Chapter 6 - Flirt First, Panic Later
497 Words
By lunch, I was 99% sure I was in love.
With a contact saved as “???❤️🔥”.
Tasha had officially lost it.
“You can’t be in love with a phone number, Sky.”
I took a dramatic bite of my fries. “Watch me.”
She rolled her eyes. “This is how people end up on catfish shows.”
Buzz.
My soul did a backflip.
UNKNOWN:
“Still spying on the soccer team like I’m one of them?”
Me:
“Listen. If the shoe fits… and it’s a cleat... maybe.”
UNKNOWN:
“You think I’m a soccer boy?”
Me:
“You flirt with the confidence of someone who owns too many sweatbands.”
UNKNOWN:
“Wow. Judgy and observant.”
Me:
“I contain multitudes.”
Tasha read over my shoulder, chewing dramatically on her straw. “You guys are literally flirting like it’s your full-time job.”
“I feel like I should be getting paid for this amount of heart palpitations.”
“Girl, same.”
We sat at our usual table, half-eating, half-scanning the cafeteria. Hoodie Guy was a possible suspect, but there were at least seven guys wearing hoodies today, and honestly, none of them screamed “Texting Mystery Casanova.”
Tasha leaned in, squinting. “What if he’s, like… ugly?”
I gasped. “I would still love him. As long as he uses correct punctuation and keeps calling me cute.”
Tasha grinned. “You’re a grammar simp.”
“Proudly.”
Buzz.
UNKNOWN:
“Wanna play a game?”
Oh no.
Either this was about to get spicy or turn into Saw.
Me:
“If this ends with me in the woods holding a lantern, I’m out.”
UNKNOWN:
“No woods. Promise. Just a dare.”
Me:
“Hit me.”
UNKNOWN:
“Look around the room. First person you make eye contact with... smile at them like you know something they don’t.”
Me:
“…This feels dangerous.”
UNKNOWN:
“Do it. I dare you.”
I groaned. “He dares me.”
Tasha gasped. “DO IT. It’s giving 'teen movie main character' moment.”
I looked around slowly, dramatically, then accidentally locked eyes with... oh no.
Mr. Darnell. Our 60-year-old science teacher.
I smiled.
Like. Really smiled. Like I had a secret about him.
He blinked.
I blinked.
He walked away.
Tasha choked on her juice box.
Me:
“I hate you.”
UNKNOWN:
“10/10 execution. Darnell definitely thinks you’re plotting something.”
Me:
“You owe me SO HARD.”
UNKNOWN:
“Fine. My turn to embarrass myself soon.”
Me:
“I’ll be watching.”
UNKNOWN:
“You always are.”
Okay.
That?
That did something to me.
Butterflies? More like a whole zoo.
Tasha leaned in. “So… we keeping this mystery guy, orrr…?”
I smiled at my phone, heart doing full gymnastics.
“Oh, we’re definitely keeping him.
- Writer
