Page 23 of Theoretically Straight

As soon as I get home, I head straight to my bedroom and review the footage I was able to capture one last time. After a few minor tweaks, adding some catchy captions and hashtags, I post it to TikTok. I barely pay attention to the video itself before posting it—because why bother if I was there—but I’m still hoping that at least it’ll get me more followers.

Once it’s out there, I change into some gym shorts and lay in bed, but I don’t go to sleep. I’m not remotely tired. Instead, I stare at the ceiling and replay the events of the night in my mind over and over again.

He didn't mean to hold my hand.

It was a reflex. Caleb was just startled. Heck, I might have done the same thing.

So why can't I stop thinking about it? Why does my hand still feel like it's tingling when I remember it, even now, hours later? Why did it feel like that when we touched? What does it mean?

What the hell is happening?

Sorry, God, I know. But seriously, what is this?

I reach for my phone and pull up the first video that I took in the basement, the one I started recording the moment I heard footsteps and ended as soon as it was clear it wasn’t a paranormal entity. It was just Caleb. I play it again and pause it just as Caleb enters the frame. Surprisingly, my phone does a decent job capturing Caleb’s frightened brown eyes and his soft features. The low light just barely catches the reddish-copper tint of his curly hair.

Something happens in my chest as I watch the video—a slight burning sensation just behind my sternum that travels up and down my spine—and my heart skips a few beats before I forcefully stop the video. I close the app completely, lock my phone, and lay it on my chest, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath.

Crap, why am I acting like this? Maybe I just haven't made a new friend in a while. Surely that's it. I've been friends with Sienna and Harrison since elementary school and Oliver and Elise since middle school. I haven't made a new friend in at least five years. I have social anxiety. Making new friends is hard. That's all.

Also, now that I’m thinking about it, emotions were high in that place tonight. It was inherently scary, and what we were doing was risky. Even if there weren’t any ghosts or demons, we definitely could have gotten into trouble with the staff. The stakes were high. Maybe Caleb and I are trauma-bonded now. Or something—I'll have to Google it.

That must be it. If we had met under any other circumstance, I'd feel super normal about Caleb and only kind of want to see him again like I would any other friend. We just had some stuff in common—the foundation of every budding friendship—and then we shared an intense emotional experience.

Hmm, I need to test this theory. Caleb and I need to hang out again without the threat of danger hanging over our heads. That's it. Just a normal, casual hang-out.

Okay. I just need to hang out with Caleb again. For science.

* * *

Sunday, September 10

The next morning, I am dragged out of sleep by the insistent buzzing of my phone over and over again. It’s not my alarm, but just a constant, grating stream of buzzing. I groan as I groggily reach for my phone from my nightstand to stop the annoying sound—ugh, it’s only 7:38 AM, it’s too early—but then I’m jolted awake as I notice multiple frantic messages in my group chat with Harrison, Oliver and Elise (cleverly nicknamed “Oliver & Company”).

Oliver

holy shit guys, theo’s video is blowing up!! [attaches link and/or screenshot]

Harrison

*eyes emoji*

Oliver

theo, are you seeing this?

Elise

AHHH Theo this might be the one!!

I’M SO EXCITED

Oliver

yo is theo still asleep

Harrison

Y’all know Theo doesn’t wake up until like an hour before church starts, he’s absolutely still asleep.

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