iMeet Cute | ✓

↺ 007 : arcades & messy textversations

Carter arched a brow, looking up from his phone. So he didn't know how to let loose. Or maybe he just didn't know how not to use his hands.

"You? You want to eat out?" he asked, incredulous. "Let me rephrase that. You want to ingest calories?" He was up on his feet quicker than I could say 'lactose intolerant'.

Piper rolled her eyes and set the paper plate beside her. "What's up with him?"

"He's jumpy," Sloan offered.

"Yeah, no shit." CJ rolled her eyes.

While the rest of them tattled on about school, and Carter, and Piper, I tuned them out and whipped out my phone. I'd acquired quite the number of notifications even though I'd only been off it for about thirty minutes. Most of them were from Carter's app-the app I so desperately wanted to delete.

After the whole thing with CJ making me swipe up accidentally, I'd been wary of it. Sure, I still engaged in conversation from time to time (and as much as I'd hate to admit it, the conversations weren't forced), but I didn't want to have to. I couldn't just leave the recipient hanging since I wouldn't want to be left hanging, but like I said before, I had more important things to do than make internet friends.

And on one hand, there was my accidental match who preferred to remain anonymous for some godforsaken reason. Good thing I was above caring, or I would've left him on read a week ago.

DO: Creme brulee or croissants?
DO: No, no. I've got a better one.
DO: Baguettes or brownies?

A smile worked its way onto my face, and I crossed my legs and took to typing. The girls probably wouldn't notice that I wasn't a part of their conversation, and even if they did, could they blame me? They were discussing school, for heaven's sake.

Me: those last two are literally incomparable
Me: I can't choose, sorry.

Another message dropped. From Colin. I'd effectively been avoiding him since we met, and I think my introvertedness was to blame for that. CJ would chalk it up to my "unhealthy sudden obsession with August", but I knew myself better, and I could confidently say that I was not obsessed with August Wilder.

I hadn't even thought about him until right then.

Colin: What's your schedule like for next Friday?

My eyes wandered off to CJ, who was now seated on the other couch next to Sloan. I didn't even notice when she got up.

I pulled my lower lip between my teeth and typed a response.

Me: it's pretty regular, why?

His reply was instant.

Colin: It's been a week since we met. I think we should celebrate that?
Colin: I know it sounds stupid.
Colin: I just wanted to see you again.

And my reply was not.

I didn't know what to say. I couldn't think of anything nice to say. I mean, what do you say to that?

My eyes kept darting from my phone screen to CJ, hoping that she would catch my eye by some miracle, but when two minutes passed and she was still laughing her ass off and no paying any attention to me, I took matters into my own hands.

In other words, I ruined the entire thing.

Me: look, Colin, last week was a total coincidence. a surprise. it never should have happened. hell, i wasn't supposed to get on the bus.
Me: but I did, and it happened, and we hung out. that was last week.
Me: we might make a good team ... as friends, or something, but I'm not looking for anything serious right now, okay?
Me: I'm sorry. I can't see you then.