Page 12 of With Us

Theo:Your message did go through. Feel free to send more at any time. I’m looking forward to Friday, and not because of the Biebs. Or 1D, though Harry and I have the same dimples.

I burst out laughing, slapping my hand over my mouth to stifle the noise.

Mrs. Giovanni had the first apartment in the hallway, and she never let anyone forget it. I was surprised there wasn’t a permanent ring around her eye from how often she had it pressed to the peephole,‘monitoring’ the comings and goings of everyone in the building. She’d been known to call management to complain about people sneezing too much.

Laughter would surely warrant a call to the police.

Although she complained loudly and often about the noise level, she herself had bugged the super until he’d finally relented and allowed her to move into the front apartment before her lease was up. Her original apartment had been far from the entrance, elevator, and stairwell, which meant it’d been quiet, but it made her snooping difficult.

At the risk of texting too loudly for her liking, I pressed the elevator button and waited until I was safely inside before messaging Theo back.

Me:I’m looking forward to finding out how you know who Harry Styles is…

When the elevator stopped at my floor, I got out and walked down the hallway to my apartment. My cell beeped as I tossed my bag on the table.

Theo:Doesn’t everyone? You’re up late.

Me:I could say the same to you. Unless it was my text that woke you, in which case, I’m sorry again.

Theo:Up working, but I wouldn’t have minded if you had woken me.

Not bothering to take my shoes off, I collapsed onto my bed.

Me:And I thought I had a late work schedule. I just got home and have to be at the café at five.

As if on cue, I yawned, my body starting to feel heavy.

Theo:Get some sleep then. Text anytime, and see you Friday.

I’ll just close my eyes for a second and then text him back.

I jolted awake when my phone dropped onto my face. Pushing it to the side, I rolled over onto my stomach and fell right back to sleep.

???

What am I doing? Why did I agree to this?

No, seriously, what in the world am I doing?!

When Theo had asked me out, I’d been excited, accepting right away.

I should’ve looked up the restaurant first.

Located right near the ocean, everything about the place was gorgeous. The décor was modern and classy. The view was breathtaking. Even the food was sexy.

Because I could beslightlyindecisive, I always looked at menus ahead of time to pick what I was ordering. It helped avoid the forty minutes of wishy-washy back and forth.

Well, it cut it back to only ten minutes.

Fifteen at most.

No prices on the menu had already given me a feeling that my plan to go dutch wasn’t going to work if I wanted to eat for the rest of the week. Looking around the site, the unease grew when I’d realized I had nothing to wear to a place like that. I owned one dress, and it was very casual. Jeans, leggings, and tees made up ninety-nine percent of my wardrobe.

If the food was outside of my spending limit, a new outfit that would fit in there would mean I wasn’t eating for the rest of the month.

At least.

Popping into a thrift shop, I’d scoured the racks, hoping to come up with something that’d work. Unless I’d wanted to try an eighties theme or a cotton candy pink nightmare made of taffeta, I was out of luck.

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