"Alec?"
"Yep."
"Hey! You finally answered! I was getting a little worried since you hadn't answered or called for, you know, three days."
"Yeah."
"So...is everything ok? I mean you hung up and left things kind of weird with—"
"Daisy, I need to ask you a question."
"Ok...doesn't mean I'll answer it."
"It's serious."
"Oh. Ok."
"Do you...uh...do you ever want to meet. Like, see each other in person."
"Um, I don't know."
"That's not an answer."
"It's just—I just—I don't know if that's the best idea."
"What does that even mean?"
"I just don't think we should. Meet I mean, in person."
"So you don't want to?"
"I do want to but—"
"Daisy it's a yes or no question."
"But it's more complicated than that."
"But it shouldn't be."
"But it is."
"Daisy, do you want to meet? Yes or no."
"No! ok. No, I don't. But that doesn't mean I don't want to."
"Daisy—"
"And if we're asking questions here then I get to ask you one. Why do you want us to meet? Why is this important to you all of the sudden?"
"Well, first of all, it's not all of the sudden. I thought we were leading up to it eventually so I was waiting. I've wanted to see you this whole time but I thought you just weren't ready yet. And second of all, I need to meet you and see you because not seeing you and being around you is killing me."
"...Why? We haven't even been talking for that long."
"Its long to me. And I've told you things that I have never told anyone else and probably won't ever will. And I just—so you're thinking that we're just never going to meet? And that this will never be real? I thought maybe you wanted a relationship but maybe I was wrong."
"No, I do! Alec, I do! Ok? I said it. I want to have a relationship. And it is real!"
"It's not. You and I both know that. Whatever we're doing here won't last like this and I don't know if I want to wait around for the inevitable crash and burn."
"Wow."
"Daisy...I'm sorr—"
"I just told you that I did want to have a relationship and that was your response?"
"I know, I'm sorry. But you're not really being the most sensible person right now. What was I supposed to say?"
"We can talk about this later. Call me back when you want to not act like an ass."
"Ok. I'll call you tomorrow."
....................................
"Bye."
YOU ARE READING
The Number On The Napkin
Short Story"Is your refrigerator running?" "No, my refrigerator is not running." "Well you better...wait, what?" "Actually, it broke down a week ago because it knew that you were going to call with that stupid line and it decided it would rather die than liste...
