Near To You - Page 2 - The Black Parade

Annee. · 04-18-2008, 01:40 AM

love it
awwww... frank is so sweet xD

Trish · 04-19-2008, 04:51 PM

Chapter Two

"Well, thanks for letting me crash here, Frank," Mel said, with a smile, as they said their goodbye by the front door. She'd spent half of her hangover-filled day sitting at the kitchen table with Frank, sipping coffee and chatting about whatever. She'd come to the conclusion that Frank was very cool.

"Any time. Thanks for hanging out."

"Of course. It was fun. Well, see you around."

"Bye, Mel."

She sighed as she closed the door behind her, cold enveloping her, sending her shivering and wide awake. Her head throbbed, as though her heart beat in her brain. Reluctantly, she walked away from the small, warm house and down the damp sidewalk. At least the rain had stopped, leaving everything dank and dark, and cold.

Maybe she would see Frank around. She hoped so. He was the kind of person she could get along with. And she needed a friend or two in her empty, pitiful life.

The unpleasant walk home went surprisingly quickly, Mel's mind wandering as she hurried down the streets. Despite the massive hangover, the trip or two to the bathroom, hurling, and that lingering sense of sadness that never reall yleft her, that day had been Mel's best in a long time. It was a break from her monotony--get up, get ready, go to work, come home late, eat, sleepless night. And it hadn't been spent alone. That was probably her favorite part. She hadn't interacted with people a lot, recently.

Frank was cool. He was different. He was kind, concerned, willing to help. He was funny, hilarious, with the cutest giggle she'd ever heard. He was quite the spaz, too, which was entertaining. And he was attractive. He was one of the hottest guys she'd met since highschool. Mel hoped she'd see him again sometime.

Her heart ached a she unlocked her apartment door and headed into the little room, silence screaming at her. Every move she made seemed way too loud, so she crept silently to the bathroom to take a peek at herself--she wanted to see what Frank had seen.

Her reflection disgusted her, as she blinked, horrified, at her reflection. Had she really let herself get so far gone? How long had it been since she cared about how she looked? Good Lord, did she even comb her hair anymore?

Long blonde hair fell over her shoulders, long and untamed, to the middle of her back, firzzy and tangled. A haircut was needed. Her face was shiny with grease, a few zits dotting her forehead--wasn't she a bit old for acne? Wasn't that supposed to go away after puberty? She needed to wash her face. Dark circles edged the bottoms of her eyes, her skin pale as the dead's, her eyes glassy and bloodshot. Her cheeks were gaunt, her whole figure unattractively thin and boney. She looked... deceased.

Mel felt a gag rising in her throat and bent over the toilet, wincing. Damned alcohol--she should have listened to Frank.

She emerged from the bathroom, wiping at her mouth, astounded at what she'd seen in the mirror. She hadn't even bothered to check her appearance in so long, not since... Why hadn't she cared? As she sat down on the couch, on the brink of tears, she wondered where she'd been the last year or so. She couldn't remember a thing. It had all been an unfeeling blur, Mel upset enough not to care. Had her birthday come and gone? What day was it? Had she talked to her mom at all?

It was time for her to start living again, she decided, as she laid down on the couch. As soon as she took a nap.

Sazor · 04-19-2008, 09:47 PM

ooooo awesome so far! more soon

Annee. · 04-19-2008, 09:52 PM

great update
more please when you can xD

Kaley · 04-19-2008, 10:40 PM

I love this. :]
Updates when you can.

Faye? · 04-20-2008, 07:48 AM

new reader

This is amazing aw Frankie such a sweetheart
Can't wait for an update

Minerva Flautist · 04-20-2008, 12:53 PM

Frank's so awesome. =]
Amazing update.

*katelyn* · 04-20-2008, 08:15 PM

ahh! loved it

Trish · 04-24-2008, 09:07 PM

Chapter Three

"Hello?" The familiar, maternal voice brought tears to Mel's eyes, and she choked on her own greeting. It was such a warm, soothing sound--how long had it been shince she'd last heard it?

