Page 53 of Fun Together

It’s11:22 p.m. and I’m determined to sleep in my bedroom tonight. I close my eyes and attempt to relish the quiet, savoring the ambient noise of the traffic on the street below. A car door slams in the distance.

I hate it. I check my phone and nearly jump for joy when I see I have a text to distract me.

Eli: You got that date yet?

Faye: No, but I did stalk him on Instagram.

Eli: Find anything interesting?

I send him a link to Cameron’s video.

Eli: You think he ever burns his tongue?

Faye: 100%. Rett thinks I should still go out with him despite the cringey video.

Eli: What do you think?

Faye: I think I might die alone.

My phone rings and it’s Eli.I hesitate before answering, but I’m admittedly eager to feel someone else’s presence in the room with me. I pick up on the second ring.

“Don’t say that,” he says.

“I don’t want to date. I want to magically be with someone and already know every single thing about them without even having to try.”

“Unfortunately, I don’t think it works that way.”

“Bummer.”

“How was your day?” he asks.

“I painted my bedroom,” I say.

“Oh yeah? What color?”

“Dark Burgundy Wine.”The dark red makes the room feel even more like a cave at night, like it sucks any hint of moonlight out.

“So youarea vampire.”

“I can’t sleep, so maybe that’s true. A coffin would go well in here.”

He chuckles and I hear a rustling of sheets. “Why can’t you sleep?”

“Because I’m in my bed.”

“Likely place for you to sleep.”

I roll over and look longingly out my bedroom door. “I usually sleep on the couch. But I need to overcome my fear of this bed.”

“Why are you afraid of your bed?”

“Never mind.” I wish I hadn’t steered the conversation to this. Afraid of a bed? I sound insane. “What are you up to?”

“Is this your first time living alone?”

Should have known he wouldn’t drop it. “Yep. Clearly, I’m adjusting well,” I joke.

“At least you have your own place. I’m currently curled up next to my family’s Christmas decorations. Hang on.” He sends me a selfie of him laying on a couch with a Santa statue hovering behind his head. He’s got a sheet pulled up to his chest, but I can see he’s not wearing a shirt. I now have confirmation that he has tattoos on his shoulder and chest too. “Imagine waking up to that staring down at your sleeping body. Don’t recommend.”