My mom’s been acting really cold on text lately. She used to call me her "sweet baby angel." I had to whine and pout for ages before she finally started calling me "sweet baby angel" again. A month later, I got a friend request from my mom. [Why did you delete me, sweetie?] I stared at the contact in my list—the one with the exact same golden lotus flower profile picture as my mom—and fell into deep thought. If this new request is my mom... then who have I been whining to for the last month? The next day, the campus heartthrob, the icy-cool top student, was waiting under my dorm with a box of cupcakes. "Hello, sweet... baby angel." Chapter 1 I am a certified mama’s girl. If I so much as stub my toe, I have to tell my mom about it. Today, I ate a life-changing egg tart. I took a selfie with the half-eaten tart pressed against my cheek and sent it to my mom. [This egg tart is literally insane!] The reply was almost instant. [Stella?] I felt instantly wronged. [I didn't text you for two days and now you're cold to me? You used my full name!] [Call me baby!] [No, call me sweet baby angel!] The other side was silent for three minutes. [Are you sure you want that?] [With our relationship, you have to ask if I'm sure?] Another three minutes of silence. [Sweet... baby angel.] I sent back a gif of a cat wiggling its butt. [That's more like it!] My roommate yelled from below my bunk bed. "Stella! Get down here and tell me if this dress is cute!" I pulled back the curtain. My roommate, Chloe, was preening in front of the mirror in a pink slip dress. "I definitely gained weight! A medium used to fit perfectly!" "Stella, you're skinny. Come try this on. If it fits you, I won't return it." I rolled out of bed. "Yes, your majesty." "If it fits, do I get it for free?" Chloe rolled her eyes. "Keep dreaming. You pay for it!" When I put the dress on, it fit perfectly. The color, the size—it was like it was made for me. I winked at Chloe. "Admit it, you have a crush on me." She ignored me and held up two fingers. "Two hundred bucks." I checked my bank balance. Eight hundred left, and the month was only half over. So, I took a picture of myself in the pink dress and sent it to my mom. The creed of a mama’s girl: When in doubt, ask Mom. I sent a voice message: "Does this dress look good on me?" My mom replied instantly. [Looks good. Suits you.] I sent another voice message, whining, "But I’m running low on cash... can I get an advance of two hundred?" Chapter 2 My mom Venmoed me two thousand dollars. I almost jumped through the ceiling. [Is this next month's allowance too?] [No. Next month is next month. This is for the dress.] I screeched. Mom, I love you! You are the queen of my world! I kissed my phone screen and flashed my balance to my roommate. "See that? Your girl is loaded. Wrap it up!" Chloe did a mock bow. "Yes, your highness. Wrapping it now." Before going to sleep, I texted my mom goodnight. She replied: [Goodnight.] I sent a sticker of a crying baby. [It should be 'Goodnight, sweet baby angel.'] [Okay. Goodnight, sweet baby angel.] Just as I was drifting off, my phone buzzed again. [Should I call you sweet baby angel every