We The Misfits

2//blue lemonade

Zed was young, he was always termed as 'odd'. He never really did anything odd, it was just his choices that made people a bit wary about him. As a child, he'd always wear pink jumpers and fluorescent pink shoes and because everyone thought that pink was a feminine colour, he was often ostracised. Sometimes, Zed's gran, when she was alive, would always come home just to warn Louisa to keep a look out for Zed. "He's heading in the wrong direction."

Sure, it was enough to put his mom in fright. He remembers how she'd hold out a black or red shirt and say, "what about this? Boys like these colours and they wear these kind of clothes." Zed's dad never really gave a damn about it. In fact, he was the first person to know and accept Zed's sexuality. His sister always called him a free soul but Zed was sure it was just to infuriate mom.

    Zed groans out loud and slams his pen down. He runs his hands through his messy black hair and pulls on it gently.

    Ah, the perks of being a writer. No matter how many times he sets his pen down to the paper and attempts to write a story about a girl being murdered and what a huge mystery it would be to find out who killed her but he always ends up writing about a girl and her lover facing the perilous consequences of being gay.

    Why is he so porous to writing?

    Deciding that Avery Hackett had way too many dialogues and was way too dramatic, he's crushes up the paper, aims it at the dustbin and throws it. The scrunched up paper lands on his bed.

    He's had enough already. Zed rolls his eyes and pushes back his chair making as much as noise as he could. He walks to the vanity dresser that is right in front of his bed and sits on the stool and begins his routine.

    First, it's the foundation. Even though his mom was a bit uncomfortable with the fact that her son preferred makeup, she always advised him to put on the foundation first. And then, the eyeliner.

    That's as far as Zed could go. Sometimes when he felt special, he'd put on some lipstick and some rouge but today, he wasn't quite feeling it so he went with the basics.

    Having put on a 'Rolling Stones' shirt and some skinny jeans, Zed descends the stairs with his Walkman tucked in his pocket. He mumbles some tune under his breath as he makes his way to the kitchen, entranced by the sugary aroma.

    "What are you doing?"

    "Boiling my dog's bones. It's said to bring good luck!" says Louisa, bustling around the kitchen.

    "We don't even have a dog," Zed dead pans. "What are you- yes!"

    Louisa stifles a smile and pulls down the latch of the oven. She gets out a tray and the smell instantly hits Zed. He lets out a beatific sigh and places his hand on his growling stomach. "You didn't tell me you were baking shepherd's pie today."

    She chuckles and swats his dreamy face with a drenched wash cloth that makes him cringe. "Get going now."

•••

   

    He opens the latch of his picnic basket.

    They're here again. This time, he's closer so he can eavesdrop. He pulls out his slice and bites, chewing softly.

    Robyn's reading a book. From what Zed has heard, he's pretty sure it's Pride and Prejudice. Seated against a tree that is closer to them, he smiles softly as he listens to them bickering.

    "Shut up, Dom," Robyn scowls and Dominic stops grinning. His ivory skin is darker under the sunlight. Dominic huffs and looks at Harper who has his head on Robyn's lap with his legs criss-crossed. "You still want to listen to this bull?"
Harper shrugs.