LOVE YOU, NOT

[2] Practicing for the Part

It had been twelve hours since I agreed to bring Arden to lunch with my ex. Twelve hours that I have spent pacing my childhood bedroom, filled with memories WITH my ex. I glanced at the pictures on my wall, capturing homecoming dances with my friends and graduation day photographs. When I saw one from prom with Dylan, I pulled it off the wall and hid it in my drawer away from view.

I unlocked my phone to the contacts app and found Arden. The newest addition.

Me: Hey.

No... I deleted it before sending.

Me: hey!

Okay, that sounds too enthusiastic.

Me: Good evening, Arden.

Forget it, I thought to myself and sighed before tossing the phone onto my bed. As soon as the case hit the cover, it started ringing.

I picked up, expecting the call to be my mom who went to the grocery store before our first family dinner since I came back.

"Sienna," an unfamiliar voice said.

"Hey?" I replied, pulling the phone away from my ear to check the contact. "...Arden? That doesn't sound like you at all."

He laughed before continuing. "So, look. I think we should practice before lunch."

I tilted my head, but he couldn't see it, obviously.

"Practice for?"

"Do you want to show up and have conflicting answers about when we met and our favorite memories from the autumn?" he asked, and I realized he was right. "I think we should have fake date rehearsals."

I started laughing uncontrollably.

"I'm sorry," I finally replied. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"The rehearsals?" He asked, but before I had a chance to reply, he continued. "Obviously, that's why I called to ask about them."

"No, I mean bringing you to lunch."

"Are you uninviting me, Sienna?" Arden asked, seriously, but I could tell he was joking. I sat up on my bed and put my phone on speaker.

"Okay, okay. So, the rehearsals?"

"Let's do breakfast tomorrow," he suggested. "9am coffee?"

I raised an eyebrow. I was planning on suggesting lunch or dinner, like a normal date, but something about coffee in the morning at a good café sounds much better. When I agreed to the date, I replied. "Starbucks?"

He agreed and promised to text me which one. "I'll make sure it's close to your home."

Aw, how considerate.

"Goodnight, Sienna," Arden said, before hanging up. I placed my phone on my nightstand before standing up to pick out an outfit for my rehearsal date. Oddly enough, I felt excited and nervous.

-

Waking up at seven was somehow MORE difficult than yesterday. After traveling and unpacking my clothes and belongings into my childhood bedroom, planning a rehearsal date with a random student from my college, and then having my first family dinner in four months, I was somehow relatively tired.

I showered with cool water, trying to wake myself, but when I stepped into my bedroom, the draft blew freezing air onto me. I quickly changed into a pair of jeans and a cardigan sweater over a fitted shirt. Okay, I changed like three times.

I slipped on fuzzy socks and my ugg boots after realizing it was THIRTY DEGREES outside. Then, I added a puffer jacket over my cardigan. Before leaving, I said good morning to my dad, but my mom had already left for work.