deception - original story [3]

chapter two

CHAPTER TWO
devil town

"What's this?" Gina's mom slams Gina's phone onto the table.

"My phone," Gina says, "...What's wrong?"

"Your little friend, Alana," Her mom shrugs, "She called you. So I read your texts with her. Who's Tara? And since when are you a lesbian?"

Gina's heart drops to her stomach.

"I'm not..." Gina is at a loss for words, unable to speak.

Gina's mom feels the need to smack her across the face, in case that might get her to say something.

"I... what did you see? I'm not a lesbian, Mom--" Gina tries to talk, but she's cut off.

"Don't even think about calling me that," Her mom hisses, "You aren't my daughter. You're some fāggøt. So get out of my fucking house."

"What?"

"Get out of my motherfucking house and don't come back, you whore!"

Gina flinches, grabbing her phone and running out the door.

Now what?

•••
TWO DAYS LATER

"You don't like him, do you?" Phoebe furrows her eyebrows, although Tom can't see her while they're on the phone, "I mean, no judgement, but my brother is... difficult."

"No, not really," Tom says, "He's kinda weird."

"And he's Team Jeremiah," Phoebe adds, "Did I tell you that?"

"What? Ugh, no, what the fuck?" Tom objects, "He's Team Jere? That's a red flag, right?"

"Hold on, Alana and Olive are coming over." Phoebe hangs up the phone, "Do you think being Team Jeremiah is a red flag?"

"Definitely a red flag," Alana responds, "I hate to change the subject, but is Shawn walking over here? I've already looked back twice and it'll look weird if I look again."

"No," Phoebe answers, "Wait, never mind, he is."

"Shit, do I look okay?"

"Alana, you're fine," Olive says, "Are you and Shawn together? I feel like everyone's somewhat aware of their relationship status except you two."

"Oh, well, we're getting frozen yogurt after school, and I'm thinking I'll talk to him about it then," Alana says, "And you'd be wrong about that, considering Gina and Tara are way unsure of their relationship status."

"Yeah... where is Gina?" Olive furrows her eyebrows, "She's had perfect attendance since fifth grade. She wouldn't just... miss school. It's not like her."

"Fifth grade?" Phoebe widens her eyes, "Goddamn, where is she, then?"

"I've been texting her," Alana sighs, "She hasn't responded or even talked to me in two days."

"Hey," Tara says as she sits down at the table, and she looks nervous about something, "Have you guys seen Gina?"

•••

"That is disgusting." Alana says, grimacing at the taste of Shawn's frozen yogurt, "You just... casually enjoy anything bubblegum flavored?"

Shawn chuckles, "What's wrong with bubblegum?"

"Bubblegum is something you're not even meant to swallow!" Alana exclaims, "Why would you want a flavor of something that isn't even edible?"

"Alright, point taken, but yours can't be much better," Shawn furrows his eyebrows, "I mean, Strawberry Cheesecake? Absolutely nothing interesting about that."

"Here," Alana hands him a spoonful of her frozen yogurt, "Try it."

Shawn reluctantly tries it and sighs, "Shit, that is really good."

Alana laughs, "Told you so."

The laughter dies down.

"So, I've been meaning to ask you..." Alana thinks about it, "Are we... something? I mean, we're obviously something, but..."

"Yeah, uh..." Shawn decides, "We... we aren't together, are we?"

"No," Alana lets out a nervous laugh, "Obviously not. Do you want to be?" Alana asks, with a sliver of hope that he'll say yes.

"No," Shawn shakes his head, thinking that means that Alana doesn't want a relationship, "We're a thing, though, right?"

"Yeah."

"But not together."

"Nope."

Shawn sighs and nods, "Cool."

A/N: shawn and alana are so irritating and I WROTE THEM idk why they can't just say how they feel 🫥