You say that like you’re not the one eating vinegar-coated sugar in the dark.
@OneLastLine:
It’s deliciously aggressive, and you’re missing out.
@HalfWritten:
Noted. Adding “Nerds Clusters” to my shopping list.
I smile into my blanket, the corners of my mouth aching from how long I’ve been grinning. I don’t even realize how tired I am until my eyes start to flutter. Because it doesn’t feel like a performance. There’s no pressure to look good, no need to smile at the right moment. Just words, thoughts, quiet connection.
I glance at the time. 12:48 a.m.
Bri’s already asleep. My editing still isn’t done, yet here I am, curled up in bed, phone glowing in the dark, like a secret I don’t want to give up.
I type one more message.
@OneLastLine:
So is your friend who made you download this app like… a dating guru? Or just tired of hearing you complain?
A moment passes.
@HalfWritten:
Definitely the second one. She said I needed to stop sulking and “do something about it.” So here I am.
@OneLastLine:
Sulking, huh? That’s a bold confession.
@HalfWritten:
I figured honesty was the point here.
I bite my lip. He’s right.
@OneLastLine:
Well… I hope she knows she did the world a service.
A few seconds pass before his answer comes through.
@HalfWritten:
She’d probably agree. She’s annoyingly right most of the time.
There’s a pause, then…
@HalfWritten:
So… why are you on here?
I stare at the screen.
It’s a simple question, but the kind that could shift the whole vibe, depending on how I answer it. Do I go light and vague? Or do I take the risk and be honest?
I chew on the inside of my cheek, thinking. I like this feeling, this ease between us. But I also don’t want to waste time pretending to be someone I’m not.
