𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 || 𝟱.𝟭
"𝙖𝙨𝙠 𝙧𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚. 𝙨𝙝𝙚'𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙬𝙖𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜."
𝗴𝗶𝗿𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿
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𝕱rankie groans as she hears someone knock on her bedroom door, "lucas, go away." she took her phone from her nightstand, looking at the time.
"wait..." the redhead got off of her bed and opened her door, "you're not lucas."
"were you expecting lucas?" riley asked, staring into her eyes. the brunette was jealous of how much time they spent together. "yeah, he comes and brings me breakfast my dad makes every morning."
"every morning?" frankie nodded, walking back over to her bed. "and he always knocks on my door at a specific time."
"that's how you knew?"
"yeah, now why are you here?" frankie questions as nicely as possible. "i need your help getting maya back into school."
"i totally forgot to talk to her about that last night." frankie groans, "i knew i was forgetting something...sure, i'll help you."
"okay, just come by at seven." the older girl smiles, "yeah, okay." riley walks over to the door, opening it, "lucas."
"oh, hey, riley." the boy furrowed his eyebrows meeting frankie's eyes. "oh, she just came over to ask for help with maya." the blonde nodded, walking past riley with his smile.
"you right on time, you know." the pale girl happily grabbed her plate, "thank you, cowboy." he rolled his eyes, walking over to her closet.
"now, what we're you planning on wearing today?" frankie shrugs, taking a sip of her oj. "i'm not in the mood for a dress or skirt or jeans."
"so sweatpants?" the redhead nodded with a grin. "is this what you do every morning?" riley found herself asking. she never left the room.
"yeah, when i'm in my room, i'm the laziest person ever." lucas chuckles, throwing a matching set on her bed. "it's what i've grown to love about her."
riley's head tilted to the left, "love?" frankie's eyes widened, "as friends, just friends." she set her food on her bed, walking over to riley.
frankie was too fond of riley but seeing the brunette hurt didn't sit right.
"i think you should go home. who knows maya is probably waiting for you to go to school." she sighs, "you're probably right. and uh, don't worry about tonight. i'll handle it on my own."
"wait, riley."
riley finally walks out of frankie's room, shutting the door. "why'd you say, 'just friends?"
"because we're just friends," frankie answers, turning to face him. lucas wanted more. he didn't want to be just friends with frankie.
"i don't want to be just friends." lucas found himself saying softly. frankie furrowed her eyebrows, and she thought she heard him wrong.
"i-" he sighs, closing his eyes. "never mind, i'll meet you at school."
"what? why?" frankie asks as she watches lucas pick up his bag. "i need to be clear my head."
"okay, give me thirty minutes, and i'll walk with you in silence." she voices. "i don't want you with me today." her brown eyes met his green ones. "but you know i need you."
"i think you're well enough to be by yourself for the day." lucas clears his throat. "the day?"
"i want to be alone."
"oh," frankie bit her lip, trying to hide her hurt expression, "yeah, of course." the blonde eyes softened as he watched her walk over to her nightstand. "go, i don't want to keep you any longer." lucas nodded, leaving her room quickly.
frankie hugged herself tightly. she was now left alone with her thoughts.
this would be the first time in two months since she's been standing alone in her room by herself in the morning. frankie wasn't used to the silence.
the redhead was used to lucas talking nonstop about everything, which she appreciated. lucas was the first person she would see in the morning and last at night.
when frankie heard a soft knock at the door, she quickly dropped her arms, placing a fake smile on her face. "come in." she kept her head down as abby walked in.
"lucas left. is everything alright between you two?" frankie shrugs, cleaning her bed. "he said he wanted to be alone today."
abby furrowed her eyebrows, "alone? but he never wants to be alone when it comes to you."
"i don't know, abby. i have to get ready." frankie walks into her bathroom, staring at herself in the mirror. her eyes shifted to the left, where lucas usually stood when she did her makeup or skincare.
not having lucas here was messing up her morning routine. "frankie?"
"abby, i'm okay." she voices staring at her feet,
"i'll be okay."
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frankie didn't end up at school; she ended up at her favorite bakery. svorski's bakery.
she sat at her favorite booth flipping through her english book. frankie knew she had a test on the last two chapters she forgot to read, but that wasn't the reason frankie didn't go to school.
lucas was the real reason, and there was no way she was getting through the day without him. so she came here instead.
