Am I Normal Yet? by Holly Bourne Read Free Book Online Page B

form. How about you? You’re, like, the only girl in this class, have you noticed?”
    â€œOh, am I? Right…” And we both blushed, his sculpted cheeks and my normal puffy cheeks each glowing red. “But, yeah, I love films…they’re escape, aren’t they?”
    Escape was undermining it. Films had been my saviour over the past few years. The roll of opening credits the only thing that could distract my brain when it swan-dived into the neurotic abyss. I must’ve watched hundreds of movies during my meltdown. Locked in my sterilized room, a tiny TV in the corner, I was able to lose myself in the stories and get caught up in the characters. For two hours at a time, I could forget all the whirring non-stopness of gut-twisting anxiety. I could merge myself into the lives of people capable of leaving the house, capable of having storylines.
    â€œI guess they are,” Oli said. “So, anyway, shall we do this assignment then?” He couldn’t quite hold eye contact. Which was a shame because his eyes were a shocking green colour. Like basil, or something more romantic-sounding than basil. But basil is a pretty lovely shade of green to have eyes made out of.
    â€œYes. Sure.” His shyness made me shy and I found myself playing with my hair. “So what are your top three films since 2000?”
    â€œWell, Fight Club , obviously,” he started, ticking it off on his finger. He didn’t even need to think about it. He’d obviously honed the list loads of times in his head. I was impressed. “Then Pan’s Labyrinth , and, well, Donnie Darko . Of course.”
    I nodded, secretly correcting him in my head. Fight Club came out in 1999, but he seemed too shy for me to say so. “Donnie’s my number four. He doesn’t quite make it into the top three though.”
    â€œAhh, so what are yours?”
    I didn’t need to think about it either. “ Am é lie , Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Big Fish ,” I reeled off.
    It was his turn to nod, and it was an appreciative one. “Interesting choices…for a girl.”
    â€œAnd that’s supposed to mean?” I asked.
    â€œWell…er…” Oli realized his mistake and he spluttered and stumbled over his answer. Shy shy shy shy SHY. “It’s just…erm…well…not a regular girl’s top three, I guess…in a good way…seriously…in a good way…I meant that in a good way.” His basil eyes downturned and I could see him hating himself internally. It felt weird, making someone else nervous rather than being the nervous one. Quite powerful. I liked it. He was so shy though that I dropped his “good film choices for a girl” comment. Maybe I fancied him a bit.
    â€œSo what film got you into film then?” This is a film-person question. We’ve all got one. The film that made films a way of life, rather than just passive entertainment.
    â€œ The Godfather, Part II .”
    I burst out laughing and Oli’s cheeks burned brighter.
    â€œWhat’s wrong with The Godfather, Part II ?” he asked, a bit mortified.
    â€œNothing’s wrong with it – it’s a great film. It’s just also the biggest gender cliché ever of a bloke’s favourite movie. And you just made that comment about me having good film choices for a girl.”
    â€œBut, it’s Al Pacino…” His eyes didn’t meet mine and I let it drop. Again. I really did fancy him, I guess.
    â€œNever mind. I like The Godfather too.”
    â€œOh…cool…” He stared at the desk. “So what film got you into films then?”
    I smiled, recollecting the first time I’d seen it. “It’s a weird one. Edward Scissorhands .”
    â€œReally?”
    â€œYes, really.”
    The first time I saw Edward Scissorhands
    I’d just started to get sick, and no one knew why or what or how yet. Mum had