Page 62 of Love Harder

Brooklyn and I spoke like normal, and I pushed aside Psychic’s words of warning.

But I really shouldn’t have.

It was the day before I was flying out to another state for two days. Then after this, I was coming to see Brooklyn. It was a beautiful day in New York, and as always, I was walking the streets with no real place to go.

I was on the phone with Brooklyn, and he was telling me about his day like always. He asked when I was arriving again, and I jokingly commented that this was the tenth time I had told him.

Things took a turn.

He responded in a way that I didn’t appreciate. He was rather abrupt, and his tone quite blunt. I ended the call and decided to take the night off from speaking to him.

The following morning, on the way to the airport, he texted me.

I guess you don’t like me anymore.

I didn’t want to make a big deal about this, which I sent back, and I just explained that I didn’t like how he spoke to me.

He replied gruffly, saying he wasn’t going to pretend he knew what I was talking about and that he didn’t say anything disrespectful. I didn’t have a chance to reply before he said if I felt disrespected for whatever reason, then maybe it’s a good idea that we don’t hang out.

My stomach dropped, and I instantly began doubting myself.

Had I overreacted?

Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything?

But then, I remembered all the times I didn’t say anything and how those relationships ended. No, I wasn’t second-guessing my decision.

I replied that his tone wasn’t appreciated, and I also never said I felt disrespected. But if he didn’t want to hang out, then that’s fine.

I wasn’t going to beg for anyone’s time because if you take anything away from this tale, it’s this: we don’t chase, we attract.

His attitude changed drastically.

He said he wasn’t making fun of me and was only joking. That I had misunderstood, and he wasn’t that type of person. But he said that I literally ghosted him last night, and he thought I was looking for an excuse not to talk to him anymore.

Reading these texts back, I can’t help but see the irony in them—you’ll soon see why.

He said that if I wanted to play games, he was not the guy for me. It was all a misunderstanding, and he wasn’t being nasty. I would know if he was.

We made peace, but I couldn’t help but feel that something had shifted. I saw a side to him I didn’t like. I understand people have bad days and can be misunderstood, but Brooklyn’s tone was mean. And I don’t like mean people.

Things went back to normal, but something didn’t sit right in the pit of my stomach, and we know what that is, right?

Gut instinct.

Never ignore it because it is rarely wrong.

The day had come.

I was a nervous bundle of excited energy.

I boarded the plane with no real expectations.

Frankie, a friend, was picking me up from the airport. We were spending the week together, as she lived not too far from Brooklyn. Our meeting at the airport was filled with hugs and smiles. Frankie is my girl. She knew about Brooklyn and was excited to meet him too.

I settled in and texted him.

He said he was running some errands but would come later. He also made clear that he wanted to stay the week if it was okay with Frankie, which of course it was.

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