As much as I was dying to text Jason, I was also scared out of my mind.
My fingers as cold as ice, I quickly sent the first text of the night.
Me: Hi Jason.
Original, I know.
I waited to see if I would hear his phone go off, but I couldn’t hear anything. My heart in my throat, I sat up in bed and dropped my head back on the headboard. Maybe Amanda was right. Maybe, this wasn’t the best idea I’d ever come up with…
Jason: Who is this?
There might have been a squeak that escaped from my mouth when the phone lit up in my hand without a sound. In the darkness of my room, an unexplainable rush going through my body, I started talking to Jason as a stranger.
Me: I don’t think you’d know even if I said my name.
Jason: We can’t know if you don’t try me.
Me: My name is Michelle. We go to the same school.
Jason: Hmm… You’re right. I don’t think I know a Michelle.
Me: Can’t exactly say I’m surprised.
Jason: And why would that be, my new friend Michelle?
Already lost in a different world, my fingers stopped flying over the buttons when I heard Dylan’s door open and close quietly. Not knowing whether it was my brother or Jason, I hid the phone under the covers so the light wouldn’t draw attention.
Me: There are always so many people around you. Doesn’t give many opportunities for new people to introduce themselves, I guess. But then again, maybe you already know me.
Jason: That’s interesting. Our friendship is so new, Michelle who is not really Michelle, and you’re already lying to me?
Me: I wouldn’t say it’s lying. Let’s say I’m one of your many admirers and a little shy one at that. Just wanted to talk to you.
Jason: Let’s play your game. What would you like to talk about?
Me: I have no idea. Maybe you can start with where you are and what you are doing?
Jason: Easy enough. As I’m already sure you are not a Michelle, you must already know my friend Dylan, I’m over his place.
Me: I know of him and I know that you are close friends, that’s about it.
Jason: Would you like me to introduce you two? It’ll be like a second introduction for us, too.
Me: Not necessary.
Jason: As you wish, new shy friend. What else would you like to talk about?
Me: Do you have any guesses as to who I could be?
Jason: Oh, another game. You sure are full of games tonight, mystery girl.
Me: It’s not exactly a game for me.
Five minutes passed but no texts came in. When it hit the ten-minute mark, I got anxious, worrying if he already knew who I was and had put a stop it. Getting up from my bed, I started pacing my small bedroom. When the space wasn’t enough, I sneaked out of my room and quietly went downstairs to grab a bottle of water and distract myself with something else.
Padding into the kitchen in a tank top and pajama bottoms, I stopped short when I found Jason staring out the small window over the sink.
“Jason?” I whispered.
Turning to me, he whispered back, “Hey, little one.” His chocolate eyes looked tired for his young age. “What are you doing up so late?”
Spying his phone on the kitchen counter, I forced my gaze away. “Bad dream, I guess. Couldn’t go back to sleep.” Acting nonchalant, I opened the fridge and took out a bottle of water. “What were you looking at?”
“Just at my house.”
“Your mom okay?”
“I don’t know, Olive. I really don’t know.” Letting out a deep sigh, he absently reached for his phone and walked over to me.
“You can talk to me if something’s on your mind.”
He stopped right in front of me, his eyes almost invisible in the dark.
“I can?”
“Of course. I know you worry about your parents sometimes. I can listen if you need to.”
“You’re right, little Olive. I do worry about them, but they are the last thing I want to talk about.”
“I’m sorry,” I mumbled, looking down at the floor.
“No need to be. Come and get us if you need anything, all right? I don’t think we’ll go to sleep for a few hours yet.” A gentle tug at my hair and he was gone.
I waited a few minutes before I padded back upstairs.
Just as I was about to go into my room and run for the phone, Dylan peeked out of his room.
“What are you doing, Olive?”
Damn it! Didn’t he have anything else to do other than make my life miserable?
“What are you doing?” I asked back, a little peeved and a little nervous.
He cocked his head, his eyebrows knitted.
“Go back to bed, Olive. It’s late.”
“I was doing exactly that before you stopped me.” I lifted the water bottle in my hand so he could see. “I went downstairs to get a drink, Dylan. I wasn’t doing anything.”
Neither one of us backed up. Just because his friend was staying over, I couldn’t leave my room to get a drink?
“Leave her alone, man.” I heard Jason’s voice coming from behind Dylan.
“Goodnight, Dylan,” I said at last, then slipped into my room without waiting for an answer. Who knew what was up his ass…
Jumping into my bed, I searched for the phone under my covers and had a small freak out when I couldn’t find it. I relaxed when I realized it was under my pillow.
The silly excitement rushing over me once again, I checked the messages only to find no new text messages from Jason.
Settling down, I told myself that I would only send one other text and then maybe try my luck in the morning before Amanda came to get the phone.
Me: What? No guesses? I’m surprised.
Jason: Sorry, I was busy. Which game were we playing again?
Seeing my first opening, I couldn’t help myself and jumped on it. Would he mention me?
Me: Busy? Busy with what? Already found a new friend, huh? You really are quick.
Jason: You amuse me. I was cornered by Dylan’s sister. Not exactly in the arms of another girl.
Not knowing my heart was about to get broken for the very first time, I swallowed the pain the word ‘cornered’ had caused and forced myself to text him back.
Me: It’s almost 2 AM, and you were with Dylan’s sister? This sounds good. Do tell me more.
Jason: She is just a little kid. A clingy one maybe, since she always follows me around, but still a kid. She sometimes forgets that. I’m much more interested in who you are. I’m ready to play. Are you ready to be discovered by me?
I read the text a thousand times, or maybe it was a million. A tear escaped from the corner of my eye, and I drew the covers over myself and lay back.
Gently, I put the phone down and pushed the covers off of my face to stare at my dark ceiling. At some point it buzzed with two new messages, but I ignored them. No, that’s not true, I remember reaching for the phone and deleting everything before the unexpected words could hurt me again, but at that point it was all blurry for me. I couldn’t read them even if I wanted to torture myself.
Clingy?