Bonds and Attachments

Chapter 4

Francis frowns. "You don't like boys?" Francis asks, confusion clear and heavy in his voice, to which Lynn puts a piece of pasta in her mouth, nodding. "So...you're gay?"

"I don't understand why people can't just say the word 'lesbian'," Lynn says, ignoring Francis's question but also seemingly answering it at the same time. "It's better and more comfortable for people-me included- to say 'gay' but not 'lesbian'. In my context, it really means the same thing."

Francis had to put down his fork and lean back in his chair. Lynn has a really good point. "Anyway, back to your question," Lynn says, pointing her fork again to Francis. "Yes, I'm gay. Alexa's the only one here that likes boys."

"But all of us likes girls, though," Lucas adds immediately. "Alexa's bisexual. Brian and I are straight."

"According to you," Lynn adds, to which she earned a gentle punch from Lucas on the arm.

"You're bisexual?" Francis asks, turning his body to Alexa next to him.

"I don't really see how repeating everything we're saying help," Alexa says quickly, slightly annoyed. "Yes, I'm bisexual. Lynn's lesbian, Brian and Lucas are straight."

"Are you though?" Lucas asks, eyebrows raised in question. "Like, straight?"

Francis nods, thoughts racing through his mind. He was learning more about Alexa after Lynn's provocation than he would have just simply asked her.

"I think I love you," Alexa whispers, to which he whips his head to.

"You.... what?" He stammers, hardly believing what he is hearing.

"I think I love you," She repeats, less sure this time because of his shocked expression.

"You, Alexa Greene, in love with me?" He repeats.

"Yes, and is that a problem?" She snaps.

"Of course, there is," He says, exasperated. As if it's obvious and he can't believe that she asked that question.

Alexa drops on her bed, making a sound that shows that she is both annoyed and tired. "Do you mind?" Alexa asks as Francis sits down next to her.

"Mind about what?"

"That I'm bi,"

Francis shrugs. "Doesn't change anything, really," Francis says simply as if it's obvious.

"Well, for some people it does," Alexa says, sitting up. "Well, would it change if I'm gay?"

Francis shrugs again. "Still wanna be your friend either way,"

Alexa smiles. "I'm not gay, but that's smooth, what you did there," Alexa says then sighs. "I don't understand why Lynn just couldn't wait until a few days to tell you about our queerness-"

"As I said, it doesn't really change anything with me," Francis reassures. "It doesn't matter if I knew that she is gay and you're bi the moment we met or three years from now."

Alexa observes his face for a few moments. "It's just that we have people leave after they find out," Alexa looks down on her bed and sighs.

"Well, screw them," Francis says, looking around Alexa's room. "It doesn't matter or change anything if a person's queer. It's just who they like. It shouldn't cause friendships to end or start solely because of which gender or genders someone likes."

Francis looks at Alexa and was slightly startled and surprised to see that she was looking straight at him, some wonder and curiosity in her facial expression. "You're wiser than you look like," Alexa concludes.