Technically, You Started It
Page 21
I thought he cheated on her.
thats because you’ll believe anything she says dingbat
I am so confused.
clearly
look
i get you may be dingy but the boy is hurting and you may be the only thing that can help
so im giving you permission to date him even tho it will break my heart into a thousand pieces
I need a minute.
I just …
Give me a minute.
dont take too long
How are you even on his phone?
i have known M since he was in diapers
known him longer than II has
you think i dont know his secret code
You seem to know a lot more than I ever gave you credit for.
this happens
look
sorry for messing with you at the game
i was still a little pissed and didnt know you were that slow
Neither of us is slow.
We get better grades than you with our eyes closed.
grades
like that even matters when you cant see whats going on right in front of your face
I …
Just …
Shut up, JACKSON!!!
theres my dingbat
STOP CALLING ME THAT!
stop being one and i will
R U my Martin’s friend Haley?
Uhm, I mean, I think so.
U think U are Haley?
No, I’m definitely Haley.
I don’t get U kids these days
This is his mother
Oh, hello. I’m sorry. Yes. I’m Haley.
My martin wanted me to tell U he’s gng to be all right.
He says he’s sorry for missing UR appointment and worries you may be freaking out
Those are his words not mine
He said put freaking in quotes but I don’t knw how
That sounds like the Martin I know.
He says U R probly confused
Extraordinarily.
I am so mad at Charles for letting him near the site
But my Martin will be released 2morrow
He will contact U then
Thank you.
Is there a message for him?
Just that I look forward to hearing his side of all this when he feels better.
U R so good with this tiny keyboard
I will tell him
And thank you for letting me know he’s okay.
U R welcome
R U the Haley we met at church?
Oh, well, yeah. I’m that Haley.
Good
Look. I can explain everything.
Who is this?
Martin Nathaniel Munroe II
Which one?
…
The one that’s in love with you.
I don’t know which one that is.
You do
You have to
This is the Martin who tells you everything
Who introduced you to his family the first chance he got
Who binged every episode of Orphan Black just to talk to you about Felix and Helena.
This is the Martin who takes acetaminophen when he’s worried he’ll end up ruining this relationship the way his father ruins his
The Martin who lied to me.
No.
OK yes.
A lot.
I was afraid.
It feels like everything you’ve ever said was a lie.
I didn’t know I was lying at first
Then I did
But it didn’t seem like that big of a deal
And then it was too late.
I knew you would hate me the second you found out
You would have had reason to.
What makes you think I don’t?
The fact that you’re worried about me.
Yeah. I am worried. Are you okay?
What really happened?
CHUCK.
Charles
Whatever.
His site was my last stop before I was supposed to meet you.
So you never actually came on Tuesday.
I don’t even know why II and Sarah were there.
I do … Sarah was showing him off.
She told everyone at church, then she had to show me. After everyone else, she finally told me.
That was cold.
Yeah. Well, we had a fight of our own.
She had the nerve to say that Chloe said I’d be like this and that’s why she didn’t tell me.
I’m done with them. I just can’t anymore.
Finally
But that’s not important
THEY’RE not important.
You were really going to tell me yourself?
Twice
The first time at Wade’s party.
And I screwed it up.
YOU didn’t.
I did.
I let Chloe get to me.
Let her convince me …
???
She said I deserved it if I actually believed you would ever be interested in me.
She said that?
She’d been hearing things. Figured out Lexi’s not-so-subtle jokes.
She wanted to make sure I knew my place and we wouldn’t end up together.
With who?
You …
The burrito clown.
Oh no, I called you a clown.
You wouldn’t be you if you didn’t.
Usually I’m better at judging people.
You’re maybe 50/50.
But …
Okay, fine, about 50/50.
But not on the big stuff.
No … you’re worse with the big stuff.
Clearly.
But I already know how I got hurt.
Can you please finish telling me how you got hurt?
I was trying to get out of there to meet you but Charles insisted on showing me the site.
UGH. So he was showing off?
When is he not???
Even tho I was in a hurry all I could hear was you saying I should make an effort.
So I put on a stupid hard hat and let him show me around.
I was TRYING
I was just a little distracted.
Because you were late.
Someone shouted a heads-up and I looked up.
Whatever it was wasn’t anywhere near me
I tripped and landed in a big hole.
Oh no.
Are you all right?
Concussion
Sprained shoulder.
Charles was amazing. Totally in control the whole time.
He talked to me and got them to call the ambulance. He even kept my mother calm at the hospital.
It’s not as bad as it could be
Worse than when I took a fall skiing.
That bad.
Are you sure you’re okay to type?
It was my other arm
My typing thumb is fine.
That’s not what I mean.
You should be resting.
