Their Hearts Don't Beat Like Ours

I was pacing the living room while Frank was sitting on the couch trying to get me to sit down. I had way to much anxiety to sit down.
“Frankie, I don’t know what I’m gonna say.”
“You tell them everything you told me. Everything you remember. Then you tell them what your test results came back as and what the doctor said, and then also mention that you would have not drank coherently because of your sobriety. And then you tell them what Pete says. It’s simple.”
“It. Is. Not. Simple. I’m reporting my ex-girlfriend!” I practically yelled. Frank jumped and his eyes got wide. Like out of instinct, his knees were pulled up, shielding most of his face. I’ve never yelled out him. He’s never seen my like this. I sighed. “I’m sorry, baby.” I sit on the couch and move him to my lap. He rest his head on my shoulder, slightly shaking. “I just don’t know how to handle this. Nothing like this has ever happened to me.”
“I know, Gee… Just don’t yell at me. P-please.” His last word sounded like a cry. I lift his chin to look at me.
“Frankie, are you alright?” I wipe a stray tear from his face.
“Yeah, I’m fine. I just don’t do well with yelling. C’mon. We need to go to the station. After 5, there’s this dick working. We don’t wanna deal with him.”
“How do you,” I get cut off by a kiss.
“I’ll walk you through it.” Frank coos. He throws me a comforting smile, but I can see the sadness and fear behind it.
My face turns into a look concern. How does he know so much about this? Even who’s working? What is he hiding?
“Frank,”
“Later, Gerard. Okay? We need to worry about you now.” I just nod and move Frank from my lap, pulling us both up, walking towards the door, grabbing my keys and jacket.
It takes about 15 minutes to get to station. Me and Frank didn’t speak on the drive. But a few minutes before we pulled up to the police station Frank grabbed my hand and squeezed it. He didn’t let go when I parked and stopped the car. I looked over at him, and his face was just calm. No emotions really, just there. It worried me slightly. He gave me a soft smile. “C’mon, Gee. Let’s get this past us.”
I nod, and step out of the car, when I get around, Frank is waiting for me, with his hand held out. I take it, already feeling more relaxed.
We walk in, and the man at the front desk looks up at us, his eyes suddenly fill with concern.
“Frank?” Okay, Frank is hiding something. “Please tell me he-“ The officer begins. He’s young. Probably my age. He has blonde hair. He doesn’t look like he’d be a cop.
“No, Pa- Officer Stump. This isn’t about me. It’s about my boyfriend.” Frank gestures to me.
I reach my hand out across the desk. “Hi, I’m Gerard.”
“Stump. Officer Patrick. Pleasure to meet you.” He offers me a small smile before his eyebrows furrow. “So, what can I help you with?”
“Well, I… Frankie, can you tell him?” I try to say it, but I can’t.
“Gee, you’re gonna have to tell them your story, I can only say so much.” Frank squeezes my hand and I take a deep breathe.
“I went to a party Friday night, and I have reason to believe my ex-girlfriend drugged me.”
“What is your reasoning?” Patrick ask.
“Well, I know I was drugged. I went to the ER for a screen. They found MDMA. I think it was her, because she’s the last person I remember talking too, and I woke up naked beside her the next morning.”
“What’s her name?”
“Lindsey Ballato.”
“Alright. It seems we might have something here. I see the possibility of charges. We’re gonna need you to come into the interrogation room, and tell us the full story. Everything you remember.”
“Don’t forget to tell him about what Pete said.” Frank speaks up.
“Wentz? He’s apart of this?” Patrick ask. How does he know Pete and Frank? What is going on?
“It was his party, sir. He told Lindsey she was not invited.” I say.
“I see. Then, we’ll need a statement from him. Frank, can you get him down here? Tell him it’ll be me to handle it.” Patrick ask Frank, Frank just nods and walks away, letting go of my hand and pulling his phone out.
“Okay, let’s have you fill out this form here, and we’ll get your full statement and then Pete’s. We’ll evaluate them, make sure they’re legit enough to call Lindsey in, and see what she has to say. Would you be willing to go to court for this?”
I look up from the form he handed me. “I…” Fuck. Court? That’s money. “I don’t know… If I could afford it, yes.” Patrick just nods like he completely understands.
