Wowza.
She didn’t seem to remember me, but I remembered her. I was captivated by the warmth of her smile and the adorable pink of her cheeks. I couldn’t stop thinking about her long brunette hair, her vibrant hazel eyes, her full, luscious lips.
Lips I had an overwhelming urge to kiss. I’d let her hit me with her car again if it meant I could have a chance —just one chance— to wrap my arms around her and press my mouth to hers without consequence.
Ding!
An alert on my desktop sounded. Someone sent me a chat message. My internet pen palInkPens&Swordswas online.
You won’t believe the day I had!
I grinned. I didn’t know much about my pen pal apart from the fact that they enjoyed writing, lived somewhere in Salt Lake, and had no problem picking apart people’s opinions on internet forums.
I happened across one of their posts ripping into a local politician’s proposal to cut funding to hot lunch programs across the state of Utah almost a year ago. Their arguments were succinct, backed up by facts, and all their information was cited. I reached out on a whim to express my agreement and a weird —yet kind of beautiful —friendship emerged.
Are you about to go off about the insane price of printer ink again?
Three little dots popped up at the bottom of the chat box, indicating they were typing.
No, but I stand by the fact that it’s ridiculous how expensive it is. I could buy a brand-new printer and survive off the default ink cartridges included and it’d cost less!
I don’t disagree. So what happened today?
I was involved in a minor car accident.
That’s terrible! Are you alright?
Everything’s fine. Luckily the guy was super understanding.
Well, I’m glad it all worked out.
Thanks, me too.
By the way, did you check out that link I sent you?
Apart from our usual grumbling about how expensive office supplies could be, my pen pal and I spent the majority of our time talking about our mutual desire to travel. It was the one thing we had in common, something we could truly dive into together.
Over the past year I’d learned that they wanted to visit Italy, while I really wanted to go to Japan. Sometimes, just for fun,InkPens&Swordsliked to send me the latest travel deals.
The link was to a discounted fee for a month-long trip through some of Japan’s most popular tourist destinations.
It looks like fun,I typed.
But?
I don’t know. I don’t think I can leave my family for that long. They need me here. Pretty sure the business would fall apart without me. It’s a miracle that my brothers even know how to open their email.
I think it’s admirable that you want to be there for your family.
I’m sensing a ‘but’ coming.
But I think it’s okay to be selfish sometimes, you know? Life’s short. I think you should see the world while you’re still young and able. Backpacking through the countryside as a geriatric sounds like a pain in the hip. I’m sure your family will understand if you talk to them about it.
I don’t know. It’s hard for me to express myself aloud. I’m far more eloquent in writing.
Write them a letter?they suggested.
It’s cute you think my brothers know how to read.
Hahaha!
The muffled sound of Red’s snoring reached my ears. A quick glance at the time on the bottom right of my screen read 12:49 a.m. Exhaustion made my eyelids heavy and my vision blurry. I had to get up early the next day to drive the guys to Old Marty’s Boxing Gym, and then I had to head over to Callaghan Campers to work my shift before coming back to help with Red and Cash’s afternoon drills.
It was high time I got my ass in bed.
I need to go to sleep. Talk soon?
Yeah, me too. Talk soon!
I logged off for the night and drifted away to thoughts of long brunette hair and pretty hazel eyes.