Friday night Emily Rose got her first response from Chandler in the new private direct message.
Chandler: Hi, is this Emily Rose?
Emily Rose: Yes, I hope I'm the one your looking for
C: How did you know I was looking for an Emily Rose?
ER: You said that on my last picture...
C: Oh yeah that was an...interesting picture
ER: Oh yeah about that, my friends are really weird. Sorry...
C: No don't be sorry, they seem to really care about you. Or they hate you and want ot embarrass you as much as possible.
ER: Haha yeah probably the second option there.
C: I just want you to know that I have had you on my mind for the past couple of days.
ER: Wow, I think I've stopped breathing. Everything about this is so surreal.
C: Why? We're just two people talking...or texting or whatever this is
ER: I know and I've dreamed about this day for a long time and now I everything I say come out unintelligent and bumbling.
C: That may be true but I get the same way when I'm nervous.
ER: Do you really?
C: Yeah it's horrible my face gets all red and I cannot form a coherent sentence to save my life.
ER: So does mine!
C: Haha, yeah I know right? Okay so I hate to break this off but it's really late and my phone is about to die but maybe I can talk to you tomorrow?
ER: Totally! Whenever, I have a pretty boring Saturday ahead of me anyway.
C: Then I will talk to you tomorrow Emily Rose.
*****
Emily Rose clears her schedule for the next day just so that she can answer when Chandler messages her. She waits all day around the house, and declines three invitations to hang out for him. But he never messages her.
That night she cries herself to sleep, quietly. All while checking her direct inbox to make sure she didn't miss him and to prove to herself it was real, that they did have a conversation.
She wakes up the Sunday and convinces herself she imagined the whole thing. It never would have happened anyway. A famous hot commodity, notice a girl from a tiny beach town? That was the stuff of movies.
She spends the day at Lily's house with the rest of her friends. She leaves her phone at home and never once mentions her alleged conversation with Chandler.
*****
Chandler Riggs is beside himself with guilt. He spends Saturday at his friend Sam's house. He never forgot to message Emily Rose, he was just busy.
"Yeah, just busy," Chandler remarked to himself Sunday morning as he sent her a message.
C: I am so sorry about not texting you yesterday, I didn't forget there just wasn't time that i could sit and have a full conversation.
When an hour has passed, Chandler had run his hands through his hair so many times that it was hopelessly messed up. Why hadn't she replied? He sent another message.
C: Emily Rose? Please answer me, the guilt is eating me alive.
After two more, long and painful hours had passes he sent her his final message;
C: Emily Rose, please, just know if I were with you in person I would be following you around on my hands and knees begging for you to answer. I am really truly sorry for not responding. If you on't want to talk to me fine but please at least tell me that.
She never did reply to that message, at least not that night. Chandler waited until 11:45 at night for her. he would have waited longer but sleep was slowly trying to take him.
Just before he went to sleep he mumbled to himself, "See? She didn't like you for you, this is what you get for trying to chase her. A broken heart. Way to blow it Riggs,"
