Hi everyone, this one takes place a few weeks after the previous chapter, thank you to everyone so far for your reviews. One of you suggested that I should write more in each chapter, and I agree, however I am new to this so please bear with me while I establish myself as it were; I did try to make this a bit longer as a bit of a sweetener. If you wouldn't mind, please let me know what you think. Cheers!

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Mini looked around the cavernous store that was Top Shop and sighed, half an hour left and then her shift was finally. She had to admit that trawling through the store readjusting hangers wasn't exactly her idea of career fulfilment but the staff discounts were amazing and her shrink had recommended that she find a few activities to invest her time in; had said that it would help her to think more often about other things and less about the slave-demon that food had become to her.

Though really, the only thing she really thought about these days was Franky. At work she would examine all of the clothes; thinking of which would suit the other girl and which would renew her screaming about Barbie dolls and bimbos or whatever. There were a few nice items that Mini was thinking of purchasing for the other girl, hesitating only in the fact that she wasn't sure where she stood with Franky anymore.

She huffed out a breath and spun on the spot, annoyed at herself for obsessing over the other girl once again and getting lost in these thoughts and ideas that she really didn't think she should be concentrating on.

"Ahoy there!" Mini turned to see Liv dancing her way toward her, attracting all sorts of strange looks and she laughed to herself, thinking about the fact that this shock value was what she used to value the most in Liv and now what she had learnt to truly appreciate was her down-to-earth honesty and her no-bullshit attitude. The other girl was finally in front of Mini and they greeted each other with a half hug and a kiss on the temple to Mini, love Liv.

"Party tonight, Nick's place. What sort of bullshit sex-on-legs outfit are you going to appear in?"

"Nothing Liv, I don't think.."

"Oh! That'll definitely cause a major stir. All the men will fall for your whims, Mini McGuinness!"

"Shut up, wanker. I just meant that I don't think I'll go along. Might have a quiet one"

"You're full of shit these days Mins. Besides Alo promised that if you didn't at least let him get you half stoned off your head than he would rock up to yours and kidnap you for eternity"

"Right". The ridiculousness of the statement made her want to laugh, and although she tried to hold back, Liv saw just a hint of a smile on her face she knew she had won this round.

"Excellent. I will see you tonight gorgeous" she said with a wink and with that she ran from the store, cackling in a way that made Mini think she should ban her from visiting before she got Mini fired.

Once Liv was out of sight Mini turned and examined the racks with renewed vigour.

What the hell was she going to wear?

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Franky examined her Bow tie; unsure if even worked with the rest of her retarded outfit, certain that at the very least it wasn't straight. Yanking it off and throwing it on the floor she jumped surprised when there was a pounding on her door.

"Come in"

In waltzed Alo, looking dapper as ever in some valet/porn star get up, wearing a massive smile on his face. The things that that boy could pull off never failed to amaze Franky.

"So Frankster… Plans for the night?"

"Just have a good time with friends, Alo, the usual"

"Mini will be here tonight"

At Franky's obvious pause he carried on. "You should really take a chance you know. You'll be surprised. It'll change you and send you into a whole other world"

"Alo. Not tonight alright. I'm just… I'm just not sure okay"

She turned to meet his eyes and was thrown off by the sadness that she saw in them.

"Yeah okay. You ready?"

Franky nodded and they closed the door behind them, leaving a crumpled bow tie lying on the floor.

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If Franky wasn't sure how she felt about Mini before than now she could definitely add jealousy to the list. Everyone wanted to dance with that girl; she was like brilliant shining lights in the middle of the countryside. People were just drawn to her, Franky included, though she didn't approach Mini, preferring instead to watch from a distance, enthralled at the beauty radiating from the girl; enthralled by Mini herself.

She felt someone standing just behind her so she jerked her head swiftly to the side, meeting the eyes of Matty Levan.

"Hey Franky"

"Hi"

"Listen Franky, I just wanted to say that… well…"

"Hey everyone" Franky whipped her head around to see Mini standing there, smiling at them though it didn't reach her eyes and looked behind her to see the boy she'd left behind on the dance floor, arms raised, looking like a martyr. The poor thing.

Matty's expression swiftly changed when he realised that he would not be able to speak to Franky alone tonight. He sneered at Mini and the threw a glance Franky's way, looking at her as though she was simply a piece of dirt before he stormed away, leaving Franky feeling cold and useless; a swift reminder of how she had felt after the summer.

She stood staring at the space that Matty had recently vacated before she heard Mini's voice behind her.

"I always meant what I had said; You do deserve better"

Franky took a breath at that, thought about talks of discovered love and taking risks with amazing results and turned to smile at Mini.

"Fancy a walk to the swings?"

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Mini's canary yellow stilettoes hung from the chain of her swing, gaining momentum and then being dragged back down with a clunk to the rest of the world. Franky watched them from the corner of her eye as she wracked her brain, trying desperately to think of something to say, finally settling on a pathetic:

"How have you been?", but Mini must have remembered how hard it was for Franky to converse like normal people because she simply smiled and began to talk about working at Hot Topic and how it was fun, regardless of how stupid it sounded.

Franky laughed as Mini regaled her with stories about serving less than desirable customers; especially the one occasion where a customer farted and it stunk so badly she could hardly breathe yet she had to stand there, smile and try not to noticeably gag.

With the tension successfully broken they sat for some time in companionable silence until Franky heard Mini quietly say, "My visits to the psychiatrist are going well. I've been feeling a lot better lately"

Franky turned her head to look directly at Mini, noting that she blushed and looked away around the same time, a breeze picking up her hair and making it dance around her shoulders while it simply sent a chill straight through Franky.

This is what she had wanted; for Mini to get better. But suddenly she was scared. Perhaps once Mini was better she would leave Franky behind; go off to find new friends who weren't as fucked up as they both were.

She took a deep breath and then she took a risk, swinging her swing to the side, wide enough to grasp Mini's hand lightly in her own. The other girl looked up to meet her eyes and they smiled lightly at each other; a moment that was simply their own.

Franky ran her own fingers along the elegant ones between them and thought of how right this moment seemed.

"I'm glad you're feeling better" She whispered, and they spent the rest of the night there, holding hands in the cool breeze.

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