Late Night Texting Buddies

I Love You

Hey I know I told you that you're the girl I love, but I can't sleep and I was thinking about you. I want you to know that I'm in love with you, Maya. It's not just that I love you. I'm in love with you. I want to be with you, hold you in my arms, and kiss you for the rest of my life. I want to marry you in the future, after college, and have a family together. Don't freak out cuz I'm in no rush for any of that, but I just wanted you to know how I feel.

When did you start to feel this way?

I don't know really. I think I might have loved you before I even met you, if that makes sense 😅

How could you love.. me before we even met? And what about Riley? Didn't you love her.. even a little bit?

I didn't think it would make much sense, but I use to dream about having someone I could talk to late night, someone who understands why I have trouble sleeping, and I could hold them in my arms and we would fall asleep together.. There was something about you, even when we first met, I thought that you could be that person and I was right. Sleeping with you is much more comfortable and I don't feel so alone when we fall asleep side by side and I have you in my arms.

So you didn't love Riley at all?

I already told you Riley and I tried to force a crush into more, but we were always better off as friends. You and I.. I just feel like you're my dream come true. You are the girl I've been waiting for Maya. I'm in love with you. Are you?.. Are you in love with me too? Not love.. In love.

Lucas stared at his phone waiting for her answer. He saw the three dots that made his heart race and tried to calm his breathing. They stopped and he gulped in anticipation, then he saw them again. He took a deep breath and wondered why her response was taking so long. She usually replied by now. Maybe it too much, too soon, they did just become a couple last week. Worried that he freaked her out even though he told her she didn't have to he decided to send a gif.

Should he send one to say he is waiting for an answer? No, that would make him seem too impatient.

Maybe one with a pouting face? No, that would make him seem upset even though she didn't say anything to upset him. She's not saying anything at all, but that shouldn't upset him.

Maybe there is one that says "take your time" or "there's no rush"? Maybe just a cute smile? Or one of the anime girl she seems to like so much?

Or-

The three dots returned a third time as if to say she was deleting and retyping a response, but she couldn't think of the right way to say what she wanted to say. Those three dots could make a person's heart leap into their throat and then fall down into the pit of their stomach simultaneously.

He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths to calm himself. His phone chimed while he was breathing and his eyes shot open with hope, but Maya was right, hope is for suckers. He swallowed hard when he saw the response on his lit up phone screen.

This is Riley. Maya's actually sleeping.