“Hopefully, it won’t come to that. If she did this, we’ll hopefully get a confession out of her, and if she tries to take this to court after that, we’ll tell her it’s impossible to win if you confess a crime and she’ll go quietly. I’m going to go call the hospital and get your drug results faxed over.”
I nod again. By the time I finish the form, Patrick is back and we go into a light green painted room with a desk in the middle. He gestures to the chair and I take a seat.
“Okay, tell me everything.” Patrick says as he sits down.
And I do just that. I tell him about how I caught Lindsey cheating, how we didn’t have contact after that until the party, what I remember from the party, from her approaching me to hearing someone poor a drink near me and passing out, I make sure he knows I’m over a year sober, then waking up (including how I was awoken), to how she left to getting drug tested, what the doctor said, and talking to Pete.
Officer Stump tells me I might have a good case here, and we’re free to go. I walk out of the room and Frank immediately comes to my side, wrapping an arm around my waist. I see Pete waiting by the front desk. I walk over to him.
“Hey, Pete. I’m sorry about this.”
“No, Gerard. I want to. Mikey was gonna come, but he had to work. Lindsey needs to get what she deserves.” He puts a hand on my shoulder and smiles.
“Aye, Pete. Let’s go.” Patrick calls. “You’ll be hearing from me soon, Gerard. Thanks for coming in. Seeya, Frank.”
We smile at him, and then wave goodbye to him and Pete before walking out and getting in the car.
I plan to find out how Frank is so acquainted with the police station, but I know he won’t talk in the car.
So, when we get home. I immediately start a pot of coffee and watch Frank closely as he fidgets with his tattooed, delicate fingers.
“Go ahead, ask, Gee.” Goddamn him. He has to stop reading me.
“How do you know Officer Patrick?”
Frank laughs. “He was in Pete’s band while he was at the academy. It was before me and Pete dated. But they’re best friends. I’m surprised you haven’t met him yet. He’s round there’s a lot.”
Okay. That explains something. But not all. “What was he about to ask before you cut him off when he first saw you? And how do you know what to do when reporting something so well?”
“He was gonna say ‘please tell me he didn’t do something again’. He meaning my dad. That’s why we moved over across town. Out of his house. Mom ‘left him’,” He puts air quotes around left him, “almost a year ago, but she couldn’t afford to move out of the house. So…” Frank breaks off into tears. I run around the island and wrap him up in my arms. Frank sobs into my shoulder for another few minutes until he calms himself down.
“So… My dad said that the only way we could stay there is if he could beat her… He got turned on by it. My dad’s a sick fuck and I got to fed up and went to the cops. The first time, mom refused to press charges, but the second time. She did it. He was in jail for a month, I know, only a fucking month. But, we had the house that month, and mom was able to save enough to move us. Now, we have a restraining order, and the divorce is in progress.”
Frank’s voice is shot, and a few stray tears escape as he speaks. I just hold him closer.
“Gee, can you make me a cup of coffee?” I nod and kiss his forehead. Frank gets up and goes to the couch. I poor two cups and hand him one.
I pull him into my side once I’m comfortable and wrap my free arm around his shoulders. He drapes his free arm over my waist.
“I’m so sorry, Frankie. You didn’t deserve that.” I say, letting a tear escape my eye. God, who would do that to their family? No matter how mad you are, it’s far from okay.
“It’s okay. Everything’s fine now. Mom’s happy. And I’m happy.” He looks up to me, and we lock eyes. I lean in closer, and we share a gentle sweet kiss. I reach for the remote and we find a bad TV show to watch. We spend the rest of the night like that. Cuddled up, drinking coffee, and watching bad TV. Bliss.

Notes

HEY. sorry this chapter is up late. and sorry if it's shitty. its like 2 in the morning.
i might not be able to update this weekend, i might be gone. but i'll have my laptop, so i might have time to write. i'll try to get chapter 9 done by the time i leave. no promises, though.
expect a possible authors note soon. something might happen where i won't be able to update for a while, but i'll let you know if that does happen.
ANYWAYS GUYS THIS IS ON THE POPULAR PAGE. THE FIRST POPULAR PAGE. OHMYGOD. I FREAKED OUT. I AM STILL FREAKING OUT.
thanks for that guys! thanks for subscribing and commenting and voting! i love you all!
thanks for reading! stay lovely!