Page 17 of Dance with Me on New Year's Eve

What did that mean? Was I oversharing? I waited a few minutes for another text. Nope.

Great, he’s probably realizing he made a mistake by befriending you.

Or by partnering up on this game project. Maybe he wouldn’t even consider me a friend in the first place.

I took a deep breath inward and then slowly let it out. I needed to stop this toxic thinking. Iknewthat—I was a trained therapist, after all—butknowingit wasn’t the same asdoingit.

SawyerRox4:Danny, are you still there?

CastGamer55:Yes, just pondering your dilemma. I wish I could suggest a solution to your problem, but I’m in a similar situation that’s hard to navigate.

SawyerRox4:Well, when you figure out what to do, can you let me know too?

SawyerRox4:I mean, if you want to … if not, that’s cool

CastGamer55:You’ll be the first to know.

An unexpected surge of warmth shot through me, starting in the chest and spreading outward. He … he would share that withmefirst? Before anyone else in his life?

I forced myself to breathe in and out. Maybe he didn’t mean that literally. It was just something people often said, right?

You’re makingthings weird again. Change the subject. Think fast.

SawyerRox4:Do you have animals?

When he didn’t respond right away, I reread my text and face-palmed.

SawyerRox4:Sorry, I mean pets. Not, like, farm animals or zoo animals or something.

SawyerRox4:I mean, not that I favor animals in captivity. I definitely don’t! Wild animals are pretty neat.

SawyerRox4:I just meant pets like cats, dogs, birds, fish. Though if you have farm animals or wild animals or something, that’s awesome too.

I watched the three dots appear a few times, indicating that he was having difficulty formulating his reply. Was it that hard of a question? I mean, sure I asked it in kind of a confusing way, but surely it wasn’t that bad?

I rubbed my tired eyes and scanned over my messages. It was that bad. Worse.

I blinked rapidly, feeling unlike myself. Sure, it was totally normal for me to bungle a typical conversation in person, but I usually did fine via texting or the like. I wasn’t even too bad with phones. Why was I struggling to sound normal in the context I was usually most comfortable?

SawyerRox4:I’m sorry. So sorry. I sometimes ramble and become awkward. You should know that if we’re going to work together …

SawyerRox4:I mean, you probably already know that, but just in case …

SawyerRox4:You still there?

CastGamer55:Yes. I was just waiting for you to finish, as you seem to often hit Send before you’re finished typing your thought.

SawyerRox4:Guilty as charged.

CastGamer55:It’s fine. And I have no pets or animals in my home.

SawyerRox4:Me neither.

CastGamer55:I like cats and dogs though.

SawyerRox4:Same! Have you thought about getting a pet?

CastGamer55:I have, but I work so much that I fear the pets would be bored or destroy my couch.

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