How to love

twenty-nine: Realisation

Frankie's point of view:

Oh sweet baby jesus.

His back muscles pinch tightly and glisten with beads of sweat, his feet thumping against the treadmill as he pushes himself into a faster sprint. Thankfully, he was facing out to the opened doors that lead to the acres of garden and not to the floor to ceiling windows that I was staring in.

I inhale a sharp breath and pushed the door open, immediately being overwhelmed by the blare of music that was trapped within the soundproof room. I wince, knowing my call wouldn't be heard over the track that played in the soundsystem. Biting my lip, I press my finger against the pause button and watch as he flinches.

"Sorry." I mumble apologetically as he slows down. "I knew you wouldn't hear me."

He shaking his head, grabbing the towel from the chair and wiping across his sweaty forehead. "Don't apologise. I tend to work out with obnoxiously loud music, it clears my thoughts."

My eyes ached to stay focused on his face and not slip down to his half-naked glory that teased my outer vision. Curling my toes hidden in my boots, I clear my throat and watch as a small, sly smirk wriggle onto his lips.

"Something you wanted?"

"Oh!" I blush. "Yes, sorry; Hannah and I are going to find something to wear for tonight, but she wanted to know if you were up for going to Rosie's bar afterwards?"

Suddenly, the smirk falters and the dimple disappears from the corner of his lips, being replaced with a deep frown. I felt my stomach drop to the pits. He was cancelling. He had other plans. Again.

I shake my head as his mouth opens to reply. "It's fine, I'm sure whatever it is, is more important."

"Wait, Frankie."

"No." I snap, the unintentional harshness flying out before I had a moment to process. "It's fine, work will always come first for you. I better go, Hannah will be here in a few minutes. I'll probably stay in Hannah's tonight too, so you don't need to rush home from the office."

Without another word, I send him a forceful smile and back out of his gym with a heavy weight hovering in my chest. Grasping my back from the side table by the front door, I quickly make my exit as I hear my name echoing through the hallways. Thankfully, Hannah was just drawing up to the door in her borrowed parents Volvo.

Since Christmas, New years eve was something I had been looking forward too. Celebrating with Hannah for the first time in years, and of course celebrating with Jason for the first time ever. After our kiss, I wondered if he would have a second thought about another when the ball drops at midnight. I definitely did. But now, I was slowly wallowing in self pitty. Why was I so surprised that work had to take up another part of his life? He was career focused, aside from me seeing this, he had told me many of times.

Maybe I was hoping that I could've changed that.

I follow Hannah in and out of stores, smiling candidly at her endless amount of clothes she insisted on trying on and bluntly refusing to be dragged into the changing room with her choice of clothes. Hannah was very showy and I was almost certain there was some rule in the female book that was highlighted that boobs and bum shouldn't be on show at the same time.

"Please, just try it!" She begs, clutching the red laced bodysuit that exposed too much skin through the sheer material than I would like. I narrow my eyes with folded arms as she holds it towards me with a cheesy smile. "Please?"

"I'm not wearing that."

She pouts. "Why? Frankie, at this rate you'll be going in something you wear to the office."