The guy nods, handing me the paper. I reluctantly take it. “Yeah, I think so.”
“Tell him to stop and that I’m not interested.”
He shrugs. “I will, but I don’t think he cares. He has a plan.”
“Jesus above,” I mutter, running my hands down my face. I know if I go to Dawson, I’ll be giving him what he wants.
I have to ignore him.
Yes. Ignore this stupid plan of his.
For the next two weeks of classes, there is always a football player waiting for me.
The first guy reads me my Post-it with the biggest grin. “I was born on July 5th, and my dad made sure to shoot off fireworks since my mom missed them when she was in labor with me.”
While the second guy didn’t want to read his note, he did after I refused to take it. “Louis is my brother and best friend. You can ask him if I’m cool and all. Here is his number.”
I almost text Louis to tell his brother to leave me the fuck alone, but I can’t bring myself to do it. I feel like any attention I give this will only encourage Dawson more. He loves the attention; he wants me to fawn over him, and I’m not doing it.
The wild thing is, our messages haven’t stopped.
DoesMyBreathStink60: Did you see that Cruz asked to be traded?
Me: I did. Are you surprised? He knows he won’t get his playtime with Odder being there.
DoesMyBreathStink60: True. He’s too damn talented to be a backup.
Me: Exactly.
DoesMyBreathStink60: How’s your day going?
Me: Just fine. Busy with classes, then I have some editing to do tonight.
DoesMyBreathStink60: You should invite me over to watch.
Me: Ew, no. You could be a murderer.
DoesMyBreathStink60: Man, that would be such a cool story. Podcast host killed by podcast listener.
Me: You’d get a cool name. The Podcast Butcher
DoesMyBreathStink60: No. The Dead-Air Killer
Me: Noooo, the Podcutter. We’d get you a cool knife.
DoesMyBreathStink60: Yessss… How about the Sound-Checking Slasher?
Me: Ooh, and your signature can be cutting a mic into the skin of your victims.
DoesMyBreathStink60: I should be terrified of you, right?
Me: No way. I wouldn’t kill a fly.
Me: But spiders are fair game
DoesMyBreathStink60: Fuck yeah, they are.
The ease of our conversations makes me forget there will be a football player waiting for me with another note that I won’t be able to read. When I get super overwhelmed or nervous, the words become one, and there is no reading them.
