The Lesbian Gene (Lesbian, Gay, GirlxGirl)

Chapter 7: Debate

"Thanks."

Hanz's shoulders relaxed. "So. . . Can we get some food in here? I'm starving."

I didn't know how it ended up this way, but both boys went to the convenience store, leaving Audra and me in the room, Neil issuing some protest until Hanz had dragged him away.

It was suddenly awkward with just the two of us because I wanted to thank Audra again for staying here with me, yet I knew that her reasons were probably just to buy some time. Not entirely for my well-being.

That was why I was so surprised when she actually smiled at me, brightening the gloomy room immediately. "Quite a day, huh?" she whispered.

"Uhm. . ."

Audra's smile was gone in a flash, replaced by an unreadable expression, as she walked onto the window, parting the blinds with her fingers. I wish I had said something catchier, like any normal girl in the world would. Instead, we were left with an uncomfortable silence. I was failing myself by the second.

"How's your wound?" she said after a while, peeking out the blinds. "Are the painkillers we gave you still working?"

"Err. . ."

She took a deep breath at my reply. If I were her, I'd be thinking how to leave with Neil by now. To be stuck in any room with me was torture on its own. Yet she didn't look unfazed when she turned around, was about to say something when Neil and Hanz had made it back to the room, opening the door, their hands overstuffed with canned goods.

It was Hanz who'd made it to my side first, laid down some bandages next to me. "Last in stock," he murmured. "Mr. Dante, my neighbor, and the owner of this store, didn't go for another refill before leaving for a vacation. That's why Audra had to make do with only a gauze while cleaning your wound yesterday, Pax. We need to be more careful with the rest we have."

I glanced at Audra but already she was helping Neil out. I didn't have time to ask her yesterday who took care of me while I had been sleeping. But apparently it was her. Everything was owed to her. But not once did I say thank you. What kind of awful human being was I?

Neil diverted the conversation, however, as he brought some of the food to the floor near the place I was sitting on. His eyes flickering to me. "Told you, you're dead weight," he said.

Hanz was already moving my head, his hands gently clutched under my chin before I could say anything. "Don't listen to him," he whispered. "Eat first, then after this we'll talk. We'll sort this whole thing out. I promise."

Breakfast— or lunch for that matter, was such a sad affair when the people you were with kept giving each other snarky remarks, this time coming from Hanz. He had barely touched his food while the rest of us were eating out of the cans ourselves, but had instead grumbled about killing animals and using their meat for our own selfish gains, which I had to admit, had even surprised me.

"What are you going on for?" Neil said while the four of us were seated on the floor. "Those sausages are good. Why are you sticking to the corns?"

"I'm vegan," Hanz replied, follow by another grumble. "And you're a serial animal killer, aren't you? The prick that you are?"

Despite everything that happened, I couldn't help but be amused, let alone let out a snicker. But even my leg was against me. Like Neil, it refused to let me be in peace, giving me a doze of ache, equal to being hit by a bullet train.

Audra glanced at me when I whimpered under my breath. "You're not eating," she said.

"Y-yes I am."