Frankie and Joely by Nova Weetman Page A

cracked green sink. She imagines Joely checking her smile in the mirror and noticing the extra freckles that climbed onboard since yesterday. She knows how much Joely hates those brown spots, but she’s always liked looking at them to see if she can remember where they fall.
    The toilet flushes, and metal pipes groan through the house. Frankie closes her eyes, relieved that her friend is creeping the last few steps to their room. She knows Joely thinks she said yes to this holiday to escape her mum, but it’s not that. It’s not that at all.

Chapter 15
    Frankie’s outdone herself this morning. She’s finally beaten the world out of bed. Even the sun is struggling to wake up as she quietly opens the wire door and steps outside. The wooden boards are still warm under her feet. The air isn’t stinging yet but, it will be, once the sun rises. There are birds singing everywhere. Frankie has no idea what types they are, but she can hear their different voices. The louder, chirpier ones who seek an audience and the quieter, sweeter ones that sing just for themselves.
    Sitting on the step she waits for Jasper to come. She knows he will. Not because Frankie’s a girl like Jill said, but because he’s desperate for company and nobody else is up. Or maybe he recognises Frankie as a fellow restless hunter.
    She doesn’t have to wait long. Jasper springs up and wriggles under her legs just as scarlet light floods the sky. She pulls her phone out of her pocket, to take a photo for her mum.
    U ok? F
    As she presses send, Frankie panics. But she knows there’s no point ringing now because even on a good day her mum won’t be up until after ten. Frankie’s never been away this long before. She even skips school camps. People assume her mum can’t afford to send her, but actually it’s because Frankie worries. If she’s away, even for a couple of nights, there’s nobody to make sure her mum eats, or sleeps, or isn’t hooking up with some guy who will rip her off.
    It wasn’t always this bad. When Frankie was ten, they lived in one place for over a year. Her mum had a job working reception at the vet’s near the school. Frankie was so proud as she walked past each day, looking in the window and seeing her mum sitting at the desk, a phone to her ear and lipstick on. Frankie hoped that year. And each week the hope grew. She even made plans. But that all ended when her mum went to the Christmas party and drank so much she did something that got her sacked. Even now Frankie doesn’t know what it was. Just that they packed up fast and moved on before Frankie even said goodbye to her teacher.
    The old water pipes shudder inside the house and she holds her breath, hoping whoever it is doesn’t come out here. Then she sees Mack’s hammock hanging between the trees and realises it’s the perfect place to hide without being rude, especially as Mack is obviously already up and gone. She scoops up Jasper, holds him against her body and sprints to where the hammock hangs like an empty cocoon.
    She’s never been in a hammock before. She doesn’t know if she should put her bum in first, or her legs, or just dive in headfirst. She can’t get in with Jasper in her arms so she drops him and tries to swivel her bum on, but she’s too close to the edge of the net, and there’s no way she can move her foot from the ground without falling out. As she tries to move across, the hammock swings from under her and she hears a laugh.
    â€˜Joely!’ she says as she sees the freckled hand of her friend.
    â€˜Morning.’ Joely pops up and helps Frankie into the hammock, while making it just that bit harder at the same time.
    â€˜You’re up,’ says Frankie, trying to hide her disappointment.
    Joely nods pointing at the house. ‘I think everyone is. I could smell bacon and Ged woke Thommo because he wants the boys to work before it gets too