Hey You

15

I sent John a text the moment I got home, “Hi, John...look I’m sorry but I can’t go on a date with you. I’m sorry but my feelings are with someone else at the moment and I don’t think it’d be fair to either of you if I were to go on a date with you.”

I shut the phone closed and plugged it in before heading into the bathroom to take a shower. 

I felt bad for cancelling with him, but what I said was true. So it wasn’t like I was lying to him and just dragging him along. He had to be thankful for that, hopefully.

Taking a quick shower I walked back into my room in just my towel and saw that my phone was blinking indicating a new message.

I pushed the button and saw that the text was from Roxanne, not John like I was expecting.

“Hey girl, don’t forget to text John...which I need the details BTW.”

I laughed and clicked the message to send her a reply.

“No details really...he asked me if I was free for tonight, I said no and then he asked me out for tomorrow.” Hitting send I continued to type “But I sent him a text when I got home cancelling tomorrow and haven’t heard from him.”

“Well, what did you say?” She asked and I quickly copied and pasted the message I sent him.

“Straightforward and to the point” I added, “I didn’t want him thinking that I would just reschedule with him.” 

“Good thinking, it’s not a bad text. Hopefully he won't be a d**k about it.”

“Let’s hope, because that would cause a lot of awkwardness when we go to Katies..”

“If we go there ever again” she countered.

“I know she was a complete b***h today, but she’s our friend” I sent her, getting up from the bed to get ready for bed.

I applied lotion to my dry skin and pulled on a tank top and some shorts before climbing into bed when my phone started to ring.

Looking at the screen, I took a deep breath when I saw John’s name flash on the screen. Flipping the phone open to answer  it.

“Hello?”

“Hey.”

“Hi…”

“What’s up?” 

“Nothing, I’m about to go to bed...I take it you got my text?” I said as I heard my phone beeped indicating either another call or a new text. I pulled my phone away from my ear to see that it was a text, but I couldn’t see who it was from.

“Uh, yeah I got it. That’s why I called...what on Earth could have happened in one day for you to cancel?” He sounded mad.

But before I could answer he continued “Katie told me you liked me and that you wanted to go on a date with me. She said that you’re just scared and that there’s no one else...so what’s up Stacey?”

My mouth fell open,I could not believe Katie would do that, not only to me but to him.

“It’s Steven, the same guy we talked about when we came home last Saturday…” I trailed off. 

“Okay, and what about him?” He asked.

“Well, a lot happened today and I just don’t think it’s fair to him or you if I were to go on a date with you.” Repeating what I had said in my text.

My phone beeped a few more times, more text messages coming through. I was becoming irritated and wanted to end this phone call.

“So what happened that was so life changing that you cancelled out date?!” He demanded.

I paused, was it any of his business what happened? I didn’t owe him anything. I wasn’t breaking up with him, we weren’t even dating!

“That’s really none of your business John. You know I’m trying to fair be honest to you…”

He laughed making me stop talking.

“Fair and honest, that’s funny. Katie has been pushing me to ask you out since her and I...” but he stopped short.

“Since you and her what John?” I asked.

He took a deep breath, “Look, I like you Stacey. I do, and I’m sorry I called and gave you s**t about cancelling. But I mean you’ve known this guy for what a week and you’re putting him first when I’ve known you for how long?”

“I’m sorry John, I really am. But I can’t help how I feel...and the truth is I don’t even know if I like you like that...like more than a friend.”

Silence, I wasn’t even sure he was still there; “John?” I asked into the phone, when I heard him huff out.

“Yeah, I’m here.”

“I’m sorry.” I repeated “Truly, I am. Please say something.”

“I, I have to go. I’ll see you around.” He said and hung up the phone.

I sighed as the line went dead and pushed my hand through my still damp hair. 

I went to my text messages, seeing I had four come in while I was on the phone.

Two from Roxanne, “She’s crossed the line, there’s no way I am willingly to go over her house right now and I hope you aren’t too…especially after what she JUST did...”

“Stacey?...”

I wondered what she was talking about, with Katie doing something else other than her behavior at the restaurant.

“What do you mean just did?” I sent to her.

“We’ll talk tomorrow, just the two of us...too pissed to talk about it right now.” She quickly replied. 

I rolled my eyes,  “Ok I’m going to bed. I’ll see you tomorrow” 

With no reply I moved on to see who else sent me a message.

Seeing a message from Katie and Steven, I clicked on Steven’s name.

“You left the sweatshirt here.”

Sweatshirt? I thought to myself, what was he talking about? But then it clicked “It’s yours, I didn’t know you wanted me to take it.” 

“I gave it to you didn’t I?”

“Well...at your next game I’ll take it and then keep it. :-D” I replied.

“Maybe I’ll just give it to you sooner...it smells like you.” 

I giggled at the thought of him smelling the sweatshirt. “I liked it better when it smelt like you.”

I clicked over to Katie’s message while waiting for Steven to respond. I had no idea what had come over me and how I had become so convient and forward with him.

“I’m sorry about today, but John has liked you for awhile and I think you two would be perfect for each other.” Katie had wrote to me. I rolled my eyes...she really had no clue.

“I cancelled with him and talked to him on the phone...he said you’ve been pushing him to ask me out since something happened between the two of you...what happened?” I typed to and hit sent as my phone beeped from a message from someone else.

Going back to the message menu, I saw another message from Steven.

“Because you like my sweat? ;-)” Oh. My. God. Roxanne was so dead, and this will forever haunt me.

“Hahaha, funny ...maybe ;-)”

“LOL, I thought so. :-*”

I blushed at his kissy face emoji.

“I don’t want to, but I have to get to sleep…”

“Same...goodnight beautiful xoxo”

“Goodnight :-D xoxo”

Before I was able to shut my phone another message came through.

“We...we hooked up last summer. No one was supposed to find out.”

The message was from Katie. I just stared at the screen, thinking to myself that she would rather I take her seconds, than to have someone new...untouched by her. I was fuming and decided it'd be better if I didn’t reply and just sleep on it.