RubyMars: Remember that time you thought I was talking about your butthole, but I was talking about your stomach?

AHall80: BYE

RubyMars: Lol

RubyMars: Lmao

RubyMars: I can’t stop laughing.

AHall80: Happy birthday, girl.

AHall80: Wishing you nothing but the best, Rubes.

RubyMars: Thank you, Aaron.

AHall80: I gotta go, but I’ll msg you soon.

AHall80: Happy Birthday again AHall80: Bye, Ruby Cube

RubyMars: Bye. Thank you!

Chapter 11

April

April 2, 2009

AHall80: Hey

RubyMars: Hey yourself.

AHall80: How was your bday?

RubyMars: Great. Everyone came over and we went out to eat. The restaurant brought me out a slice of cake and sang happy birthday while I stared at each of my family members, cursing them out in my head for doing that to me.

AHall80: They do that to you every year?

RubyMars: No. They know I hate it, so they switch it up. I never know when they’ll do it and when they won’t, because if they always did, I’d stop going out to dinner on that day.

AHall80: Poor Ruby

RubyMars: Poor me. :) RubyMars: It was a good day.

AHall80: Did you get any presents?

RubyMars: Yes. :) Let’s see, my mom and #4 got me clothes and a season 1 DVD of Buffy the Vampire Slayer with the cover signed. My dad sent me a gift certificate for an airline to buy a flight out to visit him. My oldest brother, Seb, gave me $50. Jonathan gave me $50 too and a gift card for makeup. His boyfriend gave me a really pretty scarf that I’m scared to wear because I’m pretty sure it cost two hundred dollars. Tali, my older sister, gave me $50 and a gift card to this fabric store, and my little sister gave me some really neat custom business cards. And my friends just gave me random things like bags of Fritos, some DVDs and gift cards. It was great.

AHall80: Happy to hear that

AHall80: Doing okay?

RubyMars: Yeah, I’m really good. You?

AHall80: Really good? What’d you do today?

AHall80: I’m all right.

RubyMars: I worked on a bunch of bandanas, almost finished up some details on my sister’s new dress. I’m going to kickboxing later. How was your day?

AHall80: Same old shit every day. :] The days feel even longer knowing I’m leaving soon.

AHall80: Is kickboxing a monthly membership?

RubyMars: I bet.

RubyMars: No. It was cheaper to buy a year pass for X amount of classes.

AHall80: You don’t care if I give some of the soldiers staying here the books you sent me? Not all of them, just some.

RubyMars: Of course not. They were a gift… and they were all used copies. Do whatever you want.

AHall80: That’s what I thought, just wanted to check. I need something to read on the flight back in case I don’t fall asleep.

RubyMars: I bet you’ll be asleep in the first twenty minutes.

AHall80: Not betting against you lol

RubyMars: Are you dead set on having pizza first thing you can when you get back?

AHall80: Pizza and a beer.

AHall80: A real beer.

RubyMars: I forgot they don’t have real beer over there… and you did mention having a beer before.

AHall80: Yeah. They have the nonalcoholic stuff, but no. Some guys get it when they’re desperate, but I’d rather not waste my money. That and cigarettes are what everybody starts missing the most over here.

RubyMars: You never told me, do you smoke?

AHall80: Nah

AHall80: Not really. Sometimes if I’m really stressed.

RubyMars: Have you smoked that cigar someone gave you?

AHall80: Not yet. Saving it for the day I leave AHall80: What happened with that guy you went on a date with?

RubyMars: He’s been texting me. He asked when we could go out again.

AHall80: What did you say?

RubyMars: I said maybe soon. I like him, but… I don’t know. I feel like I should like him more. Our texts are still awkward, and I feel like maybe they shouldn’t be that way. I don’t know.

AHall80: Awkward how?

RubyMars: Like neither one of us knows what to talk to each other about.

AHall80: Oh

RubyMars: Is that normal?

AHall80: I guess.

AHall80: I only texted my girl if I had something to tell her.

RubyMars: That’s romantic.

AHall80: I know, that’s why I’m single.

RubyMars: I meant it as a joke, I’m sorry.

AHall80: I know you did. It’s fine.

AHall80: It is what it is.

RubyMars: :) RubyMars: Anywho, I keep thinking if I’m not crazy about him by now, it’s a waste of both of our times. Do you know what I mean? My mom says she knew the same day she met my dad, she knew she was crazy about him.

RubyMars: Not that they stayed together, but you know what I mean.

RubyMars: She said the same thing about every man she’s been married to. You either hit it off or you don’t, even if it isn’t romantic.

RubyMars: I’ve hit it off with each of my best friends from the start.

AHall80: Huh

AHall80: I never thought about it like that. You got a point. I guess you should know there’s something special there.

RubyMars: My sister is telling me I’m making things up in my head and expecting too much.