Prone

Maturity: A messed up girl, guns, drugs, calculators.
Fantasy: Nothing, really. She has dreams sometimes.

***alexarayy108 has entered ZNC Chat***
alexarayy108: Anybody here?
alexarayy108: Guess not...
***frannybaybe has entered ZNC Chat***
alexarayy108: Franny! Oh, thank God!
frannybaybee: What's up, A-Ray?
alexarayy108: It's Cora, she's cheating on Vince.
frannybaybee: Are you sure? That really dosn't sound like Cora...
alexarayy108: I'm positive, Franny! I saw her kissing Jorge by the stage...
frannybaybee: Oh.
frannybaybee: Well, yeah. That kinda proves it.
alexarayy108: What do we do?
frannybaybee: We? Psh, I don't know! Did you talk to Cora yet?
alexarayy108: Are you crazy?! I don't want her to get mad at me!
frannybaybee: No, I just meant that she might have some kind of explination.
alexarayy108: Yeah, I guess.
***coraboramachine has entered ZNC Chat***
coraboramachine: Hey, guys!
frannybaybee: Hey, C. What's up?
coraboramachine: Nothing much, what about you, A-Ray?
alexarayy108: I saw you cheating on Vince, Cora.
coraboramachine: What?
***alexarayy108 has left ZNC Chat***
coraboramachine: What the heck! I never cheated on Vince! I would never do that!
frannybaybee: I know you wouldn't. But A-Ray said she saw you kissing Jorge.
coraboramachine: WHAT?! He's playing opposite me in the play! We were running lines!
frannybaybee: You may want to tell her that before she tells Vince.
coraboramachine: Crap.
coraboramachine: Get her back here, she's not answering my text messages.
frannybaybee: Aright.
***frannybaybee has gone away***

Francesca stood up from her computer and walked into the kitchen, digging through her backpack for her cell phone to text Alexa-Ray. She entered the message quickly, and sent it off, returning to the computer before Cora got mad. Hot chocolate in hand, she braced herself for the upcoming battle of truth.

***frannybaybee has returned from away***
coraboramachine: What did she say?
frannybaybee: She didn't answer my message yet.
coraboramachine: Well, what did you send her?
frannybaybee: "Hey, A-Ray. Can you come back to the chat? Cora just wants to talk. She's not mad, I promise."
coraboramachine: Good. I hope she comes back. I really would never cheat on Vince.
frannybaybee: I know, C. I just think that she's kind of jealous. A-Ray doesn't have a boyfriend...
coraboramachine: Neither do you.
frannybaybee: Thanks for reminding me.
coraboramachine: I'm sorry. Still sore over your break-up with Nick?
frannybaybee: Yeah, kinda. It was only a few weeks ago... I kind of miss him.
coraboramachine: Yeah, I get it.
frannybaybee: I'll be right back. I'm hungry.
***frannybaybee has gone away***

Franny ran a hand through her tangled blonde hair, standing up from her chair to go get some food. She looked in the cabinet, trying to search for some cookies, chocolate, sugary cereal, anything that would keep her mind off of Nick. She missed him like crazy, not like she would ever let him know that.

Her phone buzzed within her pocket. She answered the text message from A-Ray quickly, grabbing a juice box and a package of mini-muffans quickly and shoving them into her mouth one by one as she typed A-Ray's response to Cora.

***frannybaybee has returned from away***
frannybaybee: Back.
coraboramachine: Did she answer?
frannybaybee: Actually, yes.
coraboramachine: What did she say?
frannybaybee: "Not right now, I have to go to ballet. Tell Cora that I'll call her later so we can talk about this."
coraboramachine: Okay, it's a start.
frannybaybee: Agreed. I'm going to get going on some homework. I'll see you Monday in Chem, kay?
coraboramachine: Cool beans, see you then.
***frannybaybee has left ZNC Chat***

She turned off her computer, resisting the temptation to log on to facebook and check up on Nick's profile. He was dating some girl. Some taller, prettier blonde. That was what bothered her the most. She was a blonde too, and looked a lot like she did. "Jerk." She mumbled under her breath, heading back into the kitchen for another package of min-muffins.

