Ouch. Do not tell me that
Paulina
I keep walking back and forth across my room. Adrian wants us to exchange phone numbers and talk outside the dating app. The thought makes my stomach twist. What if he recognizes my voice right away? Maybe I can try speaking deeper or slower.
I really want to talk to him. He is kind and funny on the blind dating app, but in real life, he cannot stand me. I do not want to lose him, even though he is not mine.
A knock on my door makes me jump.
“Paulina?”
It is Abigail.
I live in Elise’s old room now, ever since she moved in with Damien. My roommates are Kendra, Abigail, and a girl named Danielle. Kendra and Abigail have both changed a lot lately, and Danielle has always been nice.
“What do you want?” I call out from my bed.
“Can I come in?”
I sigh. “Is this about rent?”
“Yes...”
I rub my eyelids with my fingertips. “I guess I cannot avoid it forever. Come in.”
Abigail walks in and leans against the door with a bright smile. “Before you panic, I know you are short on money, but Danielle and I have an idea.”
I raise a brow. “What about Kendra?”
“She does not like it, but there are two of us and only one of her.”
I laugh a little. Kendra and Abigail used to be awful when Elise lived here. After a few heartbreaks, they both started to change. Abigail is better now, though she still has her moments.
“All right,” I say. “If you have a way for me to pay rent, I am listening.”
I hate needing help, and even though Elise has money, I do not want to ask her.
“Well,” Abigail says with a grin, “Danielle and I want you to cook for us. All the meals this month. And bake something every Friday. We will buy the ingredients. You are good at it, Paulina, and I can afford to pay your rent in exchange for your cooking. But next month, you will need another plan.”
I think about it, tapping my fingers against the mattress. “That is actually kind of nice. Fine. Deal.”
She claps her hands. “Perfect! I will tell the others.”
When she leaves, I let my shoulders drop. Now I have to juggle my job at The Coffee Bean, my classes, and now cooking for three people.
My phone buzzes, and my pulse jumps. Adrian just sent me his number.
I save it and stare at the screen. My hands feel shaky. I want to call him, but fear holds me back. He once threw away the drink I made for him and said we were not friends. What if this goes wrong too?
“Just do it, Paulina,” I tell myself softly. “Call him. If he does not like you, that is his problem. You are not perfect, but you are not a bad person either.”
I take a slow, uneven breath and press the call button. My eyes stay closed as I wait, dreading the moment he hears my voice and hangs up.
Please, please, please do not let this go wrong, Adrian.
“Hello?”
His voice is deep and smooth, the kind that makes my chest tighten. There is something magnetic about the way he speaks, that Spanish accent giving every word a dangerous pull.
“Anyone there?” he asks again. “Hello?”
I force myself to answer. “Hi!”
Silence follows. My throat goes dry. Can he tell it is me? His voice sounds different on the phone, and mine came out higher than usual, so maybe he will not notice.
He laughs softly. “So, you must be WeirdoTwentyFive?”
“That would be me.” My cheeks grow warm, and I stare down at the bedspread. My pulse is racing faster than before, probably because this version of Adrian does not seem like the guy who once threw a drink at me.
“You have a beautiful voice,” he says. “It sounds… familiar.”
Oh no.
“Familiar?” I repeat, trying to lower my voice a little. My heart feels unsteady.
“Yeah, kind of. But never mind. How are you? How was your day? I still can’t believe you are real. We have been chatting for days, but part of me thought you were fake.”
Relief spreads through me at the sound of his laughter.
“You have not even seen what I look like,” I remind him. “How could I be pretending?”
“Maybe you are just some guy pretending to be a woman online.”
I laugh. “That is a fair point. But for all you know, I could be one of those people who trick others for fun.”
“Are you?” His tone turns playful but cautious, and I can almost picture him squinting in suspicion. Adrian can be intimidating when he wants to, especially with that confident look he wears and his tattoos.
“No, I am not one of those people,” I say with a smile.
“Good,” he hums. “So tell me, how was your day?”
I let out a breath. “Honestly? Not great. It has been a rough day.”
“Ouch. Do not tell me that,” he says lightly.
I laugh again, and this time it feels natural. “Alright, I will spare you.”
“I am joking,” Adrian says. “You can tell me anything. I am told I am a good listener. You can decide if that is true.”