Page 33 of Bi-Partisan

That’s okay darlin’. I didn’t expect you to. I just wanted to do something nice

Well thank you

You’re welcome

Feel free to share with your coworkers

I intend to because I don’t think I can eat this whole thing by myself before it goes bad

Well not with that attitude you can’t

Feb 27, 6:47 PM

Hey earlier when we were on the phone you mentioned the primaries. I assume you’re going back to NC for those right?

Yeah I am

Is that something your boyfriend would be expected to be there for?

I mean maybe but it’s also a Tuesday so I can easily say you had work

Okay yeah that wouldn’t even be a lie. I do have a stretch of shifts the Sunday before through Tuesday. I could try to trade with someone if it’s important though since there’s still a few weeks

No don’t worry about it. You have a career and if people don’t like that then that’s their problem

You should save your shift trading for something more important

Aren’t the primaries important? They seem to have been weighing on you

I mean a little but the last set of polls just came back and they look good

Honestly it’s fine. I promise

Okay if you’re sure

I am. Just send me positive vibes the day of, alright?

That I can do

Thanks <3

Chapter 11

Adrian

Song: A Troubled Mind – Noah Kahan

It’s been a little over an hour since Jamie texted that voting closed.

I’m glad that Casey and Sophie offered to come over and wait for the primary results with me, otherwise I’d be out of my mind. I’ve never been good at waiting for news. Without fail, my brain will always supply the worst possible outcome, even if it’s entirely illogical. And right now, even with the distraction of my friends, that’s what it’s doing. It doesn’t matter that, according to Jamie, the most recent poll results looked pretty good, that he’s the incumbent and still has the support of the Democratic National Convention despite the scandal, or even that there’s only one other Democratic candidate. I can’t help assuming the worst, and apparently, no amount of platonic cuddling with my friends and cats under throw blankets and tea can prevent that.

And if I’ve been anxious, then I can only imagine how Jamie has been feeling all day. He’s been understandably on edge the past month and a half since we started this fake relationship. I haven’t actually seen him since that lunch. But we’ve been texting pretty consistently in an effort to get to know each other, and even staged a few phone and video calls in public where he could be “overheard” talking and organizing a date night by one of the reporters that hang out around the Capitol Complex in hope of catching a story. And every time we’ve talked, his worry has come through loud and clear.

But I hardly know him well enough to know what to say to make him feel better. I have no idea if there even is anything that could comfort him. But I should at least try, shouldn’t I? He also might know something that MSNBC doesn’t. But I also don’t want to bother him when he’s almost certainly busy. I almost always wait for him to text me first for that reason. Tonight is different, though. He said to send positive energy his way. Maybe I should just send something that lets him know I’m here—something easily ignorable if he is too busy.

Before I can overthink it, I pull out my phone and snap a picture of Joseph spread out on my lap, the flickering spell candle and crystals Sophie set up for good luck in the background.

Only a minute after I press send, my phone buzzes with a reply.

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