Frankie's point of view:
"You should really learn how to drive." My sister's motherly tone advice's me. I narrow my eyes although she couldn't see and nestled my frozen self onto the couch, grabbing the fleece blanket and curling it tightly around me. "It would save you from catching the flu by walking in the rain."
"I never leave the city, everything I need is in walking distance and driving is bad for the planet."
I could feel her roll her eyes. "Okay, miss Eco." Her laugh reminds me of our mother's. "Well maybe in future, always carry a umbrella."
"Yes boss." I mock, sipping at the steaming cup of tea and sighing happily as it warms my insides. "Oh - I was meaning to tell you. I'm bringing a friend to your party, is that okay?"
Flo and I were extremely close growing up, although she was a few years older, we were each other's best friend. Sharing every secret from first kisses, to first time having sex. We weren't shy, and rarely ever fought - unless it involved stealing each other's clothes. And knowing I was keeping a secret away from her made me feel sick.
"Hannah? You bring her every year."
I blush. "Actually no - Hannah is going to Tommy's for Halloween."
"She is?" She questions with curiosity. "So who is it?"
"Just a friend." I murmur. My phone beeps against my ear and I check the incoming message, watching as Jason's name flashes across. "I have another call coming through, I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"
"Fine, but ring early so Viv' can talk to you." She instructs, exaggerating a smooching noise before our call ends.
From: Jason
Can you talk? Urgent.
Furrowing my brows, I press to call him and a untamed fire lights within the pits of my stomach. Two days since our lunch together and two days since we had last been in any form of contact, I had suddenly became nervous with four simple words that could mean anything. The ringing was giving me anxiety.
"Frankie."
My name sounded breathless as it parted his lips and it rattled the cage of butterflies.
"Is everything okay?" I speak, clearing my throat. "You said it was urgent."
"Natasha called."
His usual rigid tone that was always laced with so much dominance, became shaky and slightly skittish. I straighten, still clutching at my blanket that was keeping the warmth within me.
"What did she say?"
After their breakup over a week ago, Jason had told me that all contact was cut from both parties. Although he didn't seem too concerned over it, I couldn't help but wonder why he was in such a fluster now. And why was she calling him?
He sighs. "She wants me to take her out to dinner so we can talk."
What? "What?"
He hums. "Her exact words were-" He clears his throat. "-I'm willing to talk this out, pick me up at eight and you can take me to Todds'. Like what am I even suppose to reply to that?"
I was gobsmacked. Completely and utterly lost for words at her boldness. How on earth could someone, so willingly and openly, be that schemful. How could she possibly think she would get away with this? Stealing his money and being so clever about it.
"What do you want to reply?" I ask him, hearing him fuss nervously in the background. She sighs, and I can hear his fingers untightening the tie around his neck. "I want to hear your opinion, before I give you mine. I want to know where your head is at with it all, what are your thoughts?"
I wanted to know if everything I said in the past week was getting through to him, or was it just a waste of time.
"I want to know what she wants to talk about." He mumbles quietly. His voice was soft and almost lost in a child like state. "But then again, I don't want to speak to her. I mean, she wants me to take her out. Which means she feels no guilt for using my money - which means she thinks I'm going to forgive and forget. That I could almost take her back knowing that she doesn't love me. She's just proved it."
"Proved what?"
"That she only wants my money." He announced confidently. "Should she not be coming here to talk it out if she wanted me? Why do we need to go to a restaurant, and why do I need to take her?"
I could squeal in elation. Finally, he was beginning to realise.
"If she loved you, she would've been at your door before now." I tell him quietly, tossing my blanket from my lap and padding my way into my empty kitchen. My fridge was almost bare, my laziness to go grocery shopping couldn't be avoid much longer. "If you fight with your other and still want them, then you fight for them not with them."
He was silent as I fiddle with the buttons on my microwave, hoping to save the leftovers from last night's mac n' cheese that was pushed behind the carton of milk and half eaten avocado. I hop up on the counter, still engrossed by his silence.
"Do you miss her?"
My tongue spat the words out before I could process, and the endless string of panicked apologises tell him that it was completely unplanned - and embarrassing.
He laughs. "Calm down Frankie, you only asked a question." it didn't help the burn in my cheeks. "But in all honestly, I don't really know."
"Why's that?"
"I suppose there's some things I miss." He starts. "I miss the company. I miss having someone here, someone to come home too. I miss having the feeling of needing to protect and look after someone - I liked that control."
"I have a feeling you like all control." I joke with my voice barely above a whisper. He chuckles deeply and I stay quiet in hope that he will continue.
He does. "But I suppose the things I don't miss are lot more - I don't miss the arguments, I don't miss the tantrums she threw when I told her no, I don't miss the mess she made with her fake tan and make-up. And I certainly don't miss her fakeness."
