Life on the Murder Scene

Frank stays out on the couch. We set up Mikey’s laptop and put on Dawn of the Dead, despite seeing it at least once a week for the duration of the tour. Being picky really isn't an option though, Gerard only brought a handful of movies along with him and we can’t exactly run to the nearest video store. If we stop again and I have time, I’m going to try and go to Wal-Mart or something and pick of a few new tapes. We still have another month or so on the tour bus and I’m not sure if I can keep watching the same four movies every week.

“Mak, can I ask you a question?” Frank says, scooting around on the couch so that he’s looking at me.

“You already did, but I suppose you can ask another,” I respond back, sticking my tongue out at the tired looking guitarist.

Frank rolls his eyes at me, a smile spreading across his face, “Are you okay with this? I mean pretending to be my girlfriend. We don’t have to do this ya know. I’m sure if we talked about it more we could just tell everyone that you’re Mikey and Gerard’s sister. I don’t think it would be such a bad thing. No one is going to freak out. People have siblings.”

Frank is rambling to avoid hearing my answer and I can tell. He only ever goes on about stuff when he’s nervous. He won’t make eye contact with me either, instead looking out at the stars that are flying by just outside the bus window. I’ve always liked driving at night. Everything is so quiet and peaceful; you kind of just forget that the next day is going to be crazy.

“Shh,” I whisper, placing a finger over Frank’s lips. He instantly shuts up, eyes shifting back to look at me. I move my hand to his cheek, thumb resting under his chin. “I don’t mind, Frank. It’s not weird. It doesn’t make me uncomfortable. Hell, I lived with you for a year. We might as well pretend date as well.”

Frank mumbles something under his breath but I don’t quite catch it. I think to ask him to repeat it and then realize that if he wanted me to hear it he would’ve said it out loud. Instead, I push my curiosity down, opting for chewing on my lip instead.

“Did you still want to cut my eyebrows off?”

I giggle a little, pleased that Frank remembered our deal from earlier this morning. I nod, “I have to do your hair as well.”

“Tomorrow night? After the show? Hopefully we'll play pretty early so that we’ll have all day to just hang out on the bus.”

“Frank?”

The guitarist shifts so that his head is resting on my shoulder, fingers curled around my knee. I place my hand on top of his, my fingers filling the gaps between his. I rub my thumb over his knuckles, rewarded with a content sigh. “Yes Makayla.”

“Will you help me dye my hair?”

“What color?”

“I just want a red streak or two. Nothing major. I just feel like its time. I don’t have my job at the school anymore. I doubt I’ll be getting it back. I don’t want it back.”

“I think that’ll look amazing,” Frank responds before leaning forward and pressing his lips to the tip of my nose. I can’t help but grin, feeling the blood rushing to my cheeks. “Ready for bed?”

I nod, expecting Frank to get up and go to his bunk. Instead he shifts around on the couch, pressing his back up against the cushions. He holds the blanket up for me to get under. Although I’m not sure why he’s opted to sleep out here, I crawl in next to Frank, my back pushed up against his chest. It feels nice, cuddled up against him, Frank’s arm wrapping almost protectively around my waist.

“Good night Makayla, sweet dreams.” Frank presses his lips to the side of my neck.

“Happy dreams, Frank,” I answer through a yawn, pulling the guitarist’s hand up to my lips before shutting my eyes.

_______

I wake up to Gerard, Mikey and Ray staring at me. They all hold mugs of steaming liquid in their hands; all wearing a sleepy yet shocked expression. Yawning, I offer up a smile before remembering that Frank’s arm is still curled around my waist, his head hidden behind my shoulder.

“This is new,” Gerard mumbles as he grabs a beer out of the ice chest.

“Ray and Mikey wanted Frank and I to pretend to be dating,” I offer back as the guitarist behind me stretches, pulling me a little closer to his chest before letting out a content sigh.

“Yeah, pretend to date, not sleep together,” Mikey answers back with a grimace. He’s always been the protective one. Even though Mikey is not very intimidating, he is the reason why my last three relationships didn’t work out.

“We didn’t sleep together,” I answer back in frustration, getting up off the couch to pour myself a cup of coffee. “Frank staid out here to watch Dawn of the Dead with me and we fell asleep.”

“Someone’s getting defensive,” Gerard laughs at me before plopping down on the couch across the walkway, popping open his beer.

