“If you don’t know, how do you know it’s missing?”
I shrug, “Instinct.”
“Oh, please,” Tasha laughs, even though I was being dead serious. “Relax, you’ve done good work. Just give it time.”
“Time?” I go back to my screen. “We don’t ever have enough time.”
She spins in my spare chair, eyeing the open code on my second monitor. “I know, but— You ever think we’ll actually take a break? Like… have normal lives again?”
I snort. “Define normal.”
“Hobbies, sleep, relationships with men who make more than us and don’t communicate exclusively in Discord DMs.”
Huh.
“Can’t say that’s on my bingo card.”
She laughs, then leans forward in her chair. “Speaking of taking breaks… let’s get high tonight.”
I blink. Once. Slowly.
“That’s a wild start to a sentence.”
“Let me finish,” she says quickly, already grinning. “So… my cousin’s in town.”
“Oh fuck no.”
“Come on,” Tasha whines. “She’s here visiting her dad and just wants a night out. She has anew strainnnn.”
“Okay,” I say calmly. “So go out.”
“I want you to come. She likes you.”
“And Za?” I ask, already knowing the answer.
“She doesn’t smoke,” Tasha shrugs. “Plus… they have history.”
I stare at her. “And Za doesn’t like her, so why would I go?”
“You need a night out, babe,” she says, softening just a touch. “You’ve been hunched over that screen all week. When was the last time you touched grass?”
“If your definition of touching grass is pushing me to take questionable drugs from your even questionabler cousin,” I deadpan, “you’re mental.”
She bursts out laughing, full-bodied, head thrown back. “There she is! I missed cheeky Frankie. Come get high with us.”
I roll my eyes, but I can feel the smile tugging at my mouth. “Look, I appreciate the invite, but I’ve got streams tonight. Plus, if I leave this for too long, I’ll lose my flow.”
“Bullshit, Francine,” she says immediately. “You’re just in that damn pity-party vibe because of that group chat.”
“So what?” I shoot back. “Let me grieve. Six booty calls? A whole football team has had lesser losses.”
She pauses, then nods like I’ve made a compelling argument. “You know what.”
“What?”
“I’m gonna call her.”
“No—Tasha?—”
