Mirror Images

Chapter 3

I don't know how I'd gotten Evan's phone number. I found his number in my jacket pocket with a little heart, so I text him when I get out of the shower. I'm sitting on my bed, my legs crossed, pjs on, phone in hand. I type, "hey. This is Evan right? It's Evalie." He responds less than a minute later.

"Hey, Evalie:> yup. It's Evan. I'm sorry for earlier. I didn't mean to ask you out like that."

"Yea. Im sorry for reacting like that. Do you have a date in mind? Like what we'd be doing or where we'd be going?"

"I dont usually go out, so i dunno."

"We could have a night in?"

"..." I feel my face grow super warm. My fingers are shaking as I write, "its a little bit too soon for sexy stuff."

He sends a laughing emoji.

"Im sorry. Thats not what I meant. I meant we could watch a movie and eat popcorn or something? My parents are gonna be gone in a few days."

"... Sure."

"Only if you're okay with it, I mean."

"Got it. Im gonna go to bed now, see you later."

"Good night!"

"Nighty"

I set my phone down and get up out of bed to go wash my face. I hear a knock on my door.
"Come in," I say. My mom walks in and sees me in my adjacent bathroom.

"Hey, hon." She leans on the bathroom door as I wipe my face down. "Marie's here. Says she wants to stay over. Is something wrong?" I'm confused. I lean on the bathroom counter.

"Not that I know of. Is it okay if she stays?" Mom nods.

"I'll bring her up."

"I got it. Thanks, Mom." She leaves and a few minutes later, Marie knocks on the door. I open it for her.

"Hey, girl." I say, laughing. She smiles at me. I invite her in and she jumps on my bed. A few of my homework papers flutter to the ground with her weight. I close the door behind her. Marie throws her bag onto the floor.

"Is something wrong?" I ask. "You don't usually come over unannounced."

"Yeah. I just felt weird about what happened today, so I wanted to stay over and hang out. If that's all right?"

"Well, it's not like I can say 'no' now, is it?" I laugh, sitting on the bed beside her. There was a bit of silence. Then, I asked, "Do you wanna talk about it?" She nods slightly but doesn't say anything. "Are you hungry? Need anything to drink?"

Marie says yes and I go grab some water and left-over pizza from last night to bring to my room. When I get back, Marie is sitting by the windowsill, looking out. She had changed into pajamas already. I knock on the door and she turns her head towards me.

"I'm back," I announce. She stands up as I bring the pizza and water to her. We sit on the edge of my bed and watch TV. I wasn't paying any attention to what was on the TV. I was thinking about Evan.

I wake up to Marie snoring loudly beside me, her leg wrapped around mine. I stare at her. Her hair is all over my pillow, her arm touching mine, her eyes closed tightly, and her lips turned up in a slight smile. She moves a little, scooting away from me, but I grab her hand and hold it. She sighs and curls into the side of my body. My body flushes with her warmth, as I wrap my arm around her waist and lay my head on hers. It was a bit intimate, but when you've been friends for so long, this kind of stuff was natural to us.

Mom knocks on the door quietly and I jolt up, pushing her off of me. She stutters awake, her eyes snapping open with confusion. She rubs her bleary eyes awake as I walk to the door to open it for my mom.

"Breakfast is ready, if you'd like it." I nod and smile at her. She walks away and I quickly close the door behind me. I feel like I've done something wrong. Something irreversible, but I can't place what it could be. I look up and Marie is sitting on my bed again, kind of pouting, her arms and legs crossed.

"Marie, I'm sorry for pushing you," I say, getting up and walking towards her. She turns away from me. I start to reach my hand out to touch her when the bed buzzes slightly and my phone screen lights up on the bedside table. I pick it up and see a text from Evan.

"Good morning. Are you awake?"

I quickly type back: "yes, good morning. Do you need something?"

"I was wondering if you'd like to go out today? They're playing a movie that I really want to see with you tonight."

I feel my face flush and Marie looks at me weirdly. I tell Evan that I would love that and he says to meet him at 8 at the theater a few blocks from my house. I sigh and lean back against the bed. Marie plops down beside me, jostling the bed.

"Hey," she says. It sounds more like "what's up?" than a greeting.

"I'm going on a date with Evan today," I say, feeling lightheaded. I can't see Marie's face.

"Oh, good. I'm glad." Is all she says. She curls up beside me and rests her head on my chest, with her arms around me. "I'm glad you've found someone who you like like that."

I nod.