Page 7 of Stop and Seek
Inside, the apartment reeked of takeout bags and last week’s laundry. Theo tiptoed over the mounds of clothes and books and crap he kept promising himself he’d clean.
He threw himself into bed. The springs groaned.
For hours, he scrolled. Bright videos. Facts he didn’t care about. Music he couldn’t remember. Everything blurring past like the stupid, jagged neon lights from The Rat’s Nest.
Flash. Swipe. Flash. Swipe.
Nothing stuck.
Nothing touched the hard, aching thing in his chest. Or maybe his skull.
Whatever.
His glasses landed somewhere near the side table when Rachel’s text came in.
Rachie
ily you know i do
Theo dragged the phone closer. The screen lit up his face, made his eyes water. He squinted, nose nearly pressed to the messages until the white smudges became letters again.
Theo
i know
Rachie
if all these dates keep going bad its not them
Theo
?
Rachie
you were a dick tonight. liam is in fucking TEARS
Theo
sry
Rachie
no you’re not
why can’t you be nicer? just once?
would it KILL YOU????
he was nervous you asshole
lyssa and i spent an hour on the phone w/ him.
he’s her COUSIN jfc and now he never wants to go on another blind date
because of YOU
Theo typed out a response, backspaced, and waited until the three dots popped onto the screen again.
