Chapter 8
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Frankie sat on her bed, staring at the walls until late into the night. Her mom had turned in hours ago, but she flipped and flopped under the covers until her back hurt. Her room was too quiet to sleep. However, at the same time, the swishing tail of her Sylvester the Cat wall clock sounded like thunder booms in her ears and kept her awake. Sleep was not in the cards that night.
She clicked on her bedside lamp and grabbed her journal and a pen. She needed to get her thought down on paper. Maybe then she could sleep. Flipping the journal open to the last entry, she spied the flyer she had been designing for the Father/Daughter dance at her church. It seemed like years had passed since she drew the banner. Yet it was just a few short weeks ago. At the time, she longed for a father and dreamed of having a dad to take her for ice cream dates on Sunday afternoons like Faith’s father did. Now, she knew she had a father, knew who he was, and wanted nothing to do with him. Violently, she ripped the drawing out of her journal and threw it to the floor. Her diary landed beside it with a loud thump.
Frankie was going stir-crazy in her room as she waited for the sun to come up. She watched the numbers on her alarm clock and couldn’t take any more. It was six A.M. She was in desperate need of coffee. She jumped out of bed, grabbed her fluffy yellow robe and slippers, and headed for the kitchen with her phone in tow.
She sat with her steaming cup of joe and tapped out a text to Faith. She was pretty sure she was up by now. It was almost 6:30, and Faith was an early riser. Frankie was not.
FRANKIE: You up?
FAITH: Yup. Why are you up so early? Are you okay?
FRANKIE: I haven’t slept all night. My mind won’t shut off.
FAITH: What's wrong?
FRANKIE: Not much, just that my mom told me last night that #1 my dad isn't dead like she let me believe my entire life
FAITH: WHAT????
FRANKIE: Wait, there's more. #2 my dad is Mr. Winters!
FAITH: OMG! No way! How? I mean, I know how, duh. But Mr. Winters?
FRANKIE: I am a mess.
FAITH: Staying home today?
FRANKIE: No. Mom won’t let me. She says avoiding the situation won’t make it go away or get any better. Whatever. But I have an idea. I want to talk to you and Steve before 1st bell. Can you pick me up by 7:00?
FAITH: A Pickle pickup is scheduled for 7 am. You can tell me all about it when I pick you up. Does Steve know too?
FRANKIE: No, I will text him in a minute. This news is too embarrassing to explain face to face.
FAITH: I get it, Chickadee! Chin up! It will be ok. C ya soon! <3
Frankie smiled at one of the many nicknames Faith had given her over the years. Chickadee was a favorite of hers. She shot off a similar test to Steve, explaining the events of the previous evening and asking him to meet her and Faith in less than an hour in the cafe.
STEVE: Oh wow, ok. I didn't see that coming. I will be there... anything for you, Beautiful.
Okay, maybe she likes Steve’s nicknames better than Faith’s, but still…She needed her best friend and boyfriend’s support on what she was about to propose.
FRANKIE: Thanks, Steve. That means a lot to me.
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“What’s up, Boss?” Steve asked as he leaned over to kiss Frankie good morning. “Hiya, Faith.”
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
“Hey,” Faith nodded in greeting, “She wouldn’t tell me anything in the Picklemobile.” Exasperation was evident in Faith’s voice.
“Let's skip school today and drive to Charlotte to get tattoos!” Frankie twirled a strand of hair in her fingers. “Something fun. We never do anything fun.”
“Uh, Frankie, I don’t think that is such a good idea.” Steve ventured carefully. “We could get into a lot of trouble for skipping classes. Coach Lee would be livid if he found out, and I would be benched for Friday’s game..” Frankie hadn’t considered how it would affect his football.
“We can’t do that, Frank. We have a Chem test in 4th period, remember?” Faith wasn’t usually the practical one, but she was the voice of reason this time. Disappointment spread across her face. Frankie’s plan to avoid confrontation today was rapidly vanishing.
“Okay, fine.” Frankie relented. “But can we at least skip English today? I am not ready to face him.” she gave Faith her best-wounded puppy face as her voice cracked when she said “him.”
“Aww, Frank, I understand, but still…”
“But still, nothing!” her voice rose louder than she meant it, and other students turned to look in their direction to see what the commotion was all about. She leaned toward Faith and whispered, “I mean, we won’t get in trouble. What’s he going to do? He’s my dad, right? “ she almost choked on the word. She had never said that sentence in her seventeen years on the planet. “He’s my dad,” she repeated to herself. It left a bad taste in her mouth.
“Okay, just last period English. But if I get in trouble, you will be thrown under the Pickle bus in front of my parents!” Frankie knew her best friend was only half kidding but was grateful she gave in to her plea.
“Can we still get tattoos?” she wriggled her eyebrows excitedly.
“NO!” Faith and Steve responded simultaneously.
Steve leaned over to brush aside Frankie’s silver locks and kissed her temple. He whispered in her ear, “If you did get a tattoo, are you going to get my name across your butt?”
“Ewww! No!” she punched Steve in the chest and pushed him away. He buckled over, laughing.
“I don’t think I want to know,” Faith stated flatly and grabbed her books. The bell is about to ring for 1st period. I’ve got to drop off a request for a new parking pass at the office.
“What happened to your old pass?”
“Penelopy ate it.”
“Penelopy ate it? Your pet skunk?”
“Yeah, she got on my desk and chewed it up.” Faith said like it was an everyday occurrence that a skunk was loose in her room.
“Wait.” Steve’s face was as white as a toilet bowl. “You have a pet skunk? In the house?”
“Yup, her stinker has been removed, so she’s just like a cat.” Faith quipped as she sashayed across the cafeteria and through the doors.
“I must say, Faith is an odd one.” he smiled, and Frankie giggled as she leaned against Steve’s chest.
“What can I say? She’s an acquired taste.”
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Frankie: Meet me in the parking lot right after 6th period. Okay?
Faith: Gosh, I’m nervous. What if we get caught leaving the school grounds?
Frankie: We won’t get caught. I promise.
Faith: You’d better be right. I will meet you by the Picklemobile.
Frankie sat in 6th period American History glancing at the clock every 30 seconds. Time had never moved so slowly in all her life. She kept bouncing her right leg and tapping her pen on the desktop. Julia Matthews, the snotty redhead beside Frankie, kept scowling every time her knee hit the underside of the tabletop.
“What is wrong with you, Frankie?” her tone was that of someone that wasn’t interested in a response.
“Nothing.”
“Well, cut it out!” she sneered. She had never cut class before and was nervous. Frankie rolled her eyes at Julia, stalked the clock on the wall, and waited for the bell to ring.
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“Hurry up!” Frankie whisper-yelled behind her as she crept between cars in the parking lot.
“I’m trying to be inconspicuous!” Faith retorted a little too loudly.
“You failed.” came a male voice a few rows over. Both girls froze in place. Faith’s eyes bulged, and she held her breath. Frankie pivoted on one heel and came face to face with Mr. Winters – the one person on the planet she was trying to avoid. “Are you ladies headed somewhere?”
“Oh. Uhm, no.” Frankie stammered. “I just needed to get a book out of Faith’s car.”
“I see. Well, get what you need, and I will see you in class in…” he looked at his watch, “Exactly two minutes. Better hurry or I will be forced to be marked tardy.” He grinned and walked away.
Faith blew out the breath she had been holding and collapsed against the closest car.
BEEP BEEP BEEP
The Camero’s alarm system blared throughout the parking lot.
“Oh my god!” Faith screamed and jumped away from the car like she had firecrackers in her britches. “Let’s get out of here and back to class!”
Both girls took off running straight into the building from whence they came.