Texting Anonymous

leviticus 20:13

I shrug, trying to play it off. "Just waiting for a text."

Kyle raises an eyebrow. "From who?"

I take a bite of my pizza to buy myself a second. "Just... someone."

Kyle smirks. "A someone? Dude, is this a thing?" He nudges me. "You can tell me, man."

I groan. "Dude, shut up. It's nothing."

Kyle gives me a knowing look but doesn't push. "Alright, alright. But if you start blushing at your phone again, I will pry."

I roll my eyes and check my phone one more time. Still no response. That's... weird. He usually texts back pretty fast. Maybe he's busy?

Still, something about it feels off.

I check my phone again, frowning as I swipe through the messages, hoping for some sort of reply. Nothing. I hate the pit in my stomach that's growing. It's stupid to care about a text this much, but I can't help it. I mean, we've been talking for a while now. Why wouldn't they respond?

Kyle leans back in his chair, clearly not fooled by how distracted I am. "Okay, I know you've been texting somebody. Spill. What's been going on?"

I glance over at him. Still, I can't help it. Something about talking to Kyle makes everything feel easier. So, I start talking.

"Well... it's just this person I've been texting. They're, like, super chill, you know? Flirty, but in a way that's not creepy. They make me feel... good, I guess. I don't know. I don't think I'd really care if they were anyone 'special,' I just... like the way they talk to me. It feels different than anyone else. Like, they actually get me."

Kyle's eyes narrow, and he crosses his arms. "So... do you like them? Like, like like them?"

I hesitate. God, I don't even want to admit it out loud, but it's like the truth is just there, sitting on the tip of my tongue. "Yeah. I do. I... I think I like them. But I don't even know who they are. And I'm just scared, you know? I could be setting myself up for disappointment."

Kyle watches me for a second, his expression unreadable. Then, he leans in a bit, his voice quiet as he asks, "But what if it's somebody unexpected?"

I look at him, brows furrowing. What does he mean by that? "What do you mean by 'unexpected'?"

Kyle shrugs. "You know, like... someone you wouldn't expect. Like, a friend, maybe?"

I don't answer right away. I just stare at the phone, tapping my finger on the screen, waiting for a reply that never comes. "I don't care," I finally say. "I just... I like the way they talk to me. How they make me feel. That's enough."

Kyle nods as a response.

I take a deep breath, trying to find the right words. "They're just... different. Like, they actually listen, you know? When I talk to them, it's not just some casual conversation. It feels like they care about what I'm saying. And they're not trying to change me or anything, they just make me feel comfortable being myself."

I glance at Kyle, not really sure how much to say, but his gaze is focused on me, and I can't help but keep talking. "And, yeah, they're flirty, but it's not overwhelming. It's like they're just having fun, and it doesn't make me feel weird or pressured. Like, it feels natural."

Kyle leans back in his chair, his eyebrows raising slightly. "Wow, you really like them that much, huh?"

I nod, my stomach turning slightly with nerves. "I do. But I don't even know who they are. It's not like I have anything to go off of. All I have is these texts, and that's not a lot to go on."