"what's wrong?" mrs. svorski's asks, sitting down in front of her. "lucas."
"the blonde boy who always has you smiling?" frankie nodded, grinning, "yeah, that's right. he told me he didn't want me around him today. and how he wanted to be alone. i guess he has a right to be alone when he wants to. he leaves me alone when i don't want to be bothered."
"so then what's got you so eh?"
"not being around him sucks. lucas is the first person to greet me every morning. and he's also the last person i see before i fall asleep. lucas is the best thing that's happened to me." frankie voices, not noticing the blonde walking in with a worried expression.
"he became my best friend in a matter of months. he knows me more than anyone." lucas smiles, "well, not danny, but..." she sighs, "not seeing him in that seat hurts. it doesn't matter anyway, and he hasn't texted me why i haven't shown up at school, so i'm pretty sure he doesn't even know i'm not there."
"i wouldn't be so sure." the store owner smiles, getting up out of lucas' seat. "lucas?"
"i did notice you weren't at school. i unconsciously waited for you at your locker, and when the final bell rang, i realized you never showed up, so i spent most of my morning going to your favorite places." frankie shakes her head with a small smile on her face.
"i don't know why i didn't come here first." lucas watches frankie's body language. "i'm sorry about this morning."
"oh no, don't worry about it. it's all good." the redhead nods, shifting her eyes back to the novel she needed to finish. "it's not all good. i hurt you, and i apologize."
"apology accepted." she voices, not looking at him. "frankie."
"what?! what do you want me to say? do you want to know how much it hurt not to see you standing on my left watching me with that look in your eye," frankie took a deep breath, "or how much it hurt to hear you say you didn't want me around you today. and i hate how much that affects me because you have a right to your privacy. i know i don't give you much time for yourself; i'm just used to having you around."
"i know."
"when you walked out of my room today, i felt like i'd lost another best friend. and i know that sounds dramatic, but you're all i have; you're the one i know who would never leave me. or so i thought." the redhead moved her eyes to meet his. "i don't wanna lose you."
"you're never going to lose me. i promise." he reaches over and wipes her tears away. frankie knew she was lucky to have a friend like lucas. it's like god knew frankie would need someone to lean on when danny left.
it hurt the redhead that it wasn't maya, the one person who everyone thought would never leave her side. "don't make promises you can't keep."
"that is one promise i will never break." frankie nodded, moving her eyes back to her book. "wanna get some ice cream?" lucas asks. "yes, an excuse not to continue reading." she put the book in her bag, standing up with a smile.
"don't worry, once we grab the ice cream, we'll go back to your place and finish." frankie rolled her eyes. "please don't bring it up."
"bye, ms. svorski."
"bye, ms. svorski."
the two smile waving their hand. "bye, you two. get home safe."
"so," frankie mumbles, wrapping her arm around his, "have you found a girl you like?" lucas furrowed his eyebrows looking down at her. "why do you ask?"
"you can't answer a question with a question. so answer." the blonde scoffs, rolling his eyes playfully. "uh," he licked his lips awkwardly, "yeah. i have a thing for someone."
frankie couldn't lie; it stung a little. "oh?! and do i know them?" lucas chuckles, "no, you don't know her." he lies; frankie knew her pretty well.
"are you going to tell me her name, or am i going to have to find out myself?" lucas opened the ice cream shop door. "it'll come out eventually."
"or you can tell me now," frankie says, walking over to the cashier. "there's no fun in that."
"i see you found the redhead." sydney smiles, staring at the two, "i did."
"you should've seen him, frankie; he was so worried." she laughs, reaching for their usual cups. "that's how he is. worries about his friends 24/7."
"how are you holding up?" the redhead sighs, giving her a sad smile. "just taking it one day at a time."
"good, good. i know mr. perfect over there helped a lot." frankie nodded, turning to her left. she lifted her head slightly, staring into his eyes. "yeah, he has. and he still is helping me." he couldn't take his eyes off of her. "i was just lucky enough to find someone as perfect as he is."
"i'm not perfect." lucas says, "well, to me, you are." that sentence made lucas' heart race. his eyes softened as he reached for her hand. "you two lovebirds done? i have more customers waiting in line."
they moved their eyes away from each other. "uh, yeah. here's a $20. keep the change." frankie hands sydney the money as lucas grabs the ice cream. "thank you." they both smile, walking out of the store.
do i like lucas? no, you can't. he's your best friend, and riley likes him. lucas hands frankie hers; she quietly thanks him, her mind racing.
