Page 55 of Rockwell Academy: The Twist

“Wow!” Summer laughs out loud. “I never thought I’d see the day. I love his fucking mind. Way to go Frankie.”

She casts an amused grin at my appearance. “I’m guessing you made your decision already.”

“Is it that obvious?”

Jack huffs, “I’ll leave you to it. Siri will be wondering where I am.”

Summer watches him go with a thoughtful expression and then turns to me and her voice hardens as she stares at me with cool disdain.

“I’m not sure what your relationship is with Jack, but Siri gets hurt over my dead body and add my brother to my warning. Don’t mess with my family, Cassie, because I make a better friend than an enemy.”

I don’t take offense at her statement. I appreciate it because I would be the same and I nod. “Understood, but there is no cause to worry. Jack is my best friend; he always will be and we share a history that sometimes confuses that.”

I stare after his departing shadow.

“But then I met your brother.” I smile. “Suddenly it all changed and Siri is also one of my best friends and I am loyal in that respect. I would never hurt Siri, not in a million years, and when Jack had a choice to make back there in the chamber, the only answer I wanted to hear from him was to stick with her.”

Summer visibly relaxes.

“I appreciate you telling me that, but if I were you, I’d clean up. You stink of my brother and it’s not my favorite scent in the world.”

She winks and my face must flame with embarrassment because her laughter rings in my ears as I head up the stairs to my old room to take a much needed shower.

When I finally join theothers, their sympathetic smiles remind me of what happened back at the Twist ceremony. Siri reaches me first and whispers, “Are you okay, Cass? I could have swung for my cousin.”

“It’s all good.”

I reassure her with a smile and Imogen adds, “Are you, though? It must have come as quite a shock.”

Her concerned expression reminds me of how much I talked about Frankie during the holidays and she will feel bad for me.

“It’s all good. Nothing has changed between us.”

They raise their eyes and I laugh softly. “No, really. Frankie was being Frankie and was testing our commitment. He told me he wanted me to choose to be with him while being free to change my mind. That way, he would know we are together for the right reasons.”

“He said that?” Siri’s eyes widen. “Well, I’ll be damned. He must be maturing because that isn’t like the bastard I know and love.”

Summer joins the conversation. “He was quiet all the holidays. Then again, he always is, but this time he was deep in his own head. There’s no point attempting to figure him out. I’ve known him my entire life and I’m none the wiser. Just go along for the ride as long as he lets you. If it gets too much, jump off and don’t look back. It would probably be for the best.”

Siri‘s smile brightens as Jack slides his arm around her waist and drops a soft kiss on the back of her neck.

“Ready, darlin’?”

Siri nods and explains, “We’re heading to town.”

“What now?”

It’s close to ten at night and Siri shrugs. “Just for a ride on Jack’s motorbike. We need to get some air.”

Jack slips his hand in hers and as they head off, he doesn’t catch my eye once. Part of me is sad about that, but the other part understands it. I may as well have used both hands to physically push him away earlier, and he has obviously decided to give up on us and concentrate on his relationship with Siri instead. I tell myself it’s for the best, but it still hurts a little. Our friendship is being tested to its limits and I can’t ignore the distance growing between us as real life interferes with the protected one we shared for our entire lives.

Imogen nods toward the bar. “Let’s grab a drink. The others will be here soon and we won’t get a chance to chat.”

As we move that way, Summer joins us and I fill them in on what exactly happened at the Twist ceremony—the part I saw, anyway.

26

FRANKIE

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