Hey guys, I'm back with an update! Enjoy!
After a long while of ugly crying in the bathroom mirror, I finally gathered the strength to shower and get dressed. Too down in the dumps to do my own hair, Franklin was more than happy to arrange it into a bun so I looked somewhat presentable. Not that I cared. If it were up to me, I'd still be in bed.
On the other hand, Franklin looked amazing as usual. We've been lounging about in bed all night and halfway through the following day. Most of those hours he spent holding me, occasionally drying my teary eyes with tissues, and uttering reassuring words to help me feel better. Yesterday was restless and difficult for the both of us, but Franklin was a man who rarely looked anything less than absolutely gorgeous on any given day of his life. I might have resented his effortless beauty if he hadn't been the best friend a girl could ever ask for.
The drive to Vespucci was riddled with traffic as expected. Typical big city crap. I stared out the window at the tightly packed cars surrounding us. An ambulance and a fire truck clogged the flow of traffic ahead, the ear-splitting sirens more annoying than ever. With a sigh, I sagged into my seat. I missed North Yankton. Life was simpler there.
Franklin eyed me from behind the wheel. "You good?"
I shrugged. "Can I ask you a question?"
"Yeah, 'course you can, Trace. Wassup?"
"Have you ever thought about leaving the city?"
"Fo' sho', like once or twice. Every day I see the same ol' shit. Hood niggas and crackheads still robbing and fucking each other up for scraps. Then there's the pretentious, lame-ass motherfuckers in Vinewood who strut around with they nose up in the air and a stick up they ass…" He shook his head. "Could use a change of scenery, but I ain't too sure a dude like me would fit in nowhere else. Been in Los Santos all my damn life. It's hectic out here but shit, it's all I know."
"We deserve better than this crap, Frank. I'm so sick of this place." I turned to face him. "We should totally ditch Los Santos. Let's leave and never come back. Just you and me."
He gazed at me and chuckled. "Trace…"
I gripped at the sleeve of his shirt. "We can start a life somewhere far away from here. A new beginning. We'd be strangers surrounded by new faces in a new city, maybe a small town. Wouldn't that be awesome? No one can tell us what to do, or how to live our lives. We'd be happy."
His brows furrowed. "For real?"
I cut him a sharp look, my arms crossed over my chest. I've never been more serious a day in my life.
He stiffened. "I mean, it's a cute idea but…"
"But what? What's stopping us?"
"Yo' dramatic ass father puttin' a cap in my ass comes to mind."
"Screw Dad." Sucking in a shallow breath, I jerked my gaze away from him. "He wouldn't even notice I'm gone."
"He most definitely would. Mike loves you, girl."
"Right," I rolled my eyes. "That's total B.S. If he loved me, he'd be here. He wouldn't have dumped me and Jimmy on the curb and walked away like we're trash. God, he's such an effing deadbeat, making you take care of all his responsibilities."
"Listen, yo' pops is…" Franklin paused and glanced at me, his eyes softening with sympathy. "Mike is a complicated dude. He cares 'bout you and Jimmy, but there's some heavy shit he's going through—shit you wouldn't understand."
"Shit I wouldn't understand?" My mind spun. Dad and his fucking secrets! If he told us what the hell was going on instead of shutting everyone out, our family wouldn't be so dysfunctional. I snapped at Franklin. "Who are you to tell me what I can and can't understand? If anything, you're the one who's not understanding! You've never had a father! You don't understand anything!"
Gritting his teeth, his grip on the steering wheel tightened, the leather creaking beneath the force of his grasp. He averted his gaze from me, the softness in his eyes faded into cool detachment. The impalpable walls he used to keep the world at bay rose between us once again. I bit my lip, wishing I could take back every word.
Finally, the emergency vehicles up ahead moved, and traffic began to flow once again. There was a heavy silence between us as he drove, a cold chill swept over me. The nagging quiet gnawed at my conscience. Franklin was always good to me, always considerate of my volatile emotions and triggers. And what do I go and do in return? Be a total bitch to him.
