Yvette and I were getting comfortable.
Not in a "let's date" way, at least not yet. But the chats flowed easy. I'd send voice notes that I re-recorded three times to make sure I didn't sound like a dork. She started calling me by my actual name, and I stopped overthinking every message.
For the first time in a while, things felt… chill.
Then Joana came back.
Not literally. Just her name. Her memory. The weight of what could've been.
Dennis and I were hanging around his dad's provision store, the kind of hangout where we talked more trash than sense, when the topic came up again.
"I still can't believe you've had Joana's number all this time," I said, half-joking, half-bitter.
Dennis blinked. "You never asked."
I stared at him like he just said water wasn't wet. "What?"
"You didn't ask," like that made it better.
We went back and forth for a bit. Friendly banter, but with that edge. You know the type, laughing, but not really.
"Bro, do you know the mental gymnastics I've done over this girl?" I said. "And you had her number in your pocket like a pack of chewing gum?"
He grinned. "Here, take it."
And just like that, in the middle of canned milk and biscuits and his dad asking us to stop blocking customers, he sent me Joana's number.
I stared at it.
It felt like holding fire. Like unlocking a door I'd been knocking on in my dreams.
Yvette was in my inbox.
Joana was now in my contact list.
And my heart? Yeah, it didn't know where to stand anymore.
I finally texted her.
Took me like ten minutes just to write "hi." Another five to decide if I should add a smiley. I deleted it. Rewrote it. Deleted it again.
Then I stopped overthinking and just... went full me.
Me:
You know, I've been meaning to say this for a long time…
Me:
You're really good at walking dramatically past people and making them forget how to breathe. It's honestly a talent.
She replied faster than I expected.
Joana:
😂😂 what??
So I kept going. Told her the whole origin story,how I first saw her on the road that day, how Dennis casually knew her like it was nothing, how I didn't even make eye contact because my courage was still buffering.
I kept it funny. Told her Dennis had been holding her number like it was state secret.
Me:
Had to wrestle your contact out of Dennis in front of his dad's store. Risked my life for this convo, just saying.
Joana:
So you're one of those funny guys, aren't you?
Me:
I'm somewhat better.
There was a pause. Then she sent that "laughing with tears" emoji. Twice.
Just like that, the ice cracked. I wasn't just some quiet guy from biology class anymore.
I was the guy who made her laugh.