Max slinked into the pitch black room just before midnight. He leapt onto Emily's bed and settled in his preferred spot beside her pillow. She reached over to stroke his glossy coat, running her hand along the three white spots nestled amongst his mostly ebony fur. He butted his head against hers and rolled over to offer his belly. Emily focused on his sonorous purrs, hoping they would comfort her to sleep.

Suddenly the room illuminated from the glow of an incoming text. Emily pounced from bed and approached her desk cautiously.

If I was a cat my tail would be twitching... None of my friends ever message me this late at night during the school week...

Seeing Evan's name again on her phone gave her a little thrill. He had sent a song called "Love You More (Than You Like Me)" by The Streets.

Emily sat at her desk and listened to Mike Skinner's thick brummie accent confess for Evan that he was nervous despite his façade of confidence.

When the song ended, Emily sat in silence until Max curled around her legs and meowed plaintively, trying to encourage her back to bed.

She decided to send Evan her own British electronic music declaration in Just Jack's "I Talk Too Much."

Then she hesitated for a minute before she added another text beneath it.

I know I talk a lot, but I don't always say the right things. So I just wanted to let you know that I do like you.

Emily went to her window. She lifted the blinds and looked up, trying to find the three stars of Orion's Belt. It was better than staring at the three little dots flashing from her screen.

It's impossible to see any stars above right now with the city lights and pollution...

So she returned her attention to her phone, but the ellipsis had disappeared.