honeycrisp.

28

pen sat on the chair in her mother's room as francesca, her said mother, watched a movie on her bed.

"remember how i was telling you about sei? my friend that i met early last month? i went to party with them."

pen's face practically melted at the mention of her recent companion.

"wow your face got really red. friend you say?"

pen should've known that her mother would notice. she noticed every time.

"yeah, sorta. it's complicated. they invited me to their house for dinner."

"they?"

pen had a feeling that her mom would notice that too.

"sei doesn't have a gender. they prefer they and their pronouns." pen explained.

"oh sure. that's different. well am i invited?" she sat up, pausing the movie.

pen raised her eyebrows and scratched the back of her neck.

pen knew her mother and she knew that she would embarass her to no end.

"i didn't really think you'd want to come. you want to come?" pen was mentally punching herself.

of course she wants to come, pen thought.

"of course i want to come. with your face as red as it is, i think it's time i meet them."

"we're friends though mom. to them we're friends." pen clarified.

her mom would make suggestive comments if this wasn't told beforehand.

it would ruin their progress if her mom was pushing them together.

"to them? why aren't you friends when they think you're friends? didn't you call you guys friends?"

pen inherited the curiosity that many people hated dearly from francesca.

pen finally understood why.

"it's complicated." pen looked off.

it was hard to think about, let alone talk about.

"well it can't be that complicated. have you two done anything? like kiss?" she wiggled her eyebrows.

"mom." she groaned, covering her cheeks with both hands.

"i just want to know the situation. has there been sexual relations even?"

pen stood up abruptly.

"okay i'm leaving now."