Chapter Seven:

I'm a Queen

I gave up on my plans with Dani when the clock reached three in the afternoon. She wouldn't text me, so I wouldn't text her back. I realized that it's so pathetic of me to get upset over this, so I pushed everything away.

Pushing my glasses up to my nose, I decided that reading might distract me, and possibly kill time faster. But when I reached my bookshelf, I realized that I've repeatedly read them all. I've also realized that I've been in this exact situation multiple times as well.

Sighing, I can't help but feel badly for myself, because it seems like I'm such a boring person, and people don't like boring people.

Maybe I just need a new book.

Or maybe I just need new friends.

Why am I worried about being

well-liked or not all of a sudden? It's not important, really, but that doesn't mean that I don't have strong beliefs towards the benefits of being well-liked.

I shouldn't care what other people think of me. I have people around me that I'm happy with.

I already have friends. Dennis, Natasha, Thomas-question mark...? Theyre not that much, but it's better than having multiple friends and not have any of them considered as your close friends.

At least I have two- three... ish. Dani is pending.

I'm not complaining of what I have, but I've noticed that I seem to like to be alone lately. I told myself that I'm just being bored and boring, or maybe just tired of their teenage drama, but really... I feel so empty, and out of purpose all of a sudden.

Inhale, exhale, I breathed. I'm fine. I'm certainly fine... I think.

I didn't really want to think about anything, so I flopped down on my comfy, queen-sized bed again, and let sleep take over. Sometime later, I woke up to a Songza playlist, and I feel surprisingly tired.

No, I feel exhausted. Extremely exhausted. What the hell is wrong with me? I'm not sick, am I?

I ignored my symptoms and groaned when the light blinded me fron ny phone.

6:23 pm

I gotta do something. I contemplated whether or not I should spend time with my friends, or just stay in my room, sleep more, and wake up the next morning with a starving body.

I shrugged and decided that my body needs food.

After a fantastic stretch or two, I immediately texted Natasha,

'Babe, do you want to go get junior chickens?'

Then I added a bunch of the little chick emoji.

Immediately, she texted back.

'Can't Mave, I'm at piano practice. Maybe tomorrow after church?'

I sighed and replied with a teary eed emoji.

'Your talent is breaking my heart.' I texted.

'Go with Dennis.' She texted back.

'You sure you won't get jealous?' plus a winking face.

'Not funny Mave. But we should hang out after church tomorrow. Kay, I gtg.'

I frowned and adjusted myself so I could lay on my stomach. I tried texting Dennis too, but he wouldn't respond. Maybe he was still upset from last night, but I wouldn't let him get off the hook that easy.

So I spammed him continuously. I sent him eggplants. I sent him pointless memes. Then I sent him Donald Trump. I guess he got annoyed, because seconds later, I'm getting a call from him.

Grinning, I happily pressed the answer button.

"Hey bae, wanna go get McDonald's?" I greeted happily.

"YOU STAY AWAY FROM DONALD TRUMP!" Dennis yelled. "HE WOULD DESTROY HUMANITY!"

I was a bit taken back from the sudden outburst. But I regained my composure quickly, and couldn't help but feel amused by Dennis' reaction.

"I was wondering if you would like to go on a Dons run and get a junior chicken with me. Or maybe a happy meal? I heard that they're giving out Pokémon toys this time." I said, ignoring his antics. I heard him chuckle from the other line, and I smiled.

I feel somewhat comforted that he feels better.

"Can we go to Arby's instead? I really like their curly fries." He responded.

"But Dons' cheaper!" I argued.

"Mave, are you really going to argue about my appetite?" He asked. He paused for a moment, then he scoffed at himself. I was going to ask what's wrong but he cut me off by a sudden burst of laughter.

"I hate it when I don't know what people are laughing about! I feel left out! You're such a dick!"

"I'll buy you your junior chicken, or a happy meal if that's what you want." He replied.

I literally gasped, and blushed from how thoughtful he's being.

"You'd buy food for me?!" I exclaimed, now feeling ecstatic.

"Yes. Don't make me change my mind."

"Thank you!" I said, now getting off my bed and putting on my fur-lined winter jacket.

"You have to pick me up." He reminded me.

"Why? You always pick me up whenever we go for a food run." I complained.

"I'm grounded, remember? Or are you just getting old and having a case of dementia?"

"Dementia is a real thing! Don't make jokes out of it!"

"It wasn't a joke. It was insult."

"That's worse! People actually suffer from Dementia, and they're forced to live their lives in a more difficult situation!" I told him. Then he got quiet for a while. "I guess I succeeded for making you feel like a total asshole. I win." I added, now laughing.

