Spring Feelings

Chapter 5 - Just confused

Delia

The night before the big Spring ball. I haven't talked to Tia in a while. We barely have any lessons together and she spends lunch breaks with Alan. Is she doing this because of me? To avoid me?

There's only one person, who I can ask for advice: camluvscoffeee.

deliagm: Are u asleep?

camluvscoffee: If I were, I probably wouldn't be responding to his.

deliagm: I need your advice! Urgently!

camluvscoffee: What's up?

deliagm: My best friend acts kinda strange, since I came out to her.

She doesn't write anything back. Great!

Suddenly my phone begings to vibrate. She's video-calling me! I have no idea what to do and accept the call.

I immidiately turn off the lights. Under no circumstances must she know who I am.

"Hey!", she says in a deep voice. Her voice is incredibly attractive! Shit, what am I doing here? Fancying a stranger?

"Uhm...hey?"

"Why is it so dark where you are?"

"My lightbulb is broken!", I stutter. She'll know I'm lying.

"Okay...what's really happened?"

I sigh. "I don't want my dad to know I'm home." That was a good lie!

I finally can see her face...completely unpixelated. She's so pretty. Even prettier than on all the photos on her account. She tied her short hair in two low pigtails, what looks very cute. Lonely a few short strands cover her forhead  a little.

"So...the homophobic best friend it is?"

"She's not..."

"Not homophobic, of course."

"But her reaction was so...good."

"Of course, it was. Because she doesn't want to be homophobic."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"She doesn't want to be homophobic, but she's. Maybe just a little."

"I think...she just thought she knew everything about me, but it turned out she didn't...and now she's kinda...I don't know...confused?"

"Does she have a boyfriend?"

"Yeah."

"Were you confused, when she introduced him to you?"

"I actually brought them together...so, no."

"Okay...imagine you didn't. Would you be confused?"

"No, I guess."

"So why should she be confused?"

"I don't know...it's like a big deal."

"No, it isn't. Having a partner is a way bigger deal than knowing your sexuality."

"Okay, she might be homophobic. But what should I do now?"

"Confront her."

"How..."

"Say, you feel like she's acting strange around you and ask her why."

"But..."

"Do you want to find out why she's like that or not?"

"The former, I guess."

"Then, do what I just told you."

"Bu..." Suddenly, the lights turn on. Dad stands in the door. Everything happens way to fast. I hang up.

"Dad?"

"Delia, you're supposed to sleep! Tomorrow's our big day! And who were you talking to, anyways?"

"Tia. We chatted a bit about tomorrow."

Dad comes into the room and sits down on the edge of my bed. "By the way: Have you already got a date for tomorrow?"

"A date? No."

"That's good. Because I arranged you Raj Ames as a date."

"You did what?" All of a sudden I'm sitting bolt upright of the bed.

"I did you a favor."

"Dad...you said, I can dance with Gemma."

"Only for the first dance, sunshine." He strokes my shoulder. I put my arm away.

"Raj and I hate each other."

"That was in elementary. You're long past that, aren't you?"

"Can't you act like a normal dad for once? And I know, your agent, not you, arranged that. And you agreed because you don't know, that I absolutely hate Raj Ames. Because you don't know me. You're trying to replace mom by organizing spring balls...because mom loved balls. But let me tell you: You'll never replace her!"

He swallows. "Delia, I'm not..."

"Just get on with what you were doing before this whole ball-thing, okay? Work, party and meet some women. And every now and then send one of your agents to check on me."

"I'm not trying to replace your mom."

"You're an actor, dad. Trying to be somebody else is your job."

He gets up. "Sleep well, sunshine."