Stay, but ...

You: This is going to sound weird.

You: I am here. I can’t come inside.

Alex: I’m sure they’d be happy to meet you!

Alex: Carol’s seen us texting during the day a few times, she’s extremely curious.

Alex: Her love life isn’t too exciting, either.

Her putting you plainly in that context makes you grin in spite of yourself. The feeling of your razor-sharp fangs slotting together reminds you quickly why you can’t go ahead and just introduce yourself to Carol or anyone else in there.

You: It’s stupid, but I have a lot of hang-ups about my appearance.

You: Some things happened a year or three ago.

You: And people stare. And I hate it.

Alex: I get that.

You: And I feel like such a creeper having seen you and your friends, then not coming in.

You: I’m sorry, I just can’t. I’m not ready for that.

Alex: Hey, that’s fine!

Alex: I don’t think they’ll care what you look like. I don’t.

Alex: But I don’t want to be pushy.

Alex: Do you think there’s a way I could talk to you? Without an audience.

You wrack your mind for an answer before it comes to you. It sounds … kind of creepy, though. And that was a bar you were already pushing. Then again, she’d probably go for it. She didn’t even slow down typing when you mentioned looking unusual. And you know she has a bad record for judgement of character in her partners.

You: … yeah?

You: God, it sounds way too creepy.

Alex: Come on. I’m right here.

Alex: Also, the first thing you ever saw of me was my nips, full-on.

Alex: We’ve got a little leeway.

You: I mean … the bathroom?

You: Not in the same stall. Like, next to each other.

You: God, that sounds so weird, forget it.

You: Forget I typed that.

Alex: Uh-uh.

Alex: You feel like you could sneak into the ladies’?

Alex: It IS weird, you’re not wrong. So, I’d feel better in the one I normally use.

Alex: But if it’s nothing or the men’s, I can swing that, too.

That’s … not entirely what you expected. I mean, part of you had hoped, but … okay, gift horse? Mouth. The important thing is to figure out how to get in there. In the ladies’, that is. If she’s going to creepytown for you already, it seems the least you can do. God, what does your voice even sound like to other people these days? You know it’s deeper, but is it still “possible register,” deeper? Whatever. Burn that bridge when you get to it.

You: I can make that work.

You: Give me a few minutes, I can text you once I’m there.

Alex: Well, don’t take too long.

You: Changing your mind is totally fair.

Alex: I just meant because I’m going to have to go back to work at some point.

Right. You are a kind of timer here, even if she’s totally willing to put up with your crazy. Which she seems to be so far. This is probably not what most people would call making better choices about her love life.