"Oh my goodness, I cannot believe how cute Steve was," Nicole gushed as we climbed into the back of yet another Taxi. "I mean, did you see his hair? So soft and smooth and chocolate! Mmm... I just wanted to eat it right up! What did you think of Rob?"

What did I think of Rob? Honestly, he wasn't that bad. He didn't do drugs and he was respectful. He paid for my food and didn't try to sneak me home with him after. He told a lot of jokes that were actually funny and, while he definitely wasn't rich, it wasn't like he was exactly struggling for air either. But I knew if I let Nicole know any of this, he would immediately become her next "secret plot" or something, so instead, I said, "he was alright, I guess. Not really my type. Thanks, though."

"Not really your type?" Nicole shrieked. "Reina, come on! He ordered the cherry pie for you without even asking. He didn't even know it was your favorite, but he just knew it was the best pie. He's perfect for you, honey."

"Nah, he's not. We only get one sunset walk."

"Reina, no, you listen to me, girl. You need to have some self-respect. That ex of yours, he wasn't your sunset walk. So, following your logic, you've got one coming at you right now! Please give Rob a chance. Please."

I glared at the woman on her knees, begging, from the floor of the car.

"Get back in the seat," I commanded.

"Only if you say you'll give him a shot," Nicole pushed. As the car soared over a bump, she was thrown against the seat in front of her, head smacking loudly.

"I don't even know if he wants to go out!" I shouted, yanking her up into her seat.

"He asked for your number, didn't he?"

"Yeah?" I replied, wondering what that had to do with anything.

"He likes you, he likes you," Nicole sang incessantly at me, making her pointer finger dance to the beat.

"Shut up and sober up," I mumbled, barely able to let the hope that she was right pass through my mind. "I've got to head to work now, so you head right to bed, missy," I instructed her as we pulled up to our shared apartment.

Nicole blew me a kiss as she stumbled up the walkway to the apartment building.

"She'll be fine," I whispered to myself. "And if she's not, well, at least she's rich."

***

When I returned from my night job at four in the morning, the sun was just poking its ugly head out from behind the horizon. Thankfully, it was the weekend and I didn't have to go to my receptionist job. Once I entered the apartment, I snuck by Nicole's room and crashed into my own bed. The second my face hit the mattress, I felt myself leaving for sleep land.

My phone vibrated so hard it almost knocked me to the floor. "The hell?" I mumbled before flipping my phone over. It was a message from an unknown number. Without even bothering to read it, I pushed my phone under the pillow and attempted, once again, to drift off to sleep.

Just as I was hitting the sweet spot between dreams and reality, it buzzed again. "What the hell?" I screamed aloud. "Leave me the fuck alone! Let me sleep!" But it buzzed again. And again. And again. Who in their right mind thought it would be funny to spam text randos at four in the morning?

Unlocking my phone, I was seconds away from slamming the block button before something caught my eye.

Unknown: Hey Reina

Unknown: U up?

Unknown: It's me Rob. U know the guy from last night?

Unknown: Anyways I was wondering if u wanted to maybe meet up tonight? Head out to a ramen bar or something? I know this really great one that I used to go to all the time with my buddies in college but ig that's not really the point rn so um yea...I had fun last night. I wanna do that again sometime, but only if u wanna... ?

Huh, so maybe Nicole was right about this guy.

Me: Sure. Time?

I texted back, too tired to have a real discussion.

Rob: YES!

Rob: oops I mean...

Rob: 8 ok?

God, this dude was kind of adorable. My face heated up against my wishes and I smacked my cheek. Ouch! Too hard.

Rob: Where do I pick u up?

Me: I'll take a Taxi

There was no way in the whole world I was going to let him show me up with some fancy schmancy car.

Rob: Taxi? R u rich or something?

"Oops. Right, normal people don't use Taxi to get everywhere," I reminded myself in a whisper.

Me: *GetThere

There was a beat of silence during which I was sure he was laughing at me. Finally, the three little dots lit up on the bottom of my screen, showing that he was typing a response.

Rob: Cool. I'll send deets later

With an airy sigh, I let my phone drop to the floor. Staring at the ceiling I counted the stars Nicole and I had stuck to the ceiling last summer.

"Hey Nicole," I whispered into the darkness. "I secured myself a date. Girl, you would be so proud of me, scoring the upper hand and everything. I did it just like you taught me to do."

I knew that when I woke up, I would wonder why I had ever done it; why I hadn't just hit the block button or ignored my phone all together. But for now, as I drifted off to sleep, I couldn't help but feel that maybe I was just a little excited. Maybe, this was the new start that I was hoping for, and maybe I would finally find love again with this new, cute and quirky man.