34. Long-distance

- Natalie -

.

“Let’s start small. Ask me something..” He says, and my heart flutters with hope.

But I hesitate for the first question.

“Your argument at home. Was it bad?”

He sighs. “Yes.. kind of… My turn. Why is your face swollen?”

My eyes pop out. Is it still swollen?

Fuck.

“Ohh…” I wince and mumble,” I kind of cried a little… for some lame reason...”

He goes quiet for a while then says, “Well, if it made you upset enough to cry, I am sure it wasn’t lame.”

His words are oddly comforting. We ask short but random questions back and forth, without touching the real reason why we ended up here tonight.

“Your turn.” He says.

I think for a while. I have a million questions, but none seem appropriate. So I settle for the least appropriate one.

“Why are you still single?”

He raises his eyebrow.

“I remember you told me you dated almost a year ago. That stalker girl, right?”

He gives me a tight smile and nods.

“So, why are you still single?” I repeat myself.

He chuckles an