Page 52 of Free Agent

That “oh, okay” was actually fucking lethal, and I cringed about it for a second while I thought about how to approach, since she was clearly at least still irritated, if not outright mad.

Damn. You not fucking with the emojis? You kinda strict. was what I opted for, trying to keep it lighthearted on my end.

Still a gamble, though.

No, I’m not strict. See? Here: – Rori M

A moment passed, then a whole wall of eyeroll emojis hit our text thread, making me laugh.

Before I could type out a response, she’d already sent another one.

I had just been working up the nerve to hit you and apologize for Monty being weird to you because of me, and then you turned around and got weirder. – Rori M

Again… shit.

I stared at the phone for a bit, trying to decide how to play it next.

Was she unbothered enough that I could charm my way around this?

Cut me a break; we lost the chance to go to the Super Bowl today. I’m not in my right mind, I typed out, knowing the odds of that working were hit or miss.

Not in your right mind. Wow,” she replied, with a couple of laughing emojis. That’s an interesting excuse if I ever heard one. – Rori M

I’m just saying, have some sympathy, I pleaded.

Uh-huh. – Rori M

Yeah… it wasn’t really working.

Time to stop playing.

Okay bullshit aside, I started, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have given in to the urge to be petty. I can own that. It was childish, and probably only fed the drama beast, and… just wasn’t cool. I’m sorry. I would, however, like to make the point for the record that he deserved much, much worse. He ought to be glad I wasn’t REALLY trying to take it there.

He ought to be glad or EYE ought to be glad? – Rori M

Damn.

Okay.

I had to eat that.

She was right, and I couldn’t deny it, not after I’d had to ask people to stop bringing her up on the livestream. It wasn’t just bullshit between me and Monty. It all reflected on her too, and that deserved my consideration.

She deserved my consideration.

A little fact I started to type out, then changed my mind and called instead, a video call I halfway expected her to decline. Instead, she answered, in a big ass puffy headband, with a wet face.

“You’re right,” I admitted. “I wasn’t thinking about the blowback you might get, and I should’ve. I’m sorry.”

She smirked, looking away from the screen to pat her face dry with a towel. “Don’t sweat it. I’m so used to the bullshit at this point I barely expect different anymore.”

Ouch.

“I guess I deserve that,” I said. “Tell me how to make it up to you.”

“I don’t know.” She shrugged, then started dripping a thick liquid on her face from a dropper. “Dick for breakfa—oh, shit, I didn’t mean to say that out loud,” she giggled.

“Nah, don’t try to run it back now,” I said, groaning as I sat up. “I’m already in town, we can make that shit happen no problem.”

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