The Old Scars Still Come Back

"Yeah that's fine." I said to my friend when she asked if she could give my number to her guy friend. We were at our first homecoming as single "desperate hoes". My friend Mary just told me that she was asked to our brother's school hoco (just as friends) and she didn't want to go alone. So she gave my number to one of her guy friends from school. I don't remember his name at the moment. Im so tired from the dance; its 11 pm. "Stop thinking about it," I told myself, "it's probably going to turn out to be nothing. It always has.

It had been a few days and I hadn't got any texts from a random number. So I texted Mary:

"Hey can u tell ur friend to text me?"

"Oh Im sorry I forgot"

"mkay thxs"

A few hours later I got three messages from the random number I was waiting for:

"Hey"

"Mary gave me ur number"

"Tina right?"

I was so excited "Yas omg girl this is your big chance!" I thought. But then I remembered what happened before and my hopes sank. I was about to respond when I realized I didn't remember his name! "Oh shit what am I supposed to do? I'll just wing it" I panicked.

"Yes. Im sorry I forgot ur name"

"Jack"

"Okay I remember now sorry lol so..."

"Tell me about yourself"

Minutes passed without a response from him. "Crap I screwed up," I whispered as I texted Mary:

"I think I made a bad impression on him. I forgot his name"

"What did you call him?"

"I said this:" I took a screenshot of the messages and sent them to her

"I mean you just met him. It's probably okay"

I really hoped it was. "I'll wait until tomorrow. If he doesn't respond, I'll just delete his number." I decided as I powered off my phone. I thought about Jack during my shower, brushing my teeth, saying my prayers. I even said a special little prayer for him. Even when I closed my eyes I could only think about my bad impression on him. It was so embarrassing to me. I felt so bad. "Im probably just going to stay single forever." I thought as I drifted off to sleep.

The next morning I woke up happy; it was Saturday. But then I remembered Jack, and my smile slowly faded. I turned on my phone and waited; there were no new messages. "Hey Tina come on walk with me and dad." my 7 year old sister Angela told me. "Fine." I groaned as I got up and put on my shoes, holding onto my phone. I really didn't want to give up on this.

It was when I was walking that my phone finally buzzed. I turned it on and saw that Jack finally responded! A huge smile grew on my face as I read his message:

"lmao sorry I just woke up. Im 14 boutta turn 15 in December. I mostly just hang out with my friends"

"hbu?"

I was excited when I read that. "Ooh my birthday's in December too!"

"My birthday's in December too, when's yours? I like hanging with my friends too. Hey do you know BTS?"

I just had to ask him that. I love BTS, the amazing K-Pop group my best friend got me into. Once you get into K-Pop, you can't get out of it. So everyone new I talk to I have to ask if they know BTS.

I squealed when he said this. "Oh my gosh I freaking love him now!" I thought. My smile grew even bigger. I was slightly disappointed; my birthday's the 11th, so Im older.