Ask Me Anything

Chapter 9 - Insomnia

I'm on my way home and considering the time of night, I'm sitting at a ridiculously long light. I dig my phone out of my pocket to check my email when I see it.

Lena: am I no longer interesting enough to admire? ;)

My heart jumps. Then stops. Then stutters. I check the time and it's after midnight. The text was sent around 10:00pm while I was still at practice. She texted me on her own without me sending her one first. Is it too late to text her back?

A car behind me honks. I shake myself out of my stupor and drive through the green light. I scan my surroundings looking for a place to pull over, eventually choosing a huge, brightly lit gas station. I'm only about a mile from my apartment, but I have to stop. Without thinking, I text the first thing that pops into my head.

Me: You will always be interesting enough to admire

Did I just send that? Oh God. This is bad. I lean forward and lay my head against the steering wheel and groan. Shit. I sit back up and pull back out onto the street. Why did I not just wait until I got home and could think about what to say? Now she's going to wake up to that.

A few minutes later I pull into the driveway. I grab my guitar cases out of the back seat and walk through the rain soaked grass to the front porch. Juggling my keys, I finally unlock the door and struggle up the steps with both guitars. I set them down in the living room and throw myself down on the couch. My subconscious reminds me not to fall asleep here, but I'm feeling too defeated to listen. I probably deserve to have a sore back after that last text. Just in case, I take my phone off of vibrate so I can hear it if she texts back. My phone immediately chimes.

Lena: good. I thought you forgot about me.

Me: Never!

I stare at the screen trying to mentally will the 3 flashing dots to appear. When they don't, I try to come up with something reasonable to continue the conversation.

Me: What are you doing? It's sort of late.

I sound completely lame but decide to send it anyway. Simple worked the first time, maybe it will again. I hold my breath and am almost instantly rewarded with the dots.

Lena: I can't sleep. why are you still up?

My brain immediately pictures her in her bed in the dark texting me, but I desperately try to block it out when I start to imagine what she's wearing. I'm so awkward even my random thoughts make me blush.

Me: I was out with some friends and just got home.

Lena: you sound like you're a bit more social than I am ;)

I actually laugh loudly when I read this. She has no idea how far off she is.

Me: I wouldn't say that. It's my one and only regular social engagement.

Lena: tell me something else about you.

Yikes. I had to give her something, but wasn't sure what. Telling her I played in a band wasn't an option. That was too close.

Me: I'm a writer.

Lena: seriously? Are you Superman?

Me: What??

Lena: Clark Kent was geeky and a writer.

Me: He was actually a reporter, so no ;)

Lena: What do you write?

Me: I research and write articles. Some other stuff too. What do you do?

Technically, that was the truth. It just so happens that 'some other stuff' was writing music.

Lena: that's a pretty cool job...I'm impressed. I've got a degree in graphic design, but work in a book store. I haven't found a design job yet.

I raise my eyebrows at the new information. Her questions were coming quicker now, making me struggle for answers.

Lena: why won't you tell me who you are?

Me: I think you'd be disappointed.

Lena: how? what would disappoint me?

Me: I told you already. I'm really shy and awkward.

Lena: how are either of those things disappointing?

Me: Because they're disappointing to me.

I stop and reread her last text over and over. Flustered, I try to think of some way to change the subject. I'm overly aware of the minutes that are passing by, but I'm quickly giving up on my ability to hold up my end of the conversation. I'm clearly in over my head.

Lena: What are you doing right now and where are you?

Me: In my apartment talking to you.

Lena: no, describe it with details.

Me: I'm laying down on a grey couch?

Lena: what do you look like?

Ummmmm.......

Lena: please don't be uncomfortable. I'm not asking any of this in a sexual way. I only want a mental picture of who is on the other side. You have the advantage here and I'm just trying to even up the playing field. Just please be honest with me and really describe yourself and where you're at.

Shit.

Me: I have dark hair. Sometimes it's curly, sometimes it's straight. I wear glasses most of the time. My wardrobe is pretty limited to tshirts and jeans so that's what I'm wearing now. I'm only 5'8" and skinny, which you already know, so I'm pretty small. I decorate like a guy and have a huge TV and video games everywhere. Usually there are also clothes everywhere, but I was motivated to actually do laundry recently. My glasses are already off, so the phone is pretty much all I can see right now. Right now, I'm laying down on my couch rolled up in a green and blue comforter. And talking to you in the dark.

I hit send and take a deep breath. That was a lot of words.

Lena: what is your favorite thing?

Me: Music, but please don't ask me why.

Lena: ok.

Me: Think you can fall asleep now?

Lena: yes :)