"I am real," I said. "But what makes you think I would agree to this?"
"What?" He asked, surprised. His voice shifted — like he'd stepped on the brakes. Was he driving? Where was he driving to this night?
"Yeah," I replied, leaning back on my couch. "What makes you think I would agree to fake date you?"
"Teddy."
"I might need time to think about it." I said smiling.
"Teddy, you made this proposal." His voice was impatient now. Stressed.
"Yes, I did. But I might need to think about it. Just because I made it doesn't mean I would accept just anyone."
The words came out sharper than I intended. But I didn't take them back.
He'd ghosted me for five days. Five days of silence. Five days of checking my phone every twenty minutes like a desperate fool. Five days of wondering if I'd imagined everything.
And now that he needed help, he thought I would just say yes?
I wasn't that desperate.
Actually, I was that desperate. But I was still going to pretend like I wasn't. I was just going to drag him a little. Give him a little taste of his own medicine.
"Teddy." His voice was softer now.
"Yeah?" I replied.
"This was your idea" Rhett said.
"Yes it was but you rejected me when I proposed it remember?" I replied.
"I said I needed time" he replied.
"No you didn't" I replied.
"I said I would think about it" He said.
"Only after I said maybe you should think about it" I replied.
"Still the same thing" he replied.
"Well then I also want to think about it" I replied.
"I thought your parents wanted you to get married" he asked.
"Yes they did" I replied
"Didn't they want to meet your imaginary boyfriend?" He asked. Emphasis on imaginary boyfriend.
I hate this man. Because I told him I told my parents I had a boyfriend when I didn't have one and now he's using that against me. Two can play this game.
"Yeah but my parents can wait. There is no rush" I said.
The line went silent and he said nothing. I laughed silently.
"This must be funny to you huh?" He asked.
"What's funny?" I asked back. Yes this was funny as hell to me. I bet he didn't think he would actually be the desperate one who needs the deal faster than I do. This is what you get Rhett Vale for ignoring me for five days. If only you had accepted earlier then maybe none of this would have happened but you just needed to take your time.
"You have two hours," he said.
"What?" I asked confused. What did he Mena by I had two hours? What's going on?
"Two hours until I get to Gartdan. That's enough time to think." He said.
Did I just hear that correctly? He was coming to Gartdan?
My eyes snapped open. "You're coming here? Now?"
"I'm already on the road." He said.
"Rhett, it's the middle of the night." I said.
"I know." He replied
"You can't just —"
"I know." He cut me off. "But we have no time"
I looked at the clock on my wall. 11:47 PM.
"I have time you're the one who has no time" I said back. I wasn't desperate.
Oh because he needed help he had no time? But when I made that proposal he had rejected me. I was going to make him suffer.
"I am on my way" he said
"What am I supposed to do for two hours?"
I said. I'm definitely going to sit around and wait for him "I can't just sit around and wait for you"
"Think," he said. "You said you needed time to think and two hours should be more than enough time"
"I don't think two hours is enough–"
"Two hours, Teddy. I'll see you soon."
The line went dead.