“Eh, it didn’t take that much guts,” Cassie said.
Erin went quiet, and then, “What was your goal? In sending them to me, I mean.”
Her voice was serious, but she was sitting on her couch, halfway out of the frame; Cassie couldn’t read her face.
“My goal?” Cassie said. She shrugged, decided honesty was the best policy. “I wanted to make you smile.”
Erin leaned toward her camera, and she was definitely smiling. “It worked.”
Cassie blushed a little and looked away.
“Okay,” Erin said, reaching for something Cassie couldn’t see. It turned out to be the TV remote. “What terrible movie are we watching?”
“I don’t even know what it’s called,” Cassie laughed. She was thankful for the change of subject. “It’s on Oxygen.”
“Oh, I love it already,” Erin said. “What’s been happening so far?”
“I’ve had it on mute, Erin,” Cassie said. “I don’t know. It seems like this blond lady wants to bang that guy but she doesn’t know it yet.”
“Thrilling!”
Cassie laughed and unmuted the TV.
They watched the movie together, hundreds of miles apart. Erin pretended she was riveted, offered ridiculous theories about what would happen next. Cassie spent more time watching Erin’s face on her computer than the movie on the television.
It was comfortable, and it shouldn’t have been. Spending the entire evening FaceTiming with her friend’s mom should’ve been weird, right? But it was nice, especially since everyone else, including said friend, seemed to have abandoned her.
She didn’t realize she was tired until she heard Erin saying her name.
Cassie blinked awake.
Erin was smiling gently at her. “Maybe you should go to bed.”
“Oh, no, I’m good,” Cassie said, sitting up. She couldn’t believe she fucking fell asleep. “I gotta see how this thing ends, anyway.”
“Cassie,” Erin said, still smiling. “The movie’s over.”
“What?”
“You’ve been asleep for about half an hour.”
“What?” Cassie said. “You just let me sleep?”
“You looked peaceful,” Erin said with a shrug. “And your snoring was quiet so it didn’t interrupt my movie watching.”
“I do not snore.”
Erin laughed. “Whether you do or not,” she said, “I think you’ll be a lot more comfortable if you sleep in your bed instead of on the couch.”
Cassie rubbed the sleep and blush from her face. “You’re probably right,” she said. “Thanks.”
“Thank you,” Erin said, “again. For the flowers.”
Cassie’s blush came right back. She was tired and couldn’t control her reactions, apparently.
“I’m glad you liked them,” she said. “I gotta get ready for bed.”
“Me too.”
“Good night.”
“Good night, Cassie.”
Her computer froze on Erin’s soft smile for a moment before the call fully disconnected. Cassie kind of wanted to stab herself. Erin’s smile was beautiful and Cassie wanted to kiss the shit out of her.
She tossed her laptop and phone onto her bed and went to brush her teeth. She kept the water as cold as she could stand to wash her face.
In bed, she stared at the ceiling. She felt weird, all over, and didn’t know why. She felt like she got caught doing something she shouldn’t, which was stupid, because she neither got caught nor was doing anything that hurt anyone. She felt antsy.
Cassie [11:03 PM]
I also kind of sent the flowers to woo you
Erin [11:04 PM]
To woo me? Cassie, we’ve already slept together
Cassie [11:05 PM]
Yeah but … I know we had rules but I want to do it again. So staying on your good side seems like a good idea
Erin [11:05 PM]
You’re doing a good job then
Erin [11:06 PM]
What would you have done if we were in the same city?
Cassie went for broke.
Cassie [11:06 PM]
Hand delivered them and fucked you in an on call room
Cassie [11:07 PM]
Or is that something that only happens in greys anatomy?
Cassie’s heart beat probably two hundred times before Erin responded.
Erin [11:08 PM]
It is … not something that only happens in Grey’s Anatomy.
Cassie [11:09 PM]
No? Has cardiology intern Ian been giving you the eye and nodding toward the on call room?