The door squeaked as she opened the pantry, a reminder that what she was doing was not only insane, but also highly unhealthy. She had been eating non-stop for two weeks now, and had gained twelve pounds as a result. She was spiriling out of control, having never been rejected before. And she didn't like it. Her mother had tried taking her to a therapist when she gained the first five, but all that did was make it worse. More tramatic. Franny hated talking to people she didn't know. She didn't give her heart out very easily, and certainly didn't appreciate it when it was broken. Though this was the first time, she thought, it was definitely the worst that it could ever be. She could sit on the couch, watching the television for hours on end, unaware of time. The only thing that kept her sane was homework.

It wasn't just her breakup with Nick that was causing her these problems. Franny's brother had died just a month before, two weeks after her Dad left them, leaving with some girl from Canada to go live his life with his other family in Newfoundland, Canada. Her mother was rarely home, working double shifts as a doctor. She was a spinal sergen at Yale Hospital in Connecticut.

Franny believed it was her fault, that her mother was working double shifts. She thought that her mother didn't love her anymore. Only loved her brother, and missed Chris so much, that she couldn't actually look at Franny without crying. Franny took to staying in her room, behind closed doors to eliminate the confrontation. Not that it mattered anyway. When she was sleeping, her mother was awake, and when Franny was at school, her mother was taking her five minutes of relaxation before heading off to the hospital exactly an hour before Franny was due home. Franny almost wanted to skip school, just to face her mom.

The only attention that she had gotten in the past two weeks was when her mother tried to bring her to a therapist. Franny had yelled at her so much, hurt her feelings so badly. She didn't mean too, she just didn't want help. She just wanted to be alone.

Franny screamed. She lay there, shaking on her bed, trying to get a hold of herself. "It's okay, Franny. He's gone. He's gone. He's gone." She tried over and over to make herself feel better. After five minutes of sobbing into her pillow, she stood up and exited her door, taking the familliar path down the hallway without her glasses. She could barley see. She reached into her jeans pocket and put them on, shoving them up her nose.

She entered Chris's room quietly. Everything was the same in here. His folded laundry was still in the bright blue basket, waiting to be put away from a month ago. His bed wasn't made, and he had pictures of himself with his girlfriend, himself with his sister, everywhere. They colored his room. Franny missed Chris. They rarely fought, they were like best friends. She ran a hand through her hair and then exited the room, leaving it perfect.

The house she lived in was small, all one level. There were three bedrooms; Franny's, Chris's and her parents room, as well as a family room, kitchen and a bathroom. They didn't need much more, and Franny didn't mind living in this house. The paint was coming off the walls, and the roof leaked in the halway next to her parents room, but she didn't care. This house was all she knew.

She crept to the pantry, grabbing herself a couple of packages of pop tarts, and shoving them into her face as she signed online.

***frannybaybee has joined ZNC Chat***
alexarayy108: Hey, Franny.
frannybaybee: Hey.
alexarayy108: C and I talked. It was a whole misunderstanding. I feel bad.
frannybaybee: You kinda should, A-Ray. You accused her of something you didn't know the facts too.
alexarayy108: Yeah, whatever. It's all straightened out now. What are you up to today? Want to go to the mall?
frannybaybee: Can't.
alexarayy108: Why?
frannybaybee: I don't have a ride.
alexarayy108: Franny, I live two blocks away. My mom could pick you up.
frannybaybee: It's okay, I have a ton of homework anyway. Call me later?
alexarayy108: Sure, Franny.
***frannybaybee has left ZNC Chat***

Franny stood up and threw herself onto the couch, digging for the remote between cushions. She turned on the TV, putting it on mindless cartoons. She rested her head against the arm rest and began to cry, crushing the other pop-tart in her hand. She stared at the fake pastry in her hand, and chucked it across the room, pulling her knees into rest under her chin.

Her mother entered the room then, looking at the pop-tart, and then back to Franny. She walked into the room and sat down next to Franny, not touching her, just sitting next to her.

