Love Bites

Queer Allegations

Alice quietly closed my front door. "Are you sure your mother wouldn't mind me staying over?"

Knowing my mother, she wasn't even home. Lately, she had either been at work or over a "friend's" house. I had no idea who her friend was, and I didn't plan on meeting them any time soon. "She's not home right now. She's probably picking up my little sister from school."

"Thank you for letting me come over." Alice looked around at my practically empty home. "You have a lovely home."

"My family isn't big on decor." Well, my mom and I weren't. Back when my parents were still together, my father mainly decorated the homes we lived in. He would be the one to put jack-o'-lanterns on our front porch or string Christmas lights around the house.

"Simple or not... it looks nice," Alice assured me.

"Would you like some water or some grapes?" I offered. I was sure the fridge was empty aside from fruit and maybe condiments.

"Grapes?" Alice laughed.

"Honestly I've never had anyone over before... so I'm new to being a host," I admitted.

"Really?" She seemed surprised.

"I have a hard time keeping friends long enough to have them over and shit." I was closed off and had a temper, it was hard enough even to make friends. Keeping them was a completely separate... and harder struggle.

"Well, a good host would offer to take me to their room," Alice suggested.

"If you think the living room is simple, you'll be disappointed by my room." My room had no personality whatsoever. It would have if my mom let me share a room with Raine. But my mom managed to convince Raine that I needed my own space. While Raine found ways to decorate her room, mainly sticking her drawings on the wall, I didn't care for decorating mine.

"I'm fine with that." Alice shrugged. Her honey-golden eyes shifted from my face to something behind me. "Hello."

"Who are you talking to..." I looked behind me to find my little sister who looked like she recently woke up. "Raine?"

"I'm sick." Raine faked a cough.

"Were you home alone for the entire day?" I asked.

Raine nodded. "Mommy couldn't take off work. I'm a big girl. I can handle myself."

"You are seven," I argued.

"Almost eight." Raine turned to Alice who was watching Raine with a cautious gaze. "Who are you?"

"She's my friend," I told her.

Raine scoffed. "You don't have friends."

My cheeks got warmer. Leave it to my sister, to embarrass me the only time I bring a guest over. "Yes, I do. Aren't you sick? Why aren't you lying in bed?"

Raine didn't even bother to respond to me. Her attention was cast onto Alice. "Who are you really?"

"I'm Alice," Alice said simply, as if her name should have rang a bell.

"Never heard of you." Raine crossed her arms. I had no idea why she seemed so snarky.

"To be fair, she's never heard of you either," I told Raine.

Raine squinted her eyes. "Are you gay, Alice?"

"Raine!" I whined. "Alice, can you go wait in my room while I talk to my sister? I think her illness is affecting her brain."

"Where's your room?" Alice asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Raine mumbled.

"It's on the far right." I grabbed Raine's arm and dragged her away from Alice.