Chapter 3: Video call

It was October 5th when Thomas had first brought the topic up. They had known each other for exactly four weeks, and she knew it was going to come soon, she really wanted it too, but she was scared. So, on Saturday, October 6th, he was ready.

Thomas: Video call?

Lottie’s breathing stopped. She held it inside when wondering if she should tell her—now—best friend that she couldn’t do it, or she should tell him the truth; that she was ready and home without parents, giving them enough time for it. She did neither.

Lottie: I’m not sure, Thom…

Lottie: I’m scared

Thomas: Of what? I can’t bite u through the screen u know

Lottie: Seriously though

Lottie: I’m nervous

Lottie: It’ll be awkward and I’ll feel awkward

She was typing another rant in when a request came. Her phone started buzzing in her hands, ‘Thomas requesting a video call’ lighting up her screen. She sighed, a smirk on her face as she answered it, not showing herself just yet.

“Lottie?” she heard a deep voice that was clearly holding his laugh back.

“Wait, the wi-fi isn’t good here,” she told him, walking to her table under the window instead, the wi-fi reaching her room from downstairs through the open spaces. She placed her phone on her table to rest against a stack of her schoolbooks, and while avoiding looking at him through her screen, she took a seat on the chair, pulling her legs on it and hiding her face into her knees.

“You hear me now?” Thomas chuckled.

“Yep,” she said with a smile, not looking up.

“Can you look at me?”

“I’ll make it awkward,” she protested.

“You’re already making it awkward.” Lottie took a deep breath and let it out before raising her head and making eye contact with him through the screen. “Hi,” he smiled.

She giggled quietly. “Hi,” she said softly.

They observed each other for a minute in a comfortable silence, just looking at each other’s eyes, lips, eyebrows, noses; everything seemed so beautiful in one another. She looked at his hands and hair and the black beanie on his head that she had seen in almost every picture he had sent her. He observed her face, her golden locks, the way the sun was shining on her, and then her legs, seeing only the knees, her arms wrapped around them, plus her body, boobs, the dark red turtleneck shirt she had on with shorts (judging from her bare knees). She was beautiful.

When he was done staring though, his eyebrows twitched for a moment, noticing her eyes lingering on his biceps, and he took the chance to take another bite from his unfinished burger. That earned a frown from her.

“What?” Thomas chuckled, swallowing the bite a few seconds later.

“Can you mail me one?”

Now it was his turn to frown. “Don’t you have like Arby-s close or something?”

“My mom would kill me if I bought a burger,” she said.

“What?” Thom frowned again. “What do you mean?”

“You know how kids turn fatter when they’re like preteens because their hormones start changing?”

“Yeah… Most of us here did that.”

“Right. My sister didn’t, I did, so I’ve been on a diet for like five years now.”

Thomas choked on his food, making Lottie smirk a little. “What?” he asked once he could breathe again normally. “Why?”

“My mom doesn’t understand I’m not my sister,” she murmured with a small smile. “But it’s fine. I can buy that food too after school if I’m in the mood to walk to some normal store that actually sells the best flavor of Lay’s chips.”

Thomas smiled sadly. “And what flavor would that be?” He had abandoned his burger until they were done talking, planning to place it into microwave later. He wasn’t about to eat in front of her when she was on some stupid diet she didn’t even want to be on.

“Sour-cream and onion. Cheese is good too. But if somebody actually likes the salt and vinegar ones…” Lottie shook her head, eyes big.

Thomas smiled at that. “Yeah, I like these two the best too. Also, I really enjoy the chilly and lime ones,” he smirked. “Even though I could eat the salt and vinegar ones. I like all food,” he shrugged.

Lottie nodded with a chuckle. “I’ve noticed. You’re always eating, Thom. How are you fit like this anyways?” she frowned, following him on Instagram and having seen about what he should look like.

“Great genes and a fast metabolism, I think,” he said. “You’re really skinny, Lottie, you know that, right?”

She sighed. “I know.”

“Also, I’ve been meaning to ask… Every time you send me a picture or a video clip, you’re wearing a uniform. Do you go to a private school or does it just have a uniform?”

“Yeah, it’s a private one. I liked middle school better. In a private school everyone is snobby and bitchy.”

“Hey, at least it’s a big city,” he sighed. “In my town everyone knows everyone and it’s kinda hard to do something without your dad finding out.”

Lottie observed his bitter face and raised her eyebrows a bit. “Are you okay?” she asked sadly. “I mean, is your dad doing better?”

Even though they had known each other only for a month, they had told each other all about their stupid families and the drama. Lottie had kept it short, telling him her mother was overly controlling, her father was always quiet, and she never got any attention (not that she had wanted it). She told him about how she had been thinking they were going to get divorced before the school year started but were still living together.

Thomas on the other hand told her some more. He told her about her mother who left him and his little sister, Gracie, with an alcoholic father who started drinking even more after she had done that. He told her about how he had had to take care of his little sister for a few years now and how his dad was a leader of a gang, but finally agreed on going to Rehab and try to start over. He had been going there for four months now.

“Yeah,” Thomas smiled, making her smile too, seeing that he was happy. “He’s doing great. He promised to get me a motorcycle for my sixteenth birthday, so I’m still waiting,” he sighed.

“A motorcycle?” Lottie raised her eyebrows. “You’re allowed to ride a motorcycle when you’re 16?”

Thomas didn’t look impressed. “Don’t you know anything about laws?”

“I live in New York, Thom, if I need transport it’s either Uber or subway.”

“Right,” he sighed. “Well, I hope I’ll see you one day and maybe I can show you how to ride a bike.”

“Oh, I know how to do it, I just don’t know the laws,” she said.

The boy looked utterly confused on the other side of the screen. “What?”

“Remember how I told you I was my dad’s favorite? Well, I was the youngest kid for four years before my mom got pregnant again, so her thoughts were always on my older brother, sister, and my little sister. So, I mostly hanged out with my dad, he taught me how to fix cars and motorcycles and I’ve been riding them for as long as I can remember.”

“Wow,” Thomas said, looking impressed. “And you say you’re a nerd,” he smirked.

“I am. I’m also a nerd for cars and engines, so if you see anything interesting…” she beamed, making him smile as well. Her heart fluttered at the sight.

“Sure. Maybe we can fix one together someday,” he offered.

“I’d really like that,” she smiled sadly and looked back down with the same bit flustered face. “I just hope we have a chance to meet.”

“Me too, Lottie,” he said softly.