"Your father called last night while you were sleeping." She said after several minutes of silence. Franny picked her head up to stare at her mother. Her green eyes were flaming with hatred, disappointment, confusion, anger, and sadness. "Don't get mad at me. I had my reasons for not letting him talk to you. I know you don't undersand, but I do. I don't want you getting hurt." She paused. "Chris just died, and your father is just over-reacting. He can't stay here because he can't stand to see you like this, ant to be honest, neither can I. You're going out of control, and I'm afraid for you." She tried to put a pale hand on Franny's shoulder, but she shrugged it off, sinking closer to the arm-rest of the couch. "I can't stand seeing you like this, Francesca! You're going nuts! I know that you and Chris were really close, but you can't let that disappointment of his death rule your life. You're your own perosn, and you have to get moving. I see people like you every day at the hospital; worried parents, sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, but you know what they do? They seek help. Guidance, greif counsilors. Whatever. You need help, Franny. Just admit it."

Franny stood up, picked up the pop-tart pieces and brought them into the kitchen, throwing them away. She ran down the hall and changed into sweat-pants and a running shirt, both of which felt very tight on her now. She breifly caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror, and stopped to look at herself.

Her green eyes seemed shrunk back into her head, and she looked tired. They were puffy and swollen, and her skin was ashen and pale. She brought her hand up to the top of her head, ran her hand through her hair, and then looked at it. Her blonde hair had lost a lot of its luster, was dry, and hung on her head like a dry mop. Her hand was pale, paler than she rememberd, and her nails were chewed and bitten to the point of bleeding. She pulle her hair up into a high pony-tail, and put a head-band on, slipped on some socks and her running shoes, and ran outside.

Franny had always loved running. It took her mind off of things. When she was younger, her mother had tried to have another baby, but had complications with the delivery and lost the baby. Franny had run from the hospital when her father told her.

She had run to her elementary school and hid under the play-ground for hours until she went and ran home. She loved to run, but her mother always thought she was running from her problems, which was partially true. But she loved to run.

Franny didn't really like where she lived. Newtown was cool, but she lived in the bad part of Newtown, and she really didn't like it there. Gang bangers, drugs, they were everywhere. All you had to do was look. But she supposed that it was the same everywhere.

She ran the two blocks to A-Ray's house and knocked on the door, looking at the plants that A-Ray's parents tried to grow to bring some life to the neighborhood. It didn't really work, but it brought a smile to Franny's face.

A-Ray answered the door seconds later. She was dressed in jeans and a plaid shirt, and was taking her hair out of curlers.

"Going somewhere special?" Franny asked, leaning against the collumn that held up the over-hang.

"Franny? What are you doing here?" A-Ray asked, looking around as if she was nervous.

"Running! Come on, come for a run with me. It'll help you take your mind off things, school, work, whatever. It's good for you."

"Since when do you care what's good for you?" A-Ray said sharply. "Look, you said you didn't want to go to the mall with me, so I made other plans."

"Is Cora comming over?"

"Not exactly..." A-Ray, gazing over to her driveway as a dark-blue truck rolled in. Franny knew that truck. It was Nick's truck.

"What the heck." Franny said. It wasn't a question. Nick got out of the truck, wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Franny turned back to A-Ray. "What. Are. You. Doing." She asked, forcing the words through her teeth.

"No, come on, Franny, it wasn't me! He asked me! No guys ever pay attention to me... I wasn't about to say no! That would be stupid."

Franny backed up, physically feeling the hurt of betrayal from A-Ray. She shook her head over and over. "No, no, no, no, no!" She screamed, jumping off the stairs and catching herself with her hands which scraped across the pavement. She jumped back up and sprinted away from A-Ray's house, away from A-Ray, away from Nick. Tears flew down her face as she braced for the wind. She ran in the opposite direction of her house, trying not to go anywhere near any of her friends house. It was difficult, they were stratigically placed, and A-Ray would have told Cora at least by now. Half the school probably knew already how she reacted back there.

