Hex and the City

by Kate Johnson

For my mum.

‘I, er, might be bisexual though.’ ‘All the best people are,’ Iris said. ‘Now,

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.

‘You could call it magic if you like,’ he said, ‘but I call it a gym membership.’

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

He wanted to take her in his arms here, right in front of her boring family, and show them that even if they didn’t think Poppy was good enough, he thought she was magnificent.