Frankie laughs into her shoulder, but her eyes dart to me.
And then she mouths it:
Tomorrow.1 o’clock
My chest goes stupidly warm.
Her. This woman. Always acting like she doesn’t care but she does.
She wants more.
She wants enough to risk saying it in front of Za.
I try to hide the smile stretching across my face.
Failing miserably.
Frankie pulls Za toward the exit, chattering about Za having too much to drink, and then she lets herself be dragged, only turning back once.
To see if I’m following. And I am in every way she could imagine.
thirteen
this is… interesting.
Jabari.
?Who thehell invites someone over and doesn’t answer the door?
I check my watch again.13:05.
I’ve been knocking for ten minutes, rang the bell and knocked again, just in case the first time didn’t carry. I even stepped back and checked the flat number like an idiot.
I ducked out of practice early for this. For her.
Did I misread it?
Did I imagine the invite?I’m halfway through convincing myself I hallucinated the whole thing when the door finally swings open.
She’s standing there in a loose T-shirt and shorts, hair tied up with her face bare. My mouth moves before my brain can catch up. “Wagwan, Francine.”
Stupid.
She rolls her eyes immediately. “Just come in before someone sees you.”
I step inside, pulling the door shut behind me, and I have to fight the urge to inhale like a cartoon character being floated away.
Christ.
“You’re late,” I say, mostly to hear her voice answer back. “I was knocking for at least three hours.”
She folds her arms, and lifts an eyebrow as if to say‘okay and?’
“I overslept.”
I stare at her. “Who invites someone over and then oversleeps?”
“Jabari,” she says flatly, already turning away, “suck out mi batty hole, okay? I don’t care ‘bout whatever stupidness you’re on.”
