The Swap
Annoyed, he grabbed his cigarettes and stormed off to the living room.
***
Under the covers, I grabbed my phone and opened a chat. Clicking on a profile picture of a handsome boy, I sent a quick message:
[Rick, are you still awake?]
I'd secretly bought him the phone, warning him to keep it hidden and never let anyone find out. Because of that, we barely talked—just a few words here and there. But tonight, I really wanted to hear from him.
To my surprise, his reply came fast.
[Aunt Amelia, I'm still outside.]