Pippa:Then what is?
There was another long, long pause now. The pauses were so physically painful. I waited, desperate for him to come up with a solution to the issue. But he didn’t, so I typed back.
Pippa:I don’t think the problem was the sex per se, well, not from my side anyway. It was rather the type of sex we had.
Andrew:And what type was that?
Pippa:I’m not sure, because I’ve never had that type of sex before.
Andrew:Me neither.
The pause that stretched on after that was endless. Ten minutes passed, another ten, and then, before I knew it, an entire ninety minutes had passed and no one had said a word. But it became too much to take.
Pippa:You there?
Andrew:I am.
Pippa:So what do we do?
Andrew:Okay. No more sex. No more sex talk. No more referring to sex ever again. The word ‘sex’ shouldn’t come out of our mouths when we are together! Definitely no calling me SEX Zero Zero at work.
Pippa:I can do that.
Andrew:Me too.
There was another pause and I wondered if he was thinking what I was:how impossible that task was going to be.
Pippa:So are we friends again then?
Andrew:I was never not your friend.
Pippa:Good, because I don’t have many friends.
Andrew:Well, you have me as one.
Pippa:Thanks.
Andrew:Speaking of friends, remember that school reunion I mentioned?
Andrew:I was going to go alone, since we weren’t really talking, but now that we are, not sure if you are still keen? Or is it too soon for something like that?
Pippa:Do you still need a fake girlfriend?
Andrew:I suppose I don’thaveto have one, but it would be nice to have one. I enjoy having one. It’s this Friday night.
My cheeks felt a little hot and sticky. I reached up and touched them: my hands felt cool against my skin.
Pippa:I need to think about it, is that okay?
Andrew:Sure, take your time. But not too much time, since it is in seven days.
Pippa:Sorry, I’ll try. It’s just that sometimes, when things are sprung on me that I’m not expecting, I need to take some time to think about them.
Andrew:I know.
Pippa:You do?
Andrew:I probably know you better than you think I know you.
