Hex and the City

by Kate Johnson

Claudia, who had listened to Poppy’s heartfelt declaration of love and then taken another girl home and hadn’t even bothered to lie about it.

There is nothing wrong with being chaotic. Iris had said that to her shortly after Poppy moved in. Chaos is necessary and healthy for growth, it brings creativity and breathes new life into stale order

Words were just words. Crystals were just stones. But if they represented something to Poppy, they sharpened her intent.

‘Consent is sexy,’ said Alex, grinning at her, and right then consent really wasn’t the only thing that was sexy.

‘Parenting isn’t about biology, Poppy. It’s about who cares for you, who loves you unconditionally. Who sits up all night with you when you’re ill, and helps with your homework, and picks out the mushrooms from the sauce when you don’t like them. That’s who we wanted for you. That’s the magic we did.’

She wore his T-shirt with a picture of Gandalf on it, and her hair was quietly eating Dorito crumbs. She was damp and dishevelled, and her eyes were pink from crying, and she was just the loveliest thing he’d ever seen.

‘Exactly. Power, control – it’s all about intent. Do you want to hurt anyone?’

‘Ladies – and persons of fluid gender – are we in agreement?’

‘No. I don’t want to – I like being… me.’