Page 88 of Run
At first I’m disappointed to see it’s not Ethan, but as I read Lizzie’s text, I smile and start to shuffle into a seated position. I can feel my own rat’s nest of hair falling around my head and face. “Oh. My. God! Ohmygod!”
“What?” Sophie yells back, sitting up next to me. “What is it?”
“OK, OK, OK.” I wave my hands around. “So, Lizzie just texted me that Knox told her that Gino texted him first thing this morning asking for your number!”
“Shut the front door!”
“Look, it’s right here.” I show her the text.
Sophie smiles and blushes, and then slowly her face falls. She shakes her head and pushes the phone back to me. “It’s just a fetish.”
“Huh?”
“Guys like him”—she gestures to the phone—“don’t go for girls like me”—she points at herself. “And if they do, it’s because they have some sort of big girl fetish.”
It takes a moment for the words leaving her mouth to make it to my brain, where they fester. “What?!” I bring a hand to my temple and rub. “What are you talking about?”
She pushes herself back so she’s sitting up against the headboard. “You know … they want to take the big girl for a ride to see what it’s like. They aren’t actually interested in anything real. Gino just wants a peep at the freak show.”
“Sophie Miller, you stop that nonsense right now! Gino likes you because you guys freaking hit it off last night! And you looked smokin’ hot in that dress. And you are funny, and witty, and kind.”
She looks down at her hands in her lap, fighting a smile. “Maybe you could just give Lizzie my number and we could see if he even calls.”
“If you want.” I shrug like it’s no big deal, then decide to lighten the mood. “OK, you know what? Let’s have a girls’ day. I need to get a dress for Lizzie and Knox’s party, and have someone file my toenails down. You in?”
“Hells yeah!” Sophie cheers as she scrambles off my bed. “I’m not substitute teaching today, so I’m free. I just have to get ready.”
As soon as Sophie leaves, I take a shower, then immediately check my phone and am disappointed to see Ethan hasn’t texted yet.
Screw it. I decide I’ll text him first.
Morning sunshine
While tightening the towel around myself, the phone starts ringing and vibrating in my hand, and Ethan’s name lights up the screen.
“Helloooo,”I answer in singsong voice, and am greeted with a throaty laugh.
“Morning, Red.” Ethan’s voice is rough, and it sounds like he’s out of breath.
“What are you doing, big guy?”
“I just finished a workout.” I hear him guzzling from a water bottle, I presume. “I had to pass the time somehow. I was waiting until it was at least ten to call you.”
“Why’s that?” I sit on the side of my bed.
“Didn’t want to appear needy.” Now I hear what sounds like a bite out of an apple.
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah. But based on how I instantaneously called you after getting your text, you can probably guess I was waiting by the phone.” Another crunch.
We are both quiet for a minute. “Ethan?”
“Ari?”
I chew the inside of my cheek. “Hi.”
I hear him breathe. “Hi.”
