Kids in Love

Frank picked his black rucksack up off the gravel and began to walk towards the house with Alice in tow. "We really need to catch up and everything but first things first," he spun on his heel to face Alice and pointed at the camera in her hand, "you're gonna delete that picture." He smiled that cheeky smile that she remembered so well. "Nah ah!" She shook her head for effect, "I like it, it's a perfect moment captured" she told him looking down at the photo on the screen.
"Well it's not that perfect, see" he pointed to his face, "my eyes are all squinty and I'm not smiling. I wasn't ready!" Even though he was trying to be serious it was impossible not to smile, his muscles just wouldn't let him.
"The best photos are taken when people aren't ready. That's why they're real, they are actually capturing something, not a staged moment where everyone is falsely happy. This" is she pointed to the screen again, "is something you'll always remember." She smiled wide, she knew she'd won. Frank sighed, not a real sigh, an overly dramatic defeated one, "Fine! You win, the picture lives." Though she could see him smirking out of the corner of her eye.

Frank and Alice walked inside. Mrs. Iero wasn't home, she'd left a note on the little chalk board attached to the fridge, 'Got called into work, food in fridge, back at 4. Love you'. Alice smiled at the message. Frank was still smiling, it really didn't seem like anything would be able to wipe the smile off his face. He grabbed her hand and pulled her up the stairs, "Oh wait, come with me! I gotta show you something!" He instructed her to sit down on the bed and turn around. As Frank was looking for whatever he wanted to show her she surveyed his room. Though it was the exact same room as before it was completely different. She had no idea if the walls were painted the same colour as they had been, they were completely covered from floor to ceiling in posters for bands and vintage movies. It was the kind of room that she'd always wanted but she'd just never put the time into doing. She hadn't heard of most of the bands, but there were a couple of her favourites that she recognised. She positioned herself on the bed so that she could see more of the room but still wasn't breaching Frank's instructions. Out of the corner of her eye she saw something she knew she'd seen before. A little round photo frame, sitting on the dresser. The rim coated in seashells with a small picture of her and her grinning face in the centre of it. Just like she'd kept her photo strip, he'd kept the frame. "Alice, Alice?" Frank called, tapping her on the shoulder. She must've zoned out for a moment.

Frank told her to turn around and put out her hands, so she spun her body on the bed to face him. He sat beside her and pulled out something from behind his back and placed it in her outstretched palms. She looked down at it and it took her a moment to register what significance this thing even had. It was a Barbie doll. An old Barbie doll. After a moment it clicked in her brain.
"You kept this thing?!" Her eyes widened and she smiled, "It's seen better days" she cringed as she turned it in her hands. A lot of the hair was missing and her clothes were pretty moth eaten.
"Yeah, I kind of left her up high in my wardrobe for safe keeping and then forgot she as there at all. I don't think that's the worst hell she was ever put through though! You banished her to the 'jungle' before if I recall correctly." He raised his eyebrows and smirked at her.
"Hey you know that I just put her out in the garden for a bit!" She defended
"A bit? Try two weeks. I think a possum started to raise her as their own."
"Well I'm sorry if I forget things from time to time." She giggled and crossed her arms in mock anger. They both chuckled for a minute before calming down.

There was silence for a moment. Not an uncomfortable silence, it was more that they were happy to simply be in each other's company once again. As Alice thought to ask him about his band, Frank's phone rang. He fished it out of the pocket of his jeans and looked at the screen, "Sorry, do you mind if I answer?" He asked. She shook her head.
"Hey man! What's up?" Frank spoke with a smile. Alice could only hear a feint mumbling coming from the receiver, Frank made some 'mmmhmm' sounds and said, "Yeah, I'm back. Got here about fifteen minutes ago. Sure, see you in five" he smirked before finishing, "Oh, and I've got a surprise for you."

Notes

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