Page 37 of A Better Place

“I do. I also don’t want to have to bleach my eyes later tonight. I’ll be downstairs if you need me.”

“We won’t!” Barrett hollers, and I hear a smack, and Tess squeals his name.

“Gross!” I holler back.

His cackling follows me all the way down the stairs.

I settle in on the couch and turn on Netflix. As much as the crazy, shameless shenanigans of the Gallaghers are keeping my attention, my mind keeps drifting over to Carly. I press pause on the episode and pick up my phone. Knowing, or assuming, that she is home alone tonight, I take a chance and settle on sending her a friendly text, when what I really want to do is rush over to her house and take her in my arms, bend her over backward and kiss the crap out of her. But that’s a little too friendly, now, isn’t it?

Me:Hey there.

That seems innocent enough, right?

I watch with bated breath as those three little bubbles pop up then disappear, only to repeat the action a few more times.

Finally, my phone buzzes with an incoming text.

Carly:Hey.

I chuckle that it took her that long to return the one simple word to me. I also quickly change the simple name of Carly that she had put in before I return the text.

Me:What you up to?

Beautiful:Relaxing, watching some TV.

Me:Oh yeah? Me too. What are you watching?

Beautiful:It’s embarrassing.

Me:Why? Is it dirrrrttty?

I type, hoping that she’ll catch on to my teasing. I follow with a couple winky-face emojis.

Beautiful: Not really but…

Me: But? Just tell me. I’ll tell you what I’m watching if you tell me.

Beautiful: What are we, five?

Me: That’s beta rice.

Beautiful: ???? ha ha what!?

Me: Beta rice? WTH! I swear Tess’s autocorrects are like a virus. I meant negative! That’s a negative that we’re five.

Beautiful: How in the world did it turn negative into beta rice?

Me: I have no clue. So… whatcha watchin’?

Beautiful: Ugh. Don’t judge me, okay?

Me: Never.

Beautiful: Shameless. **insert monkey covering eyes emoji**

There’s no way she’s watching this show. What are the odds?

Me: No way.

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