All Things Considered [🗸]

22. heartbeat

DION REYES HAS BEEN DODGING me for the past week.

It's not necessarily something I noticed at first. Dion's subtle like that. If he's avoiding you, he knows how to do it with a certain grace that ensures that it'll undoubtedly take you a while to realize that he's been dodging.

But seeing as I'm fake dating said person, I was able to catch onto him avoiding me by about Wednesday last week. It was all the little things. For example, whenever I approach him, he gives me a soft, hesitant grin— but then he makes a random-ass excuse and dips.

Dion still works the same shifts at Gran's and I sit through his shifts as usual. But whenever I offer to help him out with a delivery run, he shoots me down in that obnoxiously nice Dion way. 

He spends just enough time with me to maintain our fake-dating act, but avoids me virtually any other time. 

The entire thing has been happening since I stayed over at his place last Saturday. Which means that there has to be something I did, but I can't put my finger on it. 

After all, he could be dodging me because of the pointed fact that I walked into his house stoned at 2 AM in the morning, but he could also be dodging me because I made that suggestive joke while we were eating breakfast with his sister.

It could literally be anything.

So, naturally, while I'm propped onto the sofa, legs outstretched and head resting on the armchair, I find myself finding his contact on my phone. I haven't texted him since last week, either. After all, I'd rather not be the person that spams seventeen messages and is left on read.

However, I text anyway. And it annoys the fuck out of me that I'm doing so, because I'm fully aware of the fact that if this were just about three months ago—I would never be making this message. 

Three months ago, I'd never think Dion was avoiding me because one: I wouldn't give a fuck, and two: we wouldn't be spending enough time together for me to be aware of his absence. 

Still, I exhale a breath, swallow my pride, and text a message.

me: can you come over ?

Simple, to the point. I don't imply anything about ignoring or avoiding. I text it with ease and no undertones whatsoever. 

My eyes drift down to my screen, where three bubbles appear. I purse my lips, eyes on the screen. The bubbles disappear. Then they proceed to appear again. Fuck. I can already feel the stress rising in my chest.

me: you were acting weird as fuck recently

me: can we talk ?

The bubbles appear. I suck in a breath.

dumbass: i'm downtown right now !

dumbass: it's kind of far from ur place