"If I say something, do you promise not to get angry or upset?"
My chewed my lower lip anxiously and pick at the light pink nail polish that was newly applied the night before. I waited for his response, but took his silence as a approval.
"I don't think you miss Natasha." I said carefully, the jumble of words and mass of red flags flew up in my brain, begging me to stop. This was my boss - any word out of line, I was fired. End of. "I think you just miss a relationship but not necessarily Natasha."
I hate when he's quiet.
"From what you've just said, you miss a lot of things but not once did you say you missed anything about her." I say, watching the countdown on the microwave which taunted my hungry stomach. "If you missed her, you would have said that you missed her eyes, her smile, her mood in the morning or the feel of her skin. But instead, you miss everything a relationship involves."
"When you put it like that.." He trails of quietly. "I never exactly thought of it like that."
I retrieve my dinner and grab a fork from the cutlery drawer. I squeak, the taste making my stomach flip and causing me to spit the content back into the plastic bowl. I heard him clear his throat as I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand.
"Sorry - Just remind me never to re-heat mac n' cheese again." I grumble sourly. I sigh, resorting back to my almost bare fridge and groaning.
"What's wrong now?" He asks as my hand rumbles inside the top drawer filled to the brim with take-out menus.
"Nothing. You would just assume that I would realise that groceries wouldn't magically appear in my fridge." I puff. "Hm, chinese or sushi?"
"Pardon?"
"Chinese or sushi." I ask again, my eyes skimming through the leaflets of mouth-watering foods. "I'm not entirely sure that I could handle another round of avocado and toast so - chinese or sushi? I'm kinda' craving a chicken curry - oooh, with boiled rice!"
He laughs, "Would you not rather go out for dinner? I can come pick you up, we can try the new restaurant on sixth. The Matthews' brother's own it, it's already got raved reviews and I happen to be -"
"Nope." I say, popping my lips in pronunciation and hoping from the counter. "I would much rather have a takeout. It's cheaper and not to mention it involves me staying in my extremely comfortable and cosy clothes, which is exactly what I need right now after getting soaked earlier. Another thing to add on that reminder list - always bring a umbrella."
"Why didn't you ask for a ride?"
I roll my eyes, curling back into a huddle on the couch and flicking my way through the television channels until I find my Friends reruns.
"Because I live less than five blocks away, and I was just two away when the rain started." I tell him, my lips switching at Joey's lines.
"You live less than five blocks away? You must live close too Jillian then."
"She actually lives in my apartment block, I'm on the fifth floor door fifty-two. She's three floors up from me. I never really see her here anymore though, she's always at her boyfriends." I say "Enough about me please. You rang because Natasha called you, so what are you going to do? You'll obviously need to call her back, right? What are you going to say?"
He sighs. "I'll suggest for her to come here to talk."
"And if she says no?"
"Then that's the final straw." He says flatly. "I wasted five months and a shitload of money, for nothing."
I nibble at the inside of my cheek, pulling the blanket back over my bare legs. "It wasn't a waste. It was a lesson. My mom always told me that everyday was a lesson, good or bad. You learn something new everyday and unfortunately, yours just happened to be bad but don't let it be off-putting. Learn from it."
"You should write one of those inspirational books, Frankie." He laughs deeply. His low voice with a tinge of huskiness sent a wave of goosebumps sprinting up my arms and across my thighs.
"I'll take that as a compliment." I giggle. I run my hand over the soft fabric of my blanket, my lips slowly falling into a frown. "I should let you go and call Natasha. Just - just do what you want to do, yeah? Just remember what I told you."
"Thank you." He mutters quietly and I nod absentmindedly. "I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Bright eyed and bushy tailed!" I beam then slapping my hand to my forehead with a loud groan at his booming laughter. "Sorry, that was so lame."
"I wouldn't expect anything less, Miss Fields."
We bid our goodbyes, my fingers lingering over the ended call before I shake myself from my trance and return to the opened leaflets in front of me. Chinese won, my stomach growling and my senses tingling with the flavours I could already taste. My phone beeps.
From: Jason
Chicken curry with boiled rice on its way. Enjoy, Miss Fields.
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Too all the lovely readers I have gained over the past few weeks - thank you so incredibly much for the support! Every read, vote and comment is so gratefully appreciated!
Now, I want to explain why I haven't updated; my father-in-law passed away very suddenly on October 8th and I had to take some time of to spend with my in-laws and partner, and this is explaining the really crappy chapter (in my opinion) but I needed to update you guys. Please forgive me, this was wrote in just under twenty-five minutes.
But we're now getting back into normality and I'm going to get back writing again (better chapters, I promise!!)
Please leave a comment and a vote!