The Girl In The Suit

Gemma

Anne looks at me and smiles. There's something in her face that tells me that she's about to say something.

"I think you're the best girl and person I've ever met."

My heart stops working. She's looking into my eyes, and the next thing, we're leaning in. We're only inches away when-

Danny says we're living in a simulation
But he works in a petrol station (sElLiNg PeTrOl)

I pull back and take my phone out of my pocket. Parasite (Freddie) is calling me. I answer immediately.

"Fred, what is it?"

"Are you OK? Where are you?"

"I'm just at Anne's, are you OK?"

"I'm fine, just get home soon before the douchebag wakes up and help me tidy up."

"OK, coming home right now. See you soon, Headache."

"See you, Arseache."

I hang up the call, and Anne's looking at me with concern.

"Is everything OK?", she asks.

"Yeah, he just wants a hand with tidying up the place before our parents wake up. Want to come with me?"

"Of course. More hot chocolate for Ali anyways."

I smile. How the fuck did I bully this girl for so long?

We walk out the door and walk in silence for a minute. I kinda feel like I should just tell her. She isn't homophobic after all.

"Can I tell you something, Anne?", I say.

"Of course, you can tell me anything. I won't judge you."

I stop in front of a house. She stops as well and looks at me. I take a breath.

"OK. Please don't tell anyone, but, I'm bisexual." I leave the breath out.

She smiles. "Is that all? I am too. You're the first person I've told. Does Freddie know?"

"He does. I'm honoured to be the first person who knows. I won't tell a soul."

She gives me that smile, and I smile back. Then, she takes my hand, and my heart stops working. She looks into my eyes.

"Thank you, Gem.", she says softly.

I bite my lip. I was never this awkward until this week. I should just kiss her right now. I should tell her that I've always liked her instead of hated her. Its not like she'd hate me for it.

But what comes out is, "No problem, kid. I'm always here for you."

She smiles and lets go of my hand. "Same, kid."

We walk to my house and when we enter, the house is a bit tidier. Freddie's head pops out of nowhere. He walks out of the sitting room with no shirt on.

"Hey, girls!", he says. I bury my head into Anne's shoulder.

"God, you're so embarrassing! Put it back on!", I groan.

"I got too hot."

"Uh-huh. You got that right."

I look up and see Anne gaping at him. Freddie is grinning. I slap her in the shoulder.

"This is the same guy who once did long division after being asked 6 ÷ 3, why do you find him attractive?", I say to her.

"OK, you do make me hard,", she says pointing to Freddie, and I bury my head in my hands. "But she makes me weak.", and she points to me.

That slick little girl with her The 1975 references. But now I am weak, because of her flirting.

Freddie puts back on his shirt. Thank God because my best friend and crush hitting on my 21 year old brother was getting too weird for me.

"OK, kids, let's get to work before the Douchebags wake up!", he says, clapping his hands together.

"Where are they?"

"They're in bed. We're safe for now. Now, come on! Míchaél is coming over soon and I want him to think I don't live in a madhouse."

I raise my eyebrows. "Who's Míchaél?"

He looks down at his feet. "Uhh, no one?" He runs inside the room.

Anne and I look at each other.

"Gay panic.", we say in unison.

We spend the rest of the evening cleaning the house, and then, when Míchaél comes, we all head down to Supermacs where no ones there. Its very settled, until Aoife comes in with her cousin.

"Welch, why are you here with this queer? Thought you were cooler than this. Cmon, Caoimhe. Let's go somewhere else."

I stand up and move past Anne.

"Would you shut the fuck up for once in your miserable life? What do you have against the girl?"

Aoife scoffs. "Just look at her! She's gay as shit! A walking pride parade! A fag! A lesbo! And you're hanging around with her? I'm not buying your drink at the next disco anyways."

I laugh. "Do you really think I care about any of that? So what if she's gay? So what if she's bi? It doesn't fucking matter. Its 2019, for Christ sake. She's the soundest and least snakiest person I've met. So why don't you get your food and fuck off out of my sight."

She scoffs, mutters something homophobic and goes up to the counter. I sit back down next to Anne, and Freddie and Míchaél are gaping at me. I feel Anne's eyes burning through me.

"What?", I say.

Anne puts her hand on my knee. "You're amazing."

I think I'm in love.