Page 44 of Summer Breakdown
“I don’t need this shit.” He downs his drink, and then he’s up and out, leavingCam behind.
“Cam,” Frankie says, leaning across the table as she looks like she might follow him. She grips Cam’s hand as her brows furrow. “We let Andrew get away with anything because we love you.”
“He’s my boyfriend,” she says. She’s panicking and Frankie hates it. Cam runs when she’s scared, and right now, she’ll run with Andrew if they’re not careful.
“I know, babe, which is why he was here. I need you to know that Jasmine is important. Okay? She is so important, and he can’t talk to her like that.”
Cam swallows. “I’m sorry, Jas. I can’t believe he said that.”
Jasmine smiles, but it doesn’t hit her eyes. There’s a tense few moments when Frankie can’t figure out if this night is salvageable.
“We should get shots,” Jasmine says, and everyone clings onto the normalcy she’s kindly given them.
Ezra goes to the bar; Cam goes with him. Mali and Zach clearly order about eight parcels.
Frankie sketches a little more. She wants Lani to have cute wheels. Jasmine hums out a laugh when she sees the drawing take shape and she leans a bit closer to Frankie. She drops the napkin with Red’s number on it in front of her.
“You can use this,” Jasmine says. “I don’t need it.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
“Andrew’saknob,”Jasminesays, as Frankie walks her home. Frankie laughs, her face pointed to the ground. If she wants to direct her beauty at the ground, there’s probably a snail who will appreciate it.
“He is.”
Jasmine hums, buying time while she tries to think of anything else to say. The evening was a clusterfuck, but Frankie being there made it better. Jasmine’s not sure what she wouldn’t sit through if it meant Frankie looked at her when she thought Jasmine couldn’t see.
“Thank you,” Jasmine says. “For defending me, and Lani.”
“Of course,” Frankie replies. “Andrew’s not allowed to talk to you like that. Even if you did chew him out and it’s the hottest thing that’s happened in the history of the world.”
Jasmine smiles. “You think?”
“Mm-hmm. You know the other day, Marcel was talking about not having a best friend because he’s a grown up now.” Jasmine laughs. He’ll always be her baby, tiny hairy upper lip or not.
“He said Lani is the person he wants to share something funny with. She’s the first person he’d call to hang out.”
Jasmine doesn’t cry but it’s close. “Yeah?”
“Yeah,” she says with a small smile. She lets Jasmine see it this time. “That kinda relationship only comes from a mint parent and fuck knows it’s not Mike.”
Jasmine laughs, letting the words settle into her before she asks.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” Frankie replies quickly. “Are you?”
“Are you lying?”
Frankie frowns. “What do you mean?”
“I thought maybe you were stressed before,” Jasmine replies, with a shrug, “but I can’t tell now that we’re walking.”
Frankie’s brow furrows as they pass under a streetlight. Jasmine won’t be shocked if Frankie doesn’t want to tell her. It’s par for the course in their relationship.
“How did you know I was stressed?”
“You tap your feet,” Jasmine replies. “And you chew on your lip, and you draw… things.”
