Page 52 of Zero Chance

“Oh, Frankie,” Xander gushed in concern as soon as she saw my face.

I shook my head as I blinked at her.“Wha?—?”

“I called Hope since you said she drove you home,” she explained, wringing her hands.“She gave me your address.Can I come inside?”

“I—” Well, she was already here, and no one had ever bothered to track me down and check on me before, aside from my parents, so I opened the door and stepped back to let her in.“I guess.”

She smiled gratefully.“Hope also told me your parents were out of town, and that you’d be home alone right now.So…” She shrugged.“I thought you might like some company.”

I winced.“You heard about the police, huh?”

She winced right back, sympathizing.“Yeah.”

“Yeah,” I repeated with a depressed mumble as I glanced down at my bare feet.

“Look,” she started a moment later.“I know you’re not okay.That’s why I’m here.I’m worried and ready to talk or listen or just…hang out.Whatever you need.This is my fault for pressuring you into going tonight, and I need to make it right.Seriously, it doesn’t matter to me if you think you’re going to suck at the friend thing.Mybest friend abandoned me to go off and screw French whores in Europe, meaning, apparently, I’m not that amazing at friendships either.So let’s just…suck together.Okay?”

I blinked at her, lured by her speech.Tears burned my nose as I nodded.

“Okay,” I rasped hoarsely and motioned toward the second level, choked up by her kindness.“My room’s upstairs.Do you want to…?”

She nodded, looking hopeful.“Yes, I would like that very much.Thank you.”

“Alright.”I cleared my throat and led her up the steps.

But once we were inside my room, I had no idea what to do.I stood in the middle of the floor, shuffling my weight from one foot to the other uneasily.

Thankfully, Xander was better versed about this type of situation, and she went to my mussed bed, plopping down on the mattress so she could sit upright with one leg tucked under her.After snatching my stuffed cow from the pillows against the headboard, she started to pet its tail as she glanced up with an expectant wince, making it obvious she was ready to talk.

“So your parents are pretty strict, huh?”she asked, heaving out a heavy, apologetic sigh.

“I mean, not really.”I slumped to the bed and sat on the other side of the mattress, facing her.“They’re just…overly involved.If I hadn’t left my phone at home, it would’ve been okay.I really shouldn’t have forgotten that.”

“Why?”Xander shook her head, not understanding.“Do they track you with it or something?”

I nodded my head.“Yeah.”

Her eyes widened in alarm.“Holy shit.”

“Not in a bad way, though,” I tried to reassure her.“They just…” I blew out a long breath, trying to think of the best way to defend my parents without outing myself, but…

The only way to explainwasto out myself.

I wiped a hand over my face in frustration.“I feel like I was sick on the day at school when they taught everyone how to be a mature, sociable human being because I’m always, like, five years behind everyone else.It’s embarrassing and humiliating, and I just—I don’t know how to…be.”

Xander lifted one shoulder and gave me a sad look.“Honestly, I don’t think any of usreallyknow what we’re doing.We’re all floundering around and faking it until something in our world finally fits.”

I sent her a hard look.“Well, why doesyourfloundering have to look classy and graceful?I swear, I have to be the most awkward, messed-up?—”

“Stop,” she urged, reaching out to grip my knee.“Give yourself a little slack, will you?It’s not your fault you have overprotective parents who’ve kept you from experiencing life for yourself.”

Sending her a dry look, I muttered, “Except it kind of is.I’ve made a lot of mistakes to prompt them to be this way.”

She only shook her head, denying it, and sent me a sympathetic look.“I’m not convinced.Want to share some of those huge, awful mistakes with me?”

“No,” I admitted bluntly.“They’re really bad.”

With a sudden smile, she rubbed her hands together.“Then I definitely want to hear about them.The juicier the better.”

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