Upside Down

Upside Down (2019) N.R. Walker

Jordan O’Neill is unhappy.

Things have been going terribly for him in all of his relationships, so his co-worker convinces him to go to an asexual support group, to see if perhaps that’s what’s going on.

I didn’t need another label. I had enough of them. I had enough hang-ups, quirks, traits, and societal boxes to tick and squeeze myself into.

But when he arrives, he discovers the guy running the meeting is also the guy he’s been crushing on for months.

What I utterly adore about Jordan is that he is over-the-top adorable, and his best friend is just as wonderful. And the two of them together are THE BEST.

“If you do, I’ll be so embarrassed I’ll be forced to quit and move and join the witness protection program.”

Merry stared at me. “Siri, what is an overreaction?”

“Siri, don’t answer that, so help me fucking God.”

“How do you know? You can’t know. That’s an improbable equation, and you’re just guessing and that makes you a lying liar that lies, and that’s worse.”

Merry took a deep breath. “Alexa, please add Valium to my shopping list.”

He is SO. ADORABLE.

I just like the word fuck. The noun and adverb, even the adjective, not the verb obviously because I’m asexual. Apparently. So there is definitely no actioning of the word.”

And just as marvelous are the people on the bus. (You read that right.)

“The Soup Crew?”

“Yes, the Soup Crew. That’s what I call the five people who spent twenty minutes yesterday discussing soups and Nepal after your stop. They’re very invested in our… well, how our relationship is progressing.”

Also, this:

There has to be a reason you picked Sisko.” He smiled at me and seemed to relax before launching into a spiel on consistency and compassion and how Sisko’s being a father in the show made him more relatable.

I really do love this story.

Rating: 8.5/10

• Browse the archives:
  
• The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side » »
• « « Blank Spaces