"You are such a bitch, Maverick." He said, and I shushed him saying that he loves me anyways. "Just come get me, I'm really hungry."

"Fine, fine. Au revoir for now."

I told Dennis that he's stupid for going out without his Winter jacket. It's below thirty degrees, and there's a windchill. He courageously got in my small, silver Honda Civic in his black, long-sleeved sweatshirt and gave me this particular grin like my annoyance towards his stupid decision amazes him.

"Geez, put this on, you're gonna freeze to death!" I told him, reaching at the back of my car to give him a spare of my oversized bunnyhug.

"Thanks mommy."

"Ugh, you're such a handful."

"We told each other that we're going to stop saying it, but, that's what she said!" He joked, laughing his head off and put on the bunnyhug.

"What happened to our English language?! It used to be so beautiful!" I said, now driving towards the only McDonald's on the upper east side the town.

"Ikr. Totes." Dennis replied, and annoyed me further more. "Like, omg, like, totally? Like, so fab!" He mocked, and laughing like a demonic child afterwards.

I couldn't take it anymore. I laughed so hard, there were tears streaming down my cheeks. I silently applaud his hilarious scene, to spare the growth of his ego.

The rest of the car ride consists of the two of us, singing our loudly and awfully to every song in my car radio. Dennis attempted to dance, but then he got embarrassed when a guy driving next to us stared at him blankly. Dennis flashed him the middle finger as we drove off.

I slapped his hand away, just in case he was a cop in disguise, and probably knows both of our parents. We wouldn't want a phone call from the station, stating our bad behaviour.

We went to the drive thru at Dons and I ordered a junior chicken meal. I told Dennis to give me his debit card so I could use it when we reached the window, but he gave me a look.

"I know your pin code. You promised you'd pay." I told him, gesturing for the card eagerly.

"How the hell do you know my pin?"

"I watched you press six-nine, six-nine, ever since you had that card." I told him, raising an eyebrow. He blushed from embarrassment and finally handed his card to me.

"It's okay. I already know you're a pervert." I reassured.

"Shut up." Dennis poked my arm as I maneuvered my car around a corner and beside the Dons drive thru window.

When I received my food, the smell of chicken grease awakens my appetite, and I was so happy that I practically yelled I love you to the employee. He looked at me oddly, but I gave him flying kisses.

"Now let's eat at Arby's." Announced Dennis, and off we go.

A few blocks later, I parked my car to the farthest parking lot (mostly because I don't want any of the other drivers to open their car door and slam it on mine. It happened before.), and together, Dennis and I entered the fast food restaurant. He complained about the parking, saying,

"Geez, you're just like a Grandma Mave."

"I did it for the sake of my car!" I defended myself. "Better safe than sorry."

"I think you're being paranoid."

"Just shut up, Dennis. That Civic is my baby."

"I thought I was your bab-"

"You're wrong!" I cut him off. "You're not that special to me!"

Dennis faked sobbed.

"Babe... are you breaking up with me?"

"Yes."

"Babe, no!"

I chuckled and pushed him away playfully.

"Ew. This is so pathetic. Don't tell me you're like this when Nat broke up with you." I said, walking with him to the counter. Dennis just shrugged, and gave me a smile.

Dennis ordered himself two meals and he told me to get a bunch of the tiny self-serve ketchup cups. Then, we settled in to a booth by the glass window that over looks the parking lot.

"We're pigs." I said, after I ate my junior chicken.

"They're not at all bad for you. Sure, if you eat fast food all the time, then yeah, your arteries are going to clog. It's okay to eat them once in a while."

"That's just an excuse to make yourself feel better." I said, as I try to make a tower out of my french fries, and using ketchup as glue.

Dennis just shrugged his shoulders.

"So, are you gonna tell me what happened with Dani, or what?" He started as he took a bite on his sandwich.

"We didn't hang out." I said, as I dunked a small fry into the ketchup cup. "She didn't text me, so I didn't text her."

"Why didn't you text her?"

"What's the point?" I asked, scoffing. "It's not like I'm desperate to hang out with Dani. But I am curious about her though, she just popped out of nowhere. It's weird, don't you think?"

"I dont care about that! You were doing so good!" Dennis said in between mouthfuls. "You were going to make a new friend!"

"Nah." I said, shrugging and actually feeling quite sad. "It's fine."

"You're a little shit. Is it a pride thing? The, you-text-me-first then I-text-you?"

I sighed and threw a fry at Dennis' nose.

