Forever_Parker: don't you owe me a thanks for not exposing you?

Me: Thanks.

Forever_Parker: that's it? you've got quite the sharp tongue. was kinda expecting something more?

Me: Well, I didn't expect you to text me.

He sent laughing emojis in response, the ones which had tears leaking from the corner of their eyes. I didn't know what to send, I let the conversation die.

Parker revived it.

Forever_Parker: you don't have any photos of yourself on your page

I didn't want to think about the fact that he went to my profile and looked at my posts. I especially didn't want to dwell on the fact that my first posts were from three years ago, and that the only way he would know that I have never posted my face, is if he scrolled through a dump of 64 posts.

But it's the truth. Parker took the time to open my page and glance at all the pictures of sunsets I thought looked cool, the pictures I clicked of trees which bent in unusual patterns, the photos of my tabby cat and weird paintings I made when I was bored.

It took awhile for my thump-thump-thumping heart to slow to a reasonable pace, for my fingers to stop shaking when I got around to typing out a reply. An extremely lame one.

Me: Nope.

Forever_Parker: oh so mysterious

Forever_Parker: but how am I supposed to know if you're a guy or a girl or a nonbinary pal like me? there's nothing in your bio to show either.

I couldn't tell why the corners of my lips turned up when I read his text. Maybe it was the way he took pride in himself, the way he told everyone who cared to listen exactly who he was.

It was for this same reason he explicitly told everyone about his identity after homeroom almost a year ago, right before everyone dispersed to their respective classes.

In the most effortless way, Parker blurted out how he would feel if he was judged for coming out, how he didn't give a fuck what anyone would say about him as long as he felt comfortable with himself. It earned him quite the reputation. Especially after his parents donated a huge sum of money to the school to help build a gender-neutral bathroom.

There was no way I could forget that bold decision Parker made. Neither could the other queer students who decided to come out also, following Parker's lead. Still, I didn't want Parker to know I was hung on his every word the way I was. I chose to be oblivious.

Me: Wait, you're enby?

Forever_Parker: yeaaaaa.
oh you haven't stalked my page yet? that is surprising

Forever_Parker: i actually did. you take awesome photos.
does me being enby surprise you?

Forever_Parker: that's gud to hear. Btw do you mind me askng who you are? Like i know we're in the same Bio class but i dont actually know who you are.

Me: I'm oh so mysterious.

Parker didn't reply when he read it. My text was marked as "seen," but for some reason, I can picture that a smile spread on his face after he saw that I had used his own words.

Both our profiles had the little green dots to show that we were active, but neither of us typed up a message.

I let my phone sit on the bed and grabbed the sheets once more, holding them against my chest. The melody of another ping prevented me from leaving, and I had never been more glad to have replied Parker in the group chat.

Forever_Parker changed your nickname to Mysterious

You changed Forever_Parker's nickname to Parks

Forever_Parker: you know something? i love going to parks

Me: Lucky guess then.

It wasn't a guess, not exactly. I had lurked on Parker's instagram countless times, enough to know that he spent a lot of time in the park with his friends, judging from some of his photos.

Still, I didn't open his account when he texted, so I was still the bigger person who had more self-control. Kinda.

Parks: uh huh. and i like the nickname.

Me: I like it too.

Parks: maybe I'll see you at school tomorrow, Mystery😊

I double-tapped his message and a tiny red heart appeared. Admittedly, I would have loved to assure him that he'd definitely be seeing me tomorrow. But in truth, Parker saw me all the time. Tomorrow wouldn't be different from the previous days.

He'd look at me, smile, then look past me. Like always.