The Queer

26 ☑️

She wished that he was there. She wanted to see him in his room, cuddling with her and giving her head kiss every once in a while. She wanted to feel safe again.

And there he was. He stood in the doorway, leaning against the jamb and smiling kindly. "You know, I always wanted the best for you. You're the closest person to me."

"I love you too, big boy," she got up and went to hug him. "I wouldn't actually give you up. I don't even understand what made me give up on you the first time, Brycie."

He squeezed her. "Are you having your episodes again? I never left, remember? I am still here and I'm never leaving you. I know that you can have these episodes every once in a while, but it's becoming more frequent." He took her back to the bed. 

"What do you mean you never left? You left to save what was left of Helen and Libby's relationship. You became this other person and hurt many people," she said with confused look. Then she looked around and realized that they were in her old room. "What is this? This place burnt to ashes such a long time ago."

"This one is new. What do you mean? Nothing burnt down. Everything's fine," as he said it, their parents (Cinzia and John) started yelling at one another, "well besides that."

"Yeah. They used to do it each time they were somewhere at the same time," she mumbled. "I haven't been here for so long. I almost forgot what it looks like over here." She stood up and walked around. She looked through all the teddy bears, drawings, toys and shelf full of books.

He stood up and laid his hand on hers. "What are you talking about?" She turned around and hugged him again. She needed to feel his hugs and he was there to give them to her.

"Last time we actually spoke you told me your name is Jessie. That you came only because of a favor. I haven't seen Bryce since I yelled at him to leave my life forever. You left Linny's house and I didn't see you since then. I was the last push," she mumbled to his chest. She squeezed him closer. She was afraid he was going to leave again.

He pulled away. "Who's Jessie? Why would we be in house of people that we don't even know?" He seemed genuinely confused by her words.

She furrowed her eyebrows. "What do you mean? You and Linny used to date and you two were like the cutest couple even before you dated. What's going on right now? As if you never met with her in the cafeteria." She started pacing around the room. She made five full circles then stopped and looked at him. "You never met her at mister Satori's cafeteria?"

He chuckled. "If by cafeteria you mean bar, then no I didn't even walk in. You know me, I would never go into a bar." He pulled her back into his arms just to be sure she won't start walking again.

"Wait what? No. He has his little work place - he sells coffee and tea." She stepped away. She couldn't find the stable point that was when everything changed. Bryce and Linny met when they were 7/8. So things changed before that. She didn't know when exactly, but she knew that something was wrong. "What about mister Satori's wife?"

"Why are you still talking about him? He has bar and he gets drunk there every single day. His wife died so long ago that nobody believes that Satori is just drinking away the pain." Bryce furrowed his eyebrows. He didn't understand his little sister.

She sighed and rested her face into her hands. "That's the point when everything turned sideways. What I remember is you meeting Linny over at the cafeteria where you used to spend your days talking to Satori couple. Both of them." She looked up at him. He looked at her as if she was crazy.

"What are you talking about? Who's Linny?" He sat beside her.

She took deep breath. "Your ex-girlfriend that went crazy when you left and married Abia. You met her when you were leaving the cafeteria that I am talking about these past ten minutes. You were shipped as couple for years before you actually started dating. Everyone at school laughed that you weren't able to escape each other's friendzone and then everyone went crazy when you two actually started dating."