Inner Desires

4.

If she had known to what point her intuition was right... As she had predicted, the fact that her new friends had trusted her so soon brought them closer right away. Yet she was probably the last one to notice how the situation developed.

Zach no longer had to try too hard to suggest talk her into going with him to the gay clubs. He didn't have to go there on his own anymore, since now he had three companions. It became a tradition for them, just like it was a habit for Hanna to hang out with her roommates every Friday evening. In fact, The Rainbow Garden was their destination every two weeks, if not every. That, however, didn't involve a decrease in the number of times she would hang out with Kimberly and Terhi. The three of them would still go out for dinner during the week, or they would visit each other for a coffee and some girly talk.

The fact that the two new acquaintances were into women was never an issue. Both Terhi and Kim had always been quite open and natural about it, so soon the whole circle of friends knew. Sometimes they would discuss what girls were prettier with the guys, especially with Adrian and Martin – Mark was in a relationship and a bit more reserved.

"Hanna just called" Johanna announced as Mark came out of his room "We don't have to wait for her; she's staying at Kim's for dinner."

"That girl will accept anything as long as she doesn't have to cook" he chuckled "Are you hungry?"

"A little" the girl confessed, standing up from the couch "I'm gonna make some curried (6) vegetables, fancy some?"

"Yeah, sounds nice" he followed her into the kitchen "Can I help?"

"Sure!"

Johanna opened the fridge, studying its content. Finally, she chose some zucchini, carrots and sun-dried tomatoes, as well as canned artichokes and curry powder from her cupboard. She handed some of the vegetables to Mark.

"Can you cut them?"

He nodded, tying his long, blond hair into a ponytail so that it wouldn't get into the food. Then he picked up a plank and a knife and began working on it, while she prepared the sauce, humming.

"I think I have a boiled egg in the fridge" Mark commented, chewing on a piece of the carrot he was dicing "We can add it if you like, now that there's no one who protests."

Johanna stopped her stirring for a moment to get the egg. She chuckled gently as she said:

"I miss her, though. How many times have we eaten with her this week? Two?"

"Oh, someone is getting a little bit jealous?"

"No! Well, maybe a bit."

"It's ok – I feel a bit abandoned, too" he admitted.

Flipping her auburn braid to the side, Johanna turned around to look at her improvised kitchen assistant.

"Abandoned is a bit of a harsh word, I'd say. But yeah, sometimes it feels as though she wasn't living here anymore."

"I know right? Anyway, she seems to be having fun, so I'm glad for her."

"Yeah, me too."

For the next instants, the silence in the kitchen was only broken by the sound of the knife and the wooden spoon against the frying pan, stirring the curry sauce. After the pause, Johanna spoke:

"Don't you find it a bit strange?"

Mark, looked up from the sliced zucchini, an eyebrow raised.

"What do you mean?"

The truth is that something had been going through Johanna's head in the past weeks, but she never dared to comment it. Now that the topic had been brought up, she saw it as a good chance to let it out.