Sarah texts Ethan

I had been talking with Mia for a while when my phone buzzed.

I glanced down at the screen.

Sarah ❤

I opened the message.

Goodnight, babe. Hope you had a good day. Sleep well ❤

I stared at it for a second.

She probably assumed I was back at the dorm by now, getting ready for bed like I normally would.

I typed back.

Goodnight, Sarah. Sleep well. Love you ❤

I put my phone away.

Mia had been watching me.

“Girlfriend?” she asked.

I hesitated for just a moment.

“Yeah.”

She nodded.

“Long-distance?”

“Yeah.”

“That must be tough.”

“It can be.”

She smiled slightly.

“So what brings you to a Halloween party?”

I laughed.

“Honestly? I’m trying to do more this year.”

“More?”

“Yeah. I’ve spent most of college keeping my head down. School, work, relationship. I figured I should actually enjoy my last year.”

Mia nodded as the music thumped around us.

“Seems like you’re doing a pretty good job so far.”

I smiled.

“Maybe.”

She glanced at my phone again when I slipped it back into my pocket.

“You two talk every night?”

“Pretty much.”

“That’s kind of sweet.”

I nodded.

“Yeah. She’s important to me.”

Mia smiled and took a sip of her drink.

We kept talking.

I didn’t know her before tonight, yet somehow the conversation felt easy. She asked about my major, where I was from, and how long I’d been at the university. I asked her about her classes and her costume.

Every now and then, though, I caught myself thinking about the fact that Sarah believed I was already in bed.

It wasn’t something I wanted to dwell on.

I looked back at Mia.

She was smiling at something I’d said.

For the first time that night, I realized just how far outside my normal routine I actually was.

And I wasn’t ready to leave yet.