Frank’s P.O.V

We all carried on playing the games after George had gone to bed, my mind not fully on the game of Cluedo we was currently playing.
“Frank it’s your turn!” Mikey shouted clapping his hands in front of my face as I jumped a little from the shock, grabbing the dice I rolled double six and started to move my Rev Green around the board. “What’s going on with you?” Mikey looked over at me as Ray rolled his go.
“I was just thinking about something. It’s nothing.” I shrugged hoping he’d drop the subject, but he didn’t. Karma for me doing this to George I guess.
“Well what is it? Sharing is caring they say.” Mikey laughed as he rolled his go.
“What if the business call George had means that she moves on from us? What if it was a new… band?” I questioned out loud looking at all the guys, who quickly looked back.
“No she wouldn’t.” Ray shook his head a little, “she always said she wouldn’t leave us.” He carried on shrugging but clearly taking that on board.
“So what if you leaves? It’s you guys who are the talent all she does is make a few phone calls and pacify some fangirls it’s not the most difficult job in the world.” Amber spoke out rolling her eyes.
“Excuse me but George is a lot more than that. She’s our friend and she is just as much part of this band as we are.” Bob snapped at Amber who looked at me for defence.
“He’s right.” I shrugged causing her to scoff.
“We’re worrying over nothing. She might have been ringing about anything. You don’t know that.” Gerard spoke out looking at us all. “So stop thinking about it and we certainly don’t act differently around her or she will notice.” He warned us all as we all agreed with him and carried on playing the game.

The next morning was Christmas Day and we all got up extremely early like we always do. Present receiving is by far the highlight of any bodies Christmas and the liars that say it’s giving not receiving clearly don’t have the right friends buying for them. I nudged Amber telling her she needed to get up so we could all open our presents together. She mumbled something and rolled over trying to get away from the edge. Deciding I wasn’t going to be standing for it I pulled the cover right off her body so she no choice but to get up if she wanted to get warm.
“You’re an ass Frank.” She shoved me as she grabbed her jacket zipping it up and moping out of the bedroom door I was holding open for her. We got downstairs and everyone was already sat there with a coffee and their piles of presents that had been sorted out.
“Finally! This present has been whispering evil to me to open it!” Mikey shouted out as he ripped the snowflake wrapping paper off a squarish shaped gift. It took us about two hours to get through them all, all opening one each and go around the circle. We got to George’s present off of Sophia as she eyed her suspiciously picking up the heavy looking Marvel covered wrapping gift.
“What the hell?” She laughed as she began to open it slowly staring over at Sophia who was practically jumping off the walls.
“Oh for god sake just rip the paper! Just open the bloody thing!” She was shouting as George laughed her genuine laugh for a minute before ripping the paper completely, her mouth opening in pure shock as she looked over at her best friend.
“Are you kidding me?” She screamed as we all looked at her trying to get a glimpse of whatever it was.
“He was in one of the studios that I was working in and I knew you wouldn’t be able to get down in time so I got the next best thing.” Sophia laughed as George pulled out the Iron Man helmet and mask. “It’s from…”
“Iron Man 3, the scene where he’s crash landed and Jarvis has given up on him.” George interrupted her best friend as she stared at it in awe.
“Oh and to prove the signature is genuine.” She pulled out her phone to show her the video of Robert Downey Jr signing away the mask with his trademark cocky grin.
“Oh my god.” George screamed as she held the helmet up to her face, her giggle sounding muffled behind it. “Is this his smell?” She shouted out causing us all to laugh. She jumped forward, still wearing the movie memorabilia to hug her best friend who kissed the cheek of the mask. “I love you so much bestie.” She spoke once she took the mask off.

We’d all opened our presents and it was time for us to eat. Keeping up with tradition Ray, Christa, Gerard and Sophia all cooked the food because they were all the better cooks. Meanwhile; Amber, Mikey, Bob, George and I were sat in the front room watching some sort of Christmas romcom.
“I’m going to go get changed and then set the table.” George smiled at us all before walking up the stairs. Our Christmas tradition meant that we all dressed up fancy, so the guys were in shirt and ties whereas the girls were in fancy gowns. Something we had always done and hopefully will carry on doing. I gave it about half an hour before announcing that I too was going to get sorted ready for the meal and walking up the stairs before Gerard and Sophia could stop me. I walked past the bathroom and noticed that she wasn’t in there and then I saw the shadow of her from the light peering out of the gap under her door. I could hear her quietly singing a unfamiliar song as I stood outside the door listening, a small smile playing on my lips as I knocked on the door softly.
“It’s open.” She said quietly, trying not to look to shocked as I opened the door to let myself back in.
“Hey.” I said shyly as she looked at me through the mirror. I couldn’t really see her reflection of the front of her dress properly, but, she looked stunning from the back. “I, erm, I came to see if you needed any help zipping up or anything you normally do so yeah I thought I would see if you needed help, like normally.” I rambled on with myself as she shook her head.
“No thank you, it’s a side zip.” She smiled a little diverting her gaze from me after she spoke, turning round to face me fully for a split second as she walked over to the little table at the side of her bed grabbing her earrings. She looked absolutely stunning in her emerald green 50’s style dress and her tiny little black T-bar shoes.
“Wait.” I shouted a little louder then I intended as she jumped back from the shock. “Sorry I erm, I got you a Christmas present.” I mumbled before grabbing the box from my pocket holding it out to her. “It’s not a ring.” I laughed a little as she stared at the box with a look of pure terror on her face. I wiggled it towards her when it was clear she wasn’t going to take it. She finally did and she opened it slowly, a smile spreading on her lips. “I saw you looking at them and they just reminded me of you so much.” I smiled staring at her. I’d bought her cute little Mickey and Minnie outline earrings that dangled slightly.
“Thank you.” She smiled as she went into her suitcase and pulling out a box. “I got you this.” She held it out to me slowly. The wrapping paper was Nightmare Before Christmas which made me sad to rip it a little. I opened the long box that had a black collar in it and a little pumpkin pendent attached to the middle.
“You have a weird fetish you want to tell me about?” I looked up at her smirking as I held the collar to my neck causing her to let out a hysterical laugh, something I thought I would never hear again.
“Oh I fetishes,” she winked at me laughing “but that’s not one of them. And it’s for this little guy.” She laughed as she held up a picture of a pug that had his tongue sticking out. “I know you want a dog so I got a tour dog that you get to take home.” She smiled as I took the picture off her looking at him.
“Really?” I looked at her shock covering my face.
“Yes really.” She laughed as I grabbed hold of her hugging her tightly. “Thank you so much!” I shouted still hugging her tightly. “You’re the best.”
“I know.” She smiled as I released her from the hug looking at the picture.
“I love you.” I smiled before leaning in to kiss her.

Notes