Page 44 of Come Back to Me

“What are you doing?”

“And here I thought I was the nosy one.” She sits back down next to me criss-cross applesauce, facing me. “When I’m not working on stuff for my classes, I work on content for Instagram.”

“Ah, I see.”

“I can sense the sarcasm from a mile away.”

“I didn’t mean to say it like that.” I put my hands on my face, so she doesn’t see how embarrassed I am.

“I know you didn’t. I like messing with you.” She playfully punches me in the arm.

“So, you’re still making book content, huh?”

“Yeah, I’ve become a freelancer because of it. When I started my account, I had no idea I could make somewhat of a living by posting and talking about books.”

I know I’m going to regret asking her this, but what the hell.

“Did you ever end up posting the copy ofIgnite Methat I annotated for your sixteenth birthday?”

“Well, if you ever checked your DMs on Instagram, you’d know I did. It’s still up there.”

Whipping out my phone from my back pocket, I open Instagram and go to the search page. “What’s your username?”

“Are you kidding me right now?” she asks, annoyance taking over her tone.

“No, I’m not. What is it?”

She hides her face in her hands, lifting her head up to meet my gaze. “You can find out by checking your messages.”

I smack my hand on my forehead. “Sorry, I forgot you told me that.”

Leaving the search page, I open my direct messages and scroll down to Violet’s name. I hit it, and I immediately regret it. The last message was from her a little less than six years ago.

I couldn’t bring myself to block her because I didn’t want to erase her from my life, even if it was the social media part of it.

She’s always been my other half. I’m nothing without her.

“Gray,” she says.

“What?”

“Do you need help finding the post?”

I nod. “Yes, please.”

“I love how you’re still horrible with technology. It’s like you’re a cute grandpa.”

“So, what you’re saying is that you think I’m cute?”

“I think you’re adorable.” She smiles at me. “Give me your phone.” She extends her arm in my direction, wiggling her fingers.

I place my phone in her hand, and she’s scrolling up so fast that everything is a blur. “Hey, Gray?”

“Yeah?”

“How come you never blocked me?”

“Um…I don’t know. I didn’t find it necessary because I don’t go on the app that much. Not like you do.”