Page 36 of Romeo

Me: I hate being ignored.

Ma Belle: That isn’t a secret

Me: Cruel girl.

Ma Belle: Accurate girl

I set the phone on my thigh and leaned back against the couch. She thought she’d dodged the question. Maybe she had. But so had I. Fair was fair. I looked at her last message again. Accurate girl. I could practically hear her saying it.

That was happening more often now. Her voice had started filling in the spaces between her words even though I’d barely heard enough of it to justify remembering the sound this clearly. I wanted more. I always wanted more. But tonight, she’d given me something nobody else knew.

She sang when she thought she was alone.

For now, I could be satisfied with that.

Sleep never happened. By the time the sky outside my window started turning pale, I’d given up pretending it would. I sat at the small desk in my room with my phone charging beside me and a cup of coffee strong enough to dissolve metal. At 5:47, my phone buzzed. I nearly knocked over the damn coffee grabbing it.

Ma Belle: You’re up early.

Me: Never went to sleep.

Ma Belle: Why not?

Because apparently text conversations with you every day still isn’t enough.

Because my brain has started planning arguments with imaginary college boys.

Because you’re miles away and somehow still manage to take up the whole damn room.

Me: Couldn’t turn my brain off.

Ma Belle: I know the feeling.

I stared at that. Did she? That question had enough possibilities attached to it to keep me awake another night. I decided not to torture myself.

Me: What’s your favorite dessert?

Ma Belle: I work in an ice-cream shop

Me: That isn’t an answer.

Ma Belle: Chocolate cake.

Me: Frosting?

Ma Belle: Chocolate.

Me: Ice cream?

Ma Belle: Vanilla.

Me: Predictable.

Ma Belle: You asked

The corner of my mouth kicked up. I could practically picture her rolling her eyes at me while she typed, pretending I wasn’t getting exactly the reaction I wanted.

Me: Favorite place in Rosewood?