Page 39 of Summer Breakdown
“Yeah, babe?”
“You okay?” She tilts her head slightly. In the past year, Mali had been her favourite new person. Jasmine has shoved everyone else to the ground with her arrival, but Mali is still close to the top.
“Yeah.”
“Sure? Because I’ve been trying to talk to you for at least three minutes, and you’ve been elsewhere.”
Frankie frowns. Mali would be kind if Frankie told her how her brain works, but it’s still terrifying. “Sorry.”
Mali smiles. “It’s okay. You know I love you, and I’m not telling you to leave, but if you don’t feel up to it, you don’t have to stay.”
“I know,” she replies. “Sometimes it’s good to get out, even if I don’t want to.”
Mali nods. “Okay. I’m glad you’re here.”
Frankie smiles. She has good friends. “Loser.”
Mali smiles as she takes a sip of her drink. “Glory Park emailed me again.”
“Rats,” Frankie mutters.
“If you don’t want to do it, that’s okay. We don’t need the money. But is there a reason you don’t want to do it?” Well, yes. Frankie’s ugly, and she doesn’t want to see her face plastered all over town. The likelihood she’d have anything other than a page on their website isn’t high, but what if?
Thankfully, Zach turns up before she panics and tells Mali every bad thought she’s ever had just so she doesn’t think Frankie doesn’t like her.
“Hey,” Zach says, but he’s only talking to Mali. Rude fucker. Then, his hand grasps the back of her head as he pulls her into a kiss and, well, at least that’s just for Mali.
The kiss lasts longer than usual. Frankie’s sure she saw the glint of Mali’s tongue. She smiles. Tomorrow morning, Mali will tell them about some freaky sex they had.
“Zachariah,” Frankie says in greeting, when Zach finally sits down. His eyes are wide, like he hadn’t seen her there.
“Coach,” he replies, and swallows. He doesn’t even call her out for calling him that. She rolls her eyes as Ezra pulls onto the bench next to her.
“Coach?” Ezra asks. “We’re not within two metres of the training ground.”
“They had a make-out session and now Azan’s embarrassed because he didn’t notice me,” Frankie replies, and Mali giggles, leaning against him. Ezra sits next to her but without Cam.
“Cam not coming?” Frankie asks, and Ezra frowns. Oh no. She knows that frown. Cam is coming, and she’s bringing Andrew. Frankie shouldn’t have come.
Mali’s eyes widen, and Frankie wants to know why, but perhaps the girl from the bar who’s been checking her out will be looking at her and think it’s an invitation to come over. Frankie isn’t great at turning people down, and God forbid she goes home with someone just so they aren’t offended. Frankie usually sleeps with a different woman each week, but she hasn’t looked at someone twice since Jasmine turned up.
Then, Jasmine walks past, and Frankie should have known.Holy hell.Her hair is blown out into bouncy waves around her face. With her lips and her hoops, she could be the hottie in a nineties R&B music video. Frankie was never more obsessed with anyone than she was with them as a teenager. Jasmine’s overtaken them too.
“You’re so unreasonable,” Mali says, and she’s correct. Jasmine is. Frankie would tell Mali she’s unreasonable too, but she’s not saying it in a self-deprecating way. Mali is gorgeous, and she knows that. It’s one of Frankie’s favourite things about her.
“Me?” Jasmine asks. She truly could be a goddess. It would make so much sense. The slope of her jaw, the slight tension of her arms. The way she moves looks like she could stand in a museum for hours. Frankie’s gaze slips, and Jasmine’s ribcage is right there, illuminated by the shitty overheard lights. Jasmine is wearing a baggy vest. Well, it’s hotter than that, but she doesn’t have the right words. She thinks it’s made from silk, and it means she can see her ribs, the band of her bra, and the side of her chest.
She’s killing Frankie slowly.
“Yes,” Mali replies.
“Why?”
Mali pouts. “You’re too hot.”
Jasmine laughs. “If I didn’t think Zach would take me out at the knees, I would have hit on you already,” Jasmine says, and Frankie doesn’t like it one bit.
Mali beams. “Really?”
