The Plant

The messages

The weekend was closing in. I realized after he had gone home that Friday that we hadn't decided on where or when to meet. And I didn't find the information sheet about everyone in my class either. I had to contact him somehow but without the phone number or address I was at a loss for what to do. I have to talk to people. Ask them about his information. First I poked one of the calmer boys in my class lightly on the shoulder and asked if they knew anything. They said they didn't know and left. Then I saw another group of people standing in the hallway. But they just looked confused at me and shook their heads. After running around after people from my class I saw our teacher and reluctantly went to get information from her. She looked at me and smiled. "I have the list here. It's a copy. You can have it." She said and handed me the list.

Finally I can contact him, I thought as I was lying on my bed. Writing down his phone number I felt the contacts list expand a little bit. So few people. But they are all my friends and family. Nothing can replace them. Hmm... friends... and maybe one day...

I began writing a message. Hmm. How should I write this? I wrote and edited and wrote again to get it right. But I still wasn't sure how to write this.
Exactly that moment I saw a message coming in. Huh?
"Hello. This is_____.
Where should we meet? And when? 🙂"
"Hello. Is 12 too early? 🙃" I sent him the address.
"Not too early for You. 😆" he replied and I had to read it again just to see if I read it right. But even after several tries I still couldn't decide on which interpretation was most likely. What does he mean by that? Was it a yes or a no? Too early for me?  Too early for him? Or was it an exception for me?
"Yes or no? Later?"
"12 is fine. 😎"
"Yay! 😄"
🤩
😋
😜
🤪
It was so fun putting in those smileys that I found myself texting only smileys for a while. He replied similarly as if we were playing a game of expressions and emotions.

I realized it had become dark outside already.
"I'm sleepy now. Have a good night! 😌"
"Same here. See you tomorrow. Sleep well! 😏😴"
But even after that I struggled to put down my phone. I read through everything some times before falling to the pillow. The words was on repeat in my head for a while. Why am I so nervous? Shouldn't this be as easy as at school? But what are we going to do? Eating? A film? A game? Talk? Awkward silence? Are my family going to find out about his ability? What if they call him a monster?
I felt the need to hide him away the moment he would enter the door. But first I got to sleep. I got to put up my "knock before you enter" sign on my bedroom. Yes. That might be the solution.