Chapter Sixteen

 Ava’s P.O.V

  I looked around, twiddling my fingers, as Gerard made me some cereal. What had just happened? I was screaming and crying and screaming and crying… It seemed as though my whole world was spiralling down into a bottomless pit of nothing. After he set the bowl in front of me I took a small bite, but couldn’t seem to taste it. Discretely, I smelled the air. Something was coming, something very very appealing.

“Is someone coming over?” I asked worriedly. I didn’t think I could keep it together.

“Yeah, you were like half passed out and I didn’t know what to do so I told Frank to get over here.” He looked at me anxiously. I sighed, trying to keep from hyperventilating, and gulped down my cereal.

“What the?” I jumped up and picked up the room quickly. In about five minutes I was done and Frank knocked on the door.

“Go get it.” I hissed. He looked at me worriedly, but still got the door after I had settled myself down with another bowl of cereal. This stuff tasted nasty.

“Hey.” I heard Frank’s boots hit the floor and then the air conditioner kicked in, making his scent waft through the room and over to me. I felt my body stiffen, but pushed it back. Mustn’t eat Frankie, I thought, trying to convince myself he wasn’t really as good as he smelled, but the monster in my stomach growled triumphantly.

“Hey, she’s, uh, awake now.” I sensed Gerard pointing at me and I tried to stay normal.

“Hey, Ava!” Frank called. I smiled to myself and listened to his soft padded footsteps. He pulled up a chair and sat down, quickly patting my forearm. Without stiffening I looked his way and forced a smile on my lips. In the corner of my eye I watched Gerard’s worried face watch the two of us.

“It’s been awhile, Frank.” Hopefully he wouldn’t remember me for leaving Gerard.

“Yeah, we really missed you. Gerard mainly, but you know.” He flashed a crooked smile my way that sent my head spinning. Gerard, thankfully, came to my rescue and put a warm hand on my cold shoulder. I tried my hardest to repress my sigh, but it didn’t go unnoticed.

“I take it your cold?” he asked snickering. “You don’t have to sit here, go warm up.” Before helping me to the couch, Frank looked at Gerard as if asking him for permission, and I presume Gerard gave him the okay. Reluctantly I let Frank hold on to my elbow slightly and really look in my eyes. The closeness was a bit much for me, but since Gee didn’t pull him back I figured I was okay.

“Wow, you’ve changed a lot since you’ve been sick.” His eyes lingered along my sunken cheek bone, un-bagging eyes, and probably most of all my lips. Gerard had told me something about them, but I couldn’t remember.

“Frank, I’ve kind of always been like this.” With my eyes, I tried my hardest to convince him that this was me, and I hadn’t changed.

“Hey, Frank, how bout you talk to me in the kitchen?”

“Are you sure you don’t want me to leave? So she can sleep?” Franks finger glided to me while he looked quizilly at Gerard. I got a glimpse of his expression; Frank was just too cute. The way he looked at Gerard, the way he really cared, honestly and truthfully, and most of all the way he smelled. No, no, I thought, mustn’t eat Frankie.

“No Frank,” I cut in before Gerard would really send him away. “You guys haven’t seen each other for awhile. I think Gerard’s a bit tired of me anyway. You two have fun.” I winked at both of them and buried under the covers. At this moment I was deeply grateful Gerard didn’t know that I couldn’t sleep. They shuffled over to the bar tables, but Gerard being the gentleman he was, got them both a glass of something. I couldn’t guess what it was. I knew I didn’t have any beer in the house, so it wasn’t anything along those lines.