Empire State of Mind

8. Pretty Boy

"Get the boy," I whisper to myself, it's another sleepless night. I hold my phone out, his number on the screen, my mind on a balance beam of fuck it or fuck him.

I chuck my phone, "Fucking fuckboy," I spit.

I flip back down, tossing and turning, standing and pacing, putting my phone on a charger and checking it, like he would text me. Jessica, you really are pathetic.

Ryan's words, April's encouragement and his actions all tugged me to him, but my own fears tore me away. Just sleep, he isn't worth it.

I roll my eyes, checking the time.

His name buzzed across the screen. Fuck.

"Hey?" He says, "You good over there? You've sent me like a million spaces. It's two in the morning, shouldn't you be asleep?"

I check our messages in a panic, fuck.

"I-erm. I-I was just not able to sleep and uh figured you might be awake," I mentally slap myself.

He chuckles, "So everything's good?"

"Mhmm," ABSOLUTELY NOT.

His next words slightly surprised me.

He sighed, "What's keeping you up?"

His voice was soft, like I could feel his vulnerability, it was raspy and deep, but comforting, like it in itself could send me asleep.

"Just stressing," I laugh, such a vague yet truthful response.

He chuckles, I heard him shift, "I get that. Anything I could help with?"

I smile, not like he could see it, "No, I just kinda needed to get my mind off things," I lay next to my phone, closing my eyes as I talked.

"Hm, what could get your mind off things? Blast music and drive around? Find a spot in the city to hangout? Sit in the woods next to a bond fire, name and we'll do it tomorrow."

"You'd really do that for me?" I was astonished, opening my eyes to raise an eyebrow at the screen.

He chuckles again, shifting again, I heard a fan click off, "Of course. I want to have fun, what do you say?"

I think for a moment.

"Surprise me."

I heard his breath sweep from his nose in a quiet chuckle, "What time?"

"Just show up."

He hums, a click of his tongue, and then a click of his phone, "Got it, I'll be there."

I smile to myself, a giddy feeling making my heart beat faster.

"Are you tired?" He whispers.

"No, are you?"

"Not really. Can we talk for a while?"

"Yeah, I'd like that."

He shifted again, a creek of his bed sent vivid memories through my brain, I shake them, talking to him for a long, long time. The sun almost began to rise by the time I fell asleep.

"So then Ryan took off on a scooter trying to chase the poor kid over ice cream," He laughs, more awake now.

My eyes couldn't stay open, I was happy but exhausted, too tired to stay awake, his voice made me feel so comfortable.

"You there?"

He giggles, "Did you fall asleep?"

"I'll see you later cutie," He whispers, the buzz of the call ending, his name disappearing from the screen as it goes black.