Page 92 of Summer Breakdown
He groans, his face getting redder by the moment. “The fans are asking for the captain’s view.” They won’t be. Not fans of the Titans anyway. That’s a loyalty that can’t be shaken. Once someone has travelled to the other end of the country on a hired coach to watch a Sunday game, nothing is shaking them off.
“Views on the homophobic chants from the opposing team, you mean?” Ezra asks, and the reporter shrinks slightly.
“Well, yes,” he replies. He attempts to stand straighter, but his suit jacket gets caught on his back. Mali holds her hand tighter, but Jasmine hears her giggle. “And, you know, Azan liking men.”
“Stunning,” Ezra replies quickly. His face doesn’t change. It never does.
“Excuse me?”
Ezra shrugs. “Why the fuck would I care who Azan does or does not like? You know he has a bird that would take me out if I tried flirting with him?”
Mali squeals, her fingernails digging into Jasmine’s palm.
“And what if he hit on you?”
“Why don’t you get some bollocks and ask me what you want to ask me?”
The reporter swallows, rolling his shoulders like he’s asking something of importance. “What are your views on homosexuality?”
“Dope,” he shrugs. “Whoever anyone loves, or wants to kiss, or wants to fuck is none of my fucking concern. If you’re safe, old enough, able to consent and want to consent, then why would I care? Love who you love. That’s all there is to it.”
Jasmine thinks he’s the second-coolest Adebayo she knows.
“Actually,” he says, turning back, “it’s brave as fuck to love out loud if you’re queer. Braver than a sweaty old manhoping someone hates someone else for liking a specific gender. It’s not the Stone Age. God forbid a balding old man sees teenagers holding hands and has a fucking fit about it,” he says. It might be the most Jasmine has ever heard him speak.
“If you knew anything about me, or the club, you’d know my favourite person in the world is queer, and if you so much as turn your nose up at her, I will kick you in the teeth.”
The reporter stumbles back. “It’s all very aggressive.”
Ezra smiles a wide, bright smile, and the camera flashes go wild. Jasmine wonders if Frankie feels like Beyoncé in that one video with the red dress. “Thank you. Your misses likes you, and I don’t understand it, but you wouldn’t catch me going to your neck of the woods and screaming at you.”
“I don’t think you’d think that way if one came on to you.”
“Azan,” Ezra calls out. “Come here.” Zach looks as unbothered as Zach always looks as he walks over, which is just his face unless Mali is around.
“My thoughts?” Ezra asks, and he tilts his head and kisses Zach. Frankie’s jaw drops, and Mali screams. “There you go. For free and everything.”
The cameras are blinding, and Jasmine already knows what’s going to be on the front pages tomorrow, good or bad.
“I was told to be polite, and I think we can all agree I have been, but if we get hint of that at another game, I’ll knock you the fuck out. Unless you’re a child, then I’ll knock your parents the fuck out. Cheerio.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Frankierestsherforeheadagainst her desk. She’s tired. Her phone has been ringing all afternoon, and she can’t bring herself to pick it up because it will be another reporter. Ezra is the brightest light in her life, so fuck knows why they think she’ll condemn him for being the best.
Periodically she’ll check her phone to see if Kai responded to her. She wants to know what woman he was talking about. If she would want to be on the team Frankie definitely isn’t starting until Titans make the premiership…
There’s a knock at the door to her office, and she groans. Could they have breached the doors like a pack of zombies? Frankie always wondered why people have such a will to live in a zombie apocalypse. Even if they survive, spending the rest of your life in a wasteland? Hard pass. She’ll let the zombies take her before she steps out of this chair.
“Come in.”
“Hey,” Jasmine says, and Frankie blinks wildly. Prettiest zombie of all time. How is she here? It’s not Wednesday; Mike doesn’t have the kids.
“Hey,” she replies. “What are you doing here?”
She leans against the doorway to her office. “You okay?”
Frankie frowns, rolling her shoulders. “Yeah.”
