Upside Down(14)

I snorted out a laugh. “I like it. That it matches, that is.”

“I like that you have such eclectic taste in books, and I like that you save me a seat.” He shook his head like he couldn’t believe he’d just said that.

The bus turned onto Cleveland. “Um. This is my stop.” He turned his knees to the aisle, giving me room to get out. I stood and fixed my messenger bag over my shoulder. “I like that you like those things.”

“Tomorrow then,” he said, his cheeks pinking up nicely.

“Tomorrow.”





Michael took one look at me, handed me my coffee, and narrowed his eyes. “Okay, spill the deets. What happened?”

“What do you mean?” I feigned ignorance.

He held out his hand, counting off his fingers. “You’re happy, for one. Two, I know that smile. That smile tells me something happened with, I’m assuming, your bus guy. And three, you can’t lie for shit.”

There was no point denying it. “We’ve been talking. On the bus. But just for five minutes, each day. That’s it. Nothing too exciting. But…”

“But?”

“But he’s interesting. And he’s cute.”

“And he’s asexual?”

I frowned up at him. “Not that it matters, but yes. Well, we haven’t discussed it since the meeting, but he went to a support group for asexuals and he had a bit of a freak-out because he realised it was his truth, so yes. I’m thinking he is.”

“I just don’t want to see you go through all that shit again, that’s all.”

“I know. And I appreciate that. But it shouldn’t matter.”

“But it kind of does.”

I sighed and let my agreement go unsaid. We both knew he was right.

“Maybe you should ask him,” Michael said before sipping his coffee. He left me alone with that, and I knew he had a point.

“Maybe I should.”





I lifted my bag onto my lap and Jordan smiled as he sat next to me. He wore a red scarf today, matching his red shoes, and the colour complemented the pink of his cheeks perfectly.

“Good afternoon,” I said, unable to hide my smile. I ignored the feeling in my belly that felt a lot like butterflies.

“Hi,” he replied. “Thanks again for the seat. It’s cold out there today.”

“It is,” I said, nodding to the dark and gloomy Sydney sky. “Makes running in the evenings a bit brisk.”

“You run?” he asked. “Like, willingly? For fun?”

“Well, I don’t know if fun is the right word. Exercise, mostly. It helps to clear my head, and I do enjoy it, so maybe a little bit of fun. I take it you’re not a fan.”

“Hmm, running,” he pondered. “Actually, I run late for most things. I run my mouth off all the time. I have a run-in with some arsehole customers on the regular. I run errands. Oh, and I have actually had to run to the bathroom a few times, which is why I now no longer eat dairy.”

I laughed at that.

Smiling, he added, “Wasn’t pretty. But general running for cardiovascular exercise, not so much.”

The bus stopped at the lights at Cleveland Street and my stop was up next, so if I wanted to ask him about the asexual thing, I needed to do it now.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Uh, sure,” he said, making it sound like a question. “I have soy in my coffee, if you’re wondering about the dairy thing. Sometimes almond milk if I want to live dangerously.”

I snorted. “That wasn’t my question, but it’s good to know, thanks.”

He looked at me and I suddenly found the stitching on my messenger bag really interesting. The traffic lights turned green and we rumbled around the corner. Dammit, I needed more time…

“Your question?” he prompted. “I mean, it’s no big deal. I get asked questions all the time. Like just today, I got asked why Sun-Beams May Be Extracted From Cucumbers, But The Process Is Tedious wasn’t included in all state libraries. Not completely random, but throw in the fact it was a guy literally wearing a tin foil hat who asked… And they look at me like I’m the one with a problem.”

I blinked at that and considered asking what the fuck because how was that, in anyone’s definition, not random, but the bus was pulling up at the kerb. “Well, damn. That was my question. Now I feel stupid.”

He gawped at me until he realised I was smiling. “Your question was about Sun-Beams May Be Extracted From Cucumbers, But The Process Is Tedious?”

“Yes. How uncanny that someone should think to ask it before me.”

“You are joking, right?”

“Yes.”

“Sarcasm is in the self-help section, by the way.”

“Self-help?”

“Yes, so you can pull your head out of your own arse.”

I barked out a laugh. “Are you always so funny?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. There’s a fine line between comedy and horror. It could go either way.”

The doors opened and I had to get up. “Sorry, this is my stop.”

“Oh, sure.” He swung his legs out so I could slip past. “Was the ‘are you always so funny’ question your actual question?”