Page 45 of Only With Me
Harlow: See you then.
Now I just have to figure out what to wear.
And how to be way cooler in person than I am over text.
“How could you not tell me about this sooner?” Natalie scolds during our weekly Thursday video chat.
It’s been four days since Mystery Guy and I made plans to meet. We’ve texted each day since then, but I’m still nervous to see who I’ve been talking to.
Especially since I’m starting to like him.
Her jaw dropped to the floor after I told her everything starting from the poison ivy group discussion, me showing off my ass bruises and the vitamin K deficiency discovery, which then led to Mystery Guy and me texting separately, and now how we’re meeting in person tomorrow.
“And you still don’t know his name? How’s that even possible?” I don’t blame the skeptical look on her face because I’d ask the same thing if the roles were reversed.
“Neither of us brought it up,” I explain. “I kinda liked him not knowing. The moment anyone searches my name online, they’ll see all the news articles from seven years ago.”
The ones that talk about a home invasion gone wrong and how I was nearly beaten to death with a metal baseball bat.
Natalie gives methelook. The one of pity and sadness.
“Stop it,” I scold, pointing at her through my laptop screen. “That’s exactly why right there.”
“Sue me for feelin’ bad about what happened to you.”
Frowning, I continue, “I wanted him to get to know menowin the present before he learned of my past. The scarring on my body from the attack, surgeries, and tubes aren’t easily explainable in a quick sentence or two. I wouldn’t wanna share those details with someone I just met without them knowin’ who I am now.”
It’s too personal for a stranger.
Nodding, she sighs. “Yeah, I get it.”
And I know she does, considering she has her own body scars and trauma from her accident.
“It sounds weird, but it’s also…exciting. Like some mystery guy is talkin’ tome.Givin’ me attention and lettin’ me get toknow him. It’s been thrillin’. As cliché as it sounds, I wake up every day with a smile because I know there’ll be a message waitin’ for me.”
Perks of him starting work so early.
“Well, ain’t that sickly sweet.” She gags. “Meanwhile, I’ll be in the middle of the road waitin’ to get run over.”
“Oh my God, you’re so dramatic!” I holler at how extreme she is.
She acts like she has no dating experience, but she’s already lost her virginity at least. I haven’t even kissed a man.
Basically, I’m going into all this naive and blind.
We continue watching a second episode before calling it quits for the night after we both excessively yawn through the last half.
“So if you call him Mystery Guy, I wonder what he calls you.”
“Oh, I never thought about it. Now I’m curious, too.”
“Let’s hope he ain’t some weirdo who labeled you as Nice Ass Girl.”
“He doesn’t give weirdo vibes, but I’m not exactly experienced in the area of men, so he could be a sixty-year-old priest for all I know.”
“Hmm…forbidden love and he’ll die soon so you’ll get his life insurance? Jackpot.”
“Natalie Jo!” I burst out giggling. “You read too much smut.”
