Page 11

ELEVEN

ROSE

DB

September 14

There are articles about us!

Try not to read them.

Why wouldn’t I read them?

They’re nice

They say you rescued me

They should have said you squashed me.

But they never do aim for accuracy.

Don’t be modest, you totally rescued me

You weren’t even in squashing radius

Are the pictures nice, at least?

They’re screenshots

They’re nice of you

I look

Hmm

Like a bulldozer?

You’re mean over text.

I’m mean in real life.

Yeah but in real life you smile so I can tell you’re joking

Thank you

September 20

Pay attention.

They’re talking about my great-grandfather.

It’s riveting stuff.

A boring man, though, or so I hear.

I am paying attention

And how did you do that?

Do what?

Text without touching your phone

You just did it again!

Obviously I am touching my phone, Danni.

Honestly, have you never seen sleight of hand?

I’m impressed

Are you usually this easy to impress?

Maybe you’re just more impressive than you think you are

Unlikely. I’m quite enamored with myself.

I thought you wanted me to pay attention

You’re bugging me

Ideally, what I want is for you to become more proficient at multitasking.

I’m relying on you to entertain me.

I know this entire topic off by heart.

Well I don’t

Do you need me to tutor you?

I need you to let me focus

Counterpoint: if you wanted to focus you could simply stop replying.

Rose!

Oh dear.

Sorry to have gotten your phone confiscated.

Although in my defense, the more I think about it, the more I believe you got your own phone confiscated.

It was quite obvious you weren’t actually riffling through your satchel.

Please screenshot this and refer to it in the future so you no longer lose your phone privileges.

Now I’m bored.

Stop smiling at me.

September 26

What was the name of that place?

That… place…?

The place you mentioned. The bougie one.

Was I… awake for this conversation?

Yes Rose omg

It was yesterday!

The French one with the pate and shit

Oh, Mon C?ur.

That’s the name of the restaurant, to clarify.

I’m not flirting with you.

Didn’t think you were?

I can’t actually speak French.

Can you not?

Would you like me to teach you?

You’re already signed up to teach me sleight of hand

Ice skating

And the history of your whole family

Admit it. You just want to hang with me.

On pain of death, I will not.

And I still don’t know how you can call yourself a snow sports lover if you can’t skate.

So I can’t do ONE snow sport!!!

Sue me!!!!

I’d like to see you race me on skis

Then you’ll shut up fast

I will absolutely race you, but I wouldn’t get too cocky before you see me.

What do you need the restaurant for anyway? A date?

Yeah, a super hot date

Between my mom and her husband

It’s their anniversary

Cuuuute right

But much less interesting.

What kind of dating budget do you think I have exactly?

I make a point of not speculating on other people’s finances.

Well, now I want to know. Humor me

What do you think I

An unemployed 16yo on a scholarship

Could spend on dinner for me and my imaginary date?

I don’t know. € 200?

Oh my GOD

October 1

Hello.

Hello?

Oh, good, you’re up.

I definitely was not up

Why are you

Rose it is 2am

I can’t sleep. I’ve tried everything.

Except for bothering me

Well, now I’ve tried everything including bothering you.

And it’s still not working.

How can I help

Your majesty

Don’t be like that.

I’m sorry I woke you.

Eleanor didn’t wake up.

Why isn’t your phone on silent?

In case of emergencies

Like this one?

Rose.

Fine, fine, go back to sleep.

Leave me to suffer in silence.

Such is my fate.

Thanks, night

Hello.

Yes?

Now I can’t sleep, either.

Oh no.

How awful.

I’m gonna put on an episode of something while I try to sleep

You can come hang if you want

Another medical drama?

Or that dating show you love?

I’ll be one sec.

October 2

I don’t even remember falling asleep.

It was annoyingly fast.

Yikes

Sorry

I wanted to poke you awake.

But you look sweet when you’re unconscious.

I couldn’t bring myself to.

But you’re happy to bother me when I’m conscious?

Perfectly.

Ready for breakfast?

Yeah

Come down whenever

One sec.