Frankie and Joely by Nova Weetman

I like it when it’s quiet,’ says Frankie.
    And then Frankie grins again, straight at Joely, like she’s the most important person in the world.
    â€˜Actually I got up hoping to see your cousin nude.’
    â€˜Yeah right.’
    Frankie shrugs again. ‘Better than watching you sleep in.’
    Joely rolls over and untangles her legs from the sheets. She almost falls out.
    â€˜I’m up.’ Joely smiles at her friend. ‘What are we doing today?’ Joely hopes the answer is nothing.
    â€˜Going to the pool?’
    Joely groans. She looks at her pale, spotty arms. ‘I’m going to be one big freckle by the time we go home.’
    â€˜If they all join up it’ll look like a suntan. Jill said she’d drop us in, but we’ll have to get the bus home,’ says Frankie as she riffles around in the drawer.
    Joely can’t believe how comfortable Frankie is as she talks about Jill. It’s like Jill is Frankie’s aunt not hers. Joely decides that, as of tomorrow, she’ll get up earlier. She’ll make sure she’s part of the day’s plans before Frankie can lock in everyone else around her, and come back to tell Joely what they’re doing.
    Joely looks away as Frankie strips off. She wishes she could be as comfortable as Frankie is, but the room is so tiny that seeing Frankie change just in front of her is all a bit much. To cover her discomfort, Joely starts chattering about the house and the heatwave and the drought. ‘I know I’ve been coming here forever, but I’ve never seen the grass so dry and—’
    â€˜Who’s Bluey?’ interrupts Frankie as she bends down for Joely to tie up her bikini strap.
    Joely pulls tight, avoiding having to answer.
    â€˜Ow,’ says Frankie.
    â€˜Sorry.’ Joely can’t believe how smooth Frankie’s skin looks.
    â€˜Joel? Who’s Bluey?’
    â€˜Just a cow I used to ride sometimes.’
    â€˜You rode a cow?’
    â€˜Yes. When I was really little. We all did.’ She doesn’t want to talk about Bluey because she knows how ridiculous it sounds being upset about a cow dying, and she’s worried that if she starts talking about Bluey she might cry. ‘Nice bathers,’ she says, changing the subject.
    â€˜Savers,’ says Frankie with a smile. ‘I boiled them, cos I was bit worried about who they used to belong to. You know, second-hand bathers and all!’
    â€˜Ew, gross!’
    Frankie shrugs. ‘They were only four bucks. Hot water would kill germs, wouldn’t it?’
    â€˜I think so.’ Joely laughs at Frankie’s disgusted face as she thinks about wearing someone else’s bathers.
    â€˜Is there an op shop here?’
    Joely nods, realising she’s never been inside. ‘In the main street. It’s only little.’
    â€˜I thought I saw it yesterday. That’s great. Country ones are the bomb. Can we look?’
    â€˜Sure.’ Joely had never been op shopping before she started hanging out with Frankie. It wasn’t that she thought there was anything wrong with it, just that her mum always bought new things. She still wasn’t sure if she really liked it, but she’s not about to tell Frankie that.
    â€˜Morning sleepyhead,’ says Jill from the doorway, handing Joely a plate. ‘Made you a bacon and egg toastie.’
    â€˜Thanks,’ says Joely, immediately forgiving her aunt for organising their day with Frankie instead of her. Just the smell of slightly burnt bacon is enough to make Joely forgive anyone.
    Frankie grabs a t-shirt from the drawer and quickly finishes dressing. Joely wonders if she’s embarrassed at Jill seeing her in her bathers.
    â€˜I’ll give you girls ten minutes,’ says Jill. ‘I’ve got to meet a friend in town.’

Chapter 10
    Frankie stares out the window of the car as Jill and Joely chat in the front. It’s like she’s a