Chapter 10 Playlist Text Me Back
SO FUNNY STORY, I type. This is actually Amelia. I totally spaced and put my number in your phone without thinking. I’m so sorry
I toss in a facepalm emoji. When Myles replies right away with an Oh, hey—no worries! How’s it going? I take advantage of having someone to talk to.
Me: Not so great, actually.
Me: I’m kind of freaking out, care to send some of those calm and collected vibes my way? Anders-style?
Myles: why? are you at work?
Me: No, it’s my dog. My mom just rushed her to the vet
Me: I’m so worried about her.
Myles: oh no, poor dog. that sucks
Myles: what’s wrong with her?
Me: I don’t know. I’ve had her forever, I don’t know what I’d do without her.
Myles: I hope it turns out okay
Myles: anything I can do to help?
Everyone knows Myles is that guy—the one who’d jump in to help when he sees a need. So even though I know he’s probably disappointed that Kat’s not the one he’s talking to right now, I’m going to let him help.
Me: Keeping me distracted is helping
Myles: oh, well good. I was just hanging out at home, so I’m at your service
Myles: what’s your dog’s name?
Me: Margarine. Kat and I found her on the street forever ago, and I’ve had her ever since
Me: I took her on a walk yesterday and she seemed tired, but I didn’t think anything of it. I feel so bad, I should have said something to my parents
Myles: it’s not your fault
Myles: I bet it’s hard to tell with animals. it would be nice if they could talk
I smile a little, which feels kind of nice.
Me: Yeah, definitely would have helped if she’d just said, “Amelia, I feel like crap take me to the vet”
Myles: hahaha
Me: Do you have a dog?
Myles: nah, my parents never let us. I’ve always wanted one, though
Myles: actually, funny story
Myles: me and my brothers did some serious research once and came up with a whole pitch we gave one night over dinner, and we asked for a basenji
Me:… a what?
Myles: basenji. would you believe me if I told you they clean their fur like cats and yodel instead of bark?
Me: Hahahaha no
Myles’s next message is a link, and I follow it to the American Kennel Club website page all about basenjis. Not only are all his fun facts true but these dogs also have adorable curly pig-like tails.
Me: Well look at that.
Me: I regret to inform everyone, my dad was right—you do learn something new every day
Myles: can you believe my mom still said no?
Me: No
Me: The first thing you should do once you have your own place is get one of those.
Myles: agreed. before I even get a couch or a bed, I’ll buy a yodeling dog
Me: Priorities
Myles: speaking of priorities, I was looking at colleges in Washington state like you suggested and realized surfing would be… challenging up there
Me: It’s not really that easy here, either
Myles: I know! I’m hoping to head somewhere warmer
Me: Warm and rainy and with good surfing? That’s a tall order
Myles: well. surfing trumps rain, so.
Me: I should have known
I immediately cringe, wondering if that made me sound like a stalker who knows how much Myles loves surfing. I quickly pivot.
Me: Don’t you need to go somewhere with a good basketball team, too?
Myles: no, why would I?
Me: You don’t plan to keep playing in college?
Myles: doubt it. I’m not good enough
I frown. Does he really think that? I don’t go to the games, but the next day at school everyone’s always talking about how awesome he played, and he’s the star of the pep rallies.
If this were Kat, I’d know she needed a tough-love pep talk and she’d snap right out of it.
She’s stupid talented and she knows it, even if she gets in her head sometimes.
Me: Could have fooled me.
Myles: it’s the last name
Myles: it fools most people
Me: What do you mean?
Myles: maverick was the best at basketball. matt owned the football field. everyone just assumes I’ll do the same, and I’m not sure anyone’s really noticed that I’m not like them
Myles: or maybe they’re just pretending not to
I frown at the screen, surprised and a little sad that he thinks that. I know nothing about basketball, but I’ve gotta say something.
Me: Come on. Everyone knows you’ve got a mean… bounce pass?
Myles: have you ever even seen me play?
Me:… No?
Myles: hahahaha
Myles: honestly, that makes me like you more
My lips part on a gasp. I know he’s not saying it like that, but still—Myles liking me as a friend is earth-shattering news. I pause to savor the moment for a few seconds before forcing myself to refocus.
Me: Do you like playing, at least?
Myles: sometimes
Myles: I like to stay moving and I like being part of a team
Myles: but I don’t think it’s basketball specifically I like. I’d be just as happy playing badminton, probably
Me: Badminton?
Myles: sure, why not?
Myles: or curling
Me: This is getting weird
Myles: hahaha
We text for another twenty minutes, and aside from the occasional twinge of guilt that I still haven’t offered up Kat’s number (to be fair, he hasn’t asked again) and lingering worry about Margarine, I really enjoy myself.
I have a fleeting thought that Myles might not fit into the box I’ve always put him in.
Myles: hey, I gotta go help my dad with something on the boat, but lmk if you need to talk later
Me: Okay
Me: Thanks for the distraction.
Myles: anytime
Myles: I hope she’s okay
Myles: you work tonight, right? see you later?
Me: Yeah, see ya
I spend a few minutes scrolling back through our conversation, smiling. When my eyes catch Kat’s name, I stand and tuck my phone into my back pocket.
Within seconds, worry for Margarine creeps back in, and I head up to my room to gather up some laundry. I’d rather keep my hands busy until I hear something from my mom.
I’m pacing in the living room when she calls twenty minutes later.
“Margarine has diabetes.”
“Dogs can get diabetes?” My grandpa has that. And my uncle Tom. He has a little monitor he wears on the back of his arm.
“Evidently. They’re running some more tests, but I just wanted you to know Margie is okay. She’ll be on medicine for the rest of her life, and might need to stay here overnight while they get some of her numbers back to normal. She’s already feeling better.”
I sink down onto the couch as relief washes through me. “Thanks, Mom.”
We say goodbye, and I glance at the clock. It’s about time to take a shower and get ready for work—my first dinner shift. I spend longer than usual taming my hair into submission, and I ignore the reason why. I also don’t linger on the fact that I dab on a touch more makeup than usual.
I’m a little relieved Kat still hasn’t called back after I tried to talk to her about Margarine—because I don’t want to tell her Myles asked for her number.
She’s obviously busy and focused on whatever’s going on in Pinecrest, and isn’t interested in the life she left behind here in Kingfisher Cove.
Maybe someday the time will be right… But for now?
It can just stay my little secret.