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“You two lived together?” Rob asked.
Perfect. The guy hadn’t said more than two words strung together since I’d arrived, and yet he had the ears of a bat.
I glanced over my shoulder at him. “We were temporary roommates, Rob. And don’t you have a few dozen groups to look after?”
“Sure do.” He returned to studying his screens the way Wendy was, earbuds in, her eyes ping-ponging from one screen to another and then back again while her head bobbed to whatever music she was listening to. She really was an old pro.
Sadie and I got to work as well. My screen mirrored hers, so whatever I typed or clicked on, she’d see, and vice-versa. This was our new life. Tied together by complete transparency. I saw fights over the cursor in our future.
A new message scrolled across from TBONE183 in the Newsraider group. Just got my NERDS MAKE BETTER LOVERS shirt on national TV, ya’ll.
The congratulations for TBONE183 came pouring in from other app users. Plans were made. Ridiculous things were said. I took notes on the plans and mentioned how happy they all seemed. It was like creating journal entries, except about other people’s lives.
“Newsraiding,” I murmured. “It’s really a thing.”
“It sounds right up your alley.”
“How’s that?” I knew she was baiting me, but I couldn’t seem to help myself.
“Being annoyingandattention-seeking? It’s just so… you.”
“Now all we need is a hobby for the great Sadie Tyler. Maybe something where you get to be grumpyandbad at sports. Little League ref perhaps?”
She growled. I smiled.
“Don’t burn the shirt,” I whispered.
“What?”
“I’ll need evidence that it’s gone forever. You have to relinquish it to me before I’m giving up my cologne.” It was a scent Makayla had picked out for me. I could live without it.
“Fine. You can have my shirt. But I’ll need all your colognes.”
“All?” Not happening. My cologne collection was worth twenty times whatever she’d paid Goodwill for that T-shirt.
“Relax. We’ll start small. I’ll buy you a body wash, and you’ll buy me a replacement shirt.”
“Why body wash?” I asked.
“Because you can’t over apply it. Trust me, your future girlfriends will thank me.”
I didn’t answer for a long time, thinking through all the ways she could be trying to mess with me. Did I really over apply cologne? Maybe she just wanted a chance to make me smell like bargain brand liquid soap. The stuff that was body wash, shampoo, conditioner, and toilet bowl cleaner all-in-one. Except, that would punish her as much as it would me, since we were now chained together in this office for the unforeseeable future. “Are we obligated to wear what the other person buys?”
It was her turn to pause. I could sabotage her in so many ways with this.
“Within reason.”
“Whose reason?”
“Ours. Mutual agreement.”
The chatrooms started hopping again, and we were both silent as we read messages coming in. The groups were sure chatty today, but I guess that was what happened when an algorithm matched you up with like-minded weirdos.
“You have a deal, Sadie.” I turned to her and held out my hand for her to shake on it. She stared at my hand with suspicion, but finally took it. I told myself I felt nothing this time. It was just her hand. Warm, and soft, and squeezing mine a bit too hard in a stupid contest of wills.
“I’ll be at your apartment tonight to collect,” I told her. It would be fine. Jenny would probably be there.
“To collect what?” Rob asked.
