FicWad

Part 25
Frank’s POV- ‘I’ve never seen a face that holds conviction like yours seems to.’
Gerard still hasn’t agreed to calling off the bet but he did apologise for being such a nob. I’m sat in Science now with Amy. It’s 5th period and speculation is rife about us leaving today. Well actually we’re pretty certain that we’re going to be leaving any minute now as the Head Boy just burst into tears and admitted to us that he was told we’d be leaving within the hour. The teacher isn’t bothering to teach us anything and even though we could and should be running riot we’re not. Most of us are just sat in stunned expectant silence, the girls clutching leaver’s books and clinging on to each other’s hands. Amy is looking pale but strong, she’s holding Amanda’s hand in one hand and her leaver’s book in the other.
“EEEAAAHHH!!!!” The class next to our all but explodes and a stream of students from our year flood down the corridor. Me, Amy and Amanda exchange glances before the head of Senior Management walks into the classroom and tells us all to make our way to the main hall.
We do so in an excited, scared, frantic, euphoric cluster and take seats. Me, Amanda and Amy are joined by other girls and some guys. Tom in conspicuous by his absence but it was nothing new. Those two had never really made up. The Head walks in. We all rise then sit when he tells us to. Amy clutches my hand in hers. It’s clammy and when I turn to look at her she’s grinning manically but also looking extremely nervous.
“Well I’m sure you’re all aware why this assembly has been called.” The Head announces, clearing his throat loudly down the microphone. “It is my wish to announce to you today that this assembly will mark the end of this academic year. It is our final goodbye before your exams. I wish you much academic and personal success and hope you all have very pleasant futures….” He drones on until even counting the amount of times he says ‘academic’ looses its appeal. Amy yawns from next to me and I smile to myself. Then the Head leaves and out Head of Year takes over. She hands out ‘funny’ awards then the Deputy Head Girl finishes it all up with the slideshow of photos of the entire year group. Somehow she has one of me and Amy stood together at break beaming at each other. It makes my heart rise to my throat as I see what everyone else sees. How did we go so long without realising we were meant to be together?
Then we’re leaving. Everyone’s running around hugging each other and some people are crying. Amy’s face, and mine, remain dry as we just beam at each other.
“Let’s get the f*ck out of here.” She says and we walk out of the gates. She’s still holding my hand.
“Costa to celebrate?” I ask as we walk, drinking in the knowledge that we wouldn’t have to sit another lesson there until 6th form, and it would be different then.
“Sure.” She’s still smiling and I realise that this is probably because a large amount of her ex’s weren’t going to the 6th form here. All the people who had hurt her, she wouldn’t have to see ever again. We divert our course and walk into town. We talk about all the things we’re leaving behind. Cr*ppy teachers we would only have to see from a distance, and of course the privileges we would gain as 6th formers. An unspoken agreement between us that we wouldn’t mention the need to return in 4 days to sit our first exam.
We both get coffees and take seats at the windows seat we’d sat in last time we were here together.
“Frank?” She asks, getting shy all of a sudden. I feel my pulse quicken as I try not to get my hopes up on where this could be leading.
“Yeah?” I ask over the rum of my coffee cup. We’d gotten muffins too and she tears a chunk off hers and chews it before answering.
“Saturday night was really good wasn’t it?”
“Yeah.” I admit, remembering the kiss, her hands around my waist as if it was the most natural thing to do in the world.
“Well, I mean, it would be pretty cool if we were like that all the time.” She stammers, avoiding catching my gaze.
“Are you asking me out?” I ask her with a smile.
“Erm if you want me to be…” She says, obviously unsure of what I wanted. I was unsure of what I wanted but I definitely wanted her. Screw Gerard and his games I needed this.
“Of course I do.” She beams at me.
“So are we, erm, like, going out now?” She asks, just to be sure.
“Yup. You’re stuck with me now.” I joke and she laughs, sarcastically replying “Oh no, what will I do?”
After some more beaming across our muffins we make out way back to her house where no doubt everyone would be. We practically skip through her front door together. There are voices coming from the living room so e instinctively head there. “Woah you look happy.” Charli says to Amy as she flops happily down on the only free chair. “Hey budge up, you can sit on me.” I say to Amy. She stands up then sits on my lap, sideways on so that I could still see past her. I put my arm around her so that it was also resting on the arm of the chair. Gerard’s giving us funny looks and doesn’t look very happy, Charli looks like she’s going to explode. Mikey’s smirking and Bob has a ‘here we go again’ look on his face.
“Ok I have to ask are you guys together?” Charli asks us when no one else says anything. Amy gives me a sly glance to check she could spill and when I smile my ‘yes’ to her she beams in Charli’s direction and squeals “Yeah.” In a very high-pitched voice and continues to beam all over her face.
It’s then that I notice just how bad the look on Gerard’s face is. I sit trying to keep my breathing steady so that Amy won’t notice anything. Controlling my breathing doesn’t do anything to stop Gerard getting up and throwing a fiver at me though. It doesn’t stop him announcing my winning status. It didn’t stop him explaining what he meant to a confused Amy as I sat perfectly still in the chair breathing in and out. It didn’t stop Amy jumping off me like I was contagious and giving me the most venomous, hurt look, full to the brim with conviction. It doesn’t stop her running out the door as I sit there in shock of what my best friend had just done to me.
I get up to follow her but Bob stops me, telling me not to go near her. Charli follows her instead. Everyone is silent and staring at me. Despite complaining about my height for as long as I can remember I have never felt so small. “You b*stard!” I cry, turning around to face Gerard. He’s taken about for a second and I use his shock to my advantage, landing a punch on his jaw line. His face snaps suddenly to the side on contact and I stagger back as he turns it back, a look of dislike and anger burning in his eyes.
“Go on then!” I shout, fully aware that Mikey had gone to stand at Gerard’s side and that Bob probably couldn’t give two sh*ts about either of us right now.
“Frank, Gerard, I think you should leave now.” Ray speaks up, taking nervous glances between the two of us. Bob agrees before he sinks into the sofa.
“I hope you’re happy now.” I shoot at Gerard before stalking off in the direction of my house. And that’s how things can go from heaven to worse than hell in 5 short minutes.