school is not what you thought it would be. At least, not Belleville's high school. It's a
zoo and every room is a cage. We, of course are the animals. Mistreated. Misunderstood. All words that
you can't define until you're a high schooler. I strut into the school and a few girls glance my way. I keep
walking, nobody wants a slut, thank you very much.

"Hi Frank." a short blonde girl giggles as I walk by.

"Hey?" I raise an eyebrow, how do I know her?

"Um, Tiffany, remember?" she reminds, seeing the confused look on my face.

"Sorry, I really don't," I shake my head.

"Brent's party? We got to know each other pretty well." she winks at me and I visibly cringe.

Winking is a no. Do not wink. Not at me, or anyone else. God, such a turn-off. Does she wink like that to
little kids? Parent's must think of her as some pedophile. I know I would. I actually laugh aloud at the
thought.

"What? What's so funny?" Tiffany asks bewildered.

"Uh, nothing. Just remembering good old times." I smile.

"They were." she nods.

"I should probably go." I say calmly as she twirls a blond strand of hair around her index finger.

"Catch up with you later Iero." she winks again and I almost reach over to shake her and scream at her to
stop winking, but I don't. In fact, I stay a complete gentleman as I walk away.

I walk farther down the hallway and stop when I see Mikey staring at his phone.

"Mikey?" I call out and rush towards him, engulfing him in a bear hug. He stumbles a bit but then returns
the hug.

"Miss me?" he asks with a shaky laugh.

"Course." I mutter into the hug.

"It's been a day." he muses and I pull back.

"I can't miss my best friend for a day?" I ask in a fake hurt voice.

"I suppose not. I'll let this one slide Frankie." he smile.

Gotta love that Mikey.

"Who you texting? Is it Ray?" I ask raising my eyebrows and nudging him.

"Why are you nudging me?" he asks.

"Ray totally likes you!" I squeal.

"Just because he's openly gay, doesn't mean that he like me." Mikey sighs and puts his phone away.

"Whatever." I shrug, "Wanna ditch class?"

"No. I can't ditch! I have to study for mid-terms!" Mikey says in horror.

"Puh-lease" I wave my hands, "Mid-terms can kiss my ass."

Mikey crinkles his nose. He's not much of a swearer.

"I need a cig, like, right now." I mumble and pull out my pack.

Pulling out a cancer stick I light it up and take a puff.

"Probably shouldn't smoke in the hallways Frank." Mikey warns.

"Why the fuck not?" I ask.

"Because it's against school rules." a voice behind me scolds.

Mr. Henders sends me a condescending glare and points to the opposite end of the hallway.

"My office, now." he demands and I blow my puff of smoke into his face.

"Sir, yes sir!" I salute as he coughs.

"And throw that thing away!" he shouts as me as I walk away.

I look back at him and drop the cigarette onto the school floor, stepping on it with my foot an send him a
looks that says 'I dare you to do something about it' but all I get is a sigh and a indifferent glance from
Mikey.

Notes