11/11/2012
What is and what should never be

Roughly five years ago I got a text message, from out of the blue, from a classmate I never really talked to a lot.

I mean, sure, I had her number; we worked together in a school project, and you know me, always asking people for their phone numbers when we end up working together in a school project. I forgot what that one was about.

I was at home, finishing up dinner, prepping for a night of homework - I don't think I've ever written that sentence in this blog, or even anywhere, ever - when I got that text message. I was, obviously, frankly, surprised.

"Hey there," she said. "Can I ask you something?"

She never really gave me a chance to say yes or no to that, because the text message continued right after.

"I'm sorry for being frank," she continued, "but I just have to ask: do you like me?"

This was five years ago, more or less. I thought this is the sort of question that you don't ask through a text message, and in hindsight, she was probably drunk, but then I assumed she was relatively bothered, or relatively curious. (I almost wrote "extremely bothered" but that just sounds wrong.)

Also, I didn't know how to respond to these things, as if I know any better now. I'm the person who always likes someone. Nobody has ever liked me back. What if this, oddly, was it? What if she was being very frank because she actually wanted me to say yes because she wants to say that, yes, she does like me? I told you, I didn't know how to respond to these things, and I do not know any better now.

I mustered a reply, eventually. Took me five minutes, I think.

"No. I'm currently trying to get over someone."

I was saying the truth, but at the same time, I was lying.

And your responses...

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