Page 69 of Gave Proof Through the Night

Dangerous: no. i never forget. im like an elephant

Me: Solid mascot choice.

Dangerous: u say that now but just u wait

Me: Oooh, cryptic.

And just because I couldn’t stop myself, I texted again that afternoon.

Me: Pizza topping. One word. Go.

Dangerous: pineapple

Me: I need you to know I respect you less right now.

Dangerous: i need u 2 know i don’t care

Me: This might be a dealbreaker.

Dangerous: ur deeply strange

Yesterday, we lost game three. Badly enough that I didn’t want to talk to anybody, which is exactly when a text from her landed.

Dangerous: heard you guys lost

Wow, she even took the time to write the entire word “you” this time.

Me: Word travels fast for someone with a phone from 1994.

Dangerous: i have my sources. also u okay?

Aaand we’re back to one character words again. I don’t blame her. That phone is a dinosaur.

Me: I will be. Coach is going to make us pay for it in a deeply personal way tomorrow.

Dangerous: want me to threaten him? i know people

Me: You know people?

Dangerous: i know a guy with lots of cousins

Me: Hmmm, wonder who that could be.

Dangerous: eh hes kind of a big goober, dont get jealous

I read that more times than I dare to admit.

Then, later that night, I finally worked up the nerve to send the one I’d been drafting in my head for two days.

Me: I have a surprise for you. For your birthday.

Dangerous: my birthday was a week ago Zesty. u a little late

Me: I’m aware. I’m doing the redo.

Dangerous: the redo

Me: The birthday you actually deserve.