I owed him an apology, but getting the words out wasn't easy. He abruptly let out a long, drawn-out yawn, and I jumped at the opportunity to change the subject. "Are you tired?"
"A lil' bit," he replied. "Didn't get much sleep last night. You were tossing and turning, crying in yo' sleep. Whimpering. Kicked me a few times too."
"Oh." Awkward. "I didn't mean to…"
"It's cool. You had a rough night, girl. But you handled it a'ight. No panic attacks at least."
"If you didn't show up at the club when you did, I might've." I opened my palm to him in a gesture of apology. "Still wanna be cuddle buddies? Promise not to hit you again."
"No doubt. Can't get rid of me that easy." Leaving one hand on the steering wheel, he clasped my wrist with the other, his thumb caressed my palm in gentle circles. It was a delicate gesture, deliberately affectionate. Forgiving.
My heart swelled. In that moment, I adored him fiercely. "Frank, about what I said earlier…I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. My life sucks right now, and I'm barely holding it together, but that's no excuse for taking it out on you. I'm sorry."
"Everybody got their bad days, Trace. Healing takes time. It's a process, usually an ugly one, but it's all good. We'll get through the bad shit one day at a time. Together."
We arrived at our destination a few moments later, and I didn't let go of his hand as we strolled down the sunny streets of Vespucci Canals. The hedge-lined waterway stirred with fast riders on jet skis and buskers played music along the sidewalk. The aroma of grilled food waded enticingly through the air from the nearby restaurants. There was multi-lane traffic and flyers being passed around for special events and products. The city was filled with its ordinary chaotic motion, but Franklin was the center of my attention.
He was like a puzzle, a walking, talking, lethally sexy mystery that I couldn't seem to piece together. He and I were complete opposites. I was loud and eccentric, my emotions all over the place. He was levelheaded, composed, way too sane for a guy who grew up in the nuttiest city in all the West Coast. And still, we were best friends. He spent every waking moment of his day dealing with my problems and mood swings. Why?
It'd be nice to believe Franklin cared for me, but every caring thing he's done so far was motivated by Dad in some way or another. We would've never met if Dad hadn't dumped his responsibilities on Frank in the first place.
My dad was insane, and the people who worked for him were even more so. Franklin being the exception…or was he? Everyone associated with Dad were either robbers, murderers, or nosy federal agents. What category did Franklin fall under? As badly as I wanted to know the truth, deep down, it terrified me.
Was I better off not knowing? If I learned his truth, it could ruin everything…
He hooked an arm around my shoulders, yanking me from my thoughts. "Ay, girl, why you so quiet?"
"I'm thinking," I said.
"'Bout what?"
"About you."
A playful smile tugged at his lips, the sunlight streaming over the metropolis enriched his flawless skin with a beautiful golden glow. I was hyperaware of his towering presence beside me. The streets were packed with various faces but his masculine, perfectly sculptured features were damn near irresistible in comparison. The way he moved, with arrogant grace and purpose—his confidence and recklessly handsome looks put every single man we passed by to shame.
His mischievous smile grew wider. "How often you think 'bout me?"
All the time. Not that I'd admit it. "Wouldn't you like to know?"
"Mhm. I gotta know what's going on in that little head of yours. Especially if it has anythin' to do with me."
"Why do you care?" I stepped in front of him. "I'm sure there's plenty of other things you could be doing right now than hanging out with me. You feel responsible for my family and I because of Dad, but I don't want you to be here if its forced."
His features hardened. Seemingly agitated, a muscle in his jaw ticked. "Believe it or not, there's a lot of shit that I do independently of Michael. The world don't revolve around yo' pops."
I cursed inwardly for offending him. Regardless of his reasons, he was making an effort to be here for me and I needed to give him credit for that, not discouragement. "I just want the truth, Frank. I'm trying to figure you out. There are some days where I feel like I know you so well, and others where you're a complete mystery."