I just roll my eyes, knowing that no matter what I say they aren’t going to believe me, “I’m not getting defensive. I just wish I could spend the night on the couch with a friend of mine and not have to play twenty questions the next day.”

Ray mumbles something under his breath that sounds a lot like, “Frank wants to be more than friends” but I’m not quite sure. I chock it up to my mind playing tricks on me, letting me hear what I subconsciously wish he would've said.

“What was that Toro?” Frank questions, folding up the blanket from last night and stashing it away in the bunk area.

“Nothing,” Ray answers back with a chuckle.

“Mak, you’re my little sister. I just think you can do better than Iero,” Mikey says with a chuckle.

Frank hits Mikey upside the head before coming to sit back down next to me, putting his arm around my shoulder. I have noticed that ever since we started to pretend date the guitarist has become even touchier than before. I’m not complaining, I like being close to Frank, but I also don’t want to start any drama between the guys.

“Don’t be mean to my pretend boyfriend Mikey, he’s sensitive,” I giggle back, enjoying the lighthearted fun.

“What’s on the agenda today?” Frank changes the subject, obviously not enjoying being the brunt of the band’s jokes.

Ray leans over and grabs the schedule off of the fridge; “It looks like we’ve got a meet and great at eleven, so right when doors open. I’m assuming that means we’re playing later in the day but don’t bet on it. Other than that nothing else is going on. Drive out is at twelve-thirty.”

“Do we even know where we are?” I question. Warped Tour definitely has a way of making you feel disoriented. The paper could say California but the landscape could look so similar you aren’t convinced you left the last venue.

“Somewhere in California,” Gerard answers before heading towards the back of the bus to start getting ready for the show. He’s very into doing zombie makeup for the performances now and spends about thirty minutes to an hour doing that every morning. Honestly, it looks pretty rad and it keeps him sober for at least a little while longer.

Content with waiting to change until the others are done, I lean my head against Frank’s shoulder, bringing my coffee mug up to my lips every once in a while. Frank’s fingers run through my hair, gently pulling out tangles when he comes across them. For a few minutes I imagine what it would be like if we really were dating; Frank coming off stage and crashing his sweaty body into mine, our lips meeting, holding hands while we walk back to the bus, sitting on his lap in the merch tent while he signs stuff. Letting out a sign, I push the thoughts from my mind. We just can’t, the band means so much more. What if we got in a fight? What if we broke up? Would my brother’s be able to put their opinions on the back burner to keep My Chemical Romance going?

“What’re you thinking about Mak?” Frank questions. He does this all the time. It’s like he knows when I’m letting my mind get to that dangerous edge where I almost say fuck it.

“Nothing important,” I answer back quickly, hoping he just lets it slide.

In a typical Frank fashion, he doesn’t. Instead, he shifts around on the couch so that he can look at me. His hand slides from my shoulder and down my arm, fingers curling around my wrist. Goosebumps form on my skin and Frank smiles contently. “Makayla, you and I don’t keep secrets from each other. We aren’t going to start now. Whatever it is you are thinking isn’t going to upset me or anything like that. Why don’t you just tell me?”

I avert my gaze, staring at the fabric of the couch, “I was thinking about stuff that can’t happen.”

Suddenly, Frank’s forehead is pressed against mine. Every time the guitarist blinks I can feel his eyelashes brush against my skin. “Nothing is impossible, Makayla.”

I let out a shaky breath, moving forward just a little so that my bottom lip brushes against Frank’s top lip. Electricity flows through my body. Frank’s lip is smooth and tastes like coffee and cigarettes. As I go to deepen the kiss a noise from the back of the bus causes the two of us to jump away from each other.

Mikey appears seconds later. Based on the look on his face he doesn’t suspect anything, “Back of the bus is all cleared. You can go get dressed Mak.”

I nod, avoiding eye contact with my older brother just incase. Frank seems to be doing the same. As I pull on a pair of shorts and a Black Flag shirt my mind wanders. Did Frank like it? Did me want me to do that? Was he just being polite? While I’m finishing threading my hair through a ponytail holder, hands cover my eyes, lips pressing against my cheek.

“Told you nothing was impossible.”

Notes

Sorry I suck so much at updating. Thanks to everyone who has stuck through it and kept reading. It means the world to me. Like always, comments make my day. Feel free to nudge me to update in them as well if it's been taking a while. Frank and Makayla? What do you guys think? Let me know.
Love you all, enjoy your day :)