Another bottle of wine later, and way more no’s than yes’s, we get our first message before we send any out.
“Oh, I think Jack will like she messaged first, butheyis a little bland,” Ellie says, making a face, and Macy sets her glass on the coffee table, wrapping a blanket around her shoulders.
“Seriously? Out of everything you could possibly open up with, she just sayshey?” Macy asks.
“Maybe she’s just shy?” I say, trying to give her a chance before writing her off. I click on Gina’s profile, and I think she seems sweet. She likes the outdoors and puzzles, and she’s really pretty, from her dark hair and eyes to her bronze skin. I type howdy back, sending it before anyone can tell me not to.
“Wait, I want to message the next girl,” Ellie says, motioning for me to hand her the phone.
She scrolls through the matches we already have, clicking on one of our early ones—a girl named Veronica with the straightest hair and teeth I’ve ever seen. Ellie grins, tapping a Lightning McQueen GIF, following it up with,Are you lightning? Because I’m trying to make you my McQueen.
I burst into laughter, nearly spilling my wine all over my hand as it sloshes against the side of the glass with my sudden movement. “Oh shit. This is perfect. I love it,” I say, my face hurting from smiling.
“I feel like you’re really the only one of us who can confirm how Jack hits on a girl, so is this the kind of sappy shit he says?” Ellie asks, and I feel my cheeks flush at the reminder.
“Yes, this is very on brand for Jack.”
“Dibs on next. I know exactly what to use,” Macy chimes in, already laughing and holding her side.
She chooses a girl named Ava for our next attempt.
Jack
did it hurt?
Ava
What?
I cover my mouth with my hand, trying not to let the wine go to my head, but I’m afraid I’m past that point already. Ellie’s cheeks are already flushed, her blue eyes shining as she smiles. Macy giggles, getting into this as much as me and Ellie, despite her reservations at first.
Jack
When you fell from heaven?
I roar with laughter, and she shoots me a smile. “It’s not like it’s something he wouldn’t say. Shit, he was flirting up a storm with you the night we met him.”
We message a few other girls some cheesy lines, but ultimately end up narrowing it down to three finalists for the evening. Our responses start to take much more thought and concentration as we end up opening another bottle, filling our glasses again, but in our defense, we’re not going anywhere tonight, and there are three of us.
At some point, I end up texting Jack at the same time as I’m messaging to one of his girls, while Ellie is explaining her brother’s lack of emotional availability and everything with Willow.
Alondra
what r u up to tmrw?
Jack
depends
Alondra
on?
My phone starts to ring with an incoming call from Jack. I shouldn’t be surprised that he’s calling me, because we rarely exchange texts. He mentioned in passing that voice memos are less time consuming and that it’s easier for him to make sense of everything, but I couldn’t send him a voice memo without Macy and Ellie knowing everything I say.
“Why is Jack calling you?” Ellie asks, her eyes widening.
I panic and toss the phone at her. “You answer it! I can’t talk to him right now, he’s flirting with this chick!”
