𝘛𝘙𝘖𝘜𝘉𝘓𝘌. Eli Moskowitz

thirty seven

"THIS is ridiculous."

Johnny set up a contraption in his apartment that hung from the ceiling, which allowed him to hold Violet up. The girl appreciated his efforts, but she also wasn't very fond of looking like an oversized toddler.

"What's ridiculous about it?"

"I look like a baby."

"The way you're whining and not walking, you might as well be a baby."

Violet sighed, "Isn't there a more badass way we can do this, though?"

"You think tapping your foot at a concert makes you ready for badass training? Your legs are still pussies!" Johnny said loudly. "Now, you ready to stand?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. One . . . two . . . three . . . Go!"

Johnny let the rope go, and Violet dropped to the ground like a rag-doll.

"Alright, better fall that time. Let's take five," Johnny said, making his way to his fridge.

"You know," Violet spoke up as she righted herself, "my mom told me that Ms. Diaz has been talking about you a lot lately."

Johnny tried his best to look uninterested.

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yep. She said that it was nice of you to take Miguel and I to that concert."

"She say anything else?"

"Not that I heard."

Johnny deflated slightly, but Violet didn't see. She was busy looking at the page of words on Johnny's laptop.

"You writing a novel?"

"Oh, no. It's a Facebook message," said Johnny. Violet's jaw dropped.

"That? To who?"

"Uh, babe from high school."

"Is it Ali, by any chance?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?" Johnny asked curiously.

"It says. Right there."

"Oh," Johnny nodded dumbly.

"No, I mean, that's cool, but you're not sending that, right?"

"What? Why can't I?" Johnny asked defensively.

"Because it's like eighty pages long!" Violet exclaimed. "And in all caps— Why did you do that, by the way?"

"I have thirty-five years worth of stuff to say, alright?"

"You don't actually have to write everything you've done," Violet stopped herself took a deep breath. "Look, if you send her that, you're probably gonna freak her out. Shorter messages are better. But not too short. Sending that would be almost as bad as if you liked all her photos."

Violet then realized that Johnny had liked all of her photos when he only stared silently.

"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me."

"What the hell, man? I enjoyed the photos! And there's a button for that, why wouldn't I click it?" Johnny asked.

"Because she can see that!"

"Alright, I got amped-up, okay?" Johnny pointed to the screen. "Look, she put a smiley face. It's even got little red cheeks. Is she getting hot? Feeling hot? What am I supposed to do with that?"