"Trace." He sighed heavily, the hard tension leaving him with that frustrated exhalation. He rose his pinky to me, and I didn't hesitate to lock my finger around his. "I trust you. I need you to trust me too, a'ight?"
I hesitated, nodding in silent agreement. He was right, trust was a two-way street. I had to meet him halfway, or at least try.
"I told you once," he said, "and I'ma tell you again. I'm here for you because I want to be." The words rolled off his tongue slowly yet purposefully, every vowel and consonant filled with a quiet intensity. "After the shit that went down last night between you and the frat boy, I don't blame you for the cynicism. If I were you, I wouldn't be too trusting of cats right now either."
"I thought I was in control of everything," I murmured. "If I plan and prepare for what I want, thoroughly, then everything will fall into place."
Franklin quirked a brow. "Sounds like something yo' pops would say. He taught you that?"
"He did. But then last night happened and I realized Dad couldn't be any more wrong." I frowned. "All the time we spent preparing for that date with Chad and everything went to crap anyway. Our hard work and dedication was for nothing. We'll never get that time back, Frank." I ran a shaky hand through my hair. "I don't want to get hurt again. Not by you. Not by anyone."
He drew close, the movement and commotion of the city ceased to exist as he stroked my cheek with the back of his knuckles. I touched a hand to his broad chest, relishing the sensation of his tender caress and strong heartbeat beneath my palm. His eyes found mine, the warm intensity of his luminous amber gaze left me breathless once again, sucking the air straight out of my lungs.
From his dark, neatly trimmed hair to his impeccably angled jaw that emanated power and determination, Franklin was a work of impossible masculine beauty. It was so easy to get lost in his eyes. All it took was one prolonged, searching look and my heart would do cartwheels in my chest, followed by heat rushing to my cheeks. And this time was no different.
"Me and the frat boy ain't the same," his tone deepened, masculine and oh so sure of himself. "If I had a chance with you last night, I wouldn't have fucked it up. You'd already be mine."
It took me two full seconds to process his words, the cadence of his husky, sinfully rich voice reverberated through me. I inhaled sharply, my body burning, aching to erase the distance between us. I wished Chad and Franklin had switched places last night with every fiber of my being. To be more than best friends—to be exclusively and irrevocably his…the fierce longing stripped me of my ability to speak. I fumbled for words, lost in the heartrending tenderness of his gaze.
The ringing of my phone in my purse made me shudder, I was wired so tight. It was a welcome distraction though, because I was seriously tempted to jump Franklin's bones right then and there in public.
Turning away from my hot best friend to regain my sanity, I answered the call. "Hello?"
"Tracey!" Jimmy's annoying, whiny voice blurted into my ear. "You gotta help me! Please! I'm so screwed! I'm naked! In an alleyway!"
"You're naked?" My heart skipped a beat. He sounded panicked, anxious. "Jimmy? What's going on? Are you okay?"
"No, I'm not fucking okay! Some bitches stole my underwear, pants, shoes—everything! The cops are after me and there's a bum that won't stop looking at my ass!"
Sirens roared in the background. Screaming too. But there was one crucial part of this crazy scenario that I couldn't comprehend. "Why the effing hell are you naked in an alleyway with bums?"
"Now isn't a good time for questions! I'll tell you everything later, okay?"
"If this is another one of your stupid pranks, I will seriously kill you."
"This isn't a joke! Noodle Exchange in Rockford Hills—get here! And don't tell Mom and Dad, please!"
He hung up. I stared at my phone in disbelief. Fan-friggin'-tastic. What the heck did my stupid brother get himself into this time?
I turned to face my best friend. "Jimmy is in trouble."
"Heard he was butt-ass naked in an alleyway," Franklin said way too casually, as if the strange turn of events were nothing out of the ordinary. Just another day in Los Santos. "Let's go find his dumb ass before he becomes somebody's bitch."
With no time to waste, we jogged back to the car. "He's behind the Noodle Exchange in Rockford Hills," I fastened my seatbelt. "Hurry!"
