Adam held Fiona's gloved hand and gave it a light squeeze as they walked down the street. It was nice being with her without having to worry about keeping a secret. Fiona looked down at Adam and smiled, causing him to he look up at her and blush in return.
"You should consider expelling all heels from your wardrobe. You make me feel like a dwarf." Fiona laughed and shook her head as she tightened her grip on Adam's hand.
"Adam, I would be reduced to nothing without my shoes. Did you forget who you were talking to?" Adam nodded and started to lead Fiona into the nearest coffee shop.
"I'm starting to think that if both me and your shoes were trapped in a burning building, you would save them."
"Well…it would be a hard decision to make."
"Fiona!"
"I'm just joking. Stilettos can be replaced, but there's no way I'd be able to find another Adam." Adam rolled his eyes at her and tried to hold back a smile. Although sometimes Fiona spoke as if her life were scripted, he liked that about her. When they walked into the coffee shop Adam found the best table by the window and immediately pulled out Fiona's chair.
"Wow, such the gentleman." She said with an impressed smirk as she lowered herself onto her seat "to what do I owe this pleasure?" Adam sat down and removed his hat. He smoothed his bangs down before relaxing into his seat and sighing.
"None other than yourself… For dealing with all of my baggage." Fiona leaned toward the table and reached out to Adam. He grabbed her hand and looked into her eyes.
"Adam, my life's not exactly…simple either." Adam nodded pretending that Fiona's words were reassuring. Seemingly satisfied, she released his hand and began to look over the one sided menu. "Everything's going to be so different…it's weird knowing that so many people knew and I was completely oblivious." Adam could sense that Fiona was slowly becoming offended by the fact that she didn't know sooner and he grabbed her hand again.
"Fiona…Drew is my brother he had to know. And I didn't even have to tell Riley and Zane…they just figured it out." Fiona sighed and returned her attention to the menu infront of her.
"Yeah I guess you're right." Adam bit his lip, unconvinced by Fiona's acting and attempted to change the subject.
"I have to take you to the next open mic night here. The poetry and the music are amazing. You won't believe some of the indie artists that come here just to get their music out there." Fiona looked up at Adam and smiled sheepishly. Adam took it as sarcastic and glared down at the table. "Yeah, I know it's not really your thing."
"No it's just, when you get really excited about something you literally get a twinkle in your eyes…" Fiona let her voice trail off when she saw Adam looking at her blankly "it's just really sweet, that's all." Fiona almost regretted saying anything at all. It was completely out of character for her to be so honestly romantic.
"So," Adam said, changing the subject again "how was your trip?" Fiona's eyes lit up again and she rested her chin in her hand.
"Fabulous. But then again, any chance to see my brother always has a good outcome."
"Wow," Adam said as he raised his eyebrows "you guys are like…really close." Fiona squirmed in her seat and removed her gloves.
"So are you and Drew." She said defensively.
"Depends on the time of day." Adam said sarcastically as he rolled his eyes. The waiter reached their table and took their orders, removing the menus from in front of them. Fiona sighed and played with the lace on her gloves before giving Adam a nonchalant shrug.
"Well at least you have other guys you can hang out with when Drew's off…being an ass." Adam glanced up at Fiona's harsh word choice and furrowed his brow "No offense" she said with an adorable innocent shrug. Adam literally shook the statement from his mind and sat closer to the table.
"Who? Riley and Zane? They're cool… but I can't help but feel like the third wheel every now and then."
"Well it never seemed to be a problem before."
"Yeah well they've changed. Just like Eli and Clare and You and me and, God help us, Ali and Drew." Fiona giggled and put her hair behind her ear before daintily sipping from her water glass and smiling.
"So they've…gotten closer since we first started hanging out with them."
"Yeah…have you ever hung out with them? I swear once they get back from vacation they're gonna be talking baby names….I can't believe they just left me here." Fiona became offended at Adam's increasing aggravation. So what Riley and Zane were away for a week? She was still here and they had just sorted things out. Now was not the time for Adam to be complaining about their personal lives.
"You know…we spend a hell of a lot of time talking about other people's relationships." Fiona said coldly. But Adam didn't' catch the hint.
"Cause, people get so wrapped up in their new lives that they completely forget about me."
"So what, is everyone supposed to put their relationships on hold to accommodate you?"
"That's not-"
"Cause last time I checked one of your really great friends was trying to talk to you and you blew them off because of me."
"It's different…"
"It's not. Don't be a hypocrite Adam." Adam bit his lip and looked at Fiona, her face was flushed and she looked just as beautiful when she was angry as she always did, if not more beautiful. He reached across the table and tried to grip her hand but she pulled it away. "Talk to Eli."
"You weren't there…you don't know what he said to me."
