Page 20 of Chasing Sunsets

Anson: That’s a relief. I was worried a seagull might carry you off.

Me: You joke, but I swear they get bolder every day.

Anson: You need me to come fight one off? I’ll bring a sword. Or at least a broom.

I laugh, flopping back against my pillow.

Me: I’ll call you when the uprising begins.

A pause. Three little dots appear, disappear, then appear again.

Anson: So, what are you doing now?

I bite my lip. It’s a simple question, but there’s something about it that makes my stomach flutter.

Me: Lying in bed, trying to decide if I want to read or just stare at the ceiling until I pass out.

Anson: Definitely read. You’re already the weird girl living in an RV. Don’t add staring at the ceiling to your reputation.

Me: Hey. Some of us enjoy a good ceiling-staring session.

Anson: Yeah? What’s so great about your ceiling?

Me: Well, there’s a crack in the corner that looks kind of like a dolphin.

Anson: Hot.

I laugh again, but there’s something else curling under my skin now. Something that wasn’t there a second ago.

Me: What are you doing?

Anson: Thinking about what a crack resembling a dolphin looks like.

Me: It’s pretty cool actually.

Anson: I bet. I’ll have to come stare up at it with you sometime.

My heart skips a beat.

Me: I’m sure that sounds like a fun night to you.

Anson: It does.

Me: Maybe I’ll invite you for a sleepover one day.

I hit Send and immediately wish I could undo it.

Anson: A sleepover, huh?

Me: Yes. Friends have sleepovers.

Anson: Girlfriends have sleepovers. Not boy-girl friends. But I’m willing to give it a shot if you are.

There’s something under his words. Something teasing, but not just that.

Something that makes my whole body feel warm.

I shift in bed, tucking the blanket around me. My fingers hover over the keyboard before I finally type.

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