Ava jumped in my bed, "Tate wake up now!!!"
"What," I said pulling the cover over my face.
"Paige invited us to go have lunch with her and Nika," you bet I shot up.
"Really?"
"Yeah, so get your butt up and get dressed."
I looked at the clock on my side table, "Ava, it's 9'o clock in the morning."
"Exactly," She said heading to my door, "gives me 3 hours to get ready. 1 to get dressed, 2 hours to mentally prepare myself."
I laugh, "What about breakfast?"
"Oh my god, you're right. Shoulda woke you up at 8."
"Girl, shut up!" I yelled back, dying from laughter.
I finally sit up in my bed, grabbing my phone.
A message from Nika.muhl.
I opened it, good morning, Ta, you wanna go to lunch with me and Paige?
She sent it an hour ago, I freaked. I jumped from my bed pacing around my room.
"AVA! Get in here!" I yell.
Ava runs, her makeup halfway done, "Tate, what's wrong?"
"Nika texted me like an hour ago I didn't answer her. Do I just answer her now, or do I leave?" Why do I overthink everything.
"Really, this is what this is about?" She took my phone out of my hand.
"What are you doing?"
"What you should have done without screaming your head off."
I watched over her shoulder as she texted her back.
"Good morning Niks," she looks at me, "That's what you really call her," I shrug my shoulders, "Whatever. Just woke up. Of course, I would love too."
She handed me my phone back, " There you big baby."
"I'm not a big baby, just cautious. I don't wanna mess this up." She hummed in response, leaving my room.
I lay back in my bed, pondering what I'm going to wear. What would Nika like, should I go more few or masc?
Ding, Nika reacted to your message â¤ï¸.
Nika: Glad to hear I didn't scare you off last night
A grin grew on my face.
Tate: What, no never. If anything I thought I'd scare you off
Nika: Now why would you think that??
I was trying to form a response when Nika sent another message.
Nika: Sorry gotta talk to you later, Geno's yelling at me
I laugh.
Tate: Hope he doesn't hurt your feelings too much
Nika: Ha Ha, so funny. Alright, bye pretty girl
The nickname, I could tell, would never get old.
Tate: Bye Niks
********************************************************************
After I finally settled on an outfit, I sat back on my bed to scroll through TikTok. Video after video, an edit finally popped up. It was inevitable, but it didn't help that I liked it, and favorited it. Who was the edit of, guess who. The one and only Nika Muhl. It's easy to say, that one edit made me spiral down a rabbit hole. Watching edits, than remembering she added me on spotify the other day.
I switched to the spotify app, looking at my followers. Nika Muhl being 1 of 2, the other being Ava.
I see the most recent playlist she made, Songs Liked by Pretty Girls. This made me giggle. One song was on that playlist, Enchanted by Taylor Swift. The only song I talked about the other night.
Wait, what if I talk about a song today, will she add it to this playlist? I knew what I wanted to do at lunch. Maybe just start up a conversation, that's all.
I run into Ava's room, "Ava, Ava, guess what?" She spins around, startled.
"Oh my god, what!" She kind of yells, she's so done with me.
"Do you remember when Nika followed me on Spotify?" She nods her head, wanting me to continue.
"Well, she made a playlist called songs liked by pretty girls," I spew out.
"And this means?" Ava seems invested, maybe a little concerned for my well being.
"Well, the only song on that playlist is Enchanted by Taylor," Ava moves her body closer, wanting to hear more, " That's the only song I told Nika was one of my favs."
"She also took the phone from me after I told her that Enchanted was one of my favs. She liked it, then added it to a playlist she didn't title."
She's finally piecing it together, "Oh my god! She totally made it because of you!"
I nod my head, "See that's what I think. Now I could be wro-"
Being cut off by Ava, she shakes her head, "Nope, that women is obsessed with you. Don't think other wise.
A vibration from my phone sends my head snapping towards it. A message from Nika.
"She just sent a message!" I scream, Ava moving beside me to see what Nika had said.
"What'd she say," she questioned, trying to steal the phone from me.
"I don't know, I haven't opened it yet," Ava some how manages to grab my phone, opening the message.
"She wants to know if you're allergic to anything?" Ava head snapped towards me, face contorted in confusion.
"Is that strange to ask?" Ava shrugs.
I grab the phone from her hand, trying to piece together an answer.
Tate: Now why do you wanna know that??
Nika: Just cause
Tate: No, I'm not, but what do you need to know it for
Nika: Just wondering
Tate: Nika
Nika: Yes, Tate? also what's your fav color ??
Tate: Red, is this like 20 questions or something
Nika: Nah, that's all I needed Pretty Girl
Tate: Niks
Nika: Yes
Tate: What are you up too???
Nika: Nothing, why???
Tate: Are you sure?
Nika: Yep, are you up to something?
Tate: What, how did you change it on me???
Nika: Just asking you what you're asking me
Tate: Nika, I'll see you at lunch
Nika: Awww, you're done talking to me
Tate: You're not telling me anything
Nika: Fine, I'll tell you this, get ready for lunch ð¤
Tate: Nika
Nika: Tate
I roll my eyes, there's no way she's keeping this going.
Tate: I'll see you at lunch Nika
Nika: See ya Pretty Girl
Again with the nickname. I like her message, allowing myself to exit the app. Ava walks into my room, sitting beside me.
"You ready?" I look at her.
"Huh," Ava laughs.
"It's almost time for us to go, " I felt nothing but anxiety wash over me.
"Oh god," Ava stands, pulling me with her, "You can text her, you talk to her in person."
"It's different," I say, grabbing everything I needed.
"How so?" Ava stops, putting her hands on her hips.
"Her eyes aren't looking at me while trying to text," Ava responds with a laugh.
"You're going to be fine. Everything is going to go great. Y'all gonna end up together. Don't worry about it, " I hope she's right about all of that.