She didn't care. She kept running, heading toward a gas station. She had some money with her, enough to buy her some food. She ran toward the Shell station, slowing to a walk as she approached the little shop. A cluster of boys stood next to the entrance. Franny felt adrenline rush into her blood. She could take them, should she have to. She tried to open the door, but one of the boys was holding it closed.

"And what's a pretty little thing like you doing around here? You could get hurt all by yourself." He licked his lips creepily. Franny had a strong urge to gag all over him, but she didn't.

"What's going to hurt me?" She asked, letting go of the door handle and looking toward the guys. "You?" She smiled.

"Maybe." He said. Putting a grimy hand on her shoulder. "What's to stop us?" Franny faked thinking for about a minute.

"Me." She finally said, with a smile, thrusting open the door. It caught the main guy by surprise and he fell down.

Franny stepped into the little shop. The clerk didn't even notice her, or her slight struggle with the guys. She watched as the one who had fallen got up, and opened the door. Coming over to see her.

"You got some nerve there." He said. He pulled a gun out of his pocket.

Crap. Franny thought.

"Get on the ground. Now." He said. Franny sunk to the floor, dropping her twenty and the bag of chips she had picked up. The clerk looked over, and made eye-contact with Franny. He reached toward the phone, but the man turned and shot him as he finished dialing 911. Franny screamed as the gun went off, and the clerk collapsed, dead. Her breathing grew really quick and heavy, and on a whim. She stood up.

"What are you doing? Get back on the ground." He said, pointing the gun toward her.

"No." She said.

"I really don't want to shoot you, but I will if I have to." He said.

"I bet you won't." She said back.

"Fine." He pointed the gun toward her knee.

"Not there, please. Can you shoot my shoulder or something? I love to run, and shooting me in my knee might keep that from happening." She said, braver than she had anticipated.

"What's stopping me from driving this bullet through your head?" He answered.

"Nothing but choice. You're not going to shoot me anyway." She said. He punched her in the face. She fell to the ground, nose broken, dripping. Franny put her hand to her nose and saw the blood.

"Crap." She said. "Mom's going to ask about this one."

"Not if you're dead." The man said.

"That is true." She answered. She heard the whine of the sirens, and was confused by her emotions. She didn't want the police to come, she felt powerful by herself. She didn't need any help. He heard the sirens too. His eyes widened in fear, and he pointed the gun to her shoulder.

"As you wish, princess." He said, pulling the trigger. Pain shot through her shoulder, and she screamed. She couldn't see, her glasses had fallen off her nose when she fell. She searched with her left side for her glasses, trying to ignore the pain in her right shoulder. The sirens grew louder. She still couldn't see.

"Miss?" Someone said as sirens became deffaning. "I called the police. They're just about here. You're going to be okay." They said. Franny held onto that sentence as she sunk into unconsciousness.

Awww...poor Franny.

Yeah, poor Franny. :/

I like the story. Alot.

Schmankies.

Oooh, so you are making this a story?

Like I said in your freewrite thread:

That was wonderful, Keri. ^^ I think it'd make a really cool story if you were to continue it! Lol, that's so not the kind of story I'm used to reading here, but it was actually a nice change!

Yupp. I was planning on it, actually.

Awesome! ^^

Awesome! Like Twarry said, poor Franny.

More?

Probably today. I'm going to aim for a chapter a day on this one. I really need to work on From A Distance and DoTMS too...

Yayyy!

I wrote some, but I have to go clean the house so I'll put the rest up later.

Chapter 1 is up and finished.
Working on Chapter 2 now.

-meep-

Lol, is that a good meep, or a bad meep?

Both. It's a good chapter, but bad for Franny. xD

Indeed. :/ Franny often gets the short end of the stick in this story, actually.

"Can you hear me? Miss, can you hear me?" A voice said. It was male, rough and scratchy, as though he had been screaming for a really long time.

"Her name is Francesca." Franny heard her mother say. She tried to make noise but she just breathed out. She opened her eyes slowly, the bright lights going right into her eyes. They adjusted and she looked where she was. Her right shoulder was patched up on both sides, and she was scratched up.

The hospital room was very bright. A large window on the right side of the room told her that she was very high up. She could see all of Newtown, the city that she hated. She sighed and looked back to her mother. She looked worried, and worn.

