The Girl In The Suit

Anne

I stand with Gemma's brother, us two just looking at each other for a minute. He really looks like Matty Healy. Then, he speaks.

"I should go check on her." I put a hand in front of him.

"I will. Clean yourself up first." He nods his head reluctantly.

Before I head out the door, I loom back and say, "I'm Anne, by the way."

"Freddie."

I walk upstairs and I run into the first door on the left of me. Sure enough, Gemma is in there. She's crying and hugging a teddy.

"Hey.", I say, not sure what to do.

"Hiya. Sit down."

I sit at the edge of the bed. She sighs before looking at me in the eye.

"This is me. This is my life. Daughter of 2 drunks, sister of a college dropout.", she says softly.

I look at her.

"You know my sister dropped out of college, right?"

"She did? Alison?"

"My parents decided that they didn't want to live alone with the disappointment, aka me, so they took her out."

"Wow. That sucks."

"I know."

There's a pause, and then I speak.

"Why didn't you tell me about this? You and Freddie can't live here. It isn't healthy."

Gemma sighs. "I didn't think you cared whether I was dead or alive. Anyone, for that matter. Anyways, I don't deserve it."

Suddenly, I take her hands, and she looks up at me with a look in her eyes I can't diagnose.

"You do deserve it. Everyone does. Mind you now, if you two were to live with us, there's pictures of Jesus everywhere."

She looks down and smiles, then looks back up at me. Her voice comes out shaky. "You'd really take us?"

"I would."

She hugs me so tight that I almost can't breathe. I hug her back and she starts to cry.

"I can't, though. I need to stay here to make sure mam and dad don't die."

"You'll die if you stay here."

"I have to."

I sigh and I just keep hugging her. We finally separate.

"Cmon, let's get you cleaned up."

She nods her head, and I bring her into her bathroom and I clean every one of her bruises and cuts so gently. She's looking at me the whole time.

"Is anything broken?", she asks softly. I look at her.

"I wouldn't think so, no. You should be fine."

When I'm done, we head out of the bathroom. She then speaks.

"Do you want to stay tonight? I don't know if I feel safe on my own here."

"Of course. Let me just text my mother."

I text her, and then we head back into her room. Its only half 2, and its good enough weather for a February day, so we head over to my house so I can pick up my stuff. I really don't feel safe leaving her at that house by herself.

When we head inside, I see Alison inside watching TV.

"Hey, girlie!", she calls from inside.

"Sup, Ali.", I say, slumping down on the couch. Gemma just stands at the door awkwardly.

"Hi!", Alison greets cheerily. "You're Gemma Welch, right? Freddie's sister! Come on inside!"

Gemma smiles and sits beside me, and we're so close our knees bang off each other. I feel that weird feeling like in the music room.

"Where's mam and dad?", I ask.

"Trying to deal with some vandals at one of the alleys. Writing 'gay is OK' on the walls of our beautiful town. Can you imagine? I'd lose my shit if you were gay, God forgive me."

I look away from her, and I feel Gemma looking at me.

"We're just going to get hot chocolate and we might head down to Supermacs for a while then.", I say standing up.

"Oh, OK, get me one as well please, love."

"OK."

Gemma and I head into the kitchen, and I bring out 3 glasses and the drinking chocolate and marshmallows.

"Well, that was awkward.", Gemma says. I laugh.

"Yup. We're that family. Its tough, but Ali's great other than that. I ain't homophobic at all."

I pause as I put a cup of milk into the microwave. I then sit back down with Gemma.

"I know. I'm not either. Believe it or not, even though I'm a bitch, I'm not homophobic or anything like that. I can't be racist, coz, well..."

We burst out laughing. Gemma's skin is a beautiful brown colour, and I've always thought she was the prettiest of the Fantastic Five. At least the least snakiest. And I was right. I think Gemma Welch is the nicest girl I've ever met.

"You know, after Freddie, I think you're the best person I know. Funny, nice, beautiful."

And now I'm dead.