Guitar Lessons (A Frank Iero Fanfic)

Chapter Four

Frank's POV

I woke up and grinned. Ruby Winters. I couldn't help but marvel at the events of the day before.

I fell back to reality when I realised I would have to explain why I was gone so long to the rest of the band. This was going to be tricky. Eventually, I decided that the truth was the best.

I took a deep breath and pulled back the covers, a wall of cold hitting me in the process. I walked toward's the stairs and smelt the unmistakable scent of coffee. Gerard was up. I clambered downstairs and mumbled a hello before pouring myself a drink.

"So... where were you last night?" he asked smirking. Here we go I thought to myself.

"I went to the music store... I did say..." I replied.

"Mmhhm... You were there for quite a while though... So long infact that were were beginning to think that there might have been a girl involved..." he said like he was some sort of overly arrogant detective.

"Yeah, I met a girl there," I stated as a wide smile spread across Gerard's face, "and I'm giving her some guitar lessons. So what?" I asked aggressively.

"Nothing, nothing at all," he jeered holding his hands up innocently and walking away.

Before I could say anything in reply, I watched as Mikey tripped down the last step and scowled at it. His hair stood up at all angles. "I smelt coffee," he said sleepily.

Ruby's POV

I awoke with Frank on my mind. Had that all been a dream? I was beginning to think it was when I noticed the note crumpled on the bed covers. I laughed to myself and let my head fall back onto the pillow; it had been real.

For once, I felt genuinely happy.

Thankfully, today was Saturday and so my unusually good mood would not be ruined by the idiots at college.

I didn't really know what to do over the weekend: I had alot of course work to do. I should probably do coursework I thought to myself. But I knew that was never going to happen as I watched my phone flash from the other side of the room.

I walked over to it and began to scroll through my Instagram feed.

For a few minutes, I updated myself with the real world that rotated parallel to the universe Frank and I had created for ourselves. I reached the bottom of my feed and locked my phone; I didn't want to waste the day and so decided to go and take a shower.

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I stepped out of the shower relaxed and refreshed. From the radiator I took a towel and dried myself off before pulling on a pair of black skinny jeans and a Fall Out Boy T-shirt my friends had bought me. A turquoise dream catcher sat beneath the ornate font.

I looked in the mirror and remembered the shopping trip Charlie, Amber, Imani and I took before graduation to get some new merch. Tears filled my eyes. They said they'd bought it so I'd always remember to follow my dreams; a promise I'd kept ever since. We saw each other rarely because of their choice of college. Nothing was the same without them but we always met up in the holidays.

Smiling fondly, I replaced the tears with eyeliner and walked back to my room. I decided it would be wise to distract myself and so picked up my electric guitar and plugged it into the amp, wincing at the crackling sound of the lead touching the metal.

I began to practice what Frank had taught me the previous day, pressing down each note with care and precision.

Once I was happy with how the song sounded, I plugged in my headphones to my iPod and put on the song. I frowned with concentration as I began to play along. Much to my surprise it was beginning to sound pretty good!

For perhaps two hours, I played the song over and over until my fingers felt like they were about to fall off. I reasoned that the pain was worth it for the swiftness and precision I was playing the song with.

Although I was happy with the progress I'd made, I couldn't help but feel like it was for nothing. Then I realised: there was literally nothing stopping me from showing him. It would be as simple as dialing his phone number and agreeing on a time.

I took a deep breath becoming ever aware of the nerves growing in my stomach and pressed 'dial'. Too late too turn back now.

After a few rings, Frank picked up the phone.
"Hey!" he shouted down the phone, forcing me to hold it away from my head so as not to deafen myself.

"Hi!" I replied slightly quieter "I've got something to show you. Do you wanna meet up in a half hour?"

"Sure, see you there Ruby," he replied with a smile evident in his voice. I felt strange when he said my name; what was that?

I cased up my guitar and went downstairs. I waved to my Mum as I left and she smiled in reply. I pulled open the door and walked to the shop with a spring in my step.

I really hoped he'd like it.