"Francesca, do you know what date it is?" The doctor asked, pointing a flashlight into her eyes.

"No." Franny croaked. She tried to sit up, but was stunned at the pain that went through her shoulder. She crashed back down on the bed.

"Can you tell us what happened?" The doctor asked again, helping her adjust the bed so it was sitting straighter.

"I went out for a run, and I went to my friend A-Ray's house. She... was busy, so I ran down to the gas station to get some food before going home. I went to enter the little store thing, and some guy blocked the door. I pulled it open and he fell down, and his friends laughed. I didn't think the clerk noticed." She froze. "Where's the clerk?"

"Later, Francesca. What happened then?" The doctor pushed.

"Um, I went inside and picked up a bag of chips, and he came behind me. He had a gun. Told me to get on the ground, I did, and looked at the clerk. We made eye-contact. He reached for the phone and the guy shot him. I didn't try to help him, it's all my fault." She broke down into sobs, crying intensely. Each sob made her shoulder hurt worse.

"Francesca, there was nothing that you could have done. What happened next?" The doctor said, placing a hand on her hand. She pulled away and touched her face, noticing the police officer standing at the back of the room.

"I stood up and he told me to get back on the ground." She said a little more confidantly. "He said he didn't want to shoot me, but he would unless I got back on the ground. I told him that he wouldn't dare shoot me, but he put the gun to my knee. I told him not to shoot me there because I'm a runner. He punched me, and broke my nose." She touched her nose with her hand, feeling the cast. "He heard the sirens from the police and shot me in the shoulder. I don't remember what happened after that. I think there was this guy, he told me the police were on their way."

The police officer in the back of the room nodded. "That's exactly what the clerk said."

"He's alive?" Franny asked. "Is he okay?"

"He's fine, miss. He's in the same condition as you, but he'll live. You can see him soon, if you'd like." The police officer said.

Franny nodded. "Please."

The doctor put her bed back a little bit. "Would you like some food, Franny?" He asked, standing up and heading toward the door.

Franny caught her mothers stare. She looked horrified, aged fifty years, and scared. Franny couldn't blame her. She almost lost her only child left. What would she have done?

"No thanks." She said. "Just some water, please." The doctor nodded and left, followed by the police officer, who gave his card to Franny's mom.

"I have to go. I have surgery scheduled in an hour. I'll come see you after you're finished. Red button calls the nurse's station. They'll get you anything you need." She said, emphasising the word need. "That clerk kid is down the hall. Nurse's will tell you where he is." She left.

Franny leaned her head back and started to cry. She didn't hear the doctor come in and put the water on the table next to her. She turned on the TV for a little while, but nothing held her interest. She didn't want to sit here, she wanted to move. She really wanted to run, but the nurses wouldn't let her in this condition. She sighed and pushed the red button, and then watched as a nurse entered the room.

"Can I help you miss?" She asked. She had long red hair and blue eyes.

"Franny." She said. "Can I go see that clerk guy?" She asked earnestly.

"Sure. Do you need help getting up?" She asked.

"Yes." Franny answered, allowing the nurse to help her. She noticed for the first time that she was wearing a hospital gown, and not her running clothes. "Where are my pants?" She asked.

"Over in the corner, do you want them?" She didn't wait for an answer, but went and got them. "Don't worry, I understand. I would want to wear pants too." She joked. Franny smiled. It hurt her broken nose. The nurse helped her slip on her running pants, and then stand up. Once up, Franny was fine.

She walked down the hallway to where he was. "What's his name?" She asked.

"Ron." The nurse answered, opening the door and letting me inside. I nodded and stepped in.

He lay there, looking better than I did. He was watching TV, but turned to me as soon as I stepped inside. He pushed hismelf up on his bed to be higher, and patted the area next to him.

"They told me that you would come see me." He said. "I'm Ron Howard. I think we go to school together."

"Easton High?" Franny asked, touching her face and sitting down next to Ron. His dark hair was dirty, though she didn't care. Hers was exactly the same. His eyes were dark brown, but they were a deep brown. He was pale skinned, but it worked with the contrast against his dark hair.

