Anna's Okay

Anna's okay. She's doing all right. She's doing graphic art now. Working at it. Earning money. She finished her course last year. She says Christopher is her only friend, other than Ethan. She said she wanted to move in with him. He laughed. She looked hurt. Damn. He forgot she's so sensitive about herself; he’s just been around boys these last few days. Her self esteem can be so buoyant and so cheeky and determined; she got herself qualified in something she loves, coming from where she did. Yet, it can be deflated so easily, over the smallest thing. Just like that. Funny really.

She took over the commission flat from her old man. She says she's got million dollar views. She has.

She sells her art now.

She stills likes speed intravenously, only when she's working, though. Sometimes a little heroin, depending on her creative mood. Her flat is her studio, she never takes anybody there, except Ethan. She's always coming down from working.

She says that Christopher is her only friend. He doesn't know if that is true.

He laughed at her living with him because his housemates, George and Tony have just said they are moving out. They want their own place. Not that Christopher is happy that they are going, that's just life.

He was, suddenly, looking forward to living alone, his own place.

George transfers all the money out of their account, whenever Tony goes down the street for too long. Tony smiles and says honey, I didn't bet away all our money. George doesn't get Tony's humour, it so often annoys him. Tony and Christopher smile at each other behind George's back, they always get the joke. George is so possessive, how could anyone live that way. Co-dependant is George, strange for a big, Greek guy? Mostly they just seem pissed off with each other. George's normally pissed off that Tony is stoned all the time. Tony free and open, George crowding in.

It's so often a sign of George breaking up, moving in with them, getting their own place. Tom. Beau. Ben?

Christopher didn’t tell her they were moving out. Full up, is what he said instead.

Oh well, said Anna. They are just not that... um... creative... er... interesting. Oh you know what I mean. She looks around Christopher's house. "This is a great place for one. You can support yourself, can't you?"

Anna had supported herself since she was sixteen.

"Sure," said Christopher. He just wasn't sure he wanted to.

It was easy for me, she once said. I had nothing to lose, so I could follow my dream.

She waits table's in between, with cynicism.

Christopher swats a fly, managing to blow everything out of the mull bowl in the process.

Fuck! says Anna.