Sean

I groan and thrash through my covers, finally giving up on any hope of passing out. I glance at my phone on my bedside table. 1:37 a.m. I should be asleep right now so I have enough energy for swim practice at 6:30, but I can’t sleep. No matter how hard I try, no matter how much I attempt to focus on my breathing or on how completely absurd today was—finding some random stranger on the beach and spending the rest of the day with them—I can’t stop my mind from coming back to Dominic. It’s been this way since the breakup, and I’ve got the dark circles under my eyes to prove it. But now with Ross so sure they can help me get him back, I’m awake with hope that they might actually be right.

My phone buzzes and I shoot up so fast that my comforter flies off the bed. It’s got to be D. He’s the only person who’s ever texted me this late.

I grab my phone, my heart racing. I can’t stop myself from fantasizing about what it would be like for him to say he’s sorry and wants me back, and how this whole plan could be over before it even started.

But instead of Dominic’s name followed by the heart eyes emoji, it’s just a random phone number. My heart immediately plummets into my stomach. So much for getting that apology.

I’m so upset it’s not Dominic I almost put my phone back and decide the text can wait until morning. Well, later morning. But what if it’s Dominic texting me from a new number? I swipe open the message to find:

Are you awake?

Dominic?

I type back immediately, then instantly regret it. I sound so desperate and needy even just by texting his name.

The typing dots appear and my heart flies back into my throat. I can feel my pulse in my neck as I pray with every ounce of my being that it’s him.

No it’s Ross.

My heart falls again, and I don’t know how much my body can take of this cardiac roller coaster.

Oh. Hi Ross.

You don’t need to sound so disappointed

Ross’s emoji use makes me Donkey Laugh. It releases a little bit of pressure from the ache in my chest. I didn’t expect a person who’s never seen rom-coms and is scared of traffic to have such a handle on emojis.

Sorry. I didn’t mean to make you use the cussing me out emoji. He’s just on my mind, you know?

Those dots appear, and I catch myself smiling. I need this distraction right now.

Good. You’re focused on the mission.

You sound like my swim coach. Why are you up so late?