It’s nearing noontime, and Rowan hasn’t heard anything from Mal, so he caves and texts him.

[RC] Hey, you feeling okay?

By the time Rowan’s getting ready for bed later that night, Mal still hasn’t texted him back.

Chapter 7: Tongue Tied

IT ISN’T until late on Monday when Rowan is already in bed that Mal finally texts him back.

[MS] sorry had some shit going on

[MS] i’m good

[MS] thanks for checking

Rowan wants to shout at him. Fucking deck him, actually. Because what the fuck? Mal may be the more experienced of the two of them, but what the hell gives him the right to stress the fuck out of Rowan? Rowan’s been fucking pacing the past two days, waiting to hear back from him. Jesus, he’s lucky he hasn’t had an episode over this.

He’s not some goddamn side piece, here.

[RC] What the fuck Mal?

[RC] You couldn’t have texted that 2 days ago??

[MS] i said sorry man. had shit to deal with

Rowan wants to punch a wall. He wants to tell Mal that when he stops hearing from people, it’s usually because they’re on a bender or in jail or dead. He wants to flat-out say he’s worried and pissed and fucking hungry for a real kiss after the tantalizing taste he’d gotten.

But as his string of fleeting exes would attest to, he’s never been great at communicating emotions.

[RC] I get if you’re busy or whatever but it takes 2 fucking seconds to send a text

[RC] I thought you dropped or something

[MS] it takes more than a stupid fuckin mistake like that to make me drop

Hearing Mal call the kiss a mistake again, even if it is technically true, feels like a virtual slap in the face.

[RC] You looked like you were in a fucking trance when we left Mal

[RC] What was I supposed to think??

[MS] you don’t think fuckin anything. i told you i was fine

[MS] we’re not boyfriend and girlfriend here

[MS] i don’t owe you shit

His aggression catches Rowan off guard. Apparently Mal’s done being on the defensive. Rowan can practically feel the steam coming out of his own ears as he types out his reply.

[RC] No shit we’re not a couple. But you do fucking owe it to me to tell me you aren’t gonna jump into traffic if the reason for it happened with me

[MS] it woulda happened with anyone. you’re not the hot shit you think you are

[RC] I DON’T think I’m hot shit, I was fucking worried asshole

[RC] Just because you’re the club bicycle doesn’t mean you get to ride all over me

Rowan regrets the text the second he hits Send, and Mal’s response takes two full minutes to pop onto his screen.

[MS] fuck you campbell

There isn’t anything Rowan can say after that.