“I hope we never get found out,” he murmurs and it makes me laugh.
My phone lights up on the bedside table with Za’s name.
I stare at it like it’s about to bite me, letting it ring out until I flip the phone face down and try to breathe through it. Two seconds pass.
Then Jabari’s phone starts ringing.
He doesn’t even have to look at the screen. We both know who it is.
I sit up slightly, heart kicking harder. “Answer it.”
He arches a brow. “You sure?”
“Yes,” I say quickly. “If you don’t answer after everything, it looks weird. Just—answer it.”
He watches me for a second longer, searching my face before he picks up.
“Yo.”
Za’s voice comes through immediately, loud enough that I can hear her even without the speaker on.
“Finally! Where have you been? And don’t tell me training because I know your schedule.”
“I’ve been around, Za. What’s up?”
“Are you with Frankie?”
He glances at me. I give him a look that says please don’t say anything.
“No,” he lies evenly. “What’s going on?”
“What’s going on is Frankie’s missing!” Za fires back. “She’s been dodging my calls and messages, and she didn’t come home last night or the night before! I’m not stupid, Jabari. Something’s off.”
My stomach twists.
“How should I know what’s going on with your friend,” Jabari says.
“…Wow.”
He exhales through his nose, rubbing a hand over his face. “I’m just saying—Frankie’s grown. She don’t exactly report her movements to me.”
“She does to me,” Za replies quietly. “Or at least she used to.”
I stare at the ceiling, guilt creeping up my throat. This is my fault. Every part of it.
Jabari shifts beside me, tone changing to a softer tone.
“She’s probably under a lot of pressure,” he says.
“I know that!” Za shouts. “You don’t think I know that? She gets like this when everything piles up and now she shuts me out.”
He nods, even though she can’t see it. “Yeah…”
“I just don’t like not knowing,” Za says. “She’s my person. If something’s wrong and she’s not telling me… I start thinking I did something. Or, what I did hurt her beyond repair. How could I not defend her? She’s always on my side, how could I not be on hers? After everything…”
Jabari looks at me then. Like he wants me to take the phone.
“I can’t…” I mouth.
