Pretty in Punk

Chapter 19

I sat with Frank when his mom came over.

“Do you think you can run to the store for me?” She asked.

“Yeah,” he said. “Wanna come too, Gee?”

“C-can I keep watching Hello Kitty?” I asked.

“Of course, I won't be more than twenty minutes,” he said.

He kissed my forehead as I smiled. His mom handed him a list and he walked out. I kept watching the Hello Kitty, hugging Dee to my chest.

“Fag,” I heard Enzo mutter as he walked into the room.

I whimpered quietly, hugging Dee. He grabbed my stuffie from my hands and I whined.

“Give her back!” I exclaimed.

I got up but he held her over his head. I jumped for her but he was unfortunately taller than me. My eyes filled with tears as I sniffled.

“Please give her back,” I begged.

Enzo held tight onto Dee as he looked down at her.

“You want her back?” He asked.

I nodded and wiped my eyes. He grabbed her ears, pulling hard as an awful ripping sound rang out. Enzo ripped Dee’s head off, letting her fall to the ground with a mess of stuffing. I screamed, dropping to my knees as I sobbed.

“What's going on?” Ms. Iero asked as she walked in.

I cried, clutching Dee’s body and her head to my chest.

“Oh, sweetheart,” she said.

“He killed her!” I sobbed.

“C’mon, I think Frank's grandpa can fix her,” she said.

“R-really?” I whimpered.

She held out her hand and handed her the dismembered stuffie. I followed her out of the room down to where his grandpa was sitting on a recliner watching tv.

“Dad, Enzo ripped up his toy, do you think you can fix her?” She asked.

“Oh I'm sure I can, I've fixed more toys than I can count from when Frank was little,” he said.

She handed him my stuffie and a small box. I sat on the couch, sniffling and crying. His grandpa must've noticed because he gave me a reassuring smile.

“Did you know that I actually know Santa?” His grandpa asked.

My crying stopped as I wiped my eyes.

“Y-you do?” I asked.

“That's right,” he confirmed. “I met him when he was delivering presents. He let me ride on his sleigh with him.”

My eyes widened as I gasped.

“You rode in Santa's sleigh?” I asked in shock.

“It was a while ago now,” he said. “I even fed Rudolph carrots.”

I looked at him excitedly as he stitched Dee up.

“You did?” I asked.

“That's right, we went all the way to Finland together,” he said.

“What's Finland?” I asked.

“It's a country that is very far away,” he said. “It took less than five minutes to get there.”

“Was he nice?” I asked.

“Santa? Oh he was very nice,” he said. “He gave me a hundred candy canes.”

I gasped, looking at him in amazement as he talked.

“Hey, kid,” Enzo said and I looked over at him. “Santa isn't real.”

“Enzo,” Frank's mom scolded.

I cried, burying my face into a pillow.

“Could you control your kid?” Ms. Iero asked.

“Well, it's about time the boy learned,” his uncle said.

I heard the door open and footsteps walk in.

“Whoa, what happened?” Frank asked.

“Enzo told Gee Santa isn't real,” his mom said quietly. “He also ripped Dee’s head off.”

I felt Frank sit beside me and run his fingers through my hair. He pulled me up into his lap as I sniffled, wiping my eyes. Frank carried me up to his bedroom, shutting the door behind us as he sat on the bed.

“Santa isn't real,” I cried.

“No, baby, he is real,” Frank stated.

“No he isn't,” I sobbed, burying my face into his chest.

“He is real, princess,” Frank insisted.

I shook my head slowly and he rubbed my back.

“Baby,” he mumbled, kissing my forehead. “I'm sorry.”

I hugged him tight, crying quietly. Frank hugged me, running his hand through my hair.

“Santa isn't real,” I whimpered.

“Come on, cuddle with daddy,” he whispered.

Frank laid down and I rested my head on his chest.

“I'm sorry he told you, I didn't want to, you were just so precious and excited for Christmas,” he said.

“I hate Christmas,” I mumbled.

“Awe, babydoll, don't be like that,” he said. “Christmas is still great, with or without Santa.”

I hugged him, kissing his chest gently.

“Come on, my mom said we could decorate Christmas cookies,” he said.

“No cookies,” I denied.

“Why not, baby boy?” He asked. “Cookies are your favorite.”

“I don't want any cookies,” I mumbled.

