Heartthrobs Don’t Date Wallflowers (Texting the Boyband)

Chapter 2

two

For all of a minute, I debated whether I could just pretend this didn't happen. Text back the guy, saying that no, actually, it hadn't been meant for him. Better yet, maybe I could pretend that I just didn't send it at all, and that he had texted me first—as if he would somehow believe that. Or I could just leave this be, sitting in my phone. Possibly even delete the messages and pretend like it never happened.

But I would know it happened. I would remember. It would be one of those things that kept me up at night for the rest of my life. I'd be 50 years old, married, with kids, and still be thinking about that time I accidentally texted the wrong boy, yelling at him for cheating on me. No. I couldn't just let this go. It would haunt me forever. At least if I answered, I could have some closure. Some sort of way of saying, “Hey, at least it wasn't that bad. At least he said…”

But I didn't know how he would react. His first texts to me—texts, plural, not singular—were all pretty nice, I thought. They seemed joking, in a way, so I guess that was good. At least he wasn't accusing me of being some scammer. Honestly, my ex probably would have done that if somebody else had texted him this.

I groaned and face-planted onto my bed, letting the phone clatter onto the nightstand beside me. What was I thinking? Why did I have to send that text? Why couldn't I just let things be? That's what Poppy told me to do. To just let it go. To forget about him. If she'd been here, she probably would have stopped me from sending that text altogether. She would have pried the phone out of my hands.

But she wasn't here, and I'd done this, and now here we were.

I lifted my face from the pillow, snaked a hand out, grabbed the phone, and slid it towards me. I peeked one eye open, just enough to see the first text again.

Unknown Number

Remind me to never get on your bad side

I had to say something. I couldn't just leave this. What if he texted me again? Then I would have to answer, and it would be so much more embarrassing because he would know that I tried to ignore him. He would know that I tried to pretend it didn't happen. I couldn't let him know that I was thinking that.

So, I had to text him back. One small, measly text explaining what happened. All I had to say was that I mistyped a digit. That I'd actually been trying to text my cheating ex, and not this random guy who probably hadn't hurt anybody in his life.

Unless he had. There was every possibility he was just as much of a jerk as my ex was. But I felt like the chances were pretty good that he wasn't. And if he was, he probably needed somebody who actually knew him yelling at him. I doubted I would have much of an impact.

My fingers hovered over the keyboard. What was I supposed to say? Finally, I just typed a simple message.

Ivy

That wasn’t for you.

Sent.

I let out a scream. One totally muffled by my pillow that probably barely even sounded like anything outside of me. Not that anybody was home anyway to hear. I had never been more embarrassed than this. Somehow. I was pretty sure this was worse than finding my ex cheating on me. At least that had some anger attached to it. This was nothing but pure embarrassment. Nothing but my own mistake.

The phone chimed from the floor. I froze.

He wasn't supposed to answer. He wasn't supposed to say anything. We were supposed to both go on with our lives and pretend this didn't happen. Why would he be reaching out?

Suddenly, the phone was in my hand and I was on my back, staring at it. When had that happened? When had I decided that I was going to continue this embarrassing conversation? I'd done what I needed to do. I’d told him that the message wasn't for him. That's all he needed to know, right? That was all he was checking anyway. All he asked was that he didn’t have to go dig his own grave. And he hadn't.

So no need for an answer.

And yet.

Unknown Number

Okay good

But am I safe forever or am I just at the bottom of your hit list?

I promise to avoid all bleachers and life-ruining activities if you spare me

I propped myself up on my elbows and frowned down at my phone. Who answered wrong number texts like this? I stared at the message, trying to decide if this was funny or just really weird. Did people actually respond like this when they got a wrong number text? Was I being pranked?

I tapped my fingers on the side of my phone, biting my lip. Maybe this guy was just... trying to make the best out of an awkward situation? That seemed less threatening than assuming he was some weirdo. I had dragged him into my drama by accident, so the least I could do was let him have his fun, right?

Or I could just leave it alone, like I’d originally planned. But clearly, I wasn’t doing that, since I was already typing again.

Ivy

Depends. Have you engaged in those activities before?

I hovered over the send button for a second, thinking maybe I was crossing a line, but then I hit it. Sent. Too late to take it back now. The response came even quicker this time—meaning whoever this was also had a lot of free time on their Friday night, like me.

Unknown Number

Being near bleachers?

I’m afraid I have

I snorted. And even though I knew I should end this now—stranger danger and all that—I found my thumbs moving again of their accord.

Ivy

Darn, that puts you right at the top

But it was nice knowing you

Unknown Number

NO PLEASE SPARE ME

Doesn’t my honesty count for anything?

Ivy

I guess it’s a start

I’ll move you down the list

You can be right after my fourth grade teacher who made me stay in for recess because I didn’t color in my art project

Unknown Number

Okay okay I think I can live with that

I’ll stay on my best behavior

I swear, your honor

Ivy

That’s your majesty to you

Unknown Number

OH NO I’ve upset royalty without realizing?

I’m in more danger than I thought

Ivy

More danger than being on a hit list?

Unknown Number

You don’t need a hit man, you have the royal guard’s executioner

Ivy

Nah they don’t listen to me

The royal family is officially against murdering people based on personal grudges

Unknown Number

“Officially”

Ivy

We don’t talk about the unofficial stuff

Unknown Number

I suddenly have a red dot pointed on my chest

Is that because I dared to mention it?

Ivy

Nah that must be someone else’s hit man

Good thing too, saving me some money

Unknown Number

Well if these are my final moments on earth, answer me one question

Will any more accidental message be coming through my phone or was this a one-time deal?

Ivy

Well I can’t PLAN for accidental messages

But I do believe some more texts will go from my phone to yours

But maybe on purpose this time

There was a pause, just long enough for me to second-guess everything I'd said. Then my phone chimed again.

Unknown Number

I’ll keep an eye out for you then, princess

Until now, the longest I’d ever been able to hold my breath was 47 seconds—I knew for a fact because I’d clocked it in our pool.

I was pretty sure I beat that record by over a minute as I stared at the word princess .

Once my lungs started burning and I took in a very necessary gasp of air, I realized he was probably also staring at his phone, desperately wishing for me to reply and debating if calling me princess was too much, just like how I worried about my last text. So, I sent the first thing that came to mind.

Ivy

It seems I’m at a disadvantage

You have a name for me and I don’t have one for you

Unknown Number

Hmmmmm very good point

Well

I guess you can call me by the name my friends gave me in our group chat

As long as you promise not to laugh

Ivy

I pinky promise

Unknown Number

Okay

You can call me Zesty

Totally ignoring my promise to him, I immediately burst out laughing.

Ivy

I’m sorry??

Unknown Number

Don’t ask me

My friend picked it and now I’m stuck with it

Well actually I’m stuck with Not Zesty

Long story

Ivy

N O T Z E S T Y

I’m 100% saving you as that

Thank you very much

Not Zesty

I already regret this

Ivy

As you absolutely should