After a few hours of working, Joe took me to get Chick-Fil-A for everyone. I had my phone on me in order to communicate with him.
"So, did you listen to our music before Patrick and Elisa adopted you?" Joe asked, turning the radio down.
I waved my hand in a so-so motion, something I knew he would understand.
"What do you mean?" He asked, looking at me weirdly.
The orphanage would only let me listen to songs that were clean, as I had to blast it in order to hear it, I typed.
Joe smirked, pulling up his phone, "How about we blast some songs with curse words?"
I laughed, watching as he pulled up This Ain't A Scene, It's an Arms Race. My eyes widened, I had never heard this song before (for obvious reasons) even though it was one of their most popular songs. Joe turned the volume up all the way, and began playing guitar with his seat belt and drove with his knees. I reveled in the sound of their music (and Joe screaming the lyrics at the top of his lungs). It was quite entertaining.
Joe passed me bags of food as we drove away. I was quick to thank the worker though, and she smiled and waved. I got excited about what my Halloween costume the next year would be; Rapunzel, from the end of the movie. I do like to plan early, it just helps me calm down. I began to sign to Joe, oblivious to his confused face.
"Eve? You're signing and I don't understand a word you're saying," Joe mumbled, blushing.
My eyes widened, Sorry! I began typing on my phone, adding a few things I realized I forgot when signing. Joe read it after we pulled back into the studio, nodding.
"You totally look like the end-of-movie Rapunzel, you should do it!" Joe said, getting out of the car. I grinned, following him inside the office. We said hi to Lois, and when we got to the studio area Pete practically jumped us for his food.
I sat down with my two chicken sandwiches and large fry and started eating.
"You like eating a lot, don't you?" Andy asked quietly, watching as he ate his fries.
I nodded, I have a really high metabolism, I have to. Patrick nodded, and started discussing my costume.
I don't know how but we ended up talking about how I needed to learn how to talk, since I never really learned and I could actually hear now. I agreed completely, I didn't want to have to rely on sign language anymore.
"I'll try and get lessons scheduled. Right now, let's rework Bishop's Knife Trick," Patrick said, turning around. I got a ding on my phone, and I looked down to see Ana had texted. I took my food and wheeled back to my corner, texting her,
Ana: Hey! What's up?
Me: Nothing much, just in the studio with the guys.
Ana: Wanna play a game?
I hope this doesn't end up like Saw, because I do not want to be in a horror movie this early in my life. At least wait until I'm ready to go.
Me: Sure?
She ended up suggesting a question game, not 20 questions, but something like it. Basically, it was a Q&A.
Me: I hope you're not putting this on any website (insert winking and laughing emojis)
Ana: Only if you'll let me (she also put a laughing emoji)
We talked and talked. I found out her favorite color is teal (mine is yellow), her least favorite movie is Monty Python and the Holy Grail (which I agreed to because of the ending), and a ton more. By the end, I felt like I had known her for my whole life. I was slowly beginning to realize that whenever I was texting her I got butterflies in my stomach, and my face flushed.
No... is it a crush? Is it just a best friend feeling? I had never really had a friend before... Maybe I need more time?
Me: How do you know how you like someone?
Ana: Well, you'll get butterflies, and you'll be able to imagine living with them for the rest of your life, and sometimes (if it's lust) then you can imagine having sex with them. Unless you're demisexual and just met them.
Me: Demisexual?
Ana: You don't really want to have sex with them until you form an emotional connection. It's the shortened version of "the middle of sexual and asexual"
I considered it for a second. I couldn't really see myself having sex with anyone right off the bat, no one-night stands. But I knew that I wasn't asexual either. Maybe I was demisexual.
Me: Thanks Ana, I think I just discovered something.
Ana: Just remember I will still be friends with you no matter what.
I grinned, blushing. I was quick to text her back, but I didn't realize Patrick was trying to get my attention. I looked up at him, still blushing, and Pete smirked.
"Who's the lucky guy?" He asked.
Patrick looked concerned, Joe and Pete looked like they were about to piss themselves laughing, and Andy had a calm look on his face. I looked to him as I began to sign.
"It's actually a girl..." I could feel my face somehow get hotter as I judged their reactions. Patrick's eyes widened as he translated, and everyone else had roughly the same reaction. Pete and Joe immediately sobered up, and Andy shrugged like it was no big deal (bless that man).
"Do you just like girls?" Joe asked.
"I don't know... I haven't really explored, and I'm so confused," I signed quickly.
"Let us help you then," Pete said, standing up. He wheeled my chair back over to the table, this time between him and Patrick, and sat back in his chair. He pulled his phone out, looking up something.
"Have you ever had a crush on a guy?" Andy asked, resting his chin on folded hands.
I nodded.
"Do you have a crush on this girl?" Andy asked again.
I nodded, hesitantly this time.
"Well, that narrows it down by a ton. You could be Bisexual, Bicurious, Pansexual or Polysexual," Pete said, reading off a list. He handed it to me and let me read the list for myself.
Bisexual- When you are attracted to two or more genders. This term is generally used to describe being attracted to men and women, but can apply to being attracted to any two or more genders. Note that you do not have to be equally attracted to each gender. Pansexual- When you are attracted to all genders and/or do not concern gender when you are attracted towards someone. Bicurious- People who are open to experiment with genders that are not only their own, but do not know if they are open to forming any sort of relationship with multiple genders. Polysexual- When you are attracted to many genders.
As I read, I felt that I related more to the bisexual definition. I showed it to Patrick, pointing to the definition, and he read it and nodded.
"If you're bi then you're bi. Still human, still my daughter," He grinned and kissed the top of my head. I smiled and hugged him, but then looked at the definition of Demisexual. Patrick and Pete looked with me, reading as I read.
Demisexual- When you only experience sexual attraction after forming a strong emotional bond first or a romantic bond.
Patrick nodded, "Still applies. Plus, I feel like that's a good bonus because I don't have to worry about you having anyone over for sex anytime soon," His voice was playful, and the other guys laughed as I hit his arm lightly.