ENIGMA / Frank Subway surfers

6

Frank and I had just got out of the store, and I was already soaked through my shirt, and my Jean chain was going to get rusty real quick.

I looked over to him, and he didn't seem bothered at all about the rain. he had his mask on, so I guess I couldn't tell if he was bothered.

it had been around 3 minutes of aimless walking until I realised that I went the wrong way, and I don't know where we are.

"shit, I think we're lost" I stood in the middle of the path, my arms aching from holding the skateboard above my head, and I had to let it down, feeling the rush of blood go down my arms.

Frank stopped in his tracks and turned to me, "you live near the train tracks, right?"

"yeah?"

"follow me."

he clasped my hand and ran, me being caught off guard and almost falling forward, ran behind shortly after.

our footsteps sounded squelchy on the path, after all, it was still raining.
although my hair was soaked to the skull, Frank's hair was still perfectly up and at it. it was chestnut, backlit by the amber streetlights, looking almost mahogany.

the sky was a deep indigo blue, the streetlights radiated a slight orange tinge and made the soaking floor glisten. I hadn't brought a jacket, stupidly enough, and was shivering.
although running was supposed to make you feel warmer, it just brought a cold breeze through my hair and made me even chillier.

Frank lead me to the side of an alleyway. I quickly became self defensive and all moments of comfort and safety quickly dissolved.

"i-i think I can make it home, I'll... see you-"
"now it does look like I have bad intentions, but I swear on my mother's life that I am not, and will never hurt you. this is the only way to the tracks and I just want you to get home safe, I can... hold your hand or.." he fidgeted with the hairs at his nape, "something. just something to make you feel a bit safer."

i did grasp that he didn't mean any harm. he seemed like he had no intentions of causing distress. so I sucked it up and snatched his hand up, holding it tightly just in case there was any funny business.

his hand was very warm, sort of like a hug for a hand, our fingers interlocked next to eachother.

the alleyway was dank and dark, but he had made sure to be in the lead to prove to me that he didn't mean anything, anything to make me feel safe I guess.

as soon as we were in the alleyway, we were out already, the gleam of the streetlights, glaring in our eyes shortly after we got out.
luckily, I had started recognising where we were, the train tracks were close so that means my apartment was closer. rain was still tipping it down.

"do you have a place to stay?" I had only realised he hadn't mentioned that he had a place to go back to.
Frank stopped in his tracks and looked back to me,
"are there any cheap motels? I'm quite far away from here."

"oh god no! I'm not letting you stay at one of them." the last time I stayed at that small bed and breakfast was possibly the last time I'll ever stay at a bed and breakfast. just the thought of the place was harrowing.

he narrowed his eyes, "where am I staying then?"

there was only one answer, other than sleeping on the street, but I'm not letting him do that either.

"you need some warmth, it's freezing. just sleep on the couch at mine, I'm sure I'll have some spare pyjamas that a guy friend has left"

Frank hummed in delight, and I formed a soft smile.

-
I might keep chapters between 400 words and 600 because I used to try and aim for 800 to 1000 and it was too stressful to bring out one every day or so, so there will be shorter chapters sadly 😭😭