The Arrangement

Oh believe me, we wanted to.

We just didn’t want to shit

where we ate.

I didn’t know whether to laugh or be disgusted. I went with the latter:

Alright, that’s a pretty good one.

I was still laughing when I re-read that first part again:

We.

It inferred that they actually discussed it. Had they really discussed it? At first I thought it was a joke, but suddenly I wasn’t so sure. As I was contemplating, another message came through:

Besides, the last thing we wanted to do

was scare you off. You’re pretty awesome,

Kayleen. We enjoy having you here.

I felt a warmth spreading over me, starting from somewhere deep in my belly. It was a good warmth. But also a warmth of excitement.

I know I’m awesome, but it’s always fun to hear.

You guys aren’t too bad yourselves.

It was lame, but it was the best I could do. What else can a girl say to being called awesome?

I watched the screen a little more, and nothing happened. After two minutes, I had to assume our little conversation was over. Shit, it was kind of a relief. I never knew when to end these things anyway.

But then, just as I was about to put the phone down:

We’re doing the interviews over the weekend.

We can pencil you in for the beginning

of next week, though.

The beginning of next wee—

Oh, so they wanted to flirt? I could flirt! I grabbed the phone immediately, my fingers flying:

Fuck that. Pencil me in before the others!

I chuckled. Then, as an afterthought:

I won’t be sent to the end of some

line of gold-digging skanks.

I set the phone down with a smug, satisfactory grin. For someone who sucked at texting, I was especially proud of the gold-digging skanks line.

I grabbed the remote, and was about to un-pause my unnecessarily dramatic, over-the-top reality show when the phone sounded off again:

Okay, done.

Friday night. Eight o’clock.