Franklin floored it, smoke pouring off the tires. He weaved in and out of traffic with ease, cutting through knots of cars with effortless finesse. We were going way past the speed limit in a busy intersection. Vehicles and people everywhere. And somehow, he managed to react to every entity that stood in our way, executing a slight, and well-controlled swerve just before the moment of impact. When did he learn how to drive so well? His display of expert steering and godlike reflexes was amazing to watch.
The adrenaline! When the tires screeched into a stop outside the noodle shop, my heart was hammering so fast, I thought it'd burst straight from my chest. There were two policemen in the alley, shining their flashlights into trash cans and dumpsters in search of who I assumed to be my moron brother. Ugh. Not good.
"Think you can distract the Five-O while I take a look around for Jimmy?" Franklin suggested.
"Sure. I'll play the entitled damsel in distress. Cops fall for it every time." Leaving my purse in the backseat, we hopped out of the car. I clasped his hand just before we parted. "Frank, please don't let anything happen to my idiot brother."
"I got you. Don't worry." He planted a quick kiss on my forehead before leaving, our fingers remained intertwined until distance pulled them apart.
I flushed, touching a palm to my forehead. His lips were so soft…
Pull yourself together, Tracey! Now wasn't the time to obsess over Franklin's full, sexy mouth. Right now, Jimmy was the priority.
Rubbing my eyes until they were bloodshot and irritated for a sad, hopeless damsel in distress effect, I cried out to the cops. "Help! Over here! Someone please! I'm a scared, helpless girl who's been wronged! Give me attention!"
The officers' heads snapped in my direction. They rushed to my side. "What's your emergency? Are you okay, Miss?"
"Do I look okay?" My voice raised to a whiny, entitled pitch. "I am a law-abiding citizen of the United States. I pay you assholes a crapload of taxes to protect me and my property. And this is how you repay me? You let some creep steal my purse right under your noses?"
The cops stared at me blankly, utterly confused. Over their shoulders, I saw Franklin sneak into the alleyway undetected. Yes!
I kept up the act. "Hello? Do you hear me? Some shady bastard snatched my effing purse! Why are you just standing there? Do something!"
"Right away, ma'am!" The officers set their sights on some random homeless guy taking a piss on the side of a building. "Freeze! You're under arrest!"
"Argh!" They tackled the poor bum to the ground and started stomping on him. "Mercy! Por favor! I poopoo and peepee never again! Por favor!"
A pang of regret shot through me. I called out to the cops, "You got the wrong guy! The perp went that way!" I pointed down the street. The officers released the poor bum and took off in the direction I indicated. Whew.
Jimmy emerged from the alley, barefoot and running naked in the breeze with his hands covering his wiener. Oh my god. Turning away from the super gross sight, I held the car door open for him. He dived inside. Slamming the door shut behind him, I climbed into the front passenger seat. Franklin appeared and took the wheel a moment later.
"Drive!" Jimmy demanded. "Go! Go! Go!"
We peeled off and an awkward silence filled the space. I glared at Jimmy through the rearview mirror. He was curled up in a ball, moping in the backseat. I would've been pissed at him if he didn't look so pathetic.
Shivering beneath my scrutiny, he shot up and threw his hands into the air dramatically. "If you have something to say, Tracey, just say it already!"
"You're an idiot," I said.
"Wow. The dumbest person here has the nerve to insult my intelligence. Typical."
"You're calling me dumb?" Twisting at the waist, I faced him. "Screw you. If it weren't for me, you'd still be naked and afraid in that alleyway. Probably being molested by a bum or worse."
"Whatever," he shrugged. "Don't hate the playa, hate the game."
"What?" I grimaced. "Do you even know what that phrase means, idiot?"
Franklin budded into the conversation. "Ay, Jim, tell us what went down, dawg. The fuck happened to yo' clothes? I'm dyin' to hear this shit."
"I was kicking it with some lady friends," Jimmy said, "just shooting the shit, you know? It was innocent at first, F-Dog, I swear. We were only going out for noodles. Like, noodles and chill but without the sex."
