"Hello. This is Bennett and you've reached my voicemail because I'm not in at the present moment. So leave me your name and a brief message and I'll...get back to you as soon as I am able. Thank you."
[She absolutely waits until the last moment before picking up the phone and answering.
She has no idea why he'd want to spend more time with her. She had been such a fool every single time she'd opened her mouth and it still felt like she was betraying Topher in some way by going out on dates with another man but Topher wasn't here and Bennett hoped that he never would be. But besides that. Josh was an angel. It made this silly crush of hers feel more monumental than it should have been. Some sort of twisted Romeo and Juliet.]
Hello...?
[She tries to answer in a normal tone of voice but it still comes out kind of shy and squeaky.]
[Here's the thing: Without the doves to keep Josh walking through life in a rosy daze, he's now painfully aware of things like the awkwardness of others.
And boy, this sure is... something.
It's still kind of cute, though.]
I'm fine. Busy, y'know? With work. I was just... I'm wondering if you encountered any, um, birds before our...
[Addendum: the awkwardness of others as well as his own.]
Me too, I'm always, I'm always busy with work so...
[She has encountered too many birds. One of which forced her to get up on stage and be a part of an opera. Something that was horribly embarrassing but she couldn't exactly have made Lacie cancel the performance because of her.]
I might have seen a few of them. Around. The ah, obnoxious doves, yes?
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She has no idea why he'd want to spend more time with her. She had been such a fool every single time she'd opened her mouth and it still felt like she was betraying Topher in some way by going out on dates with another man but Topher wasn't here and Bennett hoped that he never would be. But besides that. Josh was an angel. It made this silly crush of hers feel more monumental than it should have been. Some sort of twisted Romeo and Juliet.]
Hello...?
[She tries to answer in a normal tone of voice but it still comes out kind of shy and squeaky.]
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But then she does, and he pauses, hesitant.]
...hey.
[There we go.]
It's me. How, uh... how're you doing?
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I'm doing, I'm doing well, I think. Just been...working. I've been working a lot but I'm alright.
[Which means that she's also repeating herself. Stupid nervous tic.]
How--how are you, how are you doing? Too. As well. In addition to...
I hope that you are, you are also...well?
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And boy, this sure is... something.
It's still kind of cute, though.]
I'm fine. Busy, y'know? With work. I was just... I'm wondering if you encountered any, um, birds before our...
[Addendum: the awkwardness of others as well as his own.]
...a couple weeks ago.
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[She has encountered too many birds. One of which forced her to get up on stage and be a part of an opera. Something that was horribly embarrassing but she couldn't exactly have made Lacie cancel the performance because of her.]
I might have seen a few of them. Around. The ah, obnoxious doves, yes?
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[Although, to Josh, they're all obnoxious.
Because he lives with them.]
Did any of them... have an effect on you? That you noticed?
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...She doesn't want to admit to that, though. But perhaps it would be best if she did.
So he didn't end up thinking that giggly creature he'd met with was her normal.
No, that's not true. She likely would have giggled at the jokes he'd made regardless of the bird's influence.]
I was, I was bound to someone for a bit. And there was someone in my head. Like a psychic link of some sort.
[She'll just try to avoid it, maybe.]
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[He sounds like...
Like he doesn't know how to feel about that.
Should he tell her?]
I, uh. I just had... one. It made me a little giddy.
["a little"]
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[She defaults to thinking the worst. Her brain immediately jumps to the worst conclusion.]
I wouldn't be, I wouldn't be offended if you wanted to take back your offer. Of doing something together. Again.
Because of the birds.
[The way she says this isn't angry. She more sounds just...disappointed. She liked him.]
I don't want you to feel, to feel obligated.
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[He kind of trips over his own tongue for a second, there. What sounds is he trying to make? We just don't know.]
I had a nice time. I don't think it was just because of the birds, but... there's only one way to find out?
[Right?]
...we can call it an experiment.
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You'd still like to go out. Again. Maybe?
[She sounds more hopeful than she'd like at this idea.]
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[But she totally would, right? She sounds like she would.]
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Nice. I would like that. We should meet again. Time permitting, of course and--
[She should just. Stop talking. Like, completely.]
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[IT'S OKAY, BENNETT. It's okay. Breathe.
You're making Josh nervous, jeez.]
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SHE'LL GET BETTER ABOUT TALKING TO HIM. Eventually.
Maybe.]
I won't. We should be able to coordinate schedules.
Though I have been taking extra shifts, lately.
[And this surprises no one.]
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[Eventually.
...probably.]