Page 13 of Come Find Me Tonight

I refill my glass, pacing between my kitchen and living room, phone in hand. Lots of comments and likes pour in, but nothing from my little blonde. It’s prime time for posting since most of the country is doomscrolling their evening away on social media, which is why I normally post at five p.m. It’s eight on the East Coast when most Americans are relaxing after work.

My phone makes my palm vibrate with a notification about a new comment, and my gut flips. It’s from @AppaPie, blue checkmark and all.

@AppaPie: Liar.

I’ve never smiled so widely at my phone. Heat spreads throughout my chest and torso. And it’s not from the wine. One word, but it’s inviting, not rejecting, and on brand for her fiery personality. I reply to her comment, but my thumb hovers over the send button.

Fuck it.

@Rook: Cum find out already *wink emoji*.

I’ll delete the comment later, but my invested followers won’t miss it. Notifications buzz in at viral speeds.

@AppaPie and @Rook, you’re being obvious, and I hate you both. Rook’s mine.

Yeesh.

I rarely check the comments for a reason.

Rook wants to watch the world burn.

What in the BookTok is happening?

This feels staged. Sus.

Oh, but it isn’t.

For almost a month, I’ve been posting videos with subtle cues to lure Appa into commenting, but she’s gone radio silent. I can admit that I came on strong between the comments and the slight felony I committed. Weirdly, I thought I’d be more anxious about that night, but I’m not. She was into it, judging by her reactions the day after, but if this is her way of playing hard to get, I’ll show just how much she doesn’t want to fuck with Rook.

For tomorrow’s post, I swap the scheduled video for something a little more suggestive. I’ve never recorded naked, but it’s time to make an exception to that rule. The comments will be extra thirsty for this, but Appa’s the only one who matters. The rest is just noise.

Once the sun is down for the night, I dim the usual bright lights and turn the color LED to a deeper blood-red. The red gives the room a sultry vibe—perfect for this video. I press record and stand far enough from my phone on its tripod, so I can crop the video and stay in the right aspect ratio for what I want to do.

Facing the camera, I run my hands over my abs, slowing them as they near my hips. The video will be cropped at my hips with nothing lower shown.

Only Appa gets to see that for free.

I roll my shoulders and shift my arms to look like I’m gripping myself firmly. I turn purposely to my right side to showcase my gnarly scar that’s a big talking point online. And that’s when cold feet set in.

This is fucking insane to do and post for thousands.

But I have to get Appa out of her shell again.

Not for me, but for our future.

I grab the sealed condom from the desk by my setup and turn, giving the camera my right side profile again. I lift the condom to my lips and tear it open with my teeth with a crisp rip, which I’d never do in real life for obvious reasons, but the people want what they want. I pull it out of the wrapper and make it look like I’m about to put it on myself. But instead, I throw it and the wrapper over my shoulder. And cut.

I pull on the pair of basketball shorts stashed on the desk and grab my phone from the tripod to work on editing. I want to post it tomorrow, but hell, I might just post it late tonight because I need a reaction from Appa before I do something crazy again.

Like committing another felony.

I crop the video right at my hips, going frame by frame to make sure nothing is shown. It’s more of my lower abdomen than I would show, and I keep myself trimmed down there. I’m sure someone thirsty enough will comment on my lack of upper pubic hair. My face is dark as usual; the lighting is just right without needing much retouching or filtering. I cut the part where I grab the condom and add a transition where I fade from facing the camera to turning to my side. The condom rip and toss are eerily cinematic, and the ASMR-style sound of the wrapper tearing only heightens the effect.

Ugh, okay, full send initiated.

I upload and caption the video: ‘Daddy only does it raw. And keeps it clean always.’

Hashtag…hashtag. What to hashtag the video? I never used them because my high engagement rate kept me in the algorithm’s good graces, but using hashtags now is a great opportunity to send a coded message.