Chapter 5

nelson_00z: hey! guess who?

ladyvera: oprah?

nelson_00z: ha ha very funny

nelson_00z: i was kinda hoping for an answer like bretman rock

nelson_00z: you know bretman, right?

nelson_00z: anyway what movie are we on for tonight?

ladyvera: anything paranormal? i have an updated list

nelson_00z: no

jackson101: nope

nelson_00z: srsly vera watch ghost stuff alone zzz

nelson_00z: you know im not great with screams on screen

jackson101: same here

nelson_00z: how about some comedy?

ladyvera: not my area of expertise

jackson101: adam sandler films?

jackson101: i like that guy..

nelson_00z: oooh!! i like that. i love him too

ladyvera: sure, i guess

ladyvera: tho i’ve never seen his movies before

ladyvera: pick the best

jackson101: all his films are good. he’s one of the best ;)

jackson101: trust me

nelson_00z: yey!! who’s gonna send an invite?

jackson101:

Meeting ID: 908-784-882

Meeting Password: 9uecfth6

nelson_00z: great, see you

ladyvera: wait, still making popcorn

ladyvera: dont start w/o me

nelson_00z: deliver some

jackson101: here too

ladyvera: this is not for free

nelson_00z: oh puh-leaze

ladyvera: only if we watch paranormal

ladyvera: we can binge-watch a series!

nelson_00z: i’m fine with my granola bar. i have beer too so im good

jackson101: munching cookies atm

jackson101: fine with this too

ladyvera: fine.

ladyvera: cos im not sharing anyway!

nelson_00z: :P

Nelson chose the movie for tonight. It was Adam Sandler’s “Just Go With It” with Jennifer Aniston. I haven’t seen this one yet. I had only seen a couple of comedies my entire life. I wasn’t actually a fan. Nelson, on the other hand, was a comedy geek. Comedies fuel his sense of humor.

I remember him forcing me to watch FRIENDS, BROOKLYN NINE NINE and BIG BANG THEORY on N*****x — and HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER too — but I told him it wasn’t really my cup of tea, so he gave up.

I wasn’t able to talk much about the movie during the whole movie night session. There were some puns I didn’t get, but Jackson and Nelson always ended up cracking. I felt kinda left out but it was expected.

But it was great. I enjoyed the film, just not as much as Nelson and Jackson did. Yet it made me smile seeing that they got along very well. In my life, they’re probably the only ones I’ve interacted the most. Somehow, I consider them my persons. And to see them get along like this made my heart flutter.

“So, tomorrow’s meeting,” Jackson started. “I want you both to be there.”

“Are there any cute guys?” Nelson asked with his wriggling eyebrows that got me and Jackson laughing.

“Okay, maybe I can introduce you to someone,” Jackson replied. “There’s this guy named Fern, I think you’ll like him.”

“Oh my gosh! Now I’m excited,” Nelson squealed. “Vera, baby, you better up your game or I’m getting a boyfriend before you do.”

“I didn’t know this was a competition!” I argued. “Besides, I told you I’m not searching.”

“Oh, please. Don’t say that in front of Jackson.” Nelson teased. “He’ll get offended!”

I took a quick glance at Jackson and he just smiled there.

“Shut up,” I replied while covering my cheeks. I was again, blushing.

“You do that a lot, lately.” Nelson said. “Oh my! Are you blushing?”

“Ok, how is this about me now?”

“Defensive,” Nelson concluded. “Hmm, this is getting somewhere.”

“What —“

“Okay, Jackson.” Nelson called him out. “Just to clear things in the air. Do you like Vera?”

My eyes widened. Nelson was always this straightforward.

“Jackson,” I looked at him. “You really don’t have to —“

“I do,” he said. And I froze. “I really like her.”

I was left speechless. Was this a joke? Was he making fun of me? But when I looked at Jackson, it wasn’t like he was kidding. He was actually serious.

He likes me?

“Well, I’ve always known. Thanks for confirming.” Nelson said proudly. “Now, Vera, do you have something to say?”

“I — uh, I’m —“

I actually didn’t know how to respond.

“It seems like our Lady Vera has been left speechless. No pressure, babe. I’m sure Jackson wants to get to know you more before you both jump into another level.” Nelson was enjoying being the spectator of all this.

But my heart couldn’t stop racing. My heart was fluttering.

“Just so you know, I wasn’t kidding.” Jackson added. “I really do want to get to know you more, Vera.”

After the whole movie night session, Nelson bombarded me with text messages telling me to start dating Jackson Young. He kept repeating how lucky I was that there was this decent guy who liked me and wanted to get to know me. I told him it was too early to date and I didn’t even know Jackson that well yet.

I wasn’t able to sleep that night. Well, I probably snoozed off for a while but I kept waking up to Jackson’s confession. Was it a confession? Was it counted as one? Or did he just like me as a friend? You see, it wasn’t that clear anyway.

Rolling to the side to check on the clock, it was 4 in the morning. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to go back to sleep at this hour, so I just got up and went to find something to munch in the kitchen.

Pancakes.

Making pancakes would make me clear my mind off things. And it did help. I was too focused on getting the pancake batter right that I wasn’t able to think about Jackson for a while. I cooked and I ate, and that was it. I was back to where I was when I started.

Still thinking about Jackson.

I felt a bit frustrated, but somehow hopeful. I didn’t know how to describe what I was feeling.

Plopping to the couch, I turned the television on. After a few channel switches, my phone rang.

It was Jackson.

“Hey!” I greeted with too much enthusiasm I wanted to slap myself.

“Hey, you. Wow, you’re up early.” He said.

I wanted to tell him “Thanks to you” or “Yeah, it’s your fault”.

“Yeah, well. I couldn’t sleep,” I replied.

“Hmm. Is this because of what I said?”

My eyes widened at his straightforward attitude, and I wasn’t able to reply quickly.

He chuckled on the other end of the call, and said, “I wasn’t joking. Really. But I don’t want things to be awkward between us. Please. If you’re ready and you wanna know how all this started, I’ll happily tell you.”

“Okay, now, you left me speechless again,” I said, with a shy smile. Not that he could see me smiling through the phone.

“I guess it’s my talent — making the one and only Vera Lee speechless.”

I smiled wider.

“Yeah, maybe.”

“So, about the meeting later,” he started. “I’ll be sending you both the invitation link. It’s around 2 in the afternoon.”

“Okay, we’ll see you then.”

“Okay,” he said. “See you.”

“And hey, you owe Nelson a cute guy.”