Page 8 of Sneaking Around with the Player
Stella
Beau: Check out this guy. And there’s this girl I think you might like too. She’s on now.
I’ll admit, it took everything in me not to send a second text. I stand firmly in the belief that if a guy can’t find five seconds to text back, he’s just not that into you. However, Holly suggested I send one more text. A little nudge. She said, “If he doesn’t reply within the hour, then delete his contact and move on.”
In the end, I couldn’t do it. But then Beau texted seconds later. What kind of crazy coincidence is that?
“Now what do I say?” I ask, panic and excitement coursing through me.
My sister sets her book down and comes over from her side of the room to sit on the bed in front of me. “Thank him and then ask him what he’s up to.”
Me: Thank you!
“You left off the other part. He doesn’t have anything to respond back to.” Holly’s brows adorably scrunch together.
“Wait for it.” I stare at the screen, hoping I’m not wrong.
Beau: How’s your week going?
Holly’s lips part and she stares at me in disbelief. “Clearly, you don’t need me. You’ve got this. In fact, I need a little of your dating skills.”
“We’re not dating. I just met him.”
“You’re in the pre-dating stage.”
“No. I don’t think so.”
“Then what’s the point?”
“A little flirty texting. You should try it. You do have Teddy’s number, don’t you?”
Pink dots her cheeks.
“I bet Teddy would loooove some flirty texts. Want me to help you draft something?”
“Just stick to your own flirty texts.”
“Suit yourself.”
Me: Good. Yours? Plans for Thanksgiving break?
Beau: Week’s been good. Nothing exciting planned for break. What about you?
Me: No meets this weekend, but I’m staying in Valley. My brother plays football, did I tell you that? He has a game and my parents are coming to watch.
This time it takes him longer to respond.
Beau: You didn’t tell me that. That’s cool.
And a second later, another.
Beau: Did you check out the link I sent you? That girl is pretty badass.
Holly gets up and goes back to her own bed and picks up her abandoned paperback. It’s not even Thanksgiving and my twinalready has Christmas lights strung along the wall above her bed. I don’t know anyone that loves the holidays more than her.
“You’re smiling so big.”
She’s not wrong. I’m downright giddy. I love this stage of meeting a guy. All the fun, get-to-know-you back and forth. It’s the weeks or months later when that excitement wears off that I find myself noticing all the red flags and annoying habits that I can’t look past.
