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Harlow | Phoenix | Other people
"Harlow!!"
"What's wrong? Why are you yelling?"
"You think I'm ugly don't you?"
"What?"
"Shut up Prichett . . . Harlow, it has been brought my attention that you haven't asked about Skyping so I figured that either you're amazing at catfishing or you actually think I'm ugly and don't want to look at my disgusting face."
"Phoenix -"
"You won't hurt my feelings Harlow. Just tell me the truth. I can take it."
" . . . . "
"She's not saying anything! I told you this would scare her! . . . No it doesn't mean she's catfishing me."
" . . . . "
"I'm not ugly so that's not the problem . . . You don't know anything Prichett hush . . . Harlow are you still there?"
"I was going to ask if you wanted to video chat but I was afraid of . . . you know, rejection."
"Rejection?! I've been waiting to Skype you for weeks. I just didn't want it to seem like I'm moving too fast or anything especially if you had a boyfriend - oh shit! I never asked if you had a boyfriend!"
"I wouldn't have told you that I liked you if I did."
"So you meant you like me more than friends, hm?"
"I uh . . . I -"
"Why are you so afraid of telling me how you feel? I have no problem doing it."
"Because this is crazy! . . . Phoenix we've barely known each other three seconds and I can't stop thinking about you! . . . I talk to you before bed every night and even dream about you. I think about you during the day and what deployment is like for you. I think about our phone calls excited for the next one. You don't think all of this is a little I don't know, weird? You don't think we're moving too fast?"
" . . . . "
" . . . . "
"You want to slow things down?"
"Maybe we should . . . I don't know."
"Would it help if I stopped telling you how I feel? I can try not to flirt with you so much."
"Um . . . maybe ."
"And I can stop calling you everyday. I'm sure you would like to sleep through the night, right?"
"I've kind of gotten used to it now."
"I love how you've gotten used to talking to me but I can ease up . . . For the next three days I'll let you sleep, okay? Get your beauty rest and all that good stuff. Maybe you won't have to drown so much coffee before work."
"I feel like I should be saying thank you but . . . I'm not sure."
"Harlow, I don't want you to continue feeling like we're moving past our friendship status too quickly. You know how I feel so I won't repeat it and I know you like me . . . so for now we'll leave it at liking it each as just friends and take our time at that. Afterall, I'm still deployed and I can't take you out on a date or anything to make you feel more confident in your feelings and for that I am sorry."
"Whatever we do in this friendship or relationship is no one else's business anyways."
"Would you say that to your parents?"
"I don't know. I - I mean I would, yes, if the feelings were serious."
"I would never want to put you in a position like that so let's slow down. It'll be fine Harlow. We'll be fine."
" . . . ."
" . . . . "
"What about Skyping?"
"Let's just put that on hold for awhile. I'm sure if I can hold back flirting with you that long I can continue to wait to video call you."
"Okay."
" . . . . "
" . . . . "
"So I'll call you in two days and you try to get some needed rest, okay?"
"Yeah."
"Goodnight Harlow."
"Night Phoenix."
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My mind couldn't understand what just happened.
What did I do?
I just wanted to slow things down a bit so I could process through my thoughts but I also needed to talk to someone about my thoughts. Phoenix was the person I needed to talk to but he was giving me space.
Is this what I asked for without . . . asking for it?
I was so confused. Wanting to call him back but knowing that I couldn't because it was a military line I had to force myself to sleep and not replay our conversation. I would call Timara tomorrow and hopefully she would be able to sort things out since I couldn't get help from Phoenix.
Having Thursday off was lovely. I was able to sleep in until eleven and lay in my bed in my pajamas for another thirty minutes before getting in the shower and dressing for the nothingness I planned to do today.
Parting my hair down the middle I brushed it into two puff balls taking a picture and sending to Phoenix's Instagram dm. This wasn't technically talking because I couldn't hear his voice and how much he thought my picture was beautiful. There was no telling if he would reply today or wait until the three days were up.
Staring at the picture I sent, Phoenix kept circling my mind.
Whas he staring at my picture? Did he see the inbox icon and ignore it? Was he even with Corey right now? Does Corey know his password? Was Corey look at the picture I sent?
It wasn't as if I was nude or anything like that. It was just taken for Phoenix.
"I can't do this!"
Dialing Timara's number she picked up on the second ring.
"Hi Mom!"
"Are you busy?"
"Oh no! What happened?"
"Phoenix and I are taking a break I think."
"Don't move I'll be right there . . . I'm so sorry Jeffery but I have to go. See you around."
"You're terrible."
" . . . . "
" . . . . "
"Okay, what happened?"
"I don't know. I've told you before how Phoenix makes it known that he likes me."
"Right."
"Then how he said his Aunt Justine might want to meet me?"
"Woah."
"That's what I was thinking but he said maybe and that's what he was getting from their conversation."
"So she doesn't want to meet you? I'm confused."
"He talks about me so much and she thinks like I'm perfect for him but we've never met each other Timara. How can you be perfect for someone you've never met?"
"You and Phoenix aren't exactly strangers Harlow. The two of you seem to talk about everything from the few conversations you've told me about. Falling for someone you talk to everyday for a month isn't crazy. At least not to me."
"But it is to me and . . . I told him that when he asked why I couldn't express my feelings for him."
"But he already knows that you like him. What other feelings is he talking about?"
"I guess he thinks he's being friend zoned because I haven't asked him about Skyping but I was going to before everything turned for the worse. Then he said he wouldn't call for three days."
"Why?"
"To slow things down . . . I'm not sure why I'm so upset when I basically asked for this."
"So what now?"
"I have to wait three days. I don't have a choice."
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A/N: Humans are such emotional creatures lol