"so about the girl you like. is she a brunette, blonde, blue, red, purple?" he liked how she was trying to make it less awkward between them.
"green." he joked, making her roll her eyes. "lucas, i'm serious."
"look, i just wanna keep this secret to myself for a while. when i finally have the guts to ask her out, you'll be the first to know. i promise." frankie groans because he has a right to keep some secrets.
"yeah, i better be." lucas chuckles, wrapping an arm around her shoulders placing a soft kiss on her head. they stopped to sit on a bench. "do you have a crush on anyone?"
frankie thought for a while, "as of right now, no. haven't really gotten a chance to get to know anyone else dealing with danny and all." lucas nodded, understanding. "is there anyone you liked before you found out about danny?"
"uh...no." lucas furrowed his eyebrows, "really?"
"yeah, no one has really lived up to my standards. and that's saying a lot for a thirteen-year-old." she chuckles, "but it's really my dads' fault. he's one of the men who clean off their wife's car. he listens to our problems, and i know no matter what he's doing, he'll drop anything for us. my dad is my whole world, and i just want someone as good as him. someone to lean on when i'm sad, someone to sit in silence with me when i'm not in the mood to talk. i also don't want to rush it."
"what do you mean?" the blonde asked as he stood up to throw their ice cream cups away. "i don't want to rush and choose the wrong person. i want to take my time to find the right person." frankie turned her head towards his direction. "the right person will find me eventually." and i hope i'm the right person for you. lucas thought.
frankie stared at lucas a little longer. is he the one? he listens to all my problems; he is always there when i need him. i never have to ask him to do something for me, and he does it. maybe he's being a good friend. we're also only thirteen.
"everything okay?" frankie nodded with a smile, "yeah, everything's fine." he squinted, "you're lying."
"wha- shut up." frankie's phone started ringing, "one second, it's maya."
"hey beautiful, what's up?" frankie answers with a smile. "are you alone?"
"no." the redhead replies, "i'm with lucas."
"will you step away for a few minutes? i need to talk to you about something urgent."
"sure." frankie placed her hand on his arm softly, "i'll be right back." lucas smiles at her, "okay. i'll walk you home when you're done." maya mentally groaned.
"okay, so what's up?" frankie leaned on a brick wall staring at the back of lucas' head. "it's about riley."
"what now?" she groans. "she feels threatened by you."
"what?"
"you're hanging out with the boy she likes," maya says, staring at riley. "maya, you know we're just friends; i told her that this morning. lucas has been there for me when you guys weren't. did we not have this discussion already?"
"okay, so now that i'm back-" frankie cut her off, "you want me to stop talking to lucas?"
"yeah."
"i cannot believe you, maya. i thought we moved past this." maya turned away from riley, holding on to her cellphone tightly. "we did."
"so then, why are you doing this?"
"because it's riley, frankie." she sighs, closing her eyes. "okay."
frankie ended the call and took a deep breath walking over to him. "hey." she smiles, looking at her shoes. "is everything alright?"
"i've got to thinking, and i think it's best if-" lucas stood up, shaking his head. "no. no. don't finish that sentence."
"we need our own space."
"i don't want my own space. what i said to you this morning was not true." frankie nodded, "yes, it was. it's how you've been feeling for a while. and it's okay."
"frankie."
"we'll still be friends, just at school."
"so i'm not walking you to school anymore?" frankie shook her head, "no more late-night calls?"
"no." he nodded, trying to understand where she was coming from. "when will we hang out?"
"either at school or if it's with all five of us." the blonde shoved his hand in his pockets. "who will you talk to?" frankie hadn't thought about that. "don't worry about it."
"it's my job as your best friend to worry about your mental health. who is going to be your ears when i'm not there?" the truth was lucas wasn't only around for frankie's sake; he was there for himself as well. he wanted a reason to stay, and he needed a reason to stay.
lucas talked to her about his problems, and she was a good listener and advice giver. they became each other's therapists. "i'll figure it out. i always do."
"are you sure?" lucas questions staring into her brown eyes. she wanted to say no; frankie wanted him to come over and paint with her. "i'm sure. i'll see you at school."
the redhead gave him one last smile before turning around, "oh, and before i forget, ask riley to the dance. she's been waiting." with that, she walks away, not looking back.
"i wanted to ask you."
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