Letters With Boys

Tally and Ezra, Week 4 - October

Ezra,

Hope you had a good weekend.

I think you’re wrong about Gray. He’s certainly a little rough around the edges, but I like the way he looks at Mem—like he thinks the sun shines out of her ass. And he was nice to me and Bridge, too, which he didn’t have to be.

Thank you for telling me more about your life. It can’t have been easy, having to be transferred from Lancaster to Seacoast because you “weren’t good enough” in your parents’ eyes. 

It’s a strange sort of concept, isn’t it—the idea that you might seem “smarter” at a lower-performing school despite being exactly the same as you were before, in actuality? I wonder how I’d do at, say, a public school. Or Pembroke. 

I don’t think I’d do very well without Mem and Bridge.

Your classmate Kai was there this weekend, as well, by the way. He’s Bridge’s pen pal, as I think I’ve mentioned before. He seems like a great guy. Are you friends with him?

Best,

Tally

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Tally,

I’m glad you had a nice experience with Gray and Kai. The cynic in me would say that he probably was just looking at your friend Mem’s ass, not looking at her like the sun shines out of it, but that isn’t very nice, and I’m working on being nicer, aren’t I?

I wouldn’t go so far as to say I’m “friends” with Kai, but I don’t dispute that he’s a good guy. Your friend Bridget should be perfectly safe with him.

Funny how everyone’s pairing up from this project, isn’t it? It’s almost like that was their real goal, instead of… well, I’m not really even sure they ever claimed to have a real goal.

I know you said you wanted more time before I asked you out again, but my impatience to see you again is getting the better of me, so I’m enclosing two tickets to see the New York City FC game this weekend. I figured since it’s a day game, I can drive you back home after the game instead of us having to stay the night in the city. Hopefully that will put you more at ease with the idea.

I’ve actually never been to a pro soccer game before, and I’m kind of excited about it, so I’m really hoping you’ll say yes.

Let me know.

Ezra

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Ezra,

While you get several points docked for asking me out again too soon, you also get about nine thousand points added for choosing my favorite pro soccer team as the entertainment.

How could I say no?

I will definitely need to be back in Granger Saturday night, though. So definitely don’t book any hotels, or anything.

Also, I just told Mem and Bridge about this. Mem immediately started singing Don’t Speak by No Doubt, and Bridget told me to warn you that she will use the full force of her extremely rich parents to crucify you if anything happens to me.

(I pointed out to her that your dad is a judge, which she didn’t seem to like much.)

Any chance you’re going to this soccer game at your school later today, or is that too much soccer for you in one week? We’re going to see Kai play again.

Best,

Tally

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Tally,

Sorry I missed the game yesterday. Meant to go, but model UN ran long, which tends to happen when you’re the only one in the room who has any idea what they’re doing. Anyway, hope you girls had fun.

Was thinking—why don’t we get dinner in the city after the game? I can name drop my dad to get us in pretty much anywhere. What kind of food do you like?

I might go ahead and book a hotel, too, just to be safe—in case we drink too much at dinner, you know, get sleepy, whatever. But I solemnly swear to be nothing but a perfect gentleman, should that need arise. 

Really looking forward to this,

Ezra

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Ezra—

“Whoa, there, tiger,” as you would say.

As I mentioned before, I need to be back in Granger by tomorrow evening, which means the hotel thing is not an option. Dinner sounds fine if you can promise me we’ll drive home after, but if not, then forget dinner.

(But, if we’re not forgetting dinner, then Italian is my favorite, and thank you for asking.)

Seriously, though, Ezra. I’m trusting you here because I really want to see this game. Please don’t put me in a position I don’t want to be in.

I’m not going to forgive you a second time.

Tally