"Mommy?" she managed to sputter, wiping a tear away from the corner of her eye. It was like coming home after a long vacation, one that ou'd hated, and had hardly been conscious enough to experience.

"Mary?" her mother asked, sounding uncertain. Oh, God, ahd it really been so long that her own mother didn't recognize her voice?

"No, Mom, it's, uh, Mel."

"Melena? You're shitting me."

"Mom?"

"Dear God, it's really you." Her mom sounded like a mix of relief and anger, and a bit of excitement. "Where the hell have you been? We thought you were lying dead in some ditch, or something!"

"Oh, Mom. I'm so sorry," Mel whispered, pulling her knees to her chest like a child and shivering. Her house was so cold, its faithful emptiness chasing away any hope of warmth.

"An explanation would be lovely, thanks." Ouch. She was getting cross--well, of course. It had been over a year since Mel had bothered to pick up the phone.

"I don't know. I feel...like I just woke up, though I know that I consciously lived every other day of my life. I think I lost myself for so long, Mom, but I think I'm back again."

"Well, why wasn't your prescious Louis there to save you, to wake you up? Is he there now? I wouldn't mind speaking with him..."

Stiffling a sob, Mel sighed, burying her face in her hands. Of course her mom had brought up that bastard. Hadn't she sensed something was wrong? Whatever happened to maternal instinct? It had taken all of Mel's courage to grab the portable, sit down on the couch, and dial a number that shouldn't have seemed so alien to her. Of course something like this had to happen.

"He's not there," her mom stated, after a long pause, sounding angry and dissappointed. "Melena, this is so like you. Chasing away the people who mean most to you. Is it too late to get him back?"

"I don't want to talk about it." Well, duh her mom had thought that Louis's departure from her life had been a result of her period of nothingness. Had it ever crossed the old woman's mind that it was the cause?

"Fine, fine, I don't want to chase you off again. But you picked a perfect time to wake up, or revive, or whatever you're calling it. Mary's getting married!"

Great. Her baby sister was tying the knot before her. It was just her luck. "Awesome. Am I invited?"

"Well, now that we know you're alive..."

...

Two and a half hours later, Mel was back at the little club where she'd first met Frank. Of course, she had no intention of getting drunk again--this time, her chivalrous rockstar might not be there to save her.

She glanced to the stage, hoping, praying--her heart sank when she saw a different group performing, every member much less hot, and none of them the kind stranger who'd nursed her hangover.

Oh well. She found a table--far away from the bar--and sat down, tapping her fingernails absent-mindedly on the smooth surface The band playing wasn't bad, but they weren't nearly as unique as the one she'd watched the other day.

If only Frank were there--and maybe he was, hidden somewhere inside the crowd. She needed to thank him--for his hospitality, for the money he'd forked out to pay for her stupidity, for inspiring her to get back to her life.

She was glancing toward the exit, contemplating leaving after half an hour of sitting, doing nothing, when she heard a soft thud across from her. She glanced back and smiled politely, ready to turn down some toasted loser trying to make a move, but stopped when she saw the man that sat before her.

"Don't you ever learn? Though I don't see a drink in front of you, which is good."

"Hey, Frank!" she said, brightening. "No, not drinking, just...hanging out." She smiled at him. "So, how are you?"

"Meh, fine, I guess. You?"

"Recovering."

"From?"

"Just...nothin'. Acutally, I was hoping you'd be here. 'S why I came."

"Really? Same here. Just sorta...wanted to see you again."

That was sweet! "Yeah. Just wanted to thank you. You...helped me more than you realize, the other day."

"Oh, my pleasure. Hey, what do you say to hanging out elsewhere? This club is kinda downing."

"Sure!"

Kaley · 04-24-2008, 10:29 PM

Ooo. I love this. :D
More soon?