"Uh-huh," Franklin smirked. "Then what happened?"
"We had a couple cheap drinks, smoked some weed in the alley, no big deal. Then the ladies decided on a whim that I was sexy. They wanted to bang me on the spot, homie. No holds barred sex in public. And of course, I was down for it. I'm no pussy. I'm Big-J to the jizzle for rizzle. I put the E in exhibitionist, you feel me?"
I rolled my eyes. I cannot believe me, and this dingus were raised in the same household for so many years.
"A'ight, Big-J," Franklin smothered a grin. "Now get to the part where shit went wrong."
"I took off my clothes, and then, well…" He swallowed deep, his shoulders stumped. "Those bitches snatched up my duds and ran off. Good thing you guys showed up when you did. Dad'll kill me if I get another indecent exposure offense on my criminal record."
"Another?" Franklin furrowed his brows. "Damn, man, what happened the first time?"
"It doesn't matter what happened the first time," I sighed. "Jimmy, you need to stop dropping your pants on impulse. Seriously, you have a problem."
"I'm not the only one with the problem," Jimmy said. "You've dropped your panties for just about every guy in Los Santos—"
"Shut up!" I reached behind my seat and swatted at him.
"Hey!" He slapped at my hands. "Stop hitting me!"
"Make me, fat ass!"
He grabbed a chunk of my hair and yanked. "Slut!"
I screamed loud enough to shake the car. Franklin intervened, shoving his muscled arm between Jimmy and I, separating us. "Screaming and fighting like wild fucking animals ain't finna solve shit," he shot us a cold, disapproving look before returning his eyes to the road. "Y'all family. Learn how to get along."
Jimmy grumbled, "She started it."
"Whatever," I whimpered, rubbing at my sore scalp. A hot wave of embarrassment washed over me. My brother and I were bickering like children and we both knew better than that. Well, at least I did.
Franklin passed me a sidelong glance, his eyes laced with concern. He mouthed to me furtively so Jimmy wouldn't notice, You okay?
I reassured him with a nod, resisting the temptation to grab his hand as a source of comfort. Jimmy could be such an ungrateful turd sometimes.
On account of Jimmy ruining our beach plans, we went home and ordered Chinese instead. Night had fallen over Los Santos and the full moon rose high above the cityscape. After an awesome meal of pan-fried dumplings alongside my best friend, I laid a blanket in the backyard over the sparkling dew-drenched grass, and together, we watched the clouds drift by.
"There's the Big Dipper," I rose a hand to the sky, tracing the cup and long handle with my finger.
"Hard to believe parts of the constellations are still visible in Los Santos, considering all the light pollution and shit goin' on." He settled a hand behind his head, propping himself up like a pillow. Our shoulders brushed. "What's it like in North Yankton? Plenty of stars there, right?"
"It's teeming with stars, actually. It's beautiful. You'd love it."
"No doubt." He glanced at me. "You think Big-J finna be alright?"
"Yikes, that nickname…" I cringed. "Please don't call him that. It's terrible. You're mocking him."
A wry grin tipped up one corner of his mouth. "Shit, it's hard not to. Yo' brother is…"
"A complete jackass, I know. But he'll be fine." I let out a short laugh and shook my head. "God, you must think my family is crazy."
He agreed without a shred of doubt. "Y'all most definitely are."
"Shut up. You love us." I rested my head on his shoulder. "Thanks, by the way. For helping Jimmy. For turning my day around for the better. It felt like the world was ending this morning. Nothing made sense. I was miserable. Hurt. I wanted to hide away and disappear. And now…" My voice faded, a knot forming in my throat from my overwhelming gratitude.
Franklin was my light in the darkness. He dispensed hope and compassion without judgement. Whenever I needed it most. What would I do without him?
Drawn to his warmth like a magnet, I snuggled against him, breathing in the familiar, comforting scent of his skin.
He tensed, his expression grew serious. "Jimmy ain't too comfortable with us, you know…"
"Uncomfortable with what? Our open and loving friendship?" I scoffed. "Who cares? Our relationship is none of his business."
