Page 52 of Birdy

There isn’t a single doubt in my mind that it’s him. I can feel it in my gut. It makes sense, really. Who else could it be?

Holy shit, he’s texting me.

My stomach flips one too many times, a rush of adrenaline zipping down my spine as I type out my response.

Me:Andrés?

Sheer seconds after I send it, those three little dots pop up on the screen, bouncing around in a taunting rhythm. His reply doesn’t come much longer after the fact:Were you expecting someone else?

A grin slithers across my face.

“Smart-ass,” I whisper, going about the necessary steps to add him into the small list of contacts.

Andrés is the first thing I type out, only to delete it just as quickly. Then I go with just A, even B for Bala, but something tells me I shouldn’t. What if I get caught with this phone? I know I told him everything would be okay, and you can bet I’m gonna do everything in my power to keep us both in the clear, but what if? What can happen to me isn’t important, but if they learn I had even the most short-lived conversation with him? He could get in a shit-ton of trouble—like an arrest and jail time kind of trouble.

I can’t let that go down.

Me:No, but I wasn’t expecting to hear from you either. This isn’t your number, is it?

Again, the dots come immediately, as if he’s lying in bed waiting for my responses. Jesus, that imagery. The man looks like a fucking snack with his uniform on… Imagine it off.

The text bubbles shift up with his reply:Nah. It’s a burner.

I nearly laugh out loud. This dude said it’s a burner.

Me:Lol, are you for real?

Another bubble:Do I look stupid?

Me:I mean, you did give an inmate a phone...

The minute I hit send, I swipe back into the contacts and throw in something more lowkey, something more...fitting. I can all but feel the devil horns piercing my scalp.

Chulomeans cutie, by the way...

Chulo:Shut up. Don’t make me regret it, Villanueva.

Me:Don’t start with that Villanueva shit. You’re not on the clock.

Chulo:My bad… Don’t make me regret it, Birdy.

Me: **Benni

Chulo:Don’t make me regret it, Benni...

Me:I promised you, didn’t I? Speaking of, when should I pencil you into my “hella busy” schedule to suck your dick?

Those horns pierced through my scalp, all right, just like old times. Tongue caught between my teeth, I’m trying my absolute damndest not to wake Selena up right now with the fit of laughter that wants to break free, especially when I see the dots appear.

And disappear, and then reappear, and disappear again.

El pobre.Poor guy.

Chulo:Jesus Christ.

Chulo:You’re bad...

Me:Duh, look where I’m at lol. And what? Did you think I forgot about that? You did me a favor, so now I follow through with my end of the deal. That’s usually how deals work.

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