Short Changed || #ONC2022

Chapter III

"It's getting late," Luca said.

Annabelle nodded. "Yeah. I should start heading home."

And yet, their hands still held on.

"Thank you for making my night so much better," she told him.

"You too."

Annabelle could feel her mind rushing at a million miles per hour.

Were they close enough to hug? High five? Fist bump?

The moment passed before she had the chance to decide, though. Luca withdrew his hand, and with a little wave, he evaporated into the night.

Leaving Annabelle.

Her pounding heart.

And her stupid Tinder account.

Annabelle was, quite frankly, a hot mess the second she got into her apartment.

It was two in the morning, and still, the old lady from her neighbouring apartment had knocked the door within the first five minutes of her arriving home.

"My crystals are telling me that the movement of the heavenly bodies are making your future an adventure," the old woman had crowed on. "It's a continual process of discovery, aye?"

Annabelle had nodded politely. Then, as she did every night, she had escorted the strange woman back to her apartment.

After that, she was back on Tinder. Looking at Luca.

Swipe yes. Swipe no.

She wanted to swipe yes. Her instinct said to swipe yes.

But what if he swiped no? He would never know that she swiped yes, sure, but it would be mortifying. She would never be able to go back to that Italian restaurant, knowing that he had swiped no on her just like that.

Annabelle paced around her apartment.

It was a small, lonely place. Her job at the bowling alley was hardly enough to afford rent each week, so aside from the worn bed and television, there really was nothing. She had tried to make it more welcome – painting the reddish-brown walls over with hot pink and replacing the blinds with thick velvet curtains that fell into pleats.

Still, it wasn't enough.

Seven months in the city, and she still had no proper friends. Her boss was a sleaze, her co-workers were all young teenagers still in high school, and all her friends were still back by the countryside.

Maybe she could ask Luca, regardless of how he swiped, to be her friend.

Would that seem weird? Would it seem desperate?

Swipe left? Swipe right?

She made a cup of tea. Collapsed onto her mattress. Watched a baking show for ten minutes.

Swipe yes?

Swipe no?

She remembered the way he seemed to genuinely care. The way he gave her that free drink. The way he checked in on her, even when she was screaming in the bathroom. The way he called her back inside when he thought she was in danger.

Had it just been part of his job?

Or did he actually care?

Swipe right?

Or left?

Okay, what was the worst that would happen if she said yes?

Aside from, well, him swiping no. Leaving her rejected and mortified and on the verge of calling up Al Moitzi just so she could get some sort of attention.

Okay, she had to admit, those did sound pretty awful. And melodramatic.

Still, he wouldn't know that she had said yes, even if he had said no. She could act all cool and calm about it, and pretend they had both rejected each other.

Except she was a terrible liar.

Though, what if she just never saw him again? Then it wouldn't make a difference if he said no.

Annabelle reached for her phone.

Then, after glancing over at his face again, she dropped it.

What if they did both swipe yes?

Would she have to send the first text? Or him?

Would that mean he was romantically interested in her, or just scared of rejecting her?

Annabelle could feel her brain beginning to throb.

She couldn't take it anymore.

So, she snatched up her phone. Swiped. Threw the whole damned mobile onto the other side of the bed.

Then, she heard the small, bouncy ding! Saw the notification flash on the screen.

She crawled towards it. Her heart tight. Her eyes weary and yet unable to close.

And, as she read the notification, she felt it.

Hope.

It's a match!