Besties With Benefits (bwwm)

chapter fourteen: dejected and rejected

▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️

Frankie huffed for what felt like the thousandth time in the past hour. She was supposed to be getting ready for Sunday night family dinner, hosted at Spencer's house this week, but she was nervous.

After Carly's party Friday night, Frankie spent most of her Saturday morning and afternoon nursing a hangover. When she finally did emerge from bed, Frankie stayed in that night, deciding to work on some homework.

She hadn't talked to Jake or Spencer since the party and now she'd be seeing them both in less than twenty minutes.

"Sweetie, you almost ready? Daddy and I are leaving in a minute."

Dustin's voice finally broke Frankie away from her thoughts when he poked his head into her room. After she rolled off of her bed and walked over to her mirror to give herself a once over herself over in the mirror, she decided the oversized Aaliyah t-shirt and spandex shorts she was wearing would have to do.

"I'm almost ready, Dad. Just gotta put on my shoes. I'll meet you and Daddy over there."

Frankie had insisted on driving herself that night, telling her parents she had to drop something off to Jasmine after dinner, but knowing full well that the only reason she was driving herself was just in case dinner got too awkward and she wanted to bolt early.

She went over to her closet, pulling out a pair of white sneakers before she went back over to her bed.

After both shoes were laced on her feet, Frankie let out a deep huff, laying back on her bed. She bit her lip nervously, knowing she couldn't drag this out any longer and after a few more minutes, she finally dragged herself out of her room and towards the garage.

Frankie sat in her car for an extra eight minutes in the garage, just trying the calm the rumbling in her gut before she finally drove to Spencer's. She pulled into the driveway and for the first time since family dinners started, she prayed it would be over soon.

▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️

"Ahh, there she is!"

A bright smile was on Vincent's face as Frankie finally entered the dining room, sheepishly smiling as she tucked her hair behind her ear.

"Uhh, yeah, sorry I'm late. Just... trying to study a little more for a test I have this week."

As Frankie took her seat between Jake and Vince, she did her best to ignore the way Dustin was eyeing her, thankful when Vince kept the conversation going.

"Jesus, you guys already have tests, and it's only the second week back?"

"That's exactly what I thought. Is it always this intense?"

Jake's comment made everyone at the table laugh, other than Spencer, who silently reached for another piece of garlic bread while Dustin spoke.

"Well, South Valley is a very progressive school and they focus a lot on preparing their graduates for the next stage of education, so I guess tests this early make sense."

As everyone began passing around the different dishes and loading their plates, the topic of conversation transitioned from schoolwork.

"So, I hear a 'double-congratulations' is in order..."

Frankie, Spencer, and Jake all gave Dustin a confused look as he raised his glass of wine in the air.

"Spencer and Jake both made the Varsity baseball team!"