HEDONISTIC

20. Pepto bismol brain

EDITED

"No Amber. Love, love is not a thing. You can like someone, have an attraction that you can't describe, be infatuated by them even, but love it's not a thing not actually: it's just oxytocin clouding your brain and making you want to fuck someone."

"Well you sound an awful lot like someone who is in love" Amber said with a menthol cigarette on her lips resting her head on her hand, a bored look on her face.

"Oh fuck off, I just met the guy and- " Frankie was interrupted by her cellphone ringing.

"That right there is your answer" Amber said grinning like an idiot and all that Frankie wanted to do was rip that grin of her face.

"It's not him, it's probably James wanting to apologize or some shit like that" Frances said picking up her phone from the brown bench, she immediately shut up when she saw the unnamed number on her phone.

It was him, of course it was.

"Told you" Amber said looking at the sky, maybe Amber was a witch and she just knew things. "What does it say?"

That was the problem, Frankie didn't know what it said, well she did, but she didn't know how to make sense out of it nor she knew what it meant. Matty had a way of turning her brain into goo, into some type of pepto bismol substance that smelled way to sweet for her liking.

"He wants me to meet him outside of school"she whispered not wanting to say it out loud because that way it was real.

"Then go what are you waiting for?"

Earlier in the morning the blue that stretched into the horizon had only been broken only by transitory wisps of white. Now as Frankie walked out of school with her pack back straps on her hand it threaded across the sky in thicker bands.

She was walking unusually slowly, almost robotically, as if her brain was struggling to tell each foot to take the next step. It was as if she were in a stupor; like someone under hypnosis in one of those scooby-doo cartoons.

He told her to meet on the outside of school in the alleyway between the school and the art story supply next to it were students usually went to get a fix.

As she entered the alleyway full of trash and empty plastic bags there he was. Frankie most admit he's not usually the kind of guy she fantasies about. For starters, he's brunette and she always liked blondes.

She didn't move just yet and was just standing there, watching him, he hasn't seen her yet so she gazed freely. "He's not particularly special looking" Frankie thought but to her there was something about Matthew. Maybe it was the slight confidence and inflated ego, that had her muddling her words and blushing uncontrollably whenever she thought about him. Fuck, Even under the angry clouds and drizzle he looks like sunshine.

He was like the Sun.

He had people orbiting around him; some were so close it burned them, some were so far they were the coldest they could be because they wanted to be closer. The lucky ones were in the perfect distance to feel his warmness and live with him peacefully. In one way or another all the people that met him felt attracted to him; the fucker knew the impact that he had on people with his charm and he used it on his advantage,.

His curls were midnight black and his eyes were dark brown, framed by weird shaped brows. He skin was tanned probably from his constant outing in America.

"Hey" She said softly, he looked at her and smiled his back leaning against the graffiti covered wall.

"I didn't know you'll come"

"Well I do have school at this hour but I thought that seen you could be better than running around a field for funsies, I hope you meet my expectations"

"Well your wish is my command, if I may ask what were those expectations?" He said looking at her in the eye as she moved closer to him in the alleyway.

"Honestly with you I never know" She sigh - "Cut the chase, why did you bring me here?"

He inhaled slowly, his system responding to the smoke, and Matty felt his lungs being wrapped by a warm blanket. Taking small, slow draws of the cigarette he responded: "Is it a sin wanting to see you?"

Frankie looked down at her converse covered shoes feeling suddenly lacking words.

" I mean it was mostly that I wanted to see you in that uniform of yours" he said a playful grin falling from his sinful lips.

Francis laughed bitterly.

"I mean you do look beautiful, I totally get why my brother is so love-struck by you."

Frankie rolled her eyes ignoring him but he pulled her by the hand, like the moon pulled the tide and the tide pulled the sand. Their fingers locked together, similar to puzzle pieces, and for some reason at that moment Matthew knew this was right.

"You should know" Matty said getting closer to her speaking on her ear- "that when you want to make a change, you have to take a chance. Stop making excuses. Stop worrying. Take a chance and make it happen. I did. Now its your turn."

Her gaze slid to the side. He pulled her against his chest. His nose tickled her ear. She let out a tiny gasp and squirmed uncomfortably. She didn't like being so intimately handled. She felt his lips softly graze her slender neck. Her face heated. She summoned enough courage to meet his gaze.

His brown eyes twinkled