Someone Out There Loves You (Adopted by Frank Iero)

44

ALEXA

"You sure about this?" Frank asked one last time, looking up from his phone while biting his lip.

I could see the nervousness in his eyes. I was sure mine mirrored his.

Saturday had come around in a blink of an eye, making it the day we had planned to tell the world about how Frank adopted me. It had been at the forefront of my mind for the past two days and I was scared shitless. But now that we were here, Frank's tweet typed out for phase one of 'making everyone lose their shit', I was shitting myself. We were about to tell the world about our secret life and I was probably going to cop a world load of hate.

At the same time, I was strangely excited for it.

Taking a deep breath, I nodded. "I'm sure."

Frank gave me a nod and a sideways smile, then looked down at his phone ready to send the tweet, only to pause and glance back up at me.

"Wait! You do the honours," he said, meeting my eyes with his warm hazel ones. He then held his phone out.

I giggled and took it from him, reading over what he had written. I told him he could write whatever for the initial announcement and then I would jump in for our more 'official' post. I didn't expect it to be much, but my heart melted as I read the words.

I'm so proud to call you my daughter

I looked up at him to find him smiling sheepishly.

"You can change it if you wanna," he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck.

I shook my head, warmth spreading through my chest and radiating throughout my entire body in the usual way it did when he did something loving.

"No," I said softly, "I love it."

Frank gave me a lopsided smile and I grinned back.

"Okay, I'm gonna do it," I announced, biting my lip as I hovered my finger over the send button.

"Do it!"

I dramatically decreased the distance between my index finger and the screen, getting closer and closer to hitting send and putting it out there in the world.

"Oh my god, hurry up and do it!" Frank laughed, faking impatience.

"Don't steal my moment!" I shrieked, making him laugh harder and shake his head.

"Oh my god oh my god oh my god," I repeated quickly, my heart in my throat.

My finger hit the button and I screamed, throwing the phone down on the couch and running around the room, my arms waving around awkwardly in panic. It felt like I had sent a risky message, only magnified by about one million.

Frank's laughter continued to fill the air. He was now clutching his sides and looking like he was having the best fun ever. I on the other hand was new at causing chaos online, so the rush was almost too much for me. It was exhilarating.

"You gonna keep running around the lounge room or you wanna come with me to the record store?" Frank asked once his laughter had died down, though his wide smile still remained.

"Go to the... how are we meant to go to the record store when we just caused chaos?!" I shrieked, looking at him with my jaw slightly agape.

"It's more fun if you leave it a couple hours before looking at it again, that way people have time to see it and freak out and want answers but you've disappeared on them," he snickered.

"You are the worst!" I laughed.

Frank shrugged his shoulders, smiling wildly. "It's a bit of fun. So you coming or nah?"