I Hated You First

by Rachel John

Lauren gave a nervous laugh. “Well, you were the one who said, ‘I like you’ first. And I’m not ready for the other four letter L word yet. Is there something in-between people say?” I rubbed my forehead. This girl. The first rule of commitment issues: you didn’t talk about your commitment issues. Unless you were Lauren. “You already know I’m bad at Scrabble. Now you want me to come up with a four letter word that’s in between like and love?” “It doesn’t have to be four letters or start with L. For example, don’t British people say, I fancy you? What about that?” “I’m pretty sure they don’t say it at the end of phone calls. Ta ta, I fancy you.”