of sight when he was trying to ignore her which was just rude after she’d gone sticking up for him, trying not to let her heart quiver and shake.
She hated it when he was mad. Got worried that he might get too upset and make his heart quit.
Fear beaded up in a slick of sweat at her neck, and she suddenly wanted to cry. She rubbed at her eyes really quick to erase the feeling.
He huffed a sigh. “Nothin’.”
“It’s not nothin’.” YOU’RE MAD. “I know you’re mad. You’ve got that look on your face, and you’re all red.” She mixed the two languages together, moving in and out of one, not sure the best way to reach him when he looked so far away.
Distant.
She wanted to reach out and make him come back to her.
Why did people have to be so mean? Hurt bottled up on her insides, this wish that she could take away all the words and the looks and the pity. Everyone thought he was different and she didn’t like it at all. The mean words and the weird looks and the way some adults talked to him like he was stupid.
Even some of the teachers did.
He was the smartest, smartest person that she knew.
She plopped down at his side, planting her elbow on a knee so she could rest her chin in her hand.
He kicked at a rock under his foot, staring at it, finally huffing out a breath and turning to look at her. “You don’t need to stick up for me, Frankie. I’m not a baby. And you’re a girl and younger than me.”
“You’re my best friend. That’s what best friend’s do. Doesn’t matter how old you are. Duh.” She lifted her eyebrows so high they touched her bangs.
He fought a smile, shaking his head more before he let the sad come back in. “I don’t want people to think I’m weak. That I can’t take care of myself. That I can’t take care of you.”
Frankie edged forward, getting on her knees in front of him. YOU’RE NOT WEAK. YOU’RE THE STRONGEST PERSON I KNOW.
“That’s just dumb. You know I’m not.”
YOU’RE THE BRAVEST.
I’M SUPPOSED TO TAKE CARE OF YOU. NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. She watched his movements, enthralled by the motion of his hands, enthralled by the flash of his green eyes that made her feel like she was the most important thing in the world. She wanted him to feel that way, too.
She touched his arm. WE’RE SUPPOSED TO TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER.
Evan huffed.
“We’re married, remember?” She figured the reminder would make him laugh.
So what if she spent too much time looking at the pictures her mama had taken of them out at the lake at their special rock. So what if she’d made a special book out of them and kept it under her bed.
Evan laughed that scraping sound. “That was fake. We were just little kids.”
“It’s not fake. We just have to do it again when we get big. You promised. Remember?”
He huffed like he thought she was ridiculous.
Her stomach hurt.
She didn’t like it when he was like this.
They were supposed to be happy together forever.
“What were those stupid boys bein’ mean to you about this time? They’re so dumb I don’t even know how they can say any words.”
He heaved a breath, all kinds of reluctance seeping from him before he finally reached over and quickly unzipped his backpack to reveal the stuffed froggy tucked inside.
Frankie knew it was stupid, that her daddy told her to be careful not to fill her head too full of fairytales, but she was sure this froggy kept Evan safe.
She peeked over at him, and it was hard to say it, but she made herself, anyway. “You don’t have to carry it everywhere. I won’t be mad.”
Evan looked angry again before he breathed a bunch of hard breaths and shook his head. NO, I WANT TO. I LIKE KNOWING IT’S THERE. I LIKE HAVING YOU WITH ME ALWAYS.
“That’s because I’m the best, best, best friend in the world, right?”
And she wanted to beg him to never, ever leave her, either. She wanted to press her hands to his chest and feel the drum of his heart that she’d promised she would hold together forever.
No matter what it took.
“I guess . . . even though you are a girl.”
Emerald eyes twinkled with the tease.
“Hey!” Frankie shouted, “that’s just rude,” and then she was hopping up, reaching out to flick him on the back