I open my phone once again.
In all honesty, I probably shouldn't. I spend way too much time on it because of my long distance boyfriend. Long distance is hard, but he makes it all worth it.
Josh.
The name sounds almost magical when I pronounce it in the dark of the night, before I go to sleep. I murmur it to my teddy bear Mr. Snuggles, I murmur it to my pillow, I murmur it to every object I love.
Never a person, though.
I tried to tell my best friend Johanna, but all she said was that he could be a scammer, and the idea revolts me. Doesn't she understand that he's a real living person? He sent me photos and all. He's handsome, and near where I live. He lives in Denver, Colorado, and that's only an hour away by car.
Of course, my parents would never approve. They think anyone having a long distance relationship is bound to get scammed, because of what happened to my cousin Leia a couple of months ago. A guy who was also called Josh was dating her (long distance, obviously) and kept on asking her for money. She realised it was a scam after a month.
I feel bad for her. At least my Josh isn't like that.
Although he does ask for money a bit too often for my liking. He says any good girlfriend should provide their boyfriend money, though. He must be correct. He's already had girlfriends, while he's my first boyfriend, so he must know how to act.
Right?
It's nearly Halloween, I think.
See, Josh told me that he'd tell me something today. I don't know why he didn't say it upfront, like he usually does, but it must be something terribly important. He's not the type to beat about the bush.
One more hour until midnight.
I see that he's online, and immediately text him.
You online?
Hey sweetie. Yeah, I am.
Sweetie. I don't know why he bothers with the old fashioned nickname. Sometimes he sounds so much like my grandpa that it makes me want to laugh.
I know it's not yet the 31st, but can you tell me what you said you wanted to tell?
Fine.
I wait in apprehension and excitement. What if he finally agrees to meet me in real life? I've been begging for three weeks now, but each time he says no. We're only thirty minutes away from each other. He says he lives in Denver, and I haven't gone there since last Christmas.
You see...
What?
He doesn't text back for thirty seconds, as if thinking. Josh is usually quick to reply, because he says that it's rude if you make people wait. Is it? I leave people on read a whole lot. He doesn't mind when I do it, he says.
I need money.
Again?
I promise, I'll pay back all of it. I need thirty bucks.
I frown. This whole business of giving money is starting to get annoying. I give him practically all of my savings from my job. Why can't he work?
Sighing, I turn off my phone, not bothering to respond. I glumly turn on the television. I'm annoyed at Joshua, in all honesty. At first, I sent him small amounts of money, like two or five bucks, but he's slowly been demanding more and more. More often, as well.
On the telly, there's only the news. I sit there, watching the woman idly as she babbles on about the upcoming presidential elections. Why do they always seem to be going on and on about that?
She continues to babble on, looking at her notes incessantly as if the secrets of life are hidden in them.
Suddenly, the news reporter looks up from her stupid notes, as if alarmed.
If a news reporter is alarmed, it's the end of the bloody world, I think with some amount of sarcasm.
"We are sad to say that a scammer has been reported in Colorado," she begins, still acting unfazed.
A scammer here? In Colorado? In the most boring state ever?
Not likely.
"His name is Joshua Calder, and he was scamming young girls to give him money by pretending to be their boyfriend. He scammed twenty girls that the police know of, but he probably scammed more. He has scammed more than $100,000."
I drop my phone, blinking.
Wait. That's Josh's name.
Suddenly, I'm all ears.
"Five of those girls have spoken up, and the police officers noticed that the scammer kept his name each time. If you have been contacted by this man, please call 911 and report the issue."
The reporter moves on to something else, but her words play in my head incessantly, like a Justin Bieber song.
It might not be him.
Wait. Am I lying to myself? The name checks out. The asking for money bit checks out. And I've never actually met him in real life. For all I know, he could be living on the other side of Colorado, not in Denver.
He's a scammer.
I feel tears spring into my eyes. The man I thought I loved for six months? My boyfriend of one month? Declared a scammer?
The grandfather clock downstairs rings. It's Halloween. My birthday.
I'm officially fourteen and probably single soon.
Without really thinking, I whip out my phone and open up Snapchat, fuming. How could he have done this? I seriously thought I loved him. I thought we were going to be married.
How could I be so bloody stupid?
I immediately start to text him, no longer caring if he's asleep or busy. He will hear me out. He will hear my rant and he will see me block him.
I saw your name on the state news. How funny. Same name. And you've been asking for a lot of money from me. How dare you?! I loved you, and you used me for money. Bastard.
He immediately replies, as if he'd been expecting me to text him.
Listen, Alex. I know it looks bad. But I need money, okay? My mother's sick and I need to pay for cancer treatment.
Then work! Don't ask innocent girls for money.
He doesn't reply. Maybe he's thinking. I realise, almost with sadness, that I don't care anymore. He can think however much, however long he wants.
I'm over being lied to.
Almost mechanically, I press on his account. He's devilishly handsome, with his black hair and blue eyes and perfect six-pack.
He's a liar, Alex.
I press the block button, and turn off my phone.
Have a nice time in prison, Joshua. I'll look forward to testifying against you in court, I think revengefully.
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