Page 418 of Call Me Baby 2: Side B

I’m lying in my bed, hair still wet from the shower to get the puke out of my hair,

wrapped up in Andrew’s hoodie,

his stupid sweatpants,

even his stupid socks.

I said I’d never wear his hoodie, but it feels like his skin, his warm arms wrapped around me. And it smells like him, the scent of his cologne that lives on his collarbone. I want to live right there, in that dip where his throat meets his chest.

But no matter how much of him I layer on me, I’m still shivering while watching Grease 2—the superior film of the Grease franchise, a hill I will die on.

(The hill: Sandy, in her yellow cardigans, changing her whole identity for a man who sacrificed nothing for her? Pshh… she’s an amateur. I’m a Stephanie girl. Give me the Pink Jacket and a switchblade attitude that looks a guy in the eye, demanding for nothing less than a literal death-defying lunatic on a motorcycle. Stephanie’s bored, bitter, sexy, and screams about independence while surrounded by a bunch of grease monkeys who want to possess her, telling the leader of the T-birds he’s a manchild.)

I look up at the ceiling, afraid to ask,

“What does ‘I need space’ even mean?”

I shove another spoonful of lukewarm Cream of Wheat into my mouth. It tastes like ass ‘cause I still can’t get the butter-to-sugar ratio right.

“Like seriously.

“I need an exact answer, Brooke.”

AI Brooke: “‘I need space’ usually means someone needs temporary distance before continuing.”

I roll my eyes. “Define temporary.”

AI Brooke: “Not permanent.”

I groan, dropping my spoon,

and it clatters in the bowl.

“I know that. I mean how long.”

AI Brooke: “Common ranges include several hours, several days, or several weeks. Common interpretations include: time to calm down, time to think, time to avoid saying something damaging, or time to reassess the relationship.”

“Reassess,” I mutter, my pulse dropping. “Sounds fatal.”

AI Brooke: “Reassessment is not fatal.”

“He said ‘from you.’

“‘I need space from you.’”

AI Brooke: “That indicates the space he needs is specifically tied to you.”

I raise my middle finger. “You got no idea how close I am to turnin’ you into a British man,” I mutter. “So how long do I wait before texting him?”

AI Brooke: “If someone requests space, it is generally advisable to respect the request and avoid contact.”

“So seven hours?”

AI Brooke: “Seven hours is considered too soon.”

“Eight?”

AI Brooke: “Still likely too soon.”