Chapter Ten Jude

Chapter Ten

Jude

I’m significantly more bummed about this Veronica thing than I should be, given that it’s only been going on a couple of weeks and I’ve never actually met her in person.

The thing is, we had a good energy. She made me laugh. She’s great at her job and clearly brilliant. Her honesty told me she could be a great communicator in a romantic relationship. I thought I had a sixth sense that we’d be good together.

But she’s ghosted me. By Saturday—freaking Valentine’s Day—I haven’t heard anything else from her, and it feels like a hole has been punched in my daytime hours. I am a deflating balloon.

Jason and Kelly invite me over for dinner, Adam asks if I want to meet for single-dude beers.

I decline both; I’m not feeling particularly social.

I find myself sprawled on the couch with a basketball game on in the background, DoorDash containers spread across the coffee table, and an open beer propped on my stomach.

I’ve become a slo-mo montage set to an acoustic cover of a sad pop song.

Sitting up, I reach instinctively for my phone, but then remember there won’t be a text from Veronica there. Instead, I roll the dice and open Instagram, knowing there’s a good chance I’ll see some flat earth content that will tank my mood further.

But instead, I see a follow request.

From Veronica Cochran.

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