I “rested” for three whole days
I NEED to be doing this now.
You need to be sleeping. I’m fine. I heard everything.
… You didn’t read all the nonsense I wrote, did you?
And your conversation with Jack.
I’m definitely upgrading to the facial recognition now.
He’ll probably figure that out too.
He may not be bright, but he’s smarter than I thought.
Way better than 50/50 with us.
Tell me about it.
What you said on Tuesday
I made assumptions again.
Not that.
I was just mad.
I’m glad you were mad
I’m also glad you were ready to cut me off.
Even more glad you told Sarah and Chloe off.
And just so you know
If Jack hadn’t told you … I wouldn’t have made you wait.<
br />
What?
Why?
You gave me courage.
Me yelling at you?
You said you liked me
That helped.
I was trying to hurt you with that.
No
You said you liked ME
Not II.
I said I thought I liked the person I was talking to and his cousin at the same time.
Me.
I can’t even tell if you’re real.
Nothing is more real than who I am right now.
Since when have you guys been going by M and II?
Since he moved to town so … preschool.
Really?
You never noticed?
I never really cared.
We were beneath your dignity?
Outside my sphere of influence.
You dated my best friend.
Not willingly.
I dated YOUR best friend.
When you guys were away at summer camp.
…
Speaking of … why didn’t you correct me on that?
It didn’t matter.
Nothing about her mattered.
That whole relationship would have been as pointless as all the others except she helped me realize the boy in sixth grade wasn’t a fluke
You liked one of your cabinmates …
I haven’t always been as good at keeping secrets as I am now.
I don’t know about that.
You didn’t want to see the truth.
I didn’t know there was a truth to see.
I should have told you
After Paris
I should have confessed.
That’s also true.
But …
???
You weren’t wrong.
At the beginning of the summer, I definitely would have freaked out on you.
I did.
I have been.
When not freaking out about you getting hurt.
You still can’t forgive me.
I didn’t say that.
But I realized that the Martins I thought I knew at the beginning of the summer aren’t the Martins I know now.
???
Just … all of it.
Talking to you.
Him dating Sarah.
Chloe making things complicated when they didn’t need to be.
… It’s all not what I thought.
And?
Well, so maybe you didn’t lie to me during our first conversation.
???
I asked which Martin I was talking to.
I DID say I was the good one
You did.
You’ll forgive me?
I’m still working on that.
It’s time for me to take some acetaminophen mixed with something in the opiate family.
Are you in a lot of pain?
SO MUCH. But the existential dread isn’t helping.
I’m sorry.
It’s a bit better now
I won’t need it to help with my heartache.
Right?
I’ve created a monster.
You love it.
We’ll see.
Please take care of yourself.
I just want to point out one thing
What’s that?
It wasn’t a car accident.
Huh?
You were always worried I’d have a car accident.
I didn’t.
No, you only fell in a hole. You’re lucky you didn’t land on rebar.
I didn’t do that either.
You have to pay attention or you’ll miss stuff.
Pot
Kettle is on the phone
It would like to discuss color options with you.
Har, har.
This is me BEFORE drugs.
Go rest.
Please don’t hate me.
After that joke I’m considering it.
Good night, Haley.
Good night, M.
How are you doing?
You’re probably in church, ignore that.
You get to skip church when you’re on drugs.
Get to, or just choose not to go?
In my family it’s GET to.
Tho that doesn’t stop some of them.
Oh, right. I saw your aunt’s meme.
That was blown way out of proportion.
She fell out of a limousine.
She just put her foot down wrong.
Well, I guess I’m not one to judge.
This is NOT what you wanted to talk about.
No, I just wanted to see how you’re doing.
That depends.
On?
How are you doing?
Still need to think.
How much time do you need?
That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.
I’m going away, remember?
The con
Where is it?
Indiana.
Four days of gaming.
But we’re leaving early.
???
Mom’s birthday. We’re going to celebrate on our way.
What’s on your way???
She wants to go to H Mart and Shedd Aquarium.
H Mart?
It’s a giant Korean grocery store.
What’s she getting there?
Snacks mostly, but also some stuff for the kitchen.
Dad really wants some dolsot bowls for home.
Dolsot???
Giant stone bowls you heat up on the stove and serve crispy rice in.
That’s …
Awesome?
I can see how that might work.
I know. We like awesome stuff.
When are you back?
Super late next Sunday.
Will you talk to me then?
I’ll consider it if you get yourself better.
Do you promise to think about what I said?
I swear. I won’t do anything but.
And look at penguins.
How’d you know about Pororo?
At the aquarium?
Oh, right they’ll have penguins there too.
Should I be jealous of this named penguin???
No. Jealousy is not on the table.
I’ll do my best.
Just be careful.