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Without allowing myself to overthink, I copy and pasted the article and sent it to Maisie for proofing. I normally wouldn’t have had her proofread relationship-related posts, but this one was major. Probably the most important one Babble had seen in a while, aside from the Most Likely Tos. It needed one more set of eyes.
I set down my phone and rubbed my hands across my forehead, trying to ignore the building tension in my chest. Almost like someone was gradually squeezing my heart tighter and tighter.
With my eyes closed, I pictured the moment on the Manning’s couch. My legs in Reed’s lap, his hands on my shins. My palm over his mouth.
I lowered my palm from my forehead to press against my own lips.Pathetic.
My cell split the silence in my room, and if my heart wasn’t already beating fast, it would’ve frantically skipped a beat then. I pulled it out of my pocket and eyed the screen before answering. “Was the article riddled with mistakes? Or are you calling because you don’t have time to proof it?”
I tried to interject levity into my voice, but there was no missing the nervousness in Maisie’s. “Y-You know, it’s kind of an invasion of privacy, isn’t it? The whole article, I mean. That’s why I’m calling. Like…who really cares who Connor was spotted with?”
I couldn’t help but chuckle as I stretched up from my bed. “I love you, but I totally get that the gossipy stuff isn’t your thing. I just can’t believe he’d move on so quickly, can you? This is big news, Maisie. Like, imagine if the world discovered that 2+2=5 instead of 4.”
I paced back and forth across my shag rug as I spoke, lulled by the movement. It wasn’t enough to fully dismiss the anxiety, but enough that I had something else to focus on, at least for a moment.
Until Maisie drew in a breath. “Ava, writing an article like this without proof would be horrible. What if it’s not true? You know how the gossip mill at school works. An article like this could really hurt him.”
My pacing stopped right in front of my window, stomach tensing as if she’d dealt me a blow. Her objection to it felt like sandpaper scratching across my skin. Rachel had called me her little paparazzi, and Reed wielded the nickname with sarcasm, but I could never be a writer for a tabloid. Petty gossip was fun, but Maisie was right—this was too big to post without proof.
It might not have been something I’d have thought about before the list. I didn’t even think of it now, but even if Maisie had pointed it out before, I might not have done a full-stop. But this was post-Most Likely Tos. This was after I knew how it actually felt to be gossiped about.
My insides deflated like someone had let go of the opening of my balloon.
My train of thought started zooming down a different track. How many times had I posted something without proof? Had it ever hurt anyone? Embarrassed them? Once more, my stomach cramped as unease tore through me.
Against my ear, my phone gave a soft chime with a new text message, and I pulled it away, pausing the white static on Maisie’s end to read it.
Reed
I forgot to ask earlier. DYHYFKY?
I nearly dropped my phone, but halted in the process of wearing a path on the floor. “Hey, I have to go. My—uh—mom got home. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I pulled my phone away before Maisie had a chance to say goodbye, drawing in a deep breath as I sat down on the edge of my bed. The ground was way too unsteady to stay standing.
Ava
Am I supposed to know what that means?
Reed
Did You Have Your First Kiss Yet? It’s a well-known acronym. Maybe you should brush up on your internet slang ;)
Was it stupid that, despite my bleak mood, a freaking winky face lifted my spirits? Probably.
Ava
Oh, yes, silly me to have forgotten DYHYFKY. Should I even call myself an internet blogger? I guess I have much to learn from you
Reed
You’ve already learned one thing
The hands holding my phone faltered, fluttering thumbs coming to a full stop as I read and reread Reed’s message one, two, twenty times.Surely, he’s not talking about the kiss. He’s probably talking about something totally, totally normal and I’m zeroing in on that one thing.
That really amazing one thing.
Reed
