she stared at his number for hours
wondering if calling him that moment
would be too soon
or too late

during lunch
she brought it up hypothetically with her friends
they told her to call at 9 pm
when most people weren't doing anything
but they also said the minute the clock struck too rehearsed

so she called at 9:17

it rung a twice
and as it was to ring a third
a feminine voice answered
it was his sister
and she asked for mike

it's the girl
said the voice as it screamed at mike
she's prettier than the last one if it's the same girl
said the voice in the background

eleven blinked a couple of times
because it hit her
that he knew relationships
and she didn't

she breathed a little heavier
but kept her cool

mike answered
and he seemed happy
eleven was happy too

he told her he didn't expect her to call
she blushed
but she didn't know what to say

he asked her how she was
but she didn't know how to say
that she was really nervous about talking to him

so she said she was good
and asked him how he was
he said he was good as well

she asked him because it felt like the only thing she should say
was why he gave her his number

he said that it was because he liked her
he asked her why she used it
she said she liked him

her stomach was now a habitat
for a few dozen little butterflies
breaking free out of a long nested cocoon
and she never knew
that some of the most innocent creatures on earth
could be so scary

their conversation was much more awkward
because she couldn't think straight long enough to talk
and he didn't seem to make much of an effort either
not helping her too much

she expected him to keep talking
as it grew less awkward
but he said he had to do something
he didn't tell her what
he just hung up
and she felt a little bit hurt

maybe it was all her imagination
but she was really starting to think
that they had some chemistry