sorry // justin bieber

38.- are you flirting with me?

Halley

Connor: hey wanna hang up?

Is this for real? Like, could this really be happening to me for once?

I've always been the friend. The girl who has a crush on the cute boy who'll never even look at her. The girl with all the pretty friends. The girl who tells all the awkward jokes. The girl who is afraid of getting hurt. I can count with the fingers on my hand the boys I've kissed and I'd still have fingers left.

I'm that girl who doesn't even try to flirt because I know how the guys see me. I'm a friend, a girl that'll laugh at the dumb jokes and maybe make one even dumber.

So when I read those words I feel like none of this is real. How lame, huh? It's just a boy inviting me to go somewhere casual, but when you're that one friend left, the one who is all by herself, the one that no one ever chose, you tend to get suspicious at these things.

Me: sure, netflix and chill?

Connor: Halley are you flirting with me?

Me: you wish loser

Connor: there's this really cool coffee shop we could go to

I meet with Connor two hours later, at a coffee shop close to Union Square. The place has this really old style, like rock n roll or something. When I walk in I feel like I'm on the set of an alternative movie. Everything is unique and there are wood planks covering the walls, giving the place a cozy atmosphere. I spot him sat at a table over the platform placed next to the bar. He's wearing this dark blue sweater that goes with the color of his eyes and looking down at his phone.

"Hi" I greet him when I'm by his side.

"Hi!" he stands up and tucks me into a hug.

I sit in front of him, expecting to talk to him, but he just looks down at his phone. I internally roll my eyes.

"Just give me a second" he says, obviously because he's being pretty rude by not talking to me when I just got here. "There" he leaves his phone on the table, "how are you?"

"I'm fine" I answer awkwardly.

"Good" he nods, "they have great pie here".

I look around the place. It looks like the kind of place where they serve burgers and pizza, not pie and coffee. Whatever, I think, I'm here with Connor, and that should be enough.

***

"Come on, grandpa!" I yell looking back, where Connor is following me closely.

"That's not fair" he says catching his breath. I reach the stairs that lead to my front door, Connor now walking the last few steps to reach me. "This body hasn't done its cardio since nineteen ninety eight" adds.

"I can tell" I laugh.

"Well, I better get going" he announces, "it's pretty late and I have to go home".

"Okay" I say, hoping he'll lean and kiss me goodnight.

"Bye" he smiles awkwardly, and it's the first time I see him clueless about what to do next.

So, helping him out, I thought, I lean in getting closer to him, expecting he'll
do the same. Just when I'm about to close my eyes he slightly pushes me away by my shoulders, taking his distance as well.

"Halley" he calls my name with a worried tone.