“I’m not?—”
She holds up a hand. “Don’t promise.”
I shut up and her breathing evens out slowly.
“I hate that I love you this much,” she admits. “So yes Jabari. I resent you. Happy now?”
“You’re not angry at me, Jelly. You’re angry at the situation.”
“I’m angry that you’re not easier to leave,” she mutters.
The honesty almost makes me smile. “I do have that quality, don’t I?”
That middle finger came up quickly.
I brushed it off and continued. “I didn’t plan to fall in love with you either, you know. You think I don’t resent you too?”
Her eyes flicker with confusion. “Me? For what?”
“For being impossible.”
She frowns.
“For blaming everything on me. And… for making me love someone so deeply who never fully chooses me.”
??“Jabari…”
Before she can say more, my phone vibrates in my pocket and I freeze.
Frankie watches my face carefully.
“What?”
Big head lil’ sis: Dinner tonight at Mum’s. I have an announcement to make.
“Za.She wants everyone at Mum and Dad’s tonight,” I say slowly.
Frankie’s body tenses instantly. “About…?”
“She didn’t say but you should come,”
Her head snaps up. “No.”
“Frankie—”
“It’s your family thing.”
“You are my?—”
“Don’t,” she cuts in quickly. “She asked forfamily, Bari.”
“And you’re?—”
“I don’t want to ambush her. I don’t want her walking in and seeing me there and thinking we’re forcing something. This needs to be on her terms, okay? Not ours.”
I nod. “You think she’s going to invite you anytime soon?”
She doesn’t answer that because she doesn’t know.
