Zoë's first instinct was to drop the phone back in her purse and pretend she never saw the message. "You need help?" she thought to herself. "You need a watch. And a calendar. And GPS!"
But then she thought, what if Edgar really did need help? He was a fellow human being, after all. Karma and all that.
What do you want? |
| I promised Macy I would get her into an acting class. Tomorrow's the final day to register, and I can't reach anyone else. Will you pay her registration fee?
"What?" Zoë said aloud. "You've got a lot of nerve!"
"Zoë, put down your phone," Maple said. "Congratulate Chuck. I was just telling him how much you liked his song."
Maple rolled her eyes in Chuck's direction as a less-than-subtle hint.
"Great, Chuck," Zoë said without looking up from her phone, "but I've got to reply to this."
She pounded the keypad furiously.
What?! You ask me for money after standing me up? |
| What do you mean? When did I stand you up?
Last week at Beans on the Boulevard. YOU NEVER SHOWED UP! And then you ghosted me. |
| I saw you there, picking at your brownie. I sat down and tried to talk to you, but you just ignored me.
No, mister! You were never there. You left me sitting alone ALL NIGHT! |
"Take a breath, Z," Maple said, seeing how worked up her friend was getting. When Zoë explained the contents of the texting conversation, Maple said, "Uh-oh, it's one of those 'lonely hearts' scams."
Chuck put his hand on her arm and said, "Be careful, Zoë." Then her phone binged again.
| I left you a poem on the table.
And now you want me to pay for your girlfriend's acting class? What kind of fool do you take me for? |
| Macy is 12 years old. She's one of the orphans.
Zoë's eyes got big. She felt them starting to tear up. "Orphan?"
| For some reason, I can't get into my bank account, and I can't reach anyone at the nonprofit.
| I'd hate to disappoint her.
Zoë set her phone down and felt a tear run down her cheek. She reached into the pocket of her sweater for a tissue and pulled out the napkin from the coffee shop, still there from the week before. There was something written on it. She picked her phone up.
Tell me what to do. |
Will Zoë's good nature get the better of her? Will answering Edgar's call for help lead to a deeper relationship or just more frustration? Find out in Part 7.
This is a complete story to be posted at regular intervals.
R.J. Post is the author of "Lion Taming, Dating and Other Dangerous Endeavors" and "A Shovelful of Winter," which are available on Amazon.
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Ghosting Zoë
RomanceNew Age girl Zoë has had bad luck with a string of hipster boyfriends, but it's nothing a good cup of Double Espresso Macchiato With Yak Milk won't fix. Right? So she thinks until a new man tumbles into her life via a misdirected text message. But i...
