you're trying to think of something clever and you basically say nothing. you send a text with no substance that looks a lot more cheerful than you feel. you have a pavlovian response when they text back. you say you're good and you ask about them. you stop paying attention to the tv as you think about what you want to say, something that won't sound sleazy, but really, you want to say something sleazy.

they're out with friends. you scroll through your phone and find someone else. you hate yourself for the next text you send. it's pathetic and low, but your heart begins to accelerate when you get a response that doesn't call you out for being pathetic and low. you play it cool and put the pressure on them to ask you for what you want. you make it seem like it was their idea.