“Okay, how about we build gingerbread houses?” He suggested. “My mom bought the stuff, she thought you'd love to do them.”

I gasped, sitting up.

“Gingerbread houses!” I cheered.

He grabbed my hand, pulling me downstairs. I sat at the table as Frank brought in a box. He ripped it open and dumped out the contents full of crackers, icing, and candy. I gasped, reaching for the gumdrops when Frank gave me a stern look. I whimpered, pulling my hand away.

“Let’s save those for the decorating, sweetheart,” he said.

We started building it as I scowled in concentration. I held two pieces together while Frank stuck them with icing. The hardest part was the roof. I held them together, tongue sticking out in concentration while Frank squeezed the icing bag.

“Gee, I finished fixing Dee,” someone said.

I looked up, gasping and pulling my hands away as Frank sighed. I ran over and grabbed Dee. She looked great, I could see the faint line where her head was ripped off but it was stitched up well. I hugged his grandpa tight.

“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” I exclaimed.

He smiled, patting my back. I hurried back to my seat where Frank was trying to fix the fallen roof.

“Look it! Dee’s fixed!” I cheered. “I thought Enzo did killed her!”

Frank smiled, kissing the top of Dee’s head. I helped him fix the roof and I clapped my hands when we accomplished it.

“Decorate!” I exclaimed.

We dumped out the candy and started decorating.

“Look it! I made lollipop trees!” I said excitedly. “And the windows are peppermints!”

Frank laughed, sticking some gumdrops to the roof.

“Good job, baby,” he praised.

I smiled, kissing his cheek.

“Open,” he said.

I opened my mouth and he popped a gumdrop in. I giggled, chewing on the candy. He gave me a kiss, going back to decorating. After a while we used up all the candy. It was all either eaten by us or sticking haphazardly to the gingerbread house.

“Sticky!” I exclaimed, holding out my hands that were all covered in icing.

Frank laughed, standing up.

“Come on, let's get you washed up,” he said.

I stood up and he placed a hand on the small of my back, guiding me to the bathroom. He shut the door and washed my hands off with a wet rag.

“You even got some on your nose, baby boy,” he said with a small laugh.

Frank wiped my nose off gently, giving me a soft kiss. I smiled, kissing him again as he sat me up on the counter. Frank kissed me slowly as I smiled and wrapped my arms around his shoulders. He placed his hands on my hips gently.

“I love you,” Frank whispered.

I smiled and gasped.

“Really?” I asked and he nodded. “I love you too!”

He smiled, hugging me tight. Frank buried his face into the crook of my neck as I smiled. I could feel his heart beating fast in his chest. I placed my hand over his heart, smiling softly.

“Are you nervous?” I asked.

“You just make me so happy,” he whispered, his hot breath ghosting over my skin.

I smiled, my hand closing on his shirt slowly.

“Come on,” he said, pulling away from the hug. “Let’s go out now, we can watch a movie.”

I smiled, nodding my head. We went out and I grabbed Dee as we went to the couch. He started playing a movie and I smiled.

“Gee, would you like to stay the night?” His mom asked as she walked in. “It's getting late, if not then I can drive you home, if you'd like.”

“Ooh, can I stay the night?!” I asked excitedly.

“Yeah, of course you can,” she said. “And since Enzo is here so you can sleep in Frank's room too with them.”

I nodded my head and she smiled, walking out. I sat in Frank's lap, snuggling with him. He smiled as I watched the Christmas movie happily. It was a funny movie about a boy who was left home alone. I giggled, watching the bad guys get beat up by all the traps the boy set. I held onto Frank's hand, kissing his hand softly.

“Love you,” I said quietly.

He ran his fingers through my hair comfortingly and I yawned.

“Okay, babydoll, I think it's time for you to go to sleep,” he said.

I pouted and shook my head. “Not sleepy.”

Frank picked me up, carrying me upstairs. He tucked me into the bed, taking off his jeans. He crawled in with me and I smiled, snuggling against his chest. Frank looked down at me with a soft smile on his face.

“I love you, princess,” he whispered.

“I love you too,” I said.

He turned off the light beside his bed and I closed my eyes for a moment before looking back up at him. His eyes were closed as I tapped his chest gently and he looked down at me.

“Is Christmas still gonna be okay even though Santa isn't real?” I squeaked.

“Of course it is,” he confirmed. “I bet you this is gonna be the best Christmas ever.”