Love and uncertainty

1

It was dark outside a little well over 7pm, Katie laid awake in her large room meant for her and her sister, juggling between being on the internet and unconsciously giving up all of her attention to the fallen wardrobe door lying in the dressing space. She was home alone, she loved being home alone which even happened almost never but Katie didn't particularly enjoy this phase because not under these circumstances did she want to be home alone.

Her dad had a bit of a health situation, he spent all of his days for the past two months in a hospital bed and the days he wasn't in a hospital bed, he was moving to yet another hospital. Her mum slept by his side every day since while she and her sister switched places every night to help out their mother.
Today was Katie's day off. Katie wasn't exactly the very social kind, although she knew lots of people and lots of people knew her as well but as she liked to tell herself;

I have only one friend, I just know the rest.

It was quite a survival measure seeing as she schooled in a pretty small town where virtually everyone knew everyone. She liked to call it 'mystic falls'. With all of the insignificant drama that arose every now and then, Katie liked the idea of her circle being extra small. Even as she loved being on the internet, social media and generally just on her phone, she barely partakes in what she regularly stares at on her phone. She just scrolls through instagram,

"I'd most definitely buy this, and it'll go perfectly with the blue Zara shoes I saw yesterday. Nice".

She tells herself as she screenshots the 376th dress she might never actually buy. She watches stories of people she has no idea how they got on her snapchat, mumbling to herself;

"I'm not about to watch a whole minute of you driving Dave, your life isn't that interesting".

Katie has an extreme habit of talking to herself unconsciously even when in a crowd and it has become an actual problem.

Lying in a very still position facing the ceiling, with both arms spread widely across opposite sides of the bed. Holding her phone very lazily in her right hand, she stared indistinctly with a zillion thoughts running through her mind. From her dad's condition to why she never got with that really cute guy she stalked for weeks who, in the end, liked her more than she bargained for.

Her mind suddenly strays towards this guy she's been airing since the beginning of all that is.

"Right, there's Nate"

She said out loud as if trying to convince herself that at least there's a certain someone who she could while away time with, as much as she wasn't even interested.
She soon turned over and rested on her right side paying full attention to her phone which she once forgot about. She'd decided to text Nate back.

Nate was a school mate of hers who she barely ever noticed was actually very breathtaking in both looks and bank account. Even if she knew very well those two factors were merely a plus for finding a significant other. Katie was all about the vibe and energy she got from a guy to even put into consideration, becoming close at all.

Sometime ago she went on a girls night out at a bar and coincidentally, Nate happened to be present. Katie never noticed his presence yet again even as they were in the very same spot. Not until he walked up to her and said;

"Hey Katie, what's up"

Katie now getting surprised at the fact that the guy she barely spoke to at school just approached her, replied;

"I'm good, what you doing here?"

Stupid stupid stupid. she thought to herself.
what else would he be doing here, it's a freaking bar.

Nate chuckled "I just came out with the guys"

"Oh that's cool, I came out with my girls also"

"Could I maybe have your number?" he went straight on to the point. "I'd like to call you later"

Now Katie panicked.

The only time they both had a conversation was when they exchanged hellos only cause mutual friends were present. She couldn't quite remember the dialogue but she vividly recalled his girlfriend coming up.

She hated the idea of even the tiniest bit of drama so yes, she got paranoid.

With a PhD in overthinking everything, she usually finds herself reading meaning to virtually all matters. She undoubtedly had second and even third thoughts about this situation. If there was anything Katie didn't need, it was definitely any emotional discomfort during classes.

She took his phone and punched in her number herself because what else could she have done right? He was just a school mate who she was about to start texting all the time. Who she'll probably have to start acknowledging in class. Who would most likely turn out to be a complication. Who also, not to forget, very much has a girlfriend.

This should be awesome, what could possibly go wrong?

She forced a smile and returned the item that she knew just started a hoax chapter.
He had texted her weeks ago and she barely held a conversation. She wasn't bothered just yet cause they were on school break. She wasn't exactly perturbed about seeing him when she didn't have to.
As she laid there she began to type replies. Before now Katie barely stayed replying for more than five minutes which prompted Nate's reply;

"I'm getting too much of a celebrity's attention. I'm actually scared"

Katie rolled her eyes not fancying his jokes even a little bit.
Okay first of all you damn right I'm a celebrity. Secondly, this is all your fault dad.

They continued texting and with every reply she sent, she reminded herself that she was an idiot for keeping this conversation going.
It was actually getting way more interesting than she had imagined. They talked about her present situation and she mentioned she was starving. Having being home alone and not remotely in the right state of mind to whip anything up.

"I could order up something for you and have it delivered. What would you like?"

She threw her phone on the bed very dramatically and let out a loud laugh.

"Look at this lad. What the hell."

Okay calm the down. He's just offering to buy you food.

But then she was too paranoid and of course she had a well-known disease of overthinking.

As hard as it was, she feigned composure.

"No thank you. I wouldn't want to be a bother"

It took a solid thirty minutes of constant texting to get her to give in. while she waited for her love potion to be delivered, because she knew this gesture definitely got her attention, she called her best friend.