Chapter 3: The Official Meeting

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Jordan's eyes widened slightly, apparently remembering me from earlier in the day. My mouth felt as dry as the desert sands of the Gobi. I could feel my face slowly shifting from bright pink to deep red.

Maybe it was just the nervousness screwing with my eyes, but I could've sworn I saw Jordan's face becoming red as well.

Jordan flashed me his amazing smile. "You look a little tongue-tied, Carrie. You okay?"

"I-I...uh," I stammered. "You...you remembered my name?"

I felt my heart beating in my throat and I could hear it thumping in my ears like that of giant helicopter blades. All for one little reason; he remembered my name!

"Yeah, sue me," he said with a weak chuckle and a shrug. "Your friend shouting your name has not stopped ringing in my ears for hours now."

"My friend?" I said confusingly. Then it hit me. "Oh! That was my sister, Ruby! She lives here in these apartments."

"Really?" Jordan asked. "Are you visiting her?"

"If by visiting you mean living with her," I said, "then yes, I'm visiting my sister."

Jordan laughed. "Ah, so you're her roomate."

"Basically," I replied.  "But hopefully not for too long.  I hope to get my own place soon."

"How long have you lived with her?" he asked.  "Oh no, wait, I'm sorry.  That was rude of me, it's really none of my business."  He turned his head shyly to the side, obviously embarrassed for asking.  His eyes were locked on the floor in a bashful stare.

"Oh it's fine!" I said quickly.  "I mean hey, if we're gonna live in the same apartment complex we might as well get acquainted with each other."

Jordan looked up and chuckled, nodding and shrugging his shoulders.  "I guess you're right."

"But to answer your question," I explained, "I actually just moved in with her a few days ago.  I'm still kinda getting settled in.  I'm basically a Santa Barbara noob."

Oh my God did I seriously just use the word "noob"?  What the hell was I thinking?

"Ha-ha," he laughed, "I don't think I've ever heard noob used in that context before.  Well, then I guess we'll be seeing a lot more of each other then, huh?"

I wanted to have a full-on fangirl moment.  I still couldn't process the fact that I was actually talking to Jordan Maron; the guy I only just met a few hours ago, the guy whose picture I instantly fell in love with, my first YouTube crush...

But instead, I kept my cool to the best of my ability and gave a shy reply to Jordan, feeling my entire body turn a deep shade of crimson.

"Yeah," I said, "I guess it does." I looked down at the mailbox key still gripped in his hand. "Still need help with your mailbox?"

"Huh?" he said. "Oh, yeah! I...I mean yes, please."

I stifled a laugh as he dropped the key into my hand. He was so...awkward! But it was the awkwardness that seemed to draw me in. Jordan possessed the kind of awkwardness that wasn't scary or weird.

It was...cute.

After a few shakes and false twists of the key in the lock, I finally got Jordan's mailbox open. I pulled out a stack of at least five envelopes and briefly glanced down at the top one.

The handwriting appeared to be that of a child no more than six or seven. The letters spelling out the name CaptainSparklez were twisted and curly. There was a heart for the dot above the i, casting the illusion of a little girl's handwriting.

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