The Doctor

9

Anna stared up at the ceiling, a goofy grin in place and the urge to kick around her legs with joy. The kiss had finally put Anna's mind to some rest, but it also added so many more emotions like lust and love and happiness. She knew now that she mustn't be straight, she accepted it without a real struggle even though she had seen the stigma and the way people perceived 'gays', Anna felt that if she was gay or bi at least and happy, then it didn't matter what anyone thought of her. Anna always waltzed to the beat of her own drum through life, undeterred by what the people in the band were playing or the observers watching her dance. Opinions rolled off her, some making small dints on her skin but healing quickly, but none the less she was pretty much perfectly unaffected by the pettiness of others and their hurtful words. 

As Anna lay there, wanting to scream to the world about what she'd just done, her thoughts strayed naturally to Stella, who was a replica of Anna. Stella was also lying in bed, on her side staring out the window at the rain. She was smiling so much her cheeks hurt and just as her eyes closed for sleep, she pictured that Anna was beside her, arm draped around her waist. 

Anna ran to the phone as soon as she heard it from the laundry, she skidded into the kitchen and felt her heart drop drastically when she saw it was only Joey.

"What?" she snapped, sinking into a stool and wondering if it would be needy to ring Stella this early in the day.

Joey laughed on the other end, it was hard to offend him, he had thick skin. 

"Good morning to you, too," he teased. "I'm guessing that your lady friend didn't stay over?"

"Joey, for the last time, she isn't my... lady friend," Anna got out with a sigh. Were they? Weren't they? A single kiss could give so much clarity but at the same time so much confusion.

"Well, forgive me for hoping for some real love in this world," Joey mumbled. "So, what happened? Don't leave out any of the details, I mean it."

"Ew, Joey that's wrong," Anna said with a screwed up face. 

"I realised that as soon as I said it."

"Nothing, nothing happened."

"Right, so why were you dancing in front of the elevator?" 

"I wasn't dancing in front of the elevator."

"You were."

"I wasn't."

"Just tell me," Joey groaned childishly. "Please, I'm so bored and I need gossip."

"Well, go out and buy a tabloid, then." Joey was silent, it worked better than any words on Anna.  "Fine," she groaned and stood up to move to look out the window. "We may have kissed," she said rather thickly as she crossed her arms.

"No way!"

"It was... nice," Anna said, looking down at the people wearing heavy coats and holding hands. 

"Nice?"

"Fine, it was incredible," Anna said enthusiastically, grinning to herself. "I couldn't believe it when it happened, I mean I made the first move but I didn't know I'd even made the move after it was over. Her lip, oh man, her lips are so soft and she smelt nice, there was no sweat or beer or stubble to get annoyed at. I just... I think..."

Joey didn't talk, thinking Anna would come back to the thought she just trailed off on.

"You think?" he urged.

"I think... it's stupid..." she trailed off again, blushing at her thought she hadn't even said aloud. 

"God, Anna, you just told me pretty much everything, and I'm pretty sure you forgot that I was here. Just spit it out."

"I think I'm in love," she said quickly. 

Yes, this must be it. She'd never felt it before, never understood why saying 'I love you' was a big deal and why girls felt so devastated when relationships ended. It was foolish though, being in love was such a cliche and Anna wanted no part of being stereotyped, even if it did feel so good. 

"Well, damn."

"Hmm," Anna hummed in thought.

"Are you dating now?" Joey said in confusion.

"See, I sort of smiled at her and ran off before we could talk about what happened."

"So you don't even know if she liked it? Or if she's up for a relationship?"

"Joey, she's a girl, not an alien, I know what flirting is and there was plenty of it. Touching my hand at the bar, leg brushing against mine, laughing and smiling at me and I was flirting back too, I'm pretty sure she smiled at me after I kissed her too. It's a bit of a blur honestly, I was just so happy."

"Can I come up."

"No," Anna said firmly.

"What? Why not?"

"Because," Anna said, nearly jumping in joy, "she's downstairs."