"I don't care." Adam's eyes bugged out slightly at his girlfriend's frankness.
"I'm sorry?"
"Until you and Eli makeup, we're not going to work out. You know that." Adam shook his head at Fiona and gave her a halfhearted smile.
"I hate how smart you are sometimes." Fiona smiled back and rested her head on her hand.
"Well, I hate how cute you are all the time. It makes it hard to stay mad at you." Adam smiled at his girlfriend as they looked into each other's eyes. Fiona's eyes seemed to glisten with the light of the sun and Adam was practically lost in them until…
"Crap." Fiona furrowed her brow and sat back from the table.
"What's wrong?" Adam grabbed the napkin from the table and covered the back of his pants with it as he quickly escaped into the bathroom. He stopped as he stared at the two doors trying to decide quickly which one he should use. He usually felt more comfortable in the men's room, but what he needed was in the ladies' room. Adam glared harshly at the figure in a dress that marked the women's bathroom and barged in quickly.
He ran directly to the tampon dispenser and glared at the sign that read: "change only". He quickly shoved his hands into his pockets and only came up with twenty dollars and some pocket lint. He tapped his foot as he began debating the best solution. Paper towels and toilet tissue would never hold him for the rest of the day.
Adam reluctantly opened the bathroom door and peaked his head out.
"Psst." Fiona didn't hear him and continued to be distracted by the snow that was falling lightly outside. "Pssssst." She remained distracted, "PSSST!" Fiona's face became confused as she looked around to find the source of the noise. She did a double take once her eyes reached the bathroom doors and she scrunched her eyebrows even more at Adam. Adam waved her toward the bathroom, and Fiona glanced around before jumping up and joining him at the door.
"What are you doing?" She asked in a harsh whisper as she tried to stay collected.
"Um…" Adam's face turned bright red as he squeezed his eyes closed, praying that he would disappear. "I need a ta…." Fiona squinted her eyes and shook her head. Adam's voice had faded to a barely audible mumble and she couldn't hear the rest of his words.
"What?"
"A tamp.."
"Adam, I don't have time for silly games. What are you talking about-"
"Tampon! I need a tampon!" A waiter walking by with two hot mocha lattes paused at the bathroom doors, looked Adam up in down with a face of judgment and walked away swiftly. Fiona's mouth threatened to fall open and it did only slightly before she cleared her throat and began to dig in her purse.
"Here." She said with a soft voice. She may have sounded composed but her eyes were spastic.
"Thanks."
"Don't mention it. Please." Fiona walked away slowly and plopped into her chair, her knees threatening to give out. Sometimes she forgot about Adam's dilemma and it always struck her when situations like these would bring it to the light. Adam returned a few moments later and sat down carefully in his seat.
"Sorry." He mumbled with a nervous smile "I didn't know it was…" Fiona looked up at him with wide eyes and Adam stopped his chatter. "I just…sorry." Fiona awkwardly adjusted herself in her seat and let out a sigh.
"So," she began with an unconvincing smile "what were you saying earlier…about open mic night here? Sounded fantastic." Adam nodded and cleared his throat loudly, waiting for the awkward feeling to dissipate from the air. His stomach began to churn uncomfortably and he stood up, desperately searching for the bathroom that he had dreaded the sight of earlier.
"Excuse me." Adam ran to the bathroom and closed the stall door at an attempt to shut out the rest of the world. He could feel the stall closing in on him as he began to sink to the bathroom tile floor. Things never seemed to go right for him. Once all of his secrets were out, he had to deal with all of the stigmas that went along with it. Sometimes honesty was even harder for him than telling a lie.
Adam heard the sound of heels clacking on the bathroom floor and he glanced underneath the door of the stall to see Fiona's familiar graceful glide.
"Adam?" she said sweetly as she lightly knocked on the door "Adam please." Adam reached up to unlock the door and scooted to the side to make room for Fiona. "Um…looks cozy." She said sarcastically as Adam looked up at her with tear filled eyes. He rolled his eyes at Fiona's odd sense of humor and pulled his legs to his chest. "May I join you?" she said awkwardly as she looked down at Adam. Adam nodded and surprisingly, Fiona lowered herself to the bathroom floor and sat directly across from him. "Good thing you chose the handicap stall…" Adam smirked and shook his head at her joke making.
"You're totally freaked." He accused.
"Yeah," she confessed with a heartfelt sigh, hanging her head out of disgrace "yeah I am." Adam nodded and seemed impressed by her honesty.
"Well so am I." Fiona looked up at him hopefully and let her foot lightly rest against his. "So," he said slowly as he relaxed against the bathroom wall "we can be freaked together?" Fiona smiled at him and let out a final sigh.
"Better than being freaked alone."
