Page 29 of The Exception to the Rule

(But she also thinks I’m hot.)

Terra wants to exchange names and phone numbers.

Fuck.

Chapter Eighteen

FEBRUARY15, 2024

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Date: February 15, 2024

Subject: Re: Happy Valentine’s Day!

Holy shit. You weren’t kidding. That’s an insane night.

It’s hilarious that you ended up in the closet and heard all of that. I’m sure he’s embarrassed as fuck. Hopefully he was nice about it and didn’t make you feel bad?

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Date: February 15, 2024

Subject: Re: Happy Valentine’s Day!

He didn’t. I mean, he didn’t remember my name, and that was somewhat mortifying, since my group of friends calls him Our Lord and Savior because they all think he’s so hot, butI’m just a first-year. I don’t really expect him to know who I am. He seems like a decent guy. And if I’m being honest, I mostly feel bad for the woman. To have good sex and then lose it? The tragedy! (Not that I’d know.)

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Date: February 15, 2024

Subject: Re: Happy Valentine’s Day!

Our Lord and Savior ... I mean, there’s a nickname.

And what do you mean, “not that I’d know”?

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Date: February 15, 2024

Subject: Re: Happy Valentine’s Day!

I really should not be emailing at 2 in the morning after I’ve had this much to drink. I’m saying so much here after being so appropriate in this email box for so long! But what can I say? I must be a conundrum wrapped in a mystery tied with a puzzle shoved in a pickle jar.

The nickname has a stupid story. Basically we all met him at a department party this fall and called him God until my friend Jamie admitted that, as a lapsed Catholic, the nickname made her vaguely uncomfortable and Elise doubled down and began calling him Our Lord andSavior. And then he became our TA and ... yeah. Callum (that’s his name)isobjectively attractive, but I am excited to seeyouthis summer. If you’re on the same page, that is ... I notice you didn’t give me your name and number, so I don’t want to cross that boundary until you’re ready.

And by “not that I’d know” I mean that I feel bad for Kristen (that’s the woman’s name) but not so bad that I’m not a little envious that she’s experienced it. Does that make sense? Like part of what she was saying to him felt embarrassingly over the top, but part of it felt really ...real. And I don’t know if there is any guy from my past, even one who ended things and I still had feelings for, who I would go to and say, “I need this one more time.” Overhearing that conversation made me realize I’ve never really had good sex.

I can’t believe I’m about to hit Send on this but

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