In the morning, my parents wake me up at five freaking o’clock to tell me they’re leaving. The beach is only a two hour drive from where we live, but they want to get there early to start whatever it is they’ll be doing to work on their marriage. After they leave, I can’t seem to go back to sleep even though it’s so early. I give up trying, and head into the living room, where I turn on the TV and try to find something to watch.
An hour later, Jensen shuffles into the room, wearing his Superman pajamas. His hair is all ruffled and sticking up every which way, and he’s wearing one red sock. I don’t know what happened to the other one.
“Good morning,” he says, yawning as he hops onto the couch to sit next to me. “Are you awake early because you’re scared that Mommy and Daddy are gone?”
“No,” I say, ruffling his hair.
“You’re not scared when they leave?” he asks, his eyes wide like he doesn’t believe me.
“We have nothing to worry about,” I say. “I’m practically a grown up, you know.”
He nods, and then yawns again. “Can we watch cartoons?”
“Sure,” I say, handing him the remote. There’s nothing good on TV this early in the morning anyway. I wish I could have slept late, making the time pass as fast as possible, but with my babysitting duties, that’d never work. My brother always wakes up early. Instead, I make us breakfast, and after about five ruined pancakes, I make a few of them that are actually edible.
It’s around ten in the morning when my phone beeps, which is weird because none of my friends wake up this early on a Saturday.
I get my phone from my bedroom and check the text. It’s from that weird number I texted yesterday.
Hi there.
I stare at it, my heart beating faster. I didn’t expect him to reply, and if he did, I assumed he’d ask who I was. I mean, isn’t that what most people do when a strange number texts them?
I should just ignore it, but I’m crazy bored and Jensen is happily watching cartons, which are even more boring to me. So I text back.
How is your Saturday morning going so far?
He replies a few seconds later. It’s good. I just finished writing an essay for school so now I’m freeeeee all weekend.
I can’t help myself when I type: what kind of person does homework this early on a Saturday morning?
He replies: a cool person, that’s who.
I laugh out loud. Then, I don’t know what comes over me, but I decide to save his number into my phone with the name Max so that I don’t have to keep looking at a random set of numbers in my text log.
Me: I’m the kind of person who puts off homework until the very last minute.
Max: That’s no fun.
Me: Yeah, but is homework ever fun?
Max: You have a point. But I like to do it as soon as possible – rip it off like a bandaid. Then you’re free to live your life.
Me: My life is fairly boring, so I don’t think I’m missing much.
Max: Maybe if you weren’t so pessimistic, your life wouldn’t be so boring.
Me: Look at you, Max the philosopher.
He doesn’t respond right away, so I look over at my brother, who is laying on the couch, glued to the television. Then, a minute later, I get another text.
Max: You know what isn’t fair?
Me: lots of things?
Max: true, but I was talking about one particular thing.
Me: What’s that?
Max: You know my name and I don’t know yours.
Me: Ah… I was wondering how long you’d talk to a random person before you started asking questions
Max: Random? You mean we don’t know each other?
I grin as I stare at my phone.
Me: I’m pretty sure we don’t.
Max: But you have my number…and you know my name…
Me: Yep.
Max: How?
Me: I’m magic.
Max: If you were magic, I don’t think you’d have to do your homework. You could just make the answers appear on the page, yeah?
Me: lol… I guess you’re right. Well, if you really want to know the truth…
Max: I do…
Me: …. Welllll…. It’s a weird story.
Max: Did Jason do this?
Me: Who’s Jason?
Max: My friend who is always trying to hook me up with girls he meets.
Me: So this isn’t the first time a random girl has messaged you?
Max: You’re a girl? Sweet.
Me: I guess I walked right into that one, huh?
Max: Yep. What’s your name? Or should I ask Jason?
Me: I don’t know Jason.
Max: Okay, this just got interesting.
Me: lol. So here’s the thing…
I send the text and then I bite my lip, wondering if I should tell him the truth. The truth makes me sound like a weirdo. Maybe I should have lied and said one of his friends gave me his number. But that’s also stupid because it’s not like I know this guy. He could be ten years old. Or thirty and in college. Or who knows.
The only thing I do know is that I’m grinning like an idiot and I don’t even understand why.
Me: So I was walking in the dog park and I found a piece of paper with your number on it.
He doesn’t always reply right away. Sometimes it takes him a few minutes, and I wonder if he’s busy or if he’s trying to play it cool like every other guy I know. Regardless, I sit here watching cartoons with my brother while I wait for his new text to pop up on my phone.
Max: Did it also have the word party on it?
Me: Yep.
Max: Ah ha… well that explains some things.
Me: Like what?
Max: Like why my mom’s friend never called me about the party we were going to throw for her 40th birthday. I gave her my number and then I never heard from her again.
Me: Oh no.. did your mom still get a party?
Max: Yeah, but that one lady wasn’t there. I ran into her at school and she said she could make the cake and stuff. But then I thought she was being a bitch and ditching me.
Me: Nope, she probably just lost it.
Max: So I have a question for you
Me: And what is that?
Max: Do you always go around texting random numbers?
Jenson calls my name for the third time. “What?” I say, lowering my phone.
“I’m hungry,” he whines.
“We just ate pancakes!”
He shakes his head. “So? I’m hungry.”
I check the time. Then I check it again. Holy crap. I’ve been texting with Max for two hours and now it’s well past noon.
“I’ll make you a peanut butter and jelly sandwich,” I tell my brother, who brightens at the idea.
“Yay!” he yells as he runs into the kitchen.
I read Max’s last text again, and then I bite my lip and send him a reply.
Me: This would be the first time.
He replies back instantly.
Max: Guess I’m lucky :)