I lift my arms over my head in a stretch and my thoughts instantly go to Rebel.
A smile works its way over my face. I pick up my phone and type out a message.
Hey.
I stare at the three letters.
Then I hit the backspace until they’re gone.
Hi, Rebel.
I erase that too.
Cracking my knuckles, I stare at the phone and think for a minute.
Suddenly, I get a notification.
It’s Rebel.
REBEL:What are you up to tonight?
I feel my lips pulling up into a foolish grin and smack my cheek a couple times. Unfortunately, the warmth spreading in my chest isn’t so easy to disguise. It’s like I’m being buried in the middle of a supernova, one that’s been hidden in ice and set to hibernate for centuries. But now the ice is thawing and there’s no containing the pure, nuclear energy that’s about to crack out of the ice.
I type back immediately.
ME:Nothing much. You?
I let my phone clatter back to the table and spin my chair around as I wait for her response. It takes fifteen minutes for the phone to buzz and I launch at the device immediately.
REBEL:I’m out with April, May and Delia.
ME:The Tuna?
REBEL:The mall. April’s idea.
ME:Having fun?
REBEL:Me and May? Yeah. April and Delia? Not so much.
ME:??
REBEL:I think April’s trying to cheer me up after what happened this morning. Poor thing. But she’s miserable.
ME:She’s a good friend.
REBEL:She’s suffering for no reason. I’m in a great mood even without the mall.
The grin is back on my face.
ME:Does your good mood have anything to do with me?
REBEL:We’ll never know…
I run a hand down my face, massaging my cheeks that are spasming from holding a smile for this long.
ME:I’ll take that as a yes.
REBEL:I neither confirm nor deny those allegations.
