"You're kidding right?"
"I am not. I snorted out a piece of pineapple. I was not expecting her to say that at a professional forum." Nate said and I giggled.
Ever since we've started talking, I don't think I've ever laughed this much. Before it was a chuckle or a little sound when we were texting but now I could actually hear him, I could hear the changes in his tone as he tries to explain funny events.
Nate was funny and he sounded amazing.
We had a lot in common. Music, movies, outing types, favourite thing to do when at home and it made me so happy to click with him. He never pushed for more and neither did I, we only said what we were comfortable enough to share.
Most times though, Nate was always at work. And we always talked at nine at night. It worried me to know he was working himself tired, he needed to take a break. He once let it slip that he often got to work at eight in the morning.
I always wondered why he always worked this hard. He didn't have someone at home, because, if he did then he wouldn't be on a dating site and we wouldn't be talking for how long we do which is literally every day and only a bit of hours pass without responses.
My biggest fear was this...
What if he was married and was cheating on his partner with me? What if I'm the other man? Someone breaking up a family?
"Do you think we could switch to video call sometime?" I asked, out of the blue. It's a bit past lunch time and I had an appointment at three. I could ask him out right if he was married on audio but I wouldn't be able to tell if he was lying, so maybe on video I'd be able to see something I'd miss otherwise.
Honestly though, the reason I wanted us to video chat was because I wanted to see him. I've heard his voice all week and I wanted to put a face to the name and voice. I wasn't expecting anything, I just wanted to see and know who I was talking to.
On the other side of the call, there was a short pause and then Nate speaks up. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah. Maybe we could do it a week from now? Get to know each other a bit more." I said, picking at my sweatpants, trying my best not to be too nervous. Video chat goes both ways though, he'd be able to see me. Was I what he was expecting though? Would I be?
We were both on a dating site and we both know what we want. A relationship.
Although I had Arlen, Key and Jaden, I still felt alone. I wanted to be love and be loved.
"I'd love that." Nate said. "It'd be nice to finally see you, Cil."
"You too."
We talked a bit more. I could hear the sound of fingers tapping on a keyboard as we talked. Once it was two fifteen I made my way to my room. I put the call on speaker while I got ready.
"Why am I hearing shuffling sounds? Do you want me to call you back?"
I pulled off my sweatpants, almost falling onto my ass. "Na, you don't have to. I'm just taking off my clothes."
"Uh..."
My cheeks grew hot and I tried to reach for my phone, legs twisting in my discarded sweatpants and I ended up falling on my front, hands reaching out to break my fall.
"Cil, baby, are you okay?!"
My heart was beating twice as fast and I didn't know if I wanted to squeal or melt into a puddle on the ground. He had heard me fall and on the other hand, Nate had called me baby.
"I'm good. I'm good, I just tripped a little bit." I said, pushing myself up.
"Are you sure?"
"A hundred percent." I said. "I'm just getting ready to get to work."
"Okay. Just... try not to brain yourself again."
"I'll try but I make no promises." I said. I quickly took off my clothes and slipped into something more appropriate. I pulled on a pair of vintage jeans, I also wore a white shirt and tucked it into my jeans. I also slipped on some socks and my sneakers and topped off the look with a plaid shirt. I ran a comb through my hair, letting it fall flat against my head.
By two thirty I was out of the house, airpods in and I was still talking to Nate.
"Can I ask what it is you do?"
"Only if I get to ask you the same." I countered. I smiled at Nate's chuckle.
"It's on my profile." Nate said. "I own a company."
"Well my job is to help people relax." I said, trying to keep it vague. Most people did not believe what I do is an actual job, one that helps a lot of people.
"You know, when I first messaged you, I thought you were going to be like some of the horny folks I had met when I joined the site. I didn't think we'd still be talking for as long as we have now." Nate said.
Thankfully there was no one at the bus stop, I didn't have to interact with anyone or act like I was the only one there. I just wanted to focus on Nate and also text Jaden.
"I thought you might have been a weirdo that's why I didn't reply to your first message for a bit. I liked the fact that you sent me poems as an opener." I said, smiling at the memory. It seemed like it was so long ago when really, it was a month ago.
Wow.
A whole month.
"Talking to you is always the highlight of my day. Hearing you laugh and that little snort you always let out."
I let out a loud scoff, kicking at the ground. "I so do not snort."
"Oh, you can't be serious." Nate said and he was clearing laughing.
"I do not."
The bus pulls to a stop and I got in, tapping my wallet against the scanner. I took a seat at the back, close to the window. Once I was seated, I pulled up Jaden contact.
"It's okay, it's cute."
"You are so weird." I said, shaking my head.
To Jaden the baby: hey? I hope you're good. I might be home late but there's money in the kitchen, on top of the fridge for some food
Jaden's response was quick. Wasn't he in class?
"I am not weird. I just like what I like." Nate said and I was giggling again. However, reading Jaden's response made me pout.
From Jaden the baby: I'm good.
From Jaden the baby: how did you get to the top of the fridge? you're as tall as a can of Mountain Dew 😂
"Hey, Nate. If I send a teenager over to you, would you take care of him?" I asked, sending Jaden a middle finger emoji.
"Depends. Is it the teenager you were telling me is like your little brother?" Nate asked.
"Yeah. You can have him."
Nate chuckled. "What did he do?"
"He told me I'm about as tall as a can of Mountain Dew."
Nate let out a loud laugh, it was so loud it made me wince a bit. He kept laughing though and I wondered if he was still sitting or if he had fallen to the ground in laughing. I am not short! 5'5 is not short.
"I hate you."
"No you don't."
"I really do. I'm gonna block you." I said, pout still very present on my lips.
"If you block me, I'll be so sad." Nate said, still snickering. Yeah, he can suck my dick, the rude son of a...
"You're not that tall either. You're just six feet."
"Baby, I'm still taller than you." Nate said, still laughing. Yeah, I'm definitely going to block him. But... there it was again. Baby. This was the second time he was calling me that and this was the second time my heart was beating twice as fast at that word. I have dated people, I have been called baby and I wasn't half as excited as I am right now.
What was it about Nate? A man I had never met?
"You have three seconds to apologize or I'm actually going to block you."
"Well, aren't you a feisty one." Nate said, he had stopped laughing now and his voice sounded a bit deeper and it made me shudder.
"One..." I counted.
"Cil..."
"Two..." I said, biting back a grin.
"I'm sorry for laughing."
"And?"
"For making fun of your height." Nate said. "Even though everything I said is true."
This time when Nate broke off into a laugh, so did I. I ignored the looks I was getting from the people in the bus and just laughed along with Nate. It felt so good to do so and I felt free, I felt better than I had in years.
All because of this man.
All because of Nate.
—
😂😂I love Nate 😂😂
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