Page 131 of Summer Breakdown
Marcel nods. “I like talking to you, but sometimes Ezra knows things, like what aftershave I should get.”
Jasmine laughs. God, she got so fucking lucky meeting them all that night. Frankie thinks Jasmine gave her everything, but it was an even swap. “Uh-huh, and he can pay for it too.”
“He said he’d come to the skate park when I wanted to take Tabitha so you wouldn’t hide in the bushes,” Marcel says, with a smile. “I was showing him a message I wanted to send to Tab, and he saw that I told her I was low.”
“A while ago?”
“Nah,” he says, with a shake of his head. “A few days. He said he’d give me a week to talk to you before he ratted me out. I spoke to Zach a little bit when they were watching us. He said you probably already knew.”
Jasmine smiles. “I’m just worried about you.”
“I know,” he says, scooping some cereal onto his spoon. “I’m sorry I haven’t been good at talking about it.”
“It’s okay, baby. Do you want to?”
“I don’t really know how. It’s not all the time. Sometimes it’s hard to get out of bed, unless Lani asks me to or if you want to see me. Online, it says if it was real, I wouldn’t be able to get up regardless.”
Jasmine’s glad he’s talking, but she hates that life will be a little harder for him.
“There’s a whole scale, baby. You can talk to me about anything. Or Frankie. Or Ezra and Zach, if that’s what’s best. I won’t be upset. I just want you to be happy and healthy. That’s all.”
“What do you think, Frank?”
She shrugs. “Sometimes it’s easier to talk to someone you don’t know.”
“Ma?”
Jasmine smiles, her heart thumping a little too quickly. “I think talking to someone would help.”
Marcel nods. “Okay. Can we do that?”
“Yeah,” she replies. The weight lifts from her chest. Frankie rests her fingers against Jasmine’s jaw, tilts her face, and kisses her once.
“Gross,” Marcel groans. Lani claps with glee. Frankie looks right at Jasmine.
She’s got everything she needs.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Frankiefeelssick,ina good way.
Like when she saw Jasmine for the first time, when she signed the forms to create the Titans, or when she first looked after Lani and Marcel on her own.
Now, she’s standing in her office doorway, looking at her team. The one she built from the ground up. If they don’t make it to the championship, it’s not a loss. She knows that, truly and deeply. They’ve done their best; that’s all anyone can do.
“Mal?” she says, and Mali looks over, walking her way. “And Zach.” He follows her.
“You ready?” Frankie asks, when they close the office door. Zach nods. She knows he wants this as much as she does. Maybe more.
“I wanted to thank you for taking over while I wasn’t here,” Frankie says, sitting on the edge of her desk.
Zach nods. “No problem, coach.”
“Of course,” Mali says, with a smile. It’s not a fake smile. Mali would do anything for her. She’s her friend. For real. For life.
“I’m bipolar,” Frankie says. Her heart thumps, but she doesn’t regret it. “I had a depressive episode. It’s all sorted now, and probably won’t happen again for a while.”
Mali’s eyes are wide with concern. “Oh.”
