Holland
Reed:Did you know that octopuses have three hearts?
I read the message again to make sure I’ve read it right. Why is Reed texting me about octopuses at midnight? Setting my paperback aside, I respond.
Me: I did not, but I guess I do now. LOL.
A few seconds later, the gray hovering dots appear, showing he’s responding.
Reed: They also have nine brains. One in each tentacle. (Octopus emoji)
Me: Wow. Pickles must be a smart guy then.
Reed: No kidding. What are you up to?
It’s strange texting Reed. We’ve lived next door to each other and grown up together our entire lives, but we’ve never had a casual relationship where we text or talk outside of my time at his house with Emery.
We’ve been home from Boston for two days now. Two extremely long days that I haven’t seen or really spoken to him. But, since the rules are clearly defined for “us,” I didn’t want to seem clingy. I plan to see him the day after tomorrow when we leave for his game in Vancouver.
I’ve spent the past two days with my dad. And now, I feel even guiltier, knowing the last few have been rough ones. He spent the majority of the day calling me, Annie, my mother. I hated that I was spending time away from him.
Me: Just lying in bed reading, nothing exciting. What about you?
A few seconds later, my phone rings, and it’s Reed on FaceTime. I dart up in bed, panicking. My hair is in a messy, two-day old bun on the top of my head. I have zit cream on, and a nightgown that has Care Bears on it from an embarrassingly long time ago.
Oh my god. I fumble with my phone, dropping it onto the rug next to my bed, but quickly retrieve it and decline the call.
He cannot see me like this. No way. I’ll die of embarrassment.
Before I can even type a text to him, my phone dings.
Reed: You going to pretend you don’t have your phone in your hand right now? Or are you going to answer?
Busted.
Shit. Shit. Shit. SHIT.
I scramble from the bed and sprint to the bathroom. I quickly run a brush through my hair, and wash off all remnants of zit cream before grabbing an old hoodie from high school and throwing it on.
I still look homeless, but it’s considerably better than five minutes ago. My phone rings again, and I lie down on the bed before answering.
Reed’s face comes into view and he smiles; his dimples pop, causing those stupid butterflies to break loose again.
“Finally.”
I laugh nervously. “I, uh, had to get decent.”
God, that sounded stupid.Get your shit together, Holland.
He laughs. “Decent, huh? You read in the nude? Now that is a sight I’d pay to see. Can you read to me naked? I’m thinking maybe Harry Potter while I eat your pu-”
My eyes widen, and I immediately screech, “Oh my god, Reed!”
I reach over to my nightstand and put in my AirPods because hearing Reed say that out loud causes my cheeks to flame. My body suddenly feels on fire.
“Sorry, babe, that’s going in the spank bank for life.”
I hide my face with a blanket while he laughs. This conversation just took a turn that I was not expecting. I don't want him to see my cheeks bright red from blushing.