Definitely Not Innocent

I awaken to find myself being aggressively cuddled by Elise. Apparently I'm a little spoon now. The morning passes much as it did yesterday, except for taking turns in the shower, pleasingly for me Elise's en-suite means we can share without concern, the downside that it consists half actual cleaning, and half making out. I never said I had a problem with the downside.

Despite taking much, much, much longer, we still manage to get up in time to catch the bus to school. I know we haven't finished telling everyone about us... But I can't resist, and put my arm around Elise as we make our way to school. I've got enough on my mind with our assignment this morning, I don't have the energy to worry about if anyone realises we're a couple. It's probably self-centred to think anyone would spend the time thinking about it anyway. After far too short of a time, our bus arrives and we step into the school, my hand firmly in hers.

"Well, you two are sickeningly adorable." Comes Trish's voice. We turn back to see the white-haired girl standing beside the gate, she's noticeably wearing an over-sized grey scarf with rough edges. "I was waiting for you, wanted to make sure you were okay after yesterday." She continues, looking at me with concern.

"Not gonna lie, the thought of working with her makes me sick to my stomach, but I've got a pretty good nurse." I answer, smiling at Elise.

"Huh, well, if that's what you're into, we sell those costumes at work." Trish mocks, Elise gives her a look of consideration before joining us in laughing and making our way inside.

"You seen Rouge this morning?" Elise asks Trish as we sit down with our breakfasts.

"Rouge? Er, not this morning, think she came in early, why would I know?" Trish asks... For some reason. Because you two have apparently been hanging out for months? Because you're obsessed with her?

"Just asking, neither of us have heard from her since yesterday morning." Elise clarifies, shooting me a confused look.

"I dunno, probably busy or something, isn't she like the school agony aunt turned test answer machine?" I guess. Truthfully, Rouge's absence has been a worry, even when we didn't talk a lot we still saw each other all the time, could really use her brutal honesty in dealing with Jenny. We barely have time to finish eating before the bell goes for attendance. Me and Trish agree to meet outside the library, then enter together to present a united front. I've reached the point where I'm strategising my social interactions. Maybe talking to other people was a mistake.

*

Turns out our tactics were flawed as Jenny is nowhere to be found. Of course she skipped out on the real work. I don't know why I thought she'd turn up, she'll probably just coast on our work and claim a C, I should be used to this level of- She just walked in.

Jenny rounds the corner without a word, before giving us an awkward "Hi." Which pisses me off to start with, something tells me this is going to get.-

"Why is he here!?" I demand, as Jenny is joined by none other than Gabriel, who stops dead at my question.

"I... He's assigned to sound as well, it was on the call sheet in the room, I went to check it, that's... That's why I'm late." Jenny mutters. I turn to Trish, who's clearly no more happy than me about our new addition. I growl as I sit down.

"Fuck it, why not? Who else do we have? Jeffrey Dahmer? Jack the Ripper? The asteroid that killed the dinosaurs? The bird that shat on my brother's car? Tell me our full line-up!" I rant, as Jenny sits and Gabriel hesitantly follows suit.

"I... I think it's just us four..." He answers quietly.

"Rhetorical question, Geek Chic." Explains Trish in a condescending tone.

"Fuck, let's just get this over with, I'll handle musical queues, Trish, you take FX. Mengele, you've got soundscapes, and Lover Boy, you figure out the needed tech." I order. Half of our jobs overlap, but honestly, as long as they're not talking to me, I don't care if we step on each other's toes. For a few blissful minutes, i tune out their existence and just get to work. Gene chose Romeo and Juliet, so there's a few different pieces we need, I get a few examples of music used in classic performances for reference and-

Trish nudges me in the ribs, before gesturing towards Gabriel, who is... Raising his hand... This prick's going to make me hit him. "A question?" I implore him, just to get him to put his hand down.

"Yes... Erm... Why am I Geek Chic and Lover Boy?" He asks timidly.

Yep. I'm gonna slap him.

"Well, the geek bit, because it was Trish's nickname for you when we tried to figure out why you spent so long staring at me. Of course, mystery solved when I caught you trying to fuck my sister so you could break up with her for another girl, I figured Lover Boy was more generous than Man-Whore." I answer aggressively. Gabriel now looking like he's been caught peeing on the carpet.

"That's....That's a little out of context." He stammers.

"What context makes that better?" Trish answers for me. Jenny wisely continues working without looking up.

"I didn't want to break up because I fell in love with another girl." He answers quietly. "I just told Rouge that at the time because I was embarrassed."

What a defence! I can feel my fist clench as he speaks. "Ooh, goodie! Add lying to the rap-sheet, you've really endeared yourself now." I spit at him.

