Page 55 of Washed Up

‘Is it because of what I said? About you being an empath? I’m so sorry about that, Sal. You are deeply empathetic, of course.’

Sally blinked at her. ‘What? Oh no, it’s nothing like that.’

‘What is it, then?’

‘It’s nothing.’ Sally kicked her feet against the stone.

‘I think it is.’

‘Okay, fine. It is. It is something. But I don’t want to tell you.’

Frankie jumped up, and turned to stare down at her friend, shielding her eyes from the lowering sun. ‘We always tell each other everything. I thought that was like a rule or something.’

Sally laughed softly. ‘Some things are better left unsaid.’

Frankie shifted on her feet. ‘You don’t mean that.’

‘In this case, I do.’

‘Please tell me.’

‘Tell her what?’ said a familiar voice. Jake and Michael appeared around the bend in the road, both looking as exhausted as Frankie felt. Michael gave them a little wave and a smile and carried on walking past, eager to get back to his summer digs at the campsite, but Jake slowed, then stopped beside them, hands in his pockets. He was sporting a T-shirt and shorts and the standard Herm summer footwear – not Crocs but a battered old pair of Birkenstock sandals. Surprisingly, his legs were as tanned as the rest of him, despite them not being on display nearly enough, thought Frankie. Stop that.

‘Hey, Jake,’ said Sally.

‘What’s going on?’ he said, looking between them as if he could sense the tension. Or perhaps Sally had told him what Frankie had said. Of course. That was it. News travels fast on an island.

But – ‘Nothing,’ said Sally quickly. ‘She was just about to tell me that she’s heard from Dylan.’

‘Oh,’ said Jake, his face falling.

‘Was I?’ said Frankie.

Sally’s eyebrow arched. ‘Well, you have, haven’t you? I can tell by that stupid grin on your face.’

Frankie’s grin grew wider without her meaning it to. Jake gave a little cough and looked at the floor.

‘I’ll leave you ladies to it,’ he said, backing away.

‘No, it’s okay,’ said Frankie. ‘Stay. There’s nothing to tell. He messaged me last night. That’s all.’

‘And?’ said Sally. Jake studied her, a pained expression in his eyes. Frankie couldn’t stop talking, even if she wanted to, even if she knew it was going to cause more of that pain. She had been longing to tell someone – anyone – about Dylan all day, at times convinced she was going to explode.

‘He messaged to say he’s hoping to come back for a visit. Maybe July.’ It burst out of her all at once.

‘Wow. That’s so cool,’ said Sally, glancing at Jake. ‘Isn’t that cool, Jake?’

Jake nodded, his jaw clenched. ‘Great,’ he managed.

‘Yeah, and apparently Ed Sheeran went to watch him play the other night. Isn’t that amazing? He said he liked their music. Dylan was really star struck, which is just so funny, isn’t it, him being star struck by Ed when he’s so famous himself?’

She was being insufferable. Smug and insufferable. She knew it. She could feel herself doing it but somehow, she couldn’t stop.

Sally and Jake exchanged another look.

‘Would you two stop looking at each other like that?’ said Frankie, her voice coming out sharper than she intended.

‘We’re not. It’s just…’ Sally began.