The Official Boyband Handbook

[26] The Cousin

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I fell in love next to you

Burning fires in this room

It just fits

Light and Smooth

Like my feet in my shoes

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Chapter Twenty Six - The Cousin

“Do you honestly think we made a difference?” Louis wondered, watching Frankie run around her flat, sweeping the floor, dusting the shelves and washing the dishes. “And why are you suddenly so intent on tidying this place up?”

She halted in her tracks, dropping her outstretched arm which she was currently using to straighten a slightly wonky photo frame. She turned to the brown haired boy with a guilty expression. “I didn’t tell you, did I?”

“Tell me what?”

Frankie exhaled loudly, frustratingly tugging at her hair. “My cousin Macy is coming to visit in an hour.”

“So?”

“So…” Frankie dropped into an open seat next to him. “I haven’t seen her in almost five years and yesterday, she tells me she’s moved to London. Macy’s a bit…well, she’s always been quite jealous of me and we’ve never gotten on, ever. Not even as kids.”

Louis smirked as his eyes travelled down her body. “I don’t see anything to be jealous of.”

On instinct, Frankie hit him with a sofa cushion. “Shut up! She’s just jealous because I got a head start on my career while she was sat at home all these years with her crazy Mum. I don’t know how she did it, really, my aunt Clara’s been hovering on the verge of insanity for God knows how long.”

“So? Her crazy Mum’s not coming, right? You’ve got nothing to worry about.” Louis said in assurance, standing to his feet to fetch a glass of water. “Why’s she visiting anyway?”

“She’s getting married.” Frankie mumbled, tightening her jaw. “And she’s only doing it for two reasons: to piss me off and – “

“To get away from her Mum,” he laughed, downing his water quickly. “Okay, so she’s getting married. Why does that piss you off?”

“Because!” Frankie threw her hands up in the air. “We’ve always been in competition with one another. Who’s got the better friends, the better clothes, even down to the shades of our hair. I’d like to blame her stupidity on her mum, but I doubt that’s why. She’s just a jealous little brat who’s always been after what I have. We made a bet when we were younger and I said that I would be the first to get married and now she’s gone and picked herself out a random guy to marry! I don’t like her.” She huffed, crossing her arms in a childish manner.

“I hope you know you look and sound like a complete baby right now, Franks,” he chuckled. “Well, if your cousin’s going to be here soon, I’d better get going then; wouldn’t want to intrude on your ‘cousinly bonding.’”