"I fell in love with a guy." He blurts out in fear.

Oh.

Fuck.

This revelation even makes Jenny look up from her work to examine my broken face. How did... Why? But... What is this concentration of homosexuality? At first it was just me, now everyone's having a go? This doesn't make sense, Rouge would have figured that out. Who is this guy anyway? I don't know why that matters, but I want to know.

"You thought, if you turned down having sex with Rouge, it'd be obvious you were gay?" Trish works out, prompting a nod from Gabriel. "Then, why tell us now?" She adds. Yes Trish, that's an excellent question, thank fuck you're here.

"Actually... That's why I wanted to work with you, I saw you and you girlfriend at the cinema, the one that punched Amanda? You looked so happy it gave me the courage to tell him how I felt." He explains. You know, for someone I've never spoken to before this kid sees me around a lot.

"That was your girlfriend?" Asks Jenny's voice. Oh Good. Just like that, Gabriel's outed me to my nemesis, back to wanting to hit him I go!

I sigh, turning to her. "Yes. We're together, not that it's any of your business." I growl at her, turning back to Gabriel. "Thanks for that. Look, real cute story and everything, but you still broke my sister's heart. I'm glad you're out, but I'm not some kind of same-sex superhero, you don't owe me anything, we're not friends, I wasn't even out at that point, I'm still not in a lot of cases... Just, do whatever you want, leave me out of it." I conclude, turning back to my work.

"You really are a lot like Rouge!" Gabriel's voice chuckles. I choose not to acknowledge it... Exactly like Rouge would... Did I panic so much about this assignment I adopted my sister's personality to seem tougher? The realisation brings my work to a halt, as I hear giggling from Trish. I look at her to see her trying to control it, to no effect.

I can't seem to resist the growing smirk on my face either, which soon sets off Trish into full-blown laughter, with me close behind. I catch sight of Gabriel's confused and scared face, which only makes me laugh harder. This continues for several minutes until Trish regains some composure.

"Well, that's a first." She grins, wiping her eyes. "Rouge would kill you if she heard about this." She added. true, I can almost hear her mocking my attempts at copying her.

"I've finished." Jenny's voice announces, passing me a sheet of paper. "Do you need me to do anything else?" She asks, her face the same fixed mixture of glum and solemn.

"You got somewhere to be?" I ask, looking at her work.

"I just don't want to ruin your day any more than I have." She begins. "I appreciate you not making it harder on me, you're being nicer than I ever way to you. I owe Gene so I can't just disappear, I wish I could, but I just wanted to thank you... For being better."

"Don't try and butter me up." I respond coldly.

"Wouldn't dream of it. Just wanted to make sure I said it." She finishes and makes her exit. I haven't forgotten, I haven't forgiven. Definitely not. I just don't have the energy to keep hating her. Not when I have so much in my life I'd rather commit that energy to. The three of us continue in silence for a while longer before Trish's curiosity gets the better of her.

"So... Who's the lucky guy?" She asks. I won't lie, I kind of want to know too, but I didn't want to ask.

"Oh... Erm... It's a guy from the Rugby team, Henry?" Gabriel confirms. Me and Trish look at each other with matching shock.

"As in... Amanda's Henry?" I confirm tentatively.

"I mean, they were together, but after Amanda's family moved, we just kind of... Happened." He explains. This confirms two things, first that Amanda is truly gone for good, which is the greatest news I've ever heard. But also that Amanda's ex stole Rouge's boyfriend which... Makes me think this school is a very small place sometimes.

*

I catch Elise up on all the details of the morning during PE, which I had to go home during lunch to get my kit for. One day I'll remember. But soon the final bell comes, and I decide something as we finish changing.

"I'm... I'm going to tell Mum today." I say out loud. Wow. There it is. It's out in the world. Elise's face is one of surprise and adoration.

"Oh, Lapin, are you going to be okay? Do you want me to come with you?" She asks, stroking my arm.

"So much... But I think I need to do this by myself." I tell her with a **** smile. "Besides, we could do with some time apart before our date tomorrow." I reveal.

"Ooh, you left that bit out, where are you taking me?" She asks with a renewed grin.

Maybe I shouldn't be making plans based on a conversation I'm yet to have... But I want to. It'll give me motivation to get it done. "There's a bar Jasper let slip the location of, somewhere we can be an actual couple in public, I thought it'd be fun to check it out." I explain.

Elise's smile tells me all I need to know. We make our way out of the school and hug goodbye as I turn towards home. This is it. The last hurdle until I'm out for real. There's no way Mum would have a problem with it... Right?