"Yeah. I'm a senior. Francesca, right?" Ron said. He picked up an arm with a cast and scratched his face.

"Yeah, what happened to your arm?" Franny asked.

"Broke it when I fell of the chair." He anwered.

"Were you the one who told me that you called the police?" She asked.

"Yeah. He shot me, and I faked being unconciouses. I called right before he shot me. Then, when he and his friends left after he shot you, I went over to you and tried to keep you alive. You were losing a lot of blood. More than I was. I used a cloth to keep too much from coming out."

"Stop." Franny said, putting a hand up. She couldn't listen to it anymore.

"I'm sorry." Ron said, putting a hand on her left shoulder.

"Don't be. This whole thing was my fault. I shouldn't have provoked him in the parking lot." She sighed.

"You can't say that. It's just as much my fault. I didn't even notice you out there with him. I didn't even notice you until you dropped the bag of chips. I was too busy reading..." It's my fault.

"But it's not." Francesca sighed, choking back a sob. "I guess it was just an act of faith." Ron chuckled. Francesca looked up at him, a cold hard stare. She glared right into his eyes, sending hate through her green ones into his.

"No, it just made me laugh. I didn't know that people like you believed in faith anymore." He smiled, and rubbed her left shoulder. The touch was soothing, more comforting that she expected it to be. She let him leave his hand there.

"People like me?" She grumbled. It wasn't really a question. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"I just meant that girls, your age, are usually believing in Karma or God or something. Not me. I'm just normal. I believe in what I can see, and it seems like you're a lot like that too. Except for the faith part..."

"I believe in what I believe. Do I think there's a God? Maybe. If so, he really isn't helping me all that much lately." She sighed and looked at her fingernails. They had grown out a little more. How long had she been asleep?

"Why do you say that?" He asked. It wasn't a pointed question. His tone was soft, caring. She appreciated that, and almost melted with his kindness. He didn't need to be this nice. She barely knew him.

"My brother died two weeks ago. He was in a car accident. My father left my Mom and I for his girlfriend in Canada. My boyfriend dumped me last week, and I got shot yesterday. Excuse me if I'm not exactly God's number one fan right now." She felt better now that the acididty of her words had escaped her lips. She felt like they needed to be said. She expected him to laugh, but he didn't.

"I'm so sorry, Francesca." He said. His voice was once again caring. He put his hand underneith her chin and lifted it up. "You still look beautiful." He said.

She looked away, ashamed. How could he say that? How could he say she was beautiful, heart broken, torn into a million pieces. How could beauty possibly radiate off of her when she weighed this much? She was ugly, plain and simple. She deserved to be shot. It was a wake-up call. She would show him what beautiful was.

These thoughts went through her head at the speed of light, and she looked back up not a second later. Their eyes locked, and she forgot all of those thoughts, focusing on his face, his eyes, his lips, his nose, everything. They all looked so beautiful. She wanted him. She didn't care about the nurses, the heart monitor he was hooked up to, the IV dripping into his hand or hers, or any of it. All she wanted was him.

Their eyes remained locked. His, dark brown, looked like they stretched on for an eternity. She wanted that eternity. Craved it.

Their lips touched gently, passionatly. All that they had been through together, put into one kiss. One firey, unforegettable kiss. He broke away first. Franny didn't open her eyes, She looked down at their hands, intertwined. She would get thin for him. He deserved it. He had risked his life to call 911 to save her.

"I better go." She said, forcing herself to make eye-contact so she wouldn't appear ashamed. She stood up and tried to drop his hand but he held on to it. She looked back at him, his eyes were softer than they had been.

"I'll come see you soon. Promise." He said, with a smile. She couldn't help but smile back as she left the room.

Epic. :3 I wonder if anything is going to happen between Franny and this Ron fellow!

Erm... *Hides*

That's what I was thinking too. xD

*points at Keri* I knew it!

Well... Go look.

OMG. 0.0 S.O.L. (Smiling out loud. ^^) That's so sweet!!