pieces | ethma

mood ring

Frankie

As I'm sitting at my bedroom window, I look outside. It's raining, as usual here in Tacoma, Washington, but I like watching the rain. It's better than the snow we used to get all the time in New Hampshire.

I shut my journal, laying it down next to me. My phone buzzes, but I'm watching the rain droplets slide down the window. I like to sit here in my bay window and watch the rain. A lot of times I'll get high and write my stories; I always write better when I'm high, and I've never felt more safe than I do in this room, and this house.

Two minutes go by and my phone buzzes again since I didn't open the message yet. I smile when I see his name on the screen.

Grayson: are you busy?

Frankie: just sitting at my window.

Grayson: can I come over?

Frankie: you know you're always welcome here. Especially in my room ;)

Grayson: awe you're so sweet.

Frankie: are you coming over?

Grayson: yes, I'm coming.

Frankie: that's what she said.

Grayson: want me to bring cookies?

Frankie: only always. You should know the drill by now, lover boy

Grayson: I'll be there in five, okay?

Frankie: sounds good. Be careful crossing the street.

A few minutes later, there's a knock at my bedroom door. Preston's home, so he must've let Grayson in. My little brother is usually skeptical about boys around me, but Grayson's an exception. Preston doesn't mind Grayson. Grayson won Preston's approval somehow.

I get up from the window, walking over to the door to open it.

"You brought cookies!" I say.

Grayson laughs as he walks to the window bench and sits down. "Frank, you asked me to."

"Oh yeah."

"Have you been writing today?" he asks.

I nod. "You know what happens when I sit here. Get high and write."

"Or sit here and talk to me."

"That's the other option," I say. "It's one or the other."

"That's my girl."

I smile, trying to hide my blushing with my hands. Grayson takes my hands in his. "Don't hide. You're pretty when you blush."

"Only when I blush?" I pretend to be offended.

Grayson's eyes go wide. "No no no. You're always pretty. I just find it extra cute when your face gets a little red."

"Can I open the container of cookies?"

"Of course. I brought them for you, Frank."

I smile. Grayson's the only person outside of my siblings that is allowed to call me Frank. It used to be sacred between me, my twin sister, our younger brother, and our little sister, but now Grayson is let it on it.

Preston even said it was okay.

"These damn cookies amaze me every time," I say.

"My mom said she wants you to come over sometime so you can make them with her. She really likes you, you know."

"I wonder why. Is it because you tell her all about me?"

"I tell her a lot about you. Maybe not the things teenagers would keep more private, but I tell her about how much I like you."

I don't say anything. I just smile.

"There's that blush again," he says.

"Stop," I say, starting to giggle. I glance down at my hand, looking at my mood ring.

"Has it been that color all day?" Grayson asks.

"Yeah," I say. "I've been calm all day."

"Can I have it? See what color it turns."

I hand it to Grayson, and it turns yellow. Happy.

"Happy," he says. "I guess I am pretty happy right now. I am hanging out with my favorite girl."

"You better be happy right now."

"What do you wanna do this afternoon? We could go get something to eat or drive around? We could stay here and talk. Watch a movie?"

"Eat the cookies, talk and take a nap, then drive to get food later. Then maybe watch a movie tonight."

"Quite the agenda," Grayson says. "Do you want me to stay over too?"

"You know the answer already," I say. "I always want you to stay."

There's been many a sleepover since Grayson and I became close friends. My grandmother doesn't care because she knows Grayson's a great person, and she knows that he cares about me a lot. He'd never do anything to harm me. Anyone other guy would probably be decapitated before they got to spend the night. It doesn't mean I haven't snuck boys in overnight. 

The exception and difference is that Grayson could walk right through our front door no problem. He basically lives here anyway, since he comes over so much. I never thought I'd have a partner in crime who wasn't my twin sister Ria.

I lay down on my bed, patting the other side. "Come here," I say. "Make yourself comfy."

Grayson gets up from his spot on my window bench, walking over to my bed and laying down next to me. He places his folded hands on top of his stomach, and he stares at my ceiling. Well, the see through curtain above my bed. You can still see the ceiling through it because the curtain is sheer. But I like it. I love my canopy bed. I even put plastic glow in the dark stars on the ceiling, and I watch them as I fall asleep sometimes.

"Whatcha thinking about, Frank?"

"Room decor."

"Actually?"

"Yeah. I really like the way I decorated in here this year."

"Me too. If this room was a person, it'd literally be you. So I guess this room is a person."

I laugh. "The way you talk is so funny."

"You love it," Grayson says, smiling at me.

I gently shove his shoulder. The way his eyes light up when he smiles at me makes me happy. I love that he's happy when we hang out.

"I know you're in love with me, Grayson," I joke.

"So what if I am?"

I laugh. "Maybe if we're 30 and still single we can get married. That way we still have time for a child."

Grayson puts his hand on my stomach. "I'll give you and Frankenstein Jr. the best life I can."

I burst into laughter, shoving Grayson's hand away. "Shut up, Dolan."

"I know you're in love with me, Francesca."

"So what if I am?"