Page 27 of One More Round

My phone pings. Ugh, a moment of truth.

Simon:Hmm. That’s definitely your M.O., so I can’t say I’m surprised.

I bite my bottom lip. Alright, I deserved that.

Me:Yikes. How many lashings will I be receiving this time, sir?

Simon:What kind of lashings are we talking about?

Well, that’s not where I was going with it.

Me:So who gave you my number?

Simon:And why am I texting?

Simon:Link, who got it from Ruby, so everyone is probably walking around in stunned silence like fools.

Me:Ha! Dex would have been the better source. You gone and f’ed up, my friend. Ruby and Link are the worst schoolgirl gossips I know!

Simon:Is that what we are now? Friends?

This leaves me a bit perplexed. I mean, I want to be friends again. God only knows how much I’ve missed him. But he is the one who texted me. If I say yes, is he just going to say “too bad, so sad, I still very much hate you!” or is that what he wants too? Surely, if he didn’t want to at least be civil, he wouldn’t have texted me.

Me: I’d like to be …

Simon:Good.

Me:OK, then. Friends …

Now what? The little bubbles never pop back up. I stare at the phone for longer than I care to admit until I realize what I’m doing, shake my head, and toss my phone on to the bed. I sit up and rewind the show that’s still playing.

But, no sooner than I get back into the show—seriously, Kimmy still annoys the shit out of me—my phone rings. I snatch up my phone and see that he’s calling me.

Ah! What?! NO … I’m not ready for this! Why is he calling me? What the fuck, Gia? You are 24 years old. Get a grip.

“Hello,” I answer a bit breathlessly from my near freak-out.

“Uh, hi,” Simon answers and he totally notices my tone because he sounds confused. “Am I … uh… interrupting something?”

“What? Oh. No! I’m just … doing sit-ups,” I spew.What the—?!

“Really?”

“Yes! Of course? Why would I say that if it wasn’t true?”Gah!

He chuckles.

“OK, Gia. I believe you. It’s just, you used to hate anything that had to do with physical activity.”

I let out a defeated breath. That’s still true.

“So … you’re texting me. We’re friends again, and now we are talking on the phone …”

“Yeah, I’m on my way home for the night on the L, and we went through a dead spot. So, I thought I would just call now, since I’m walking.”

“Ah. What were you up to tonight?”

I’m greeted with silence. I can hear him breathing, though, so I know he is still there.

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