how to catch feelings

41

His answers were beyond useless, but I still shot back a quick thank you.

I hadn't been expecting anything groundbreaking, but I was certainly hoping for something a little more than the usual university PR crap.

A quick internet search gave me the city police chief's email, and I copied and pasted the initial email I had sent Chief Waters. Maybe he'd be a little more helpful.

Doubtful.

My phone buzzed and I pulled it out from between the couch cushions.

Ope. Jared was finally IMing me.

Yikes.

"How do you usually do interviews?" he asked.

"Depends on the person. Some people like to talk face-to-face, some like over the phone, some are fine with text or email. Up to you."

"Do you have a preference?"

"Nope." I did, but I tried to keep an open mind when it came to reporting.

"I have practice until seven and then I'm free."

"Alright."

"Meet at the café? I always stop for Chinese on Wednesdays."

"Sure."

"Okay, see you then."

"See you."

I swiped out of the app and set my phone aside.

As was the norm for me after I talked to people, I took a moment to stare into space thinking, 'what the actual hell just happened?'

Both of the girls were off at clinicals, so I had no one to vent to.

Did not bode well for the nerves.

On a positive note, that just meant they couldn't tease me until later.

I logged out of my email and opened Netflix. Might as well watch The Office for a couple hours since I had nothing better to do.

***

It was with a shaky hand that I scribbled a few questions in the purple journal I used for interviews.

Angry spiders crawled around in my stomach as I grabbed my lanyard and hurried downstairs to put on my sneakers.

I locked up the dorm and headed over to main campus.

Arriving at the café, I quickly looked around to see if Jared was there yet.

Not sitting, not in line to pay, not – Oh. He was in line for Chinese takeout.

I briefly debated ordering some fries from the grill station but decided I was much too nervous to eat.

Standing there in the middle of the café was getting to be too awkward, so I walked over to the seating area to look for an empty table.

Perfect. One by the window in the corner. The holy grail of table locations.

I thought about sending him a text to tell him I was here, but that was rendered unnecessary by him catching my eye as I glanced around the café.

He paid for his food and then joined me.

"How was practice?" I asked.

He shrugged. "About how you'd expect."

"And what would I expect?"

"Well, just, you know, the guys are still kinda messed up about Dax. We were all pretty tight. There's just a hole there now, and we're all feeling it."