Far Away

1

I cover my mouth with my hand after accidentally snorting.

"Nice." Lindsay says, shaking her head. She walks toward my closet and picks her bag up off of the floor. "Let me guess... Edward?"

I blush and readjust myself on my bean bag. It was lime green and the only pop of colour I had in my room. My walls were beige, and my cabinets dark brown. I've always wanted to redecorate my room but I've never had the money or motivation to do it. 

"He's funny..." I say quietly with a nonchalant shrug. 

Lindsay was the only person I've talked to about Edward, and even though she listens I know she judges. She thinks talking to someone online is risky and a little weird, and considering her being the bold one of the two of us I never really understood why this risk bothered her so much. 

Lindsay shifts, parching her bag up higher onto her shoulder. She looks at me for a second, tucking her bangs on the right side of her face behind her ear. She contemplates whether or not to say something. I know exactly what she wants to talk about, she's brought it up countless times.

"Let it out..." I sigh. "Tell me once again that I'm wasting my time and all about the dangers of the internet again, mom." 

Lindsay frowns. "I do not sound like your mom, but it's true! Macy, you know I love you and I think it's totally cool that you have an internet friend, I just don't want you getting too attached to someone and them not be who they say they are, you know? The internet is scary. My friend Marsha from work told me she read about a girl who got abducted after meeting a guy online. There's even a show, catfish, that focuses on people who lie about who they say they are, Mace! It's not safe and it worries me." 

"It's hard to explain, Linds, but I just know he is who he says he is." 

"Which is who, exactly?" 

"Edward, a nineteen year old from England. London to be exact." 

Lindsay rolls her eyes. "He doesn't even have Facebook... or Twitter... or any other social media account, Mace. That's sketchy."

I bite my cheek. I know that she has a point, I've thought about this myself. It is odd, being a millennial and not having any form of social media, but people like that do exist. "Well, my cousin Vanessa-"

"I know, she deleted her social media a year ago and hasn't gone back since, blah blah..." Lindsay says. "Has he sent you a picture of himself? Have you guys talked on the phone?" 

I shake my head, getting frustrated. "Linds, you're looking way to deep into this, okay? We're just friends, basically pen pals through technology... It's not like I'm in love with the guy." 

Lindsay looks at me and crosses her arms, not believing me.

"I'm not!" I say defensively, and I mean it. I'm not in love with him. I couldn't be. That would be crazy. 

But a crush, maybe. 

Just a small one.

I'm only a little bit crazy.

"Whatever, Mace. You just need to get some proof about who he is if you're going to continue to invest so much time into him." She says. 

I sigh. "I know. And I will. I'll have proof soon enough, I promise."

Now it's Lindsay who snorts. "Yeah, you said that two months ago." At that she turns and walks toward my door. "I'm sorry about dumping all of this on you, but you're my best friend and I'm always going to have your best interest in mind, okay?"