“Hmm?”
“Lock in with me.”
She narrows her eyes slightly. “If you’re asking me to be your girlfriend, you should do better than that.”
I prop myself up on one elbow so I’m looking down at her properly.
“Francine Campbell,” I began.
“Yessss,” she sings out. ??
“I love you,” I continue. “And I’m ready to take the next step with you. So please. For the love of God. Be my everything.”
She tries to hold the seriousness but her lips twitch.
“Fine,” she mutters. “Since you asked so nicely.”
I exhale a breath I didn’t realise I was holding.
“I do worry though,” she sighs and my chest tightens again. “About the lime light.”
Oh thank God.
“As someone who has had his fill of fame, I’ll do everything in my power to keep you safe from it. You don’t have to announce it ‘til you're ready. We don’t have to announce it at all actually.”
“Ugh! More hiding.”
“Privacy Francine. We deserve our privacy. But that’s a bridge we can cross when we get there, let's focus on family first.”
“Fine. Now go to sleep,” she adds. “I’m sick of you keeping me up.”
I pull her closer until there’s no space left between us.
“Goodnight, Jelly.”
I sitin the driver’s seat with the engine off, hands resting on the steering wheel, staring at my parents’ front door.
Frankie went in five minutes ago.
Five very long minutes ago.
Long enough for it not to look suspicious. Short enough that it still feels suspicious.
The house is lit up more than usual. Curtains open. Cars lining the street.
Surprise party my arse.
Maybe Mum could’ve pulled it off if she didn’t invite Frankie. But unfortunately for her, we were in the middle of some much needed ‘boyfriend-girlfriend time’ when she called and I heard the whole thing.
On the bright side, Frankie and I agreed that tonight would be the night.
We tell them.
All of them.
No more sneaking. No more coded language. No more pretending we’re just “cool” with each other.
My phone lights up in the cupholder.
