Even though I had been horribly embarrassed because of Parker, I couldn't get over the excitement I felt when I saw his name grace my phone's screen. Even the simplest text had me grinning like a madman, and I was glad Mysterious and Adrian were two separate entities.

Parks: hey were you in school today?

Me: Yeah.

Parks: you didnt come talk to me

Up close. Like REALLY up close.

Parks: but i didn't know it was you ????

Me: It's better that way. Trust me.

Parks: okay. do we have any classes in common aside bio?

Me: Yes. Third period gym.

Parks: wait were you the one i bumped into during that class??

God, he knew it was me. There goes the last of my fractured dignity.

If only the ground would swallow me and all evidence of my existence. It was bad enough that Parker had a first-hand feel of my erection. It was worse knowing that he now knew that the person he was texting was Adrian, the same person who had tried being cryptic the previous night about their real identity.

How bad would it look that I didn't want him to know who I was? How terrifying would it be to find out about me through an erection I couldn't control? One that was because of him?

The only way to save my face was to block him and pretend the past day never happened. At least that would help dissolve the crush I had on Parker, I hope.

Just as I opened the menu where I could find the setting to block his messages from ever reaching my account again, another message appeared.

It was divine providence; I tell you. It was the heavens preserving the last of my will to live, separating Mysterious from Adrian Gonzalez.

Parks: the one who was puking near the locker rooms.

Me: What? That's definitely not me.

Parks: oh.
you're the one who played next to me after that guy hurt his leg?

Me: That wasn't me.

I was glad Parker didn't recognize me, honestly. But I couldn't ignore the tinge of hurt that pricked me as I realized he couldn't even point me out by mistake, even as an afterthought, even in jest. I was that guy. As if he didn't even know my name.

On the bright side, Parker had the decency not to mention the hard-on. That gave me some level of comfort.

Parks: you're not gonna tell me who you are ?

Besides, I still have to do the assignment. And so do you.

Parks: right

I spent a good chunk of time with my face buried in my pillow. Not that there were wet spots left behind when I got up to feed Jellybean. Because there weren't.