"No. It's more of a... I'm too lazy to make an effort to try and make someone to like me." I replied honestly, and ripped pieces of napkins to attach and soak through the ketchup and fries.

I know that Dennis was staring at me. He's looking at me intently,and I could tell from my peripherals that he looked serious. I ignored him and said,

"Look how awesome this is!" I pointed at my tower.

Dennis smirked, and took out his phone to take a photo.

"So damn cute." He said.

"Delete that!" I demanded.

"Too late. It's already on my Snapchat story, now everyone is going to see how cute you looked."

"I can sue you!" I threatened and, pointed a fry.

"Awe come on Mave, it doesn't look so bad! The fry tower looks legit!"

"I know that! But you know that I'm camera-shy! So please delete it." I whined, and sipped on my diet coke. "You have to buy me ice cream if you don't."

"Says who?"

"Says me!" I answered. "Are you blind? I'm a queen! Do as I say." I flipped my hair sassily.

Dennis shook his head in disbelief but was grinning, nonetheless.

Minutes later, we were sharing a strawberry sundae.

"Let's get serious for a second." Dennis said, as he placed his plastic spoon down. I frowned and stared at him curiously. "Last night- what did you mean when you said, I don't really know what I know."

"I honestly don't know." I lied, thinking of the possibility of him being gay again.

Dennis stared at me hard.

"Bullshit." He said. "Be real."

I pushed the sundae to him because suddenly I don't feel like having dessert anymore.

"You want to be serious? Okay, sure." I said, now leaning a bit forward and staring back at him. "Why can't you just tell me what's bothering you?"

Dennis paused.

"It's not that easy." He said softly, looking upset all of a sudden.

"I'm one of your best friends Dennis! It feels like you don't trust me."

"I trust you Mave." He said, now playing with a napkin and twisting the paper up. "I just don't want to be judged."

I sighed and reached for his hand.

"If you don't want to tell me, then it's fine. Like I said, I'm not going to force it out of you. But I just want you to know that I'm here."

"I know that." He said, groaning in complaint. "I want to tell you right now, but then I can't. I can't spit it out!"

"Just tell me!" I said. "The suspense is killing me!"

"Maverick." Dennis took a deep breath and played with the straw of his pop. Then he hesitated as he pursed his lips.

"What, Dennis?"

"I think... I think that I might be into guys."

Dennis was gripping my hand now, and he looked pale. I could practically feel his heartbeat from his fingers, and they're beating really fast. He gulped and closed his eyes for a moment, but opened them again.

"So... You're gay?" I asked slowly, and carefully.

I saw that he was almost in tears.

I was stunned. I already had suspicions, but him saying it out loud, him telling the truth, and him breaking the theory completely took me by surprise. I didn't really know what to say. We just held hands, and wait for the other person to say something.

"But what about your... What were you doing with Natasha?" I calmly asked, still letting the information sink in.

"I don't... I don't know." He replied, his lower lip quivering. "I fucking don't know. I loved her, I really did. I was sad and angry when she broke up with me. Especially when she went after Tom... Trust me, I was confused because I was the best boyfriend any girl could have. But I was also relieved when it ended because... Because-"

Dennis' voice was shaky now, and he gripped my hand tighter while shaking his head back and forth.

"Gawd, please don't be a homophobic." I heard him say. "I don't want you to hate me. You're the first person to know any of this."

"I am not a homophobic person, Dennis." I said. "Geez, they're the lowest of the lows. I wouldn't even dare let myself be that."

I felt his grip loosen and he let out a breath of relief. He ran his hands through his face and up to his hair, then he ran them down on his face again. He looked red, and he looked like he's going to cry.

But Dennis held them in.

"You have no idea how terrifying that felt. I am so scared right now." Dennis said.

"Oh my god, don't you dare start crying now or I'll cry." I warned him, throwing left over fries at his face.

He could only chuckle and threw a fry back.

"Fine." He replied.

As we continued to eat the sundae, Dennis and I were quiet for a while. We enjoyed the comfortable silence, and gave each other grins, and looks of amusement.

"Thanks Mave."

"What for?"

"For accepting me." He said quietly.

"I already accepted you a long time ago. And that was when we met during elementary school. Pfft. You're not that special." I joked, rolling my eyes and flipping my hair.

"Damn, you are such a bitch."

"You're welcome." I replied, and handed him a napkin to wipe the tears that's streaming down his cheeks.

Dennis is a one brave soul.

***

A/N:

bun•ny•hug: a hooded sweatshirt with a pocket in front. It does not have a zipper.

Dons: Mcdonalds

Hope you all had a happy holidays! I know I did :)

Unedited