#alex is growing his little friend circleeeeee

[not-poignant]

Daily excerpt from chapter 42 of A Stain that Won't Dissolve:

‘You all know what you are,’ Penny said. ‘I don’t know what I am. I never have.’ Maru looked over at Penny, and her smile was soft. ‘You don’t have to know yet. Maybe it’s something new.’ Penny nodded, looked at Maru like this was a conversation they’d had many times before. ‘I don’t think I’m straight,’ Penny said, drawing her legs up and folding her arms around her shins. ‘But I’ve never been able to figure it out. I used to think it was because I was busy teaching or escaping into books. I like the people I like. I’ve never had crushes like normal people, I think.’ ‘I don’t think normal’s ever as normal as people think,’ Alex said, pushing his fingers down into the cool sand. ‘I dunno. Maybe I just tell myself that to feel better about shit.’ ‘Take it from me,’ Haley said authoritatively, ‘as someone who has done the nails of a lot of people around the Valley by now. No one’s normal, and just about everyone’s worried about it. Even the people that seem the most normal. It’s all very silly. I’m not saying that to make it seem like your problems don’t matter, Penny, it’s more like…none of us here are expecting you to have all the answers! I’m still trying to figure out if I like Sam or not.’ ‘I fucking can’t with you and Sam,’ Alex said, laughing. ‘Sam? He’s very sweet,’ Penny said warmly. ‘He’s always been a wonderful listener. You wouldn’t think so, from the surface. But he’s a lot more sensitive than he seems.’ ‘Yeah, I have some practice with a guy like that,’ Haley said. She laughed. Alex had the feeling she was referring to him.