Cuddle Application

arbor, but that's no

am G.T

~

he window and peeking behind it. The material was thick in my hand

the couch. Nothing there, either. Hands on my hips, I surve

the island, I peeked into the large cabinet under the sink. An empty trash can, but no Molly. Every other cupboard was childp

hin

Then I spotted a rainbow-striped sock jutting out from under the woode

y pigtails bobbing up and down from between the legs of the dining chairs. I laughed, watching her chubby face get closer to mine as she

"You have o

nd my neck. My mother came into the kitchen, her black high heels clack

d authoritative, "could you please stir

town over. She only worked half the week so she could stay

essed in a tan woman's suit and straight

a smile. She looked up from her c

w it worked with the shoes." She moved her foot in a

ng to take the wooden cooking spoon from

s. The odd one out, I got everything from my father's side - the same sloped nose and brown eyes framed with

from the door to the basement, giving me a s

r, employed as a cop in the surrounding area. All of my

my dad asked, using the nickna

hought of telling him of the weird blind date, but knew he'd only want to

easingly, leaning against the island counte

the same school I attended. When we were younger, he always ignored me or found ways to make me suffer with his endless pranks, but we'd

rawing the same conclusion I had. "What do you t

eir fun before they both graduate and drive

e me sad to think about, and I was glad when my dad changed the subje

tion that was building up on the microwave from the steam in the pot below. There was no

an accusatory pointer finger and l

o smile as a way to distract my father from whatever conclusion he'd discovered. However, maybe he b

lip ner

at morning. I'd been so distracted at school that I hadn't even bothered to look. "We'll have to look up what you got later and start looking at some college options." His brown eyes gl

ate earlier that day was still a secret, I allowed myself to re

of his cell. A lovely story, really. I continued helping with dinner, Molly crawled over and ended up in my father's arms, and eventually my mother came

g of cell phone notifications. I unlocked my phone screen, met with an inbox full of seventy three

ception and Cora decided that she, however, was not sorry for setting me up with "the delicious eye candy." And so it we

'm no

ill being a lil hoe and bei

ing episode, no harm had been done and I really just wanted to forget the whole thing ever happened. I hadn't m

trauma you caused me today, I'm going to need y

ool Spanish, I was fluent. Fluent

y! We are

a and Lina talked. The sun had gone down and the moon casted an eerie glow through my window. I reached over

ned at Fran's – every word spoken, every slight pause,

k, you're no fun.

Pilots song that was playing. The screen went from a white text box to black, with green and red bu

this i

t of election, I was beyond surprised when a male voice spoke. "Oh, I'm sorry, " he said. "I th

heart was beating in my chest, so hard I thought fo

the voice from

intake of breath and held it, not sure what to do. My eyes blinked to the left and to the right, not sure if this was real.

s Oli

lly ex

could

and annoyance – a strange combination along

d he gotten my number and how

id he

o be the work of Cora. She just couldn't help herself. She hated my boyfriend

ices. I'd said I didn't want anyone else, especially not O

rnail, trying to decide whether or not to answer. In the short time I had met Oliver, I already

ward, getting closer and closer to the

are yo

it was a piece of smelly garbage. Finally, I took

ed. "I thought for sure you'd

a face.

one's fainted over the excitement o

sure what to say, but I was definitely starting to regret ever answering

efore saying, "You see, Miss Short Bus, there are these things out now –

lushing. "And my name is Skylar. Not Sorry,

were frustrating, but this one – this one was a flat out pain. Oliver didn't answer at first and I wondered if he'd h

fused, is it Skylar or Just Sky, I don't know, you're

burst through. "Okay, " I interrupted harshly. "I'm

arried away, and I actually did call for a reason, I promise. I'

g him apologize was almost worth the torture – but

I'm

Sky, don't do it. I pause

d of laugh you give to a knock knock joke, before it grew louder and stronger until he was laughing so hard that he must hav

re heard a laugh

collected himself. "She d

of my mouth

w that you've forgiven me. I'm calling to invite you

outh straightened back into a line. I sigh

've said, but just because there's a goalie in

ing him with my name. I tapp

party, " I a

enough for me. It'd be at a big house, the parents gone on some sort of vacation, boo

"Who's ho

kid from

ttended the school rival to mine. I knew he didn't go to Helaci

nds of yours, or even this mysterious boyfriend who's probably fake and probably from Canada.

nd maybe Josh would want to come. I wouldn't even have to speak to Oliver – wouldn'

of me was saying.

nd I cut him off short. "But this isn't a date, and I'm not

just have to break out my grade A Bear Lev

But in case you can't find me, I'll give you a clue: I'll be hidi

find you if you're stand

owled. Like

d. "But I was actuall

ut even he can't ruin my good mood. See

d been all me. I regretted agreeing to the party almost as soon as I lowered the phone from my ear. I'd gotten too caugh

saw Josh and me together he'd finally realize how hopeless it was to pursue me – for whatever strange reason he was doing it to b

, I guess I'm g