The Aftermath (Reddie)

48

Eddie's POV

I was avoiding Richie, and I think he was avoiding me too. At least I would've thought he would try and pursue me, but he hadn't.

Which didn't make me feel any better.

But I made it through the whole school day without talking to Richie.

It was time to go home...and see my mom. I didn't want to do that, I didn't want to have to live a big lie just to stay at home.

So I went to the store to kill time.

Not many people were there. Which kinda sucked because I wanted to just disappear into a crowd where no one even knew who I was or cared who I liked.

The sad fact was, I had to pretend to like girls, just for my mom.

How hard would that be? I could pretend to be straight. I could do it.

I just...I needed to practice. I needed to find a girl to...hit on. I think that violates both me and whoever I choose to flirt with.

I looked around the store, maybe I would get lucky and find a girl right here in the store.

There.

A tall woman leaning on her cart in the aisle over. Her hair was black and long. She seemed like my type, if I was...you know...into girls.

"Hey," I called. But I was quiet and still far away from her, my greeting could be directed at anyone.

So I walked up to her.

"Hey," I said again and smiled.

Richie had said my smile was pretty so maybe she would think so too.

The woman looked up at me and made a face.

"I'm flattered, really, but- oh my god! Eddie?!"

Wait what?

I looked at her shocked face. It was angular, with freckles, messy hair.....

"Mary Ann?!" I exclaimed. My face lit up like hers.

She embraced me in a big hug.

"It's been so long! You still pining over a certain Hawaiian shirt wearing lad?" she teased.

I blushed, "it's complicated..."

"Spill," she grinned.

"Well....we hadn't really spoken for four years and then it was his birthday and we played truth or dare and I was dared to do seven minutes in heaven with whoever I wanted and I chose Richie-"

"Nice,"

"-and then he told me he was gay-"

"dumbass, you didn't know?"

I continued on despite her interrupting comments.

"-but then I kissed him anyways and then I got drunk and realized I was hella gay so I came out to him and then he asked if I like him and I ran away-"

Mary Ann sighed.

"-and then I had a panic attack and we kissed and then went back to his house-"

"ooooo," she wiggled her eyebrows.

I rolled my eyes, "-and we kissed again but then we went to bed and the next day he acted like nothing happened and so I invited him to help me study after school but he never showed and then my mom came in and basically told me that if I was gay I would be kicked out so I told her I was straight."

I gasped for air.

Mary Ann blinked, "wow, I've missed your motor mouth. And I'm sorry about Richie being a total d-bag, that's way I don't tango with men. They can be super dramatic, but if that's what you like then I'm not gonna stop you."

I rolled my eyes.

"As for your mom's homophobia..." she took a deep breath, "this sucks but...you just have to wait it out. If coming out will cause more pain than staying quiet, don't. Stay safe. You need to be able to have a home to come home to, even if that means hiding who you are until you are old enough to move away." Mary Ann reached forward and patted my shoulder, "I mean look at me, I didn't come out to my parents during high school, I graduated, went to college, and met a smoking hot girlfriend. And now we live happily together with a dog and two cats."

"Wait? You have a girlfriend?" I was oblivious.

She rolled her eyes, "that's what you got out of my rant?"

I shrugged, "whatever, I'll take your advice, I wanna meet your girl!" I whined.

Mary Ann grinned at me, "she's in the bathroom right now, she should be back any second."

Just as she was saying this a smaller woman in her twenties was running towards Mary Ann.

I tried to point and warn her, but the woman had already ran and jumped playfully on Mary Ann, who screeched and giggled.

"Annalise!" she giggled.

The smaller woman, Annalise, smiled brightly at her girlfriend and then noticed me.

"Who's this?" she asked pointing at me.

"Oh, that's Eddie, remember. My fake boyfriend."

I felt embarrassed but honored that I had been mentioned to Annalise. Mary Ann never forgot about me.

"Of course!" Annalise said brightly and hugged me, "the disaster gay!"

Now I was really embarrassed.

They looked so happy together, I had never really seen a gay couple before. Here they were though, holding hands and glancing at each other dreamily ever now and then.

Annalise was so happy, a contrast to Mary Ann's sarcasm. She wasn't super small, but short than Mary Ann, with shoulder length brown hair and bangs.

"You guys are so happy," I said softly.

Annalise smiled, "well yeah, we get to be ourselves."

I wanted that. I wanted to be that happy. I wanted to be with Richie.

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Longer chapter, I real hungry and Mary Ann is back boissss. Love her. she even got herself a girlfriend.

Powerful lesbian dynamic