Page 75 of Spring Awakening

“Azan!” Frankie calls, as he tries to run past her. “What the hell? Everyone is turning up. You’ve got a line waiting to meet you! Get your arse back over there.”

“I need to go, Frankie.”

“Dad,” Mali starts, grabbing his hand so he pays attention to her. “Can you grab us some drinks? Take these two gossips.” Mali gestures to her mum and Miriam, who are still getting out of the car.

“You can’t just go,” Frankie shouts, as though there’s not a whole load of people who can see and hear them.

“Hey,” Mali says, slightly out of breath because she ran at least fifty (ten) metres. “What’s wrong? People can hear you bickering.”

“I have to go get Mum,” he pleads. “I didn’t realise the time.”

“I have her,” Mali replies, and his eyes widen. “So, can you two chill?”

Frankie grunts, but then she spots her parents, and she’s off.

“You brought Mum?”

“Yeah,” she says. “You walked to work, so I thought you’d come back to get your car to pick your mum up, but it’s still in the drive. So, I went to my parents, and we grabbed her. Is that alright? She’s having a good day today too.”

He smiles at her, then pulls her into a hug. “You are the best thing in my life.”

“I’msothe best thing in your life, Zach. I wish I could say the same,” she sighs. “Butwhyhave you not told me about the group chat you’re in with my parents?”

He laughs, pulling back, but she doesn’t let go. She has to squint with the sun in her eyes until he moves his head.

“I think your dad wants to be friends. He keeps sending year-old memes.”

“He wants to go golfing.”

“I hate golf,” Zach mumbles, and she finally lets him go. “But I will go and let him beat me because I’m both nice and terrible at golf, and I think you’d look cute in a golf skirt.”

She wants to kiss him so bad she feels insane. “Wanna come watch him meet Ezra?”

He kisses her forehead, and it will have to do. “Always.”

Mali’s parents are getting along with the Adebayo parents flawlessly. Imani and Miriam are bonding over what Mali thinks is scarf but might also be a jumper. Daraki and her dad are sharing how they would run the practice. Frankie is clearly trying not to shout at them both.

“Oh, here’s the big man,” Daraki says, as they walk over. He better be talking to Zach. “How you doing, son? Hey, Mali.”

“Hi! How’s the floor?” she asks, and she realises her hand is around Zach’s forearm. She drops it as slyly as she can.

“So good,” Daraki replies. “You know, I was hoping to get it in the bathroom too.” He looks at Zach in the way all parents look at their kids when they want something they’re not specifically asking for.

Zach smiles and reaches for Mali’s hand. Her heart trips over itself. “Let me know when.”

“Ahh! Thanks, son. Now, the both of you, don’t you think Frank should let Mosi and I—”

Zach laughs. “I’m not going against Frankie, sir. Not if I don’t wanna do laps for the rest of my life.”

“You see that?” Frankie shouts, as Ezra walks over. Mali watches her dad start jumping on his toes. “A good man!”

Ezra rolls his eyes. “You’d agree with the devil if he was against me.”

“Ay!” Imani shouts. “No blasphemy, not today!”

“Ma,” Ezra groans.

“Enough. Come and meet my friend Zamina.”

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