first he was smiling.
him: it's been exactly three hours and fourteen minutes since i got out and she hasn't put our grades in yet!
me: calm yourself.
him: get my mind off of this. please.
me: let's, uh - let's see who can jump the farthest off the swing set?
him: fantastic!
me: give me your phone first.
him: what? why?
me: so you'll stop checking it every single second. you're not allowed to look at it until... five.
him: five? that's like a billion hours away!
me: stop whining. hand it over.
him: ...fine.
me: you're like a petulant child.
him: can i just check it one more time pleas-
me: no.
him: okay...
me: now go beat my swing-jumping record.
him: but all those soccer moms will think i'm immature!
me: you are immature.
him: i fear judgment.
me: since when?
him: since now?
me: just go with it. remember, i'm the one with your phone.
him: i'm going, god!
me: i'm just human, man, but continue to shower me in compliments. i'll be on this bench making sure you don't cheat.
him: how can i cheat in a swing-jumping contest? never mind. prepare to be beaten.
me: oh, cooper... he's a keeper. i think.
him: look, nina, i'm going higher!
me: ha! oh, what vibrated? hope it's not mom or dad.
him: and higher!
me: it's cooper's mom.
him: whee!
me: should i read it for him? i don't want to snoop... but what if it's urgent? she doesn't text him often. ugh, make up your mind, nina!
him: i'm gonna jump soon!
me: "date's set. it's 6/25. hope u can make it." what does that even mean?
him: nina, did you see me jump? it was amazin- what are you doing on my phone?
me: uh, your -
him: did that crotchety old woman put the grades up?
me: wait, you're not supposed to -
him: you're going through my messages?
me: no - well, yes. but i only just unlocked it because i saw it was your mom and you said she doesn't talk to you a lot and i wanted to make sure it wasn't important so i wouldn't get your hopes up about the grades and -
him: enough.
me: ...
him: i can't believe you.
me: but -
him: we're leaving.
tear-stained paper, leaking pen.
YOU ARE READING
little talks
Randomi needed to write down almost everything he had said, to reassure myself that he had been real, that we were something that lasted; at least for a little while. - nina [ © jude rigor two-thousand-&-thirteen ]
