"So are you guys dating or...?" Aaliyah trails from my phone, which is propped up on my desk. I adjust my headphones and glance at the screen. She's also preoccupied with something else.
"No," I answer as I coat my pinkie nail in a coat of blue polish. "I mean, not outright, I don't think. I'm not really sure. I'm too nervous to ask."
"Well, it's a conversation to have in person," Aaliyah informs me. "Have you guys ever talked about it? Even if it was briefly? Some guys typically drop hints. Like, if he doesn't want a relationship, he'd say something like 'oh, I don't know what I want right now,' and leave it at that in hopes that you'll still agree to hook up with him if you think there's a chance for a relationship in the future."
"We haven't really talked about it other than our few
