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𝗙rankie had made it home without a word.
no goodbye to maya. no explanation to mr. turner. she just grabbed her bag, signed herself out, and hobbled out the side door of the school two full periods early. the nurse had offered to call her a car frankie shook her head and limped to the train station anyway. one crutch, one socked foot shoved into a sneaker, and not a single word spoken.
she didn't even cry.
not on the train. not on the walk home. not even when she slammed her bedroom door behind her and finally collapsed into bed.
but she did stop speaking. to everyone.
first came abby, knocking hard and yelling through the door like it was some kind of sibling emergency. then elle, gentler, saying she was just checking in to make sure frankie hadn't "self-combusted from dramatic buildup." frankie stayed quiet.
later, her dad came with a plate of chicken and rice. she opened the door halfway for that. side-hugged him so he wouldn't hover. shut and locked it again before he could ask questions.
her mom came just before bed, cracked the door open just enough to say goodnight and i love you.
frankie said it back. quietly. then went right back to her show.
she was halfway through love island uk muffled accents, flashing neon lighting, and couples making out on beanbags when she heard it.
not her door this time. her window.
frankie froze.
the knock came again. two taps, then a pause. then one more.
she already knew.
curtains drawn, she pulled them back slowly. and there he was.
lucas friar, standing on the roof extension outside her window in pajama pants and a zip-up hoodie. hands stuffed into his pockets. eyes soft in the way she hated tonight.
frankie exhaled sharply through her nose and unlatched the window.
"seriously?" she muttered.
"i didn't know what else to do, can i come in?"
she didn't answer. just stepped back.
lucas climbed through and shut the window behind him like it was some normal thursday night.
it wasn't. frankie turned off the tv.
he stood there for a second, eyes scanning her room like he hadn't seen it in years.
