The Response
I couldn't sleep after walking her home. I couldn't clear my head. Trying to figure out what the hell was happening to me?
This wasn't supposed to go down like this. We had a good thing—simple, easy, no complications. Just late-night calls, cold beers, music, and conversation. No expectations, no disappointments. Perfect.
Until I kissed her.
Until she wrote me that letter that I've read about fifteen times now.
Now it's the next morning and I'm pacing my room, replaying last night in my head. The way she looked at me was like, "Come here." The way her lips felt against mine, better than the first time if that was even possible. The way my heart was hammering so loud I was sure she could hear it.
I've never been this twisted up over a woman before. Never lost sleep thinking about what-ifs and maybes. Never felt this need to be around someone just to feel right again.
Is this what it feels like? Is this what all those songs are about?
I grab my phone, scroll through our text history, read her responses from yesterday over again. There's something in the way she writes, something in between her words that pulls at me. Makes me want to be the reason she smiles at her phone.
Truth is, I'm more scared than her. I don't do relationships. When just getting out of one. My boys would laugh their asses off if they could see me now, all up in my feelings over this woman.
But damn, she might be worth it. The way she understands what’s going on with me. The way she never pushes or demands. The way she just “gets” me without me having to explain myself.
Could she be the one? That’s the thought keeps popping up in my head, no matter how hard I try not to think about it. I never believed in that "one" bullshit before. Thought it was just something they sell in movies and songs to make money off people.
But here I am, wondering if I found something I wasn't even looking for.
My phone buzzes. It's her. Just seeing her name on my screen has me smiling like a damn fool.
I take a deep breath before I read her message. Whatever this is, whatever we're becoming, I'm all in. For the first time in my life, the risk of getting hurt doesn't seem worse than the risk of walking away.
She might just be the one. And I'm ready to find out.