10 Apology Pizza

Emily had used her last quarters on the dryer in her apartment building's laundry room. Running a hand through her hair, she realized she was out of cash too. She only had $200 left in her checking account and still had another week before her first payday at her new job. Absentminded, she didn't see the guy falling down the stairs until he rammed into her, scattering her clean clothes everywhere.

A frantic voice sounded before cutting itself off. "I'm so sorry! Here, let me help y—"

Just what she needed today. She really hoped that her clothes hadn't fallen on anything too dirty.

"Geez, watch where you're going!" she snapped before looking up at the apologetic face in front of her. Thin silver glasses…messy blonde hair…puppy dog eyes. She knew this face. "Do I know you?"

The guy seemed surprised. "Nope, I just moved in today."

"Weird, you look so familiar…" She spoke mostly to herself. Realizing she had been a little rude, she smiled at him. "Sorry for the attitude, it's been one of those days."

As she bent to stuff her clothes back into the laundry basket, the guy sprang into action, grabbing a couple shirts. "Here, let me help you."

She considered his offer before spotting a bra on the ground a few inches away. She instantly stuffed it underneath as many things as possible before insisting, "Thanks but I've got it."

"Are you sure?" The poor guy looked like he was a puppy that had been kicked: sad, kinda cute, and completely harmless.

"Yeah. You can make it up to me later."

That perked him up. "I'm about to go grocery shopping, do you want anything? Snacks? Apology pizza?"

Emily laughed. Who even was this guy? She had never seen anyone so earnest. Truth was, she didn't have much in the fridge. Food would help.

"Apology pizza sounds good. I haven't eaten yet."

He smiled happily. "Okay, I'll be right back!" He practically sprinted down the stairs before turning around and blushing. It was kind of adorable. "Um…I don't know which apartment is yours."

She tried really hard to stifle her laughter before the poor thing started crying. "302. See you later, Pizza Boy." And she fled to her apartment before she lost her composure and laughed for real.

Her roommate Amy, possibly the nosiest person she had ever met, noticed something had happened immediately. "What's up? Your face is red."

Figuring she could use a second opinion, Emily led her to the window. "See that guy in the parking lot?"

"Yeah, what about him?"

"He knocked into me, making me drop my laundry, and now he's buying me pizza."

"What?!" Amy craned to get a better look but they were three floors up. She couldn't see his face, just that he was climbing into a silver car. "Is he cute?"

Emily thought back. She wasn't sure if it was the guy that was cute or if it was just his reactions. He seemed so embarrassed and apologetic. Real. Sincere. And so familiar. But when would she have met him? He said so himself; he had barely moved in. And she doubted he was from Montana.

Did she know him from before she moved? It didn't seem likely since she added a ton of people on social media around the time she moved. She was sure she would have remembered adding him. But she couldn't shake the feeling that she knew him from somewhere…

"I guess so," she responded. "Kind of dorky though."

"Oooh, adorkable? Those guys can be fun! They're so clueless, it's cute."

Based on their brief interaction, Pizza Boy definitely seemed clueless. It made her smile. "Yeah. It is."

An hour later, the doorbell rang. Amy was closer to the door but insisted Emily get it since it was probably 'Mr. Adorkable' as she dubbed him. When the door opened, no one was there. She looked up and saw part of a pair of sneakers dashing up the stairs to the floor above her. On the doorstep was a box of pizza with a sticky note that read 'Apology Pizza' with a smiley face. Okay, definitely cute.

She took a picture of it and posted it on Blogr with the caption 'Got this after some random guy knocked me and my laundry basket over earlier' before settling onto the couch to eat some of her apology pizza.

Her phone blew up with notifications. 'What kind of guy does that?!' 'A cute one!' 'OMG, I can't stop laughing, who is this guy?' 'Why hasn't a boy given ME an apology pizza? I get knocked over all the time!' 'That's because you're short' 'Grape Juice, your life is so glamorous'

The last comment made her laugh. Glamorous? She was barely getting by and school hadn't even started yet. She still needed to pay for books…and tuition. She knew she would have to take out student loans for the year but the very idea made her cringe. That was a lot of debt to have when you were only eighteen and working part time at a gas station.

A message popped up from RoboCat, making Emily smile. They had been online friends for years despite not knowing much real information about each other. She wasn't even 100% positive whether RoboCat was male or female.

RoboCat didn't post much but when he did, it was more generic memes than personal things. She probably knew RoboCat better than anyone else on Blogr did.

'You attract interesting guys, Grape Juice'

She laughed. The only guys she attracted were total weirdos aside from her one-time secret admirer. But she didn't know a thing about him other than he went to her high school at the time.

'You have no idea. My last year of high school a guy tried asking me to prom as we dissected a frog and ended up accidentally knocking it off the table and splashing formaldehyde over both of us'

'Yikes'

Emily laughed. RoboCat was so simple sometimes.

'Yeah, I've just about lost hope. My future as a crazy cat lady looks more solid every year'

'My cat is pretty much my only friend so I'm with you'

'Nahhh you're too cool to be a crazy cat lady'

'I guess I would technically be a crazy cat man but it doesn't have the same ring to it'

'I'm serious, RoboCat, people should be lining up to talk to you. You're the funniest person I know'

'Give me a moment while I go cry tears of joy over the compliment'

'Idiot'

Emily smiled after pressing send. It had always been like this between them. They teased each other a lot but she didn't know what she would do without him.

RoboCat had been there for her throughout her parents' divorce and having to move halfway across the country. More than a few times, she had wished they could be friends in real life but that wasn't how they worked. She didn't even have his InstaFace handle. Or know his name.

She became serious for a moment. 'RoboCat do you think we'd be friends if we actually knew each other?'

He didn't respond for a while. 'Nah, you're way too cool for me. If we knew each other I don't think you'd notice I exist'

She frowned. 'Don't talk like that about my RoboCat. If I knew you for real we'd be best friends'

'Seriously Grape Juice, I really doubt it. I'm actually pretty lame in real life'

She couldn't tell whether his message was matter-of-fact or tinted with sadness. That was the problem with typing things out on a screen. Even with emojis, tone gets lost.

'Do I need to punch someone for you? Who's being mean?'

'I've just never really had friends. Or talked to people unless I had to. It's not a big deal, I'm used to it'

Emily sighed and flipped over onto her side. 'That isn't something you should have to get used to' She debated a minute before sending her next message. 'RoboCat, can you tell me something about you that's real?'

He didn't respond for several minutes. 'I've been in love with the same girl since 8th grade and she has no idea I exist. My cousin thinks it's pathetic'

She didn't know what to say. Since 8th grade? She didn't know how old he was…how many years had it actually been? The way he said it made it seem like it had been quite some time but she couldn't be sure.

They had been talking for almost four years so he had to be at least a teenager…but what if he was way older? Her mother had always warned her about creepy old men on the internet. What if he had been in love with this girl for decades?

'For reference, how old are you?'

The answer was swift. '18'

So it had been about five years then. She felt sad for him. That was a long time to go without hope.

'Hang on, that means we're the same age!'

'Yep'

'No wonder you get me so well'

Emily tapped her chin, pondering. Too bad RoboCat had lived on the opposite side of the country. If they had actually known each other, they really could have been best friends.

'I have to go, my mom's calling me'

'Aww, how sweet!'

'Shut up. Bye'

She was still smiling after she saw that he had logged off. Maybe today wasn't so terrible after all.