“How do text messages make you feel existential?”
“I start thinking about exactly that: how people can edit a thought before sending it out to the world. They can make themselves seem more well-spoken than they are, or funnier, smarter. I start thinking that no one in the world is who they say they are, then my mind goes to how I also edit myself, not just online but in real life, except for those rare instances like right now where I’m ranting—even though that’s a lie because I’ve had this train of thought before and damned if I didn’t tweak it in my head a few times to make it sound better—and then my mind starts racing so furiously I can’t control my thoughts, and I start thinking about robots and wondering if I’m even a real person. Then I have to watch cartoons to shut my brain off.”
Dave blinked at Julia. “Sometimes I forget how truly insane you are.”
“That’s what I’m saying! Sometimes I wonder why I’m so popular at school.” Julia clicked a few times on the computer. “There are far too many prom king campaign videos that involve white kids rapping.”
“White kids are allowed to rap.”
“Not like this,” Julia said.
“Speaking of popularity, have you noticed people being more talkative with you in class since the Kapoor party? It’s like we accidentally initiated ourselves into a higher level of acceptance just by showing up there.”
Julia glanced up at him over the top of the computer. “Maybe with you, flip-cup champion. People still avoid me like a slightly more contemporary version of the plague.”
“You sure you aren’t insulting people somehow? Giving off a closed-off vibe by, I don’t know, puking on them or something?”
“Puking on people is not an insult.”
Dave stood from the bed to go retrieve the stuffed soccer ball. While he was up the doorbell rang, not that pleasant one-two chime that other houses had but a horrifying singsong melody that stretched out far too long. Dave ran out his bedroom door before whoever was there had a chance to ring again. He jostled down the stairs, steadying himself with the handrail in case his socks and the hardwood floors decided to conspire against him.
When he reached the door he took a second to catch his breath, chastising himself for being out of breath from going down the stairs. Why wasn’t exercising on the Nevers list? He swung open the door, expecting Brett to have forgotten his keys.