As I finish up my class the next day, my phone suddenly pings. I glance down. It’s a message from Chen. I open it, then blink. He’s sent me a picture of a potato held in his hand.
I type a couple question marks.
“Hey, Ram?”
“Yeah, what’s up?” I glance up. It’s Rodrigo.
“You know the assignment Professor just assigned us?”
“Yeah.” Ping! I instinctively glance down and read: “I just found this outside, isn’t it cute?” I blink. How is a potato cute? I type a noncommittal “ok”. Then, look back up.
“Sorry, so what’s up?”
“We’re supposed to have the data finished by Friday right? Is it just the data or the analyses also?”
“I’m pretty sure it’s both-.” Ping! I resist the urge to glance down and hastily finish answering his question. Then I check my phone.
There’s a pouting emoji. Then, “so do you think the potato is cuter or me?” I freeze. Um…
“Ram, you coming?” It’s Josh. He has class a door over around this time so we usually leave together.
“Yeah, give me one sec!” Hastily before I have time to overthink it, I type out “you” then rush to catch up with Josh.
As I walk next to him I start to think about my response. Why in the world did I write that? Why would I ever write something so weird, so embarrassing. Well, it’s fine, another part of me argues. I don’t get how a potato is cute in the first place so he’s naturally cuter…Ping! I glance down, then frown. He sent me a period. Why did he send me that?
Ping! “OMG I’m so sorry that was an accident!”
Ping! “I totally didn’t mean to send that!“
Ping! “Just ignore it!“
Ping! “U know what, just ignore all these messages!“
Ping! “Sry for spamming you, sry, sry!” Then, there’s an emoji with two hands clasped together in a prayer pose.
Ping! “Sry! I stop now! Rn!“
My feet pause in the middle of the hallway. “Ram…?” Josh calls from ahead of me, turning back to check why I’ve stopped. I clutch my jaw, unable to prevent a grin from sneaking its way across my face. I can just imagine Chen, his cheeks wildly blushing, soulful eyes wide and clouded with panic, hastily trying to take back his messages.
“Hey Ram! Seriously man, what’s up-“
“Shit.”
“What?”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“I’m in deep shit.”
“Let?”
“Jbwf bc, ifa’r ub tbwf!” P lwwfvljafis rqffv eq, gertlcu qjra Abrt ktb tjr ab pbu j ilaaif ab mjamt eq klat wf.
“Lfs, wjc rfglberis ktja’r eq klat sbe atfrf vjsr?” P vbc’a gfrqbcv, atf rwlif raemx bc ws ojmf.
“Gjwc, ibbx ja atja uglc! Pr la ibnf?”
“Maybe.”
“It’s gotta be love, I mean what else-holdup, did you just say maybe???” His eyes enlarge like saucers and now it’s his turn to stop dead in his tracks.
“Ram, you-you-you’ve got a girlfriend???” I turn to him with my grin.
“Not exactly.”
“Huh? Still in the pursuing stage? Let me tell you all the tricks-“
“Nah, already together. And even if I wasn’t, who’d want to learn from you Mr. pine after girls but never get them.” Josh ignores my snarky quip, too stunned by the earlier half of my sentence.
“WHAT??? Who is it??!”
“Chen.”
“Huh??? Holdup, which Chen?”
“The only Chen we know.” And I’m off, ready to get home. Josh is still behind me. After a couple beats I hear him cry out “then it’s the one I introduced you to…that means I’m a matchmaker??? Damn, I got my forever single friend a partner. Damn, I’m good!”
I reach home as fast as I can and head inside. However, Chen isn’t there. I walk over to his door but find that the room is open. My heart thumps and I quickly open it.
“Chen? Chen!”
“What?” I hear a vaguely muffled cry from the back. My eye moves over to…the bathroom.
“What? I’m in the shower!” I lick my suddenly dry lips.
“Uh…Nothing!” I back out of the room when suddenly Chen’s phones starts ringing from the table near me. I instinctively pick it up and glance down: unknown.
Should I pick it up? “Ram, did you call me?!” Chen’s voice comes again from the bathroom and I jerk forward, my thumb pressing accept. Oh Shit.
“No, it’s nothing!” I yell again as I bring the phone up to my ear.
“Hello?” There’s silence except for a particularly distinct, heavy breathing sound.
I try again. “Hello?” Click. I blink, glancing at the phone. They hung up, huh, ok. As I’m getting ready to put the phone down it rings again. I glance down. Still unknown. I pick up.
“Hello?” Silence, except for that same breathing.
“Okay if there’s no one I’m hanging up-“
“Who are you?” It’s an adult male by the sound of it, the tone is cold.
“I should be asking you that.”
“This is not your phone.” The tone is even frostier. I furrow my brows.
“This is my boyfriend’s phone.” Click. They’ve hung up again.
Click. I look up to see Chen step out of a cloud of mist. His hair is wet, dripping down his pearly white, faintly flushed skin and around his large misty eyes. I gulp.
“Ram, is something the matter?” His upturned eyes are innocent and dewy. I lick my dry lips.
“Uh…no. I was just-“
“Why do you have my phone?” His brow furrows and a droplet drips down his dainty nose. I forcefully turn my gaze away.
“Well it was ringing and I picked up on accident but there was someone weird.”
“Weird?”
“Like there was heavy breathing and then-” I glance back up at Chen and pause. His eyes are downcast and he’s fidgeting.
“What? Do you know who it is?” I ask.
“That…” He looks conflicted, my eyes narrow.
“Who is it?”
“I…I don’t know.”
“What do you mean, you don’t know?”
“I really don’t know. That person has been calling me recently.
“Calling you?”
“Yeah.” He looks up. “They call, breathe, then I hang up.”
“…And how many times has this happened?” He turns his head to the side.
“Chen?”
“Maybe five times…”
“Five times? This person has randomly called you five times? Why haven’t you blocked him?”
“Well I did the third time they called. Then, they started using a different number…”
“Seriously??? Ok, they shouldn’t call back now…hopefully.” Chen looks up.
“What did you do?”
“Oh nothing much. I just told the person I was your boyfriend.”
“Huh??? Why?”
“Well if they’re interested in you or something they now know you’re taken.” I walk over to Chen and throw my arms around his waist.
“What does that have to do with anything???” Upon hearing this I pause and turn to face him.
“…do you know who he is? I don’t mean who he is, I mean do you know why he’s calling?”
“Well..” Chen looks off to the side.
“What?”
“I am gay and a writer so…”
“So what?” My tone is sharp.
“Well, I thought it was harassment of some sort…you know, from someone who doesn’t like my writing or my sexuality…” Chen says looking away from me.
“Harassment?” I cup his chin and gently force him to face me. “When did this start? And you didn’t tell anyone?”
“Well it started a week ago. I just…” A week ago. That was before our argument.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” He shrugs.
“Chen, no Chen come on.” I force him to look me in the eye. “You have to tell me these things. I’m your boyfriend.”
“You weren’t then.”
“Well I am now. Can you promise you’ll tell me if something like this happens? Tell me if you’re ever in trouble. Can you promise me that?”
After a moment he quietly nods and I hug him, burying my face in the side of his neck.
A moment later: “Ow! You bit me!”
“That’s your punishment for not telling me”.
aww