Page 27 of Beautifully Broken
“We shouldn’t. I’m sorry.” That’s all she says.
In the deafening silence, I decide to just get up and walk away, leaving both sandwiches behind.
Chapter 6
Enid
I can’t stop thinking about the fact that Ialmostlet Conrad Hoyer kiss me at Shell Shock’d yesterday. No one was around, and his presence was light and easy. I felt like I could talk to him for hours, the persona in the media a stark contrast to the version of Conrad who’s been trying to get to know me for almost a month.
Pulling out my phone, I type Conrad’s name into the search bar, and his profile immediately pops up. A perfectly curated media page, game pics, team events, and the occasional photo with a family member or teammate on a holiday. None of this screams Playboy. I let my finger hover over the follow button, saying to no one in particular, “Just do it, Enid, it won’t hurt anything.”
“Fuck it.” I once again say out loud to no one before pressing the follow button and then returning to my nightly doom scroll. As I’m scrolling, I get a notification at the top of my screen, ‘Conrad Hoyer has requested to follow you’, well, that was fast. I accept the follow request and continue my scrolling once again.
‘Conrad Hoyer has sent you a message’ pops up next. I contemplate ignoring him, but curiosity gets the better of me, and I open his message.
Conrad Hoyer: I knew you couldn’t stay away.
Me: In your dreams, Hoyer.
Conrad Hoyer: If I’m dreaming, I don’t want to wake up.
Me: I’ll be your worstnightmare.
Conrad Hoyer: Nightmares make me horny.
What the fuck is wrong with this guy? I find myself laughing lightly at his shenanigans, though.
Me: You need therapy.
Conrad Hoyer: Don’t we all?
Me: Eh, probably. What do you want?
Conrad Hoyer: You, obviously.
Me: *eye roll*
Conrad Hoyer: I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable yesterday. That wasn’t my intention.
Me: You didn’t, I just wasn’t expecting you to try and kiss me. Yesterday was…
Conrad Hoyer: Please say nice… please say nice.
Me: It was fine. I didn’t hate it.
Conrad Hoyer: I’ll take it. Does Mace know I visited?
I laugh because if Mace knew, he would probably kill me. Then I think a little more, and he’s my little brother, and I’m an adult, so he can’t stop me from talking to someone.
Me: No. He would demolish me.
Conrad Hoyer: Fair enough. So, Enid.
Me: What is it that you are skirting around, Hoyer?
Conrad Hoyer: I’m going to ask you one more time if I can take you on a date. If you say no again, I will accept it. I desperately don’t want to believe that you just don’t want to give me a chance.
He’s not wrong, but I haven’t spent time with anyone romantically since Mace came into my care two years ago. Thinking about spending it with someone who has a history of breaking hearts makes the nerves even worse, yet somehow, I am incredibly drawn to Conrad.
