Chase (8 pm): OMG. I saw this late (a crying emoji), but I hope I'm not too late.
I, um, I'm definitely in. How about tomorrow during the weekend?
Ryan: Weekend's occupied, but Monday's okay after my morning lecture.
Chase: Whatever you say, cupcake.
Ryan lay on his bed, faced down, his mouth and lips muffled into his pillow, and his eyes staring into his phone at the conversation that happened after he had sent the invitation text.
It was a Monday, and Ryan had rushed through it with his morning shift, a brief visit to the library to pick up his notebook from Adrian, and a brief lecture. By afternoon, he was back in his room, climbing into his bed immediately to get his nerves to settle.
He had no afternoon shift that day, his body exhausted, and the little rest wasn't easing him off. Now staring into the text longer than necessary, a second thought was starting to creep in. He needed all the rest he could get, but somehow his spirit wielded more willpower than his body.
