“Is it weird calling you already?” Cece holds out her phone putting Alex on speaker. She lays on the sofa at her mother's house. Her partner laughs through the other line.
“You left six hours ago. It hasn’t been a full day yet.”
“Well I miss you. It’s different here. Not the same.”
“I’ll come over and visit. Spend the night,” Alex responds playfully.
“Your mom won’t mind, right?”
“She doesn't, uh, really know about… us… yet…” Cece trails off. She folds one leg on the cushions with the other outstretched.
There’s a brief pause that feels awkward and heavy.
“Is there something about me that embarrasses you? What the fuck, Cece!” Alex snaps.
“It’s not you, okay?” the blonde insists. “It’s Her. She has no idea that I’m into females and the fact that I’ve kissed one…”
“One? ‘One’ what? I’m not some freakin’ alien from outer space!” Alex continues shouting.
“If I’m just a self-discovery experiment to you—”
“That’s not what you are, Alex! Oh my god, don't even think that!” Cece cuts off. Her chipped navy nail-polish fingers sprawl across her face.
Her eyes peek through them at the sound of her mother and brother coming home from dropping her father off at the hotel he was staying at.
“Tell your mom you’re seeing a chick,” Alex demands. “She should be happy you won’t get pregnant!”
“That’s so not-funny,” Cece lowers her voice just as Devin appears with an iced coffee Mom bought him. He sips out of the straw while kicking off his sneakers.
Their mother calls out her name and emerges with her jacket unzipped. Cece abruptly ends the call with Alex knowing she was going to get Hell from that later on.
“Hi, hon. We’re back.”
“I can see that. Hey there.” Cece smiles and turns to her twin brother who already switched the TV to play on his PS5.