Carving Pumpkins (Frank Iero)

Him

Him

I kicked a stone across the street, tightening my grip on Penney's hand as we stepped out into the road.

We walked in silence for a few moments before a small voice broke into my thoughts.

"Frankie?" Penney said softly, looking up at me.

"Hmm?" I hummed, looking down at the little girl. She looked like she was about to climb my leg and never let go.

"What if the kids here don't like me?" 

I frowned and ignored the wrenching pain in my heart. 

"Why would you think that?" I asked, smiling down at her warmly. "Everyone's going to love you. Just be you."

She looked at me sadly. "Okay."

We walked for a while longer before Penney spoke up again, squeezing my hand as the school slowly came into view. 

"Frankie?" Her voice quivered.

"Yeah?" I myself was getting more and more nervous by the second.

"Do you miss mommy?"

I almost tripped over my own feet. I held my breath and tried to hold back the tears that were threatening to flood forth.

"Yeah," I finally choked. "Yeah, I do." 

Penney stopped and let go of my hand.

"Me too." 

I looked down at her and realized that she was crying, face buried in her hands, leaned up against a tree not too far behind. 

I hurried over to her and wrapped my arms around her. 

"Shh, shh...it's okay, Pen. It'll be okay." I tried to comfort her, but I doubted that it worked, because I, too, was crying.

"Frankie," she choked. Her voice sounded strained and shot. "Frankie, I miss mommy. I don't wanna go to school. I miss mommy."

My heart wrenched at the sound of my little sister, the most important thing in the world to me, crying her heart out on the sidewalk in front of the school.

"M-mommy would want you to try, don't you think?" I forced, my voice cracking. "She would want you to be brave for her."

Penney looked up at me and smiled weakly. "I guess."

I sighed and grinned at the little red-faced girl.

"Frankie, you're crying." I felt little fingers on my cheeks, warding away more tears. The act alone made me want to cry again.

"Thanks, Pen." I laughed, standing up. 

"Let's go." Penney declared. "I want to do this. For mommy."

I smiled widely and wiped my face, along with Penney's, before taking her hand in mine once more.

We walked to the elementary school, where I would drop Penney off, then cross the lot to the high school. 

We walked through the doors, and I immediately felt Penney's hand clamp around mine in a death grip. I doubted that she would let go voluntarily.

I led Penney to her classroom and talked to her teacher, something my father should be doing, but I didn't complain.

"Hello, Penney!" The teacher, Mrs. Rappolds, clapped her hands together and rushed to the door to greet us.

Penney cowered behind my leg, clutching my black school pants as if it were a matter of life or death.