Her

51

PHOENIX

The next few days are like a routine, each day pretty much the same: I wake up next to Aza, we go to school, she works at Moon's, I work on my play, we meet, we spend time together, and I fall asleep next to Aza. The only real thing that varies is the spending time together part. Sometimes we hang out with Cass, Ky and Eli, sometimes we study, sometimes we have sex, sometimes we watch movies, sometimes we just do something. Sometimes, Aza photographs me. She says it's good for my future career as an actress because I will have to do photoshoots, and she says it's good for her future career as a photographer because she will be able to show them beautiful pictures.

One time, we get drunk; me for the very first time in my life. I have to admit that I don't remember too much of it. Aza and I woke up very late, for some reason on the floor of her trailer, our clothes gone. Our heads were filled with headaches, our phones were filled with messages from Cass and Ky, half of them asking us for help to find their 'traleer' and half of them asking us - very nicely, of course - to be more quiet. Aza spent about five minutes laughing her head off about them. Then she discovered the cactus I got her which says 'you're a prick', now also says '& i love you're dick', and she continued laughing her head off for about five minutes more.

My mother believes that I am doing the exact routine - minus the getting drunk part - that I am doing, except that in her routine, Aza's name is switched with Ky's. At the moment, she isn't at our house very often, which is very convenient because it means Aza is there more often. Yet, usually, we're at Aza's place.

I don't think my mother is suspecting anything since I tell her I'm with Ky, and I like to think I'm a good actress. She did, however, run into Aza once, very briefly, at our house, and I'm pretty sure her eyes landed on the phoenix around Aza's neck. The phoenix is very small though, and not very easily identified as one. Either way, she didn't comment on it, but simply let out neutral, maybe even nice 'Hello, Aza' as a reply to Aza's hello.

I don't get tired of the routine - if anything, I can't get enough of it. I don't think I ever want it to end; I wouldn't even mind if it became my life routine. We're happy. But one day, things start changing. They first start changing when I get a certain message. The message that changes everything.

_____

PHOENIX

"Are you really okay?"

"Yes, I'm still okay, like I was the last ten times you asked."

"Sorry for caring about my girlfriend."

"How about an apology kiss?"

She kisses me.

"But, you're really okay, right?"

"Yes. You know, next time you ask, I won't go swimming with you."

"Then next time I go swimming, I won't have shower sex with you afterwards."

"Fine. I'll go swimming with you."

I lean back, into Aza. She grins into my hair and kisses me. We continue watching the movie, cuddling on Aza's bed.

"That actress," Aza says, "is so hot. I love her."

"Excuse me?"

"Sorry. I mean..." She kisses my shoulder. "...I love you. And..." She bites my shoulder. "...you're so, so hot."

I kiss her. I open my eyes, look at her and say, "I love you, Aza Superhero Masterchef Ainsworth." For a moment, my eyes and mind rest on her. For a moment, my worries fade away. Then, I turn around and lean back into her. She wraps her arms around me. We watch the movie, rather quiet, saying something every now and then.