"Why did you agree to them?" Yale shouted, pacing around me while I laid my back on the wall. "You should have refused."
"You know as well as I do that if I didn't do anything, you would have."
"Of course." She said, not looking at me. "Why would I let them talk about my boyfriend however they want to? My family is in a higher position than any of them. How dare they call you a nobody?"
"Calm down." I took out a parcel from the walls and handed it to her. "You should eat. I don't want you to starve."
"Me? Starve??" She shouted as a rumbling came from her stomach, a blush creeping up her face. She took the parcel from me, "Fine! I'll eat!"
Sitting down right where she stood, Yale opened up the parcel and stared at the braised meat in the middle. Mouthwatering, she threw off all her clothes and dug in.
"You really don't have to strip all the time," I said, taking off my school blazer and covered her with it. "What if someone comes in?"
"They will just think that you are sleeping with me," Rumant said, winking at me. "You won't mind that, will you, Zion?"
"You say all that nonsense but we have never had sex before." I sighed, sitting in front of him with my eyes on the door behind him. "We only ever slept in the same bed many times."
"You want to sleep with me, Zion?" He asked, tilting his head to the side. "Even if I am really like this?"
"This meaning? That you are a messy eater?" I couldn't help teasing him. "You know I am a Cleaner so I don't mind that."
For some reason, I know that he is Yale and Rumant at the same time. But I am more comfortable around Rumant than I am with Yale, though they are the exact same people. I wonder why.
"You know that is not what I meant." He said, raising his eyebrow at me. "I do not have any female genitals. Physically, I am male."
"So?" I asked, tilting my head to the side. "You still have a hole, don't you? Two of it to be exact. I can use either one."
"You … are you gay?"
I stared at the naked boy in front of me with disbelief. My brain could not process a word he just said as invisible formulas and calculations floated around my vision.
Did he really just ask that? Did the person I am dating just asked me if I was gay, while dating him?
I just … what's the logical conclusion here??
"I don't know." I finally answered, looking at him. "What do you think? Am I?"
"You don't seem gay."
"There is a criterion you need to fill to seem gay?"
"It's just … look, if people saw me and knew that I really am … male, they will immediately assume I am gay." He said, looking around for a napkin to wipe his hands.
Taking out some spare napkins from my pocket, I handed them to him.
"Thank you. But you … you look like a typical straight guy." He said nonchalantly. "Wait, I just realised, you are dating me, right? Knowing that I am a guy … seems pretty gay."
"I have no words," was all I could say at this point.
"Then again," he wrapped his arms around his legs, pulling them to his chest, "I don't mind having sex with you, if you are ok with it."
He walked to me, smiling sweetly but I was too lost to care at the moment.
"Sorry. Not in the mood." I said, getting to my feet. "You should wear your uniform again. Before the bell rings."
"Eh? I thought you wanted to sleep with me."
"Not in the school. And certainly not during lunchtime." I said, cleaning up his mess as he wore his clothes again.
I thought … wait, are we not in a relationship to him? I thought we were. But he also doesn't see himself as gay while dating me.
I just can't seem to wrap my head around this at all.
Suddenly hands wrapped around my waist from behind, a head leaning on my back.
"I'm still cleaning up here, Yale," I said, trying not to allow my thoughts to go further than they already were. Sometimes they go a little overboard if I do not try to forget about them?
"Something is bothering your mind." She said, not letting go of me. "Tell me, was it something I said?"
"Yale," I said, turning to face her. "What do you see yourself as? Male or female? Or do you see yourself as in between?"
"Well, as Yale, I am female. The only, beloved daughter of the Cassese family." She said, after thinking for a second. "But out of these clothes, I am just Rumant. A non-existent boy. Someone, you and a handful of others know the existence of.
"I … I think I am both, Yale and Rumant, if that makes sense, Zion. Sorry, I am not very good at explaining."
She looked at me sheepishly, almost as though she was too scared to make eye contact with me.
Stupid idiot, why did I let my thoughts get that ahead of me? I told her I accepted her as she was. No matter what it was.
"Come here." I pulled her into a tight embrace. "Sorry. I was just a little thrown off when you said you weren't gay, knowing you are dating me. I got a little carried away in my thinking. Sorry."
She shook her head, burying her face in the crook of my neck. "I understand why you would be confused."
Pulling away from the hug, she sighed, scratching the back of her neck.
"What?"
"Listen well to what I am going to say because I will not say this twice." She said, pushing me to the ground and then sat on my lap, catching me completely off guard. "Even if I have the body of a boy, I am known as a female.
"So I am both, male and female. That is also why I cannot say if I am gay or not."
She paused, blush creeping up her face until she was almost the colour of her hair.
"You don't have to say if you are unc-"
She shoved a finger to my mouth, unable to meet my eyes, "Shut up and let me speak."
I only nodded, trying not to smile while I stared at her flushed expression.
"Since I can't say what I am, I can't be specific." She said, voice getting lower and lower. "But … I know that I like you. Whether I am male or female or something in between. I … I just like you, Zion. As a human being."
I don't know what came over me, I also have no explanation of my actions or why I did what I did next but … that was the best kiss of my entire life.
And Yale did not push me away either so I could say I got her consent but I will confirm it with her in a bit. After this.
I-it won't be long. Kisses don't last that long.
Just … a little longer.
____________________
What ended up happening was that missed the first class after lunch and had to sit in the rooftop to wait for the next class.
"Sorry." I apologised, scratching the back of my head. "I got a little carried away there."
"I didn't mind it," Yale said, still not looking at me but I can see her red ears peeking from behind her hair. I almost mistook it for her hair. She mumbled something under her breath that I did not catch.
"What?"
"I said! You could do it more often if you wanted!" She burst out shouting and then got redder than she already was. I didn't think it was possible to get that red but I stand corrected.
"Are you feeling hot?" I asked, taking her hands in mine as I allowed the cold to fill my entire palms, cupping her face. "Better?"
She nodded, sinking into my touch.
"Why don't we make it snow a little bit," I asked, waving my hands above us as clouds started to gather but she grabbed my hands and shook her head.
"Don't, you used a lot of your magic already today creating that bunny. I am fine with this." She said, putting my hands back on her cheeks.
"If you say so." I said as I watch her slowly fall asleep, resting her head on my lap as I continued to spread cold on my palms.
Poor thing. She must have been so tired, transforming five times only a few hours ago.
And that was how we both missed the entire next three periods, along with my leg going numb to the point I couldn't feel it anymore.
It was worth it though.
Now it was time for my meeting with that group of boys at the back of the school. Typical.