“Oh, cool.” For some reason, Anja met few people who, like she, were in the middle of the spectrum, so even the mention of another bisexual person felt reassuring. “I’m actually bi too.” She blurted it out before she’d had time to think about it.

It was probably just her imagination, but it seemed as if the entire train car went completely silent.

The two businessmen across the aisle looked up from their laptops to sneak a glance at her, and Susanne stared at her.

Great. Her face burned, and she fought the urge to hide beneath the tray table.

The conductor saved the day as he stepped into their compartment, interrupting the awkward silence. “Tickets, please!”

Anja scrambled for the printout of her ticket in her backpack, while Susanne pulled her smartphone from the inside pocket of her blazer.

“Good morning.” The conductor scanned their tickets, nodded at them, and continued to the next passenger.

Anja took her time returning the ticket to her backpack.

“So tell me,” Susanne said, making Anja hold her breath in expectation of what she would ask, “what should we make sure to see at the fair?”

Now it was Anja’s turn to stare. Her unplanned coming-out to Susanne didn’t even rate a comment? She wasn’t sure if she should be relieved or disappointed. Oh, come on. Why should it matter? This is a business trip. She pulled her notebook from her backpack and opened it to the page of notes she had taken at home. “For one thing, there’s this manufacturer of really cool notebooks from Croatia…”

Susanne dashed after Anja, weaving around passengers and their baggage on the crowded platform. Their train had been late, so now they had to hurry to make the connecting regional train that would take them from Frankfurt main station to the trade fair.

This wouldn’t have happened if they had taken the car, as she had suggested. But then again, if they had taken the car, she might have caused an accident when Anja had casually revealed that she was bi.

Oh, come on. It’s hardly that big of a surprise, is it? But somehow suspecting it and hearing the words from Anja were two very different things.

“Slow down,” Susanne called. “There’s no need to run. Even if we miss our train, there’ll be another one in about ten minutes.”

“That’s ten minutes we won’t be spending at Paperworld.” Anja glanced over her shoulder. Her eyes glittered with anticipation.

Susanne held up her hands. “Far be it from me to stand between a stationery addict and her drug of choice.”

Anja led her down a set of stairs to the underground platforms. The screeching of metal on metal announced an incoming train.

“Damn! I think that’s ours. Come on! We can make it!” Anja grabbed her hand and pulled her down an escalator.