"Yeah?" He studied me for a beat. "I heard y'all arguing over me earlier. I don't wanna cause a rift between you two. I'm here to make your life easier, Trace. Not harder."
"He's worried that Dad will find out about how close we are," I frowned. "He might overreact and do something crazy. He has a track record for that sorta thing."
My warning didn't seem to faze him. Muscles relaxing, his arm hitched around my waist and pulled me closer.
"I ain't scared of yo' pops."
"Most people are," I said. "But you aren't like most people, are you?"
"You tell me." Gently, he tilted my chin up with his finger, our eyes met. "What you see when you look at me?"
"My best friend who happens to have some weird, secret relationship with my shady father. Only bad people tend to be associated with my dad." Nerves dancing in my stomach, I looked away. "I hope you aren't bad too."
"Let's be real, I ain't perfect. I've done my fair share of fucked up shit too. I can be just as much of an asshole as everybody else in this motherfucker. You got every right to be skeptical." He regarded me quizzically for a moment. "Despite all that, you're still here. With me. Why?"
My spine stiffened. "I don't know. It's hard to explain—"
"Try," he urged softly.
I swallowed deep, trying to calm myself. The heat of his probing gaze made my stomach churn. Having a heart-to-heart conversation with Franklin was easy. But sharing feelings that pertained to him exclusively? Not so easy.
"You're good to me, Frank," I said. "Beneath that tough bravado and all your defense mechanisms, there's a light inside you. Every now and then, I see glimpses of that light. Of you. The real you. I wish you'd let down your walls so I can see you more often."
He threaded his fingers through my hair. "Emotional intimacy ain't my strong suit, but I'm tryin' to swim with the tide. I can be what you need, girl. Just gotta get over the learning curve first."
"Don't feel pressured to be anyone but yourself. You're perfect the way you are." Absentmindedly, I toyed with the diamond stud winking in his ear. "Now it's your turn. What do you see when you look at me?"
"A flower," he answered casually.
"Me? A flower? Seriously?" I giggled. "That was not the answer I was expecting. Tell me more. Explain."
He snorted a sheepish laugh and shook his head. "Do I have to?"
"Yes! It's only fair. If you're trying to learn how to be more emotionally intimate, what better place to start than voicing your innermost thoughts to your bestie? Now spill the beans. Be vulnerable. Speak from the heart." I held him a fraction tighter. "Trust me."
"A'ight, a'ight…" He exhaled a long, audible breath, his chest rose and fell heavily. And then he spoke, his voice low and remarkably gentle. "Whenever I look at you, I see a flower I gotta protect. You're delicate, baby. Pretty. Beautiful. But you were withering when I found you, girl. Frequent panic attacks, stress from school, loneliness."
My pulse leaped. Holy crap! He thinks I'm beautiful! It was such a relief to know the attraction between us was mutual.
"I'm not alone anymore," I smiled. "You're here."
"Ain't nowhere else I rather be."
We laid there snuggling for a long while, quiet and simply enjoying one another's company as time melted away. Everything was perfect, until my mind started to drift into uncharted territory. The chiseled angles of his face illuminated by the pale moonlight, Franklin's soft lips presented a wonderful temptation that was impossible to ignore. It didn't help that he smelled so good. With every slight movement his muscles would ripple beneath my fingertips, warning of his well-exercised strength. I could feel how powerful his shoulders were. How beautifully his biceps flexed and moved…
Tension thickened the blood in my veins. Afraid of doing something I might regret and disrupting the delicate balance between us, I blurted, "Be right back. Gonna grab a drink." I shifted from his arms and retreated into the house.
Running away and taking a breather was a reliable method of resisting him for now. But I was living a lie, pretending I was okay with only his friendship when I wanted—needed so much more. How long could I keep this up?
Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! Leave a review, let me know if you like, or dislike how the story is going so far! Honest feedback is greatly appreciated! Follow Anboringday on tumblr, or hit me up if you just wanna talk! I love you guys!