Page 41 of Summer Breakdown
“Yep,” Jasmine replies.
“You’re a chick magnet,” Cam says, her chin in her hand. “Every time you go to the bar, someone flirts with you.”
“Guys too?” Andrew asks, with a tone. Frankie doesn’t know what tone, but there’s a tone.
Cam frowns, and Frankie doesn’t hit him in the face, but it’s close. “Guys what?”
Andrew sighs. “Does Jasmine like guys too?” It’s unclear who he’s talking to, because he’s looking at Cam. Jasmine shuffles in her seat again, and Frankie moves closer.
“Oh,” Cam says, then, “I don’t think so.”
Andrew looks at Jasmine with his eyebrows high. “Well?” he says, like it’s his right to know anything about her. Frankie never responds when he’s a dick. She takes this approach for several reasons.
1. He’s a knob and she doesn’t want to waste her breath;
2. Ezra gets back first; and
3. She hates confrontation.
But, God, every time Andrew looks at Jasmine, she wants to wallop him. Jasmine doesn’t seem like the type to take his shit, nor will she care what he’s saying, but Frankie wants to defend her anyway.
“Jas is a lesbian,” Ezra says, holding a tray of drinks. Andrew flinches slightly. He hates Ezra. “Leave her alone.” The tables quiet as Ezra sits down, then he looks at Cam with a smile.
“Hi, Cato.”
Cam smiles back. “Hi, Sugar.”
“What we talking about?” Ezra asks.
“Glory Park, and the fact the Gayle interview is next week,” Mali says, with a squeal. Oh, hell. Frankie has to get through an entire interview without mentioning Jasmine, and then they want to put her face on the cover. It had seemed like a good idea at the time. “And did you know M’Baku has a sister that plays?” Mali asks.
“Is she decent?” Ezra asks.
“How would I know?” Mali replies. “I’m just giving you the information.”
Zach presses his lips to her temple. “You’re cute.”
“Innit,” she replies. Frankie smiles, they’re annoyingly sweet.
“Here,” Ezra says. He hands Jasmine a number on a napkin.
“Ialready have your number.”
“Redhead at the bar,” he replies. Everyone looks over with the subtlety of shattering glass. Jasmine’s hand rests against Frankie’s thigh in her pursuit to see her. Red isfine. The girl Mali thought might come and hit on Frankie. Jasmine might be interested.
“Pretty,” Jasmine says, as her hand drops to the seat. Every worddoesstab like poniards. Shakespeare is so real.
“Ask her out,” Cam says casually, like she doesn’t care that Frankie will be halfway in love with her if she so much as looks at her. To be fair, Cam told her to ask her out, and Frankie refused to talk about it, even though she brought it up. “Why didn’t the last date go well?”
“You went on a date?” Frankie asks, and her pencil gets caught in the napkin.
“Frank,” Mal replies. “The hour before the quiz is peak gossip time. You’re so behind!”
Frankie blinks, then looks back at Jasmine. “You did?”
Jasmine tucks her hair behind her ear. It falls back moments later. “Yeah.”
“I thought we liked her,” Ezra says. Ezra doesn’t like anyone. Frankie might scream.
