The only one

Chapter 22

My breath quickened, I looked at the time that each one of them was sent. Robert's was sent two minutes ago, while I got Marcus's eleven minutes ago.

I slid my finger against the screen from left to right to unlock it. I looked at Marcus's first.

Marcus: Hey, how are you doing?

I replied right after I read it typing quickly and accurately.

Lira: Eh. I've been better. How about you?

I click send and then go straight to Robert's message. I bite my lip and take a breath in before I read it.

Robert: we need to talk

I read it a couple of times. I decide to wait before I answered, so I don't seem desperate. I thought about what I should say. But before I could agree with myself on what to say, my phone made the unfamiliar tritone sound. Marcus had answered.

I found myself smiling and blushing.

Marcus: I think I'm leaving the hospital tomorrow morning so I'll see u soon! And Why eh?

I smile at the fact that he asked about me and that he was excited to see me. I couldn't get the grin off of my face.

It was like he drew the smile that quickly spread on my face with permanent marker.

Out of nowhere, my phone began buzzing and ringing. I looked at who it was.

Lacy.

She wanted to FaceTime me. I accepted her call.

"Hey!" She said excitedly," what are you smiling about?" She asks. I noticed how hard it was not to smile, it made me smile more.

The words come out of my mouth before I can think.

"I think I like Marcus" I say quickly.

She gasps obviously excited. I looked at her in my screen, she was in her room too. She was wearing sweatpants and a tank top.

She raised eyebrows and make smoochy kissy sounds.

"Stop!" I yelled giggling

"Did he talk to you at all?" She questions.

"You know what, never mind that, I can  find out if he likes you in five days, tops"

The idea of someone liking me was so foreign.

I want to know the truth so bad, but I am frightened that the answer won't please me.

She asked me for his number, I gave it to her.

"Please don't tell him that I like him" I beg, my voice getting tired from the long conversation.

She nodded, I wasn't convinced. But maybe it wouldn't be terrible if he found out.

I can't do anything about it now.

"Okay I got to go," she says sadly," but you need to tell me every little detail about him"

I agreed, we said goodnight and she hung up.

I didn't realize that Robert had texted me as did Marcus.

Robert:??

I decided to acknowledge him and say something. But I wasn't going to be all kind and sweet about it.

Lira: what do u want 😒

I sent it and he started typing automatically.

I went to the message from Marcus.

Marcus: is everything okay?

Lira: tbh no

I answer him with an honest answer. I didn't want to lie to him. Plus, he would know if I was lying. Right after I answered, Robert replied to me.

I exhaled, Ugh, texting two people at the same time is so tiring.

I tapped on the notification.

Robert:Thanks for replying

I was getting tired of this. Maybe another day I would talk to him but not today. I sent him one last text.

Lira: listen, it's really not a good time now. Maybe some other time.

I put him on "Do not Disturb" and went back to Marcus's messages.

The gray cloud that consisted of three dots that were under the previous text messages sent was visible, meaning he was typing.

Marcus: what's going on?

But before I could get a chance to answer he texted me back, he seemed rushed.

Marcus: Listen, I have to go I'll talk to u tomorrow. Bye

My heart dropped, I really thought he liked me. How could I be such an idiot? But then he said something that confused me, but it caused the butterflies in my stomach to flutter a bit.

Marcus: I'm more like you than you think.