Page 20 of On My Side

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Ren

i’m sorry, who is this?

Unknown Number

oh my god, do i have the wrong number?

i’m trying to reach ren

Ren

you’ve succeeded?

Unknown Number

goddammit you dweeb. it’s audrey

I bark out a laugh at the sheer insanity that is receiving a text from the woman whose image I masturbated to less than five minutes ago.

Ren

oops…guess i forgot to save your number

Audrey

kids these days

Ren

lol, you know i’m in my twenties, right? got kicked off my parents’ health insurance and everything

Audrey

i’m in my thirties, so as i was saying…

kids these days

I’m embarrassed by the blush creeping along my cheeks. Not only is Audrey a goddamn smokeshow, she’s funny too. Talk about the girl of my dreams.

Audrey

anywayyyyyy was there a reason you sent me an email instead of texting me?

I bite my lip as I think of the right thing to say. What’s a nice way to say, “Well, you’ve been avoiding me when I’m teaching your kid, so I thought texting would come across as too familiar, and that’s the last thing we are, you and I. Familiar.”

Ren

as you can see, I forgot to save your number

Audrey

oh. i thought you hated me or something

Ren

hold up, you thought i hated you?????

audrey i haven’t heard a peep from you since that morning on the beach, despite seeing your daughter at your business on a weekly basis

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