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I stared down at the bright screen of my phone.
It was two in the morning, and sleep was not coming to me.
Despite being here for a couple of weeks now, I still hadn't managed to adjust to the time difference.
My home didn't quite feel like home yet, not that this was unusual for me.
I had moved around a lot, having to adapt to places quickly, but now I knew I was staying here for a while, I couldn't seem to will myself to settle.
I heard some drunken people on the street below me and sighed, rolling out of bed to get a glass of water. I had yet to even decorate my apartment the way I wanted it. I liked living minimally though, it made things easier.
All I had so far was the odd houseplant dotted around, some pictures of me and my best friend from home and some cushions I'd picked up to soften the sofa and bed.
I continued to stare at my phone, scrolling through news articles of things going on back home. It felt so far but so close at the same time.
I closed the tab and instead pulled up James' number which he'd given me a couple of days ago.
I had yet to decide whether to message him. He could be bad news, that risk was always there. I hadn't decided how I felt about him yet, but that thought alone excited me a little.
I grabbed a glass, filling it from the tap and gulping it down, my finger hovering over his name on the screen.
I didn't know anything about this guy, other than the fact he might consider himself a sociopath for liking Catcher in the Rye. My usual gut feelings about people hadn't been trustworthy of late and I couldn't place my finger on what held me back.
I took a deep breath, brushing my hair out of my face and clicking on his name to message him before I could change my mind.
Laurel: James, sorry for the late reply. Let me know when you want to get that drink and we can catch up on being sociopaths some more, Laurel.
My heart fluttered and I felt like I should re-do it. I was not good at this. I felt oddly vulnerable, being alone in a strange place with no plan or back-up.
I quickly pressed the send button before I let myself think about it anymore, throwing my phone onto the kitchen counter in annoyance at myself. As I turned to grab another glass of water, I heard my phone loudly ping.
I reached for it, thinking to myself, surely it couldn't be him at this time of night. I suddenly felt guilty if it was, that I'd woken him up.
I always presumed people had their phone on night mode if they didn't want to be disturbed. I pulled the phone back up to my face.
It was him.
I felt adrenaline shoot to my heart in anticipation.
James: Laurel, wasn't expecting to hear from you at this hour. How about tomorrow night at 8? I know a Chinese place that you have to try, being new and all.
