You're the Only Hope For Me

Chapter Five

Frank

I drove over to Rose's apartment and knocked on the door. The breeze caught me off guard. Goosebumps crawled up and down my arms and legs. I tugged at my jacket pockets and wished she would be faster so we can leave this place.

I knocked impatiently again, "Yo Ro! Let's get going!"

Scenarios began running in my head. What if she's not home? What if something happened?

My anxiety got the best of me and I pulled the key out of her plant, jamming it into the door before bursting inside.

A yawning Rose shuffled out of the bathroom and gave me a confused look. "Good morning Cranky Frankie," she said and pat my hooded head.

"I'm not cranky," I frowned and crossed my arms.

She looked beautiful, but tired. Maybe she could've got an hour of sleep at best. Something's been keeping her up at night and I don't like it at all. If there's anything I know about her, it's that she's not very good at covering her exhaustion with makeup.

Rose rubbed her eyelids and walked towards me. I opened up my arms and let her walk right into them. "What's wrong?" I ask.

She sighed into my jacket, "I'm tired," she whined admittedly.

I snickered, "I know you are. We can sleep on the plane."

Her body tensed up, like it was hit with something. She pulled away from my arms and left to her bedroom, coming back with a suitcase. Her eyes avoided mine as she cleaned up the last few things in her house.

I hate seeing her so hurt and I want to get to the bottom of this. Eventually, I'm going to find out and I'm going to help her, but now doesn't feel like a good time.

"Ready?" she asked and tried to brighten up for me. I nodded and opened the door as she pulled her suitcase down the stairs.

The car ride was a silent one. She was fighting a battle between her eyelids that were threatening to close. I turned my music down subtly so she wouldn't notice. Every few miles, I would turn it down a few notches. She still didn't notice when I turned it completely off.

I pulled my hood down and looked her closely in the eye, "Rose, I'm kind of worried about you. You're not yourself lately."

She shuffled in the passenger seat, pulling her legs in to her chest, "How far are we from the airport?"

I groaned at her sly attempt to change the subject, "Almost there, before the next light, why?"

She looked like she might be sick. I reached over to her hand and squeezed it. She was warm, sweaty warm. I felt her forehead, also burning up.

"Rosemary Scott, you are hot to the touch! Why didn't you tell me?" I asked angrily while paying attention to the road.

"I'm fine, Frank. Stop worrying," she shook my hand off of her and leaned up against the window.

I've never stopped worrying about her. I worried about her in middle school when cute boys started to come into her picture. I worried about her when Brendon took her to prom. I worried about her when she got kicked out of her parents house and had to live alone. I worried about her when I was away and she was still by herself.

But there was no way I would risk telling her that. There's absolutely no reason why I want to fuck up our friendship or whatever we have. I'd rather be a friend than nothing at all.

Gerard waved me over from a row of seats in the airport lobby. I kept an eye on Rose as she followed closely behind me. Gee pulled me into a hug and nearly dropped his coffee.

"Rose!" Gerard pushed me away and latched onto her. She giggled and hugged him back.

"Come on, everyone's here!" he said and turned to the exit. The plane was waiting just outside for us.

I smiled to myself and started walking towards the door when I heard someone else call her name.

Brendon collided with Rose in a tight hug, almost knocking his glasses off of his face. She suddenly looked so much happier with him than she did earlier.

When their reunion ended, Rose turned to me and cleared her throat, "Frank..."

"No," I looked down at my shoes and pushed a fake smile, "It's okay. Go with him. I'll see you later."

Brendon smiled and clicked his teeth, "Thanks Iero, you're the best," he said and dragged Rose in the other direction.

Gerard stepped ahead of me, watching them out of sight, "Whoa, are you just going to let them walk away from you?"

I shoved my hands into my pockets and walked out the door, towards the plane.

"You're going to watch Brendon Urie take your girl away from you?" he continued.

"They're going to the same city. We'll run into her anyways," I mumbled.

Mikey caught up with us and added, "But I was ready to see some Frose in action! You know, like it was before! You could've been cuddling with her on the plane, Frank."

"Just fuck off, okay?" I turned on my heel and shouted, " 'Frose' is not a thing and it never will be. She has better people to spend her time with and I'm fine with that. I have you guys and that's all I need."

It wasn't a lie. I loved running away from my problems with the band. Ray, Gerard, and Mikey made me feel at home. Maybe I was right. Maybe I don't need Rose to feel happy. The guys make me feel similar.

I was the last to haul up the stairs, watching Brendon pull Rose's suitcase up the stairs a few planes away from ours. Their hands were linked together and they were laughing.

I wanted to be glad for her. Brendon may be a little too crazy for her, but he wasn't a bad guy. She's found love in a man that will love her back.

I'm not glad, because it's not me that she's with, and that's selfish.

I shoved my feelings out the window of the plane and sunk down in my seat, watching the world I used to know shrink into a blur of green and blue.

A/N:
Sorry I'm not very active lately. Logan and I's wifi has been really bad and won't hold a connection for more than five minutes. Also, it's kind of a crazy time in my life and Logan's even more. I've been writing chapters in my notes, so don't worry.

<3
~ Becca