Unknown: Because we need to be able to communicate. We are lab partners after all.
Me: Not happening. You can talk to me in class or during the times we have already designated to work on our assignment.
Unknown: What if I need to reschedule? What if I’m running late? What if you are? We need to be able to reach one another.
I type out a not very nice reply, but then remember what Char said about trying a different approach and quickly delete it.
As much as I don’t want him texting me, he’s not entirely wrong. We do need to be able to communicate, at least for the next few weeks.
Me: Fine. I’ll unblock you. But if you text me for anything other than schoolwork, I will ignore it. If you make a habit of it, I’ll block you again.
His reply takes a little longer this time, but he finally responds.
Unknown: Deal.
Without responding, I go to my blocked contacts and reluctantly select his number. It goes against every instinct I have, but I push down my reservations and unblock his number, shoving my phone back into my pocket, I make my way toward my father.
My phone vibrates a few more times over the course of the afternoon, but it isn’t until after I’ve eaten and spoken to just about everyone in attendance that I finally check my messages again.
I audibly groan when I see that Macallan has texted me not once but several times.
Mac: Thanks for unblocking me.
Mac: Look at us being civil.
Mac: Can you meet tomorrow evening instead of morning? Practice got bumped up.
Mac: Are you ignoring me?
Mac: What could you possibly be doing that’s more exciting than talking to me?
And then the last message he sent, which was just a couple of minutes ago.
Mac: Hello???
With a curse, I quickly type out a reply.
Me: Not that it’s any of your business, but I’m at a family function, so if you could stop blowing up my phone, that would be great. Tomorrow evening is fine. Text me the time and I’ll see you then.
“Hey.” I look up to see Kai approaching, his tanned skin slightly red from hours spent lounging in the pool with my brother.
“Hey.” I shove my phone back into my pocket.
“Are you about ready to head out?”
“I’ve been ready,” I quickly agree, having reached my social quota for the week—hell, maybe even the month.
Don’t get me wrong, I love my family, but these big get-togethers really take it out of me. My cheeks are sore from forcing a smile all day, and if I have to answer one more question about how school is going or if I have a boyfriend yet, I might lose my ever-loving mind.
“You good to drive?” Kai stops in front of me.
“You actually think my parents would allow me to drink?” I snort out a laugh.
“Good point.” He digs into his pocket to retrieve his keys, which he drops into my waiting hand seconds later.
After saying our goodbyes, Kai and I make our way to his car, which he parked at the end of the street to keep us from getting blocked in, which I can now see was a solid plan, given the number of cars that line the driveway and wrap out into the street directly in front of the house, sitting nearly bumper to bumper.
“You good?” We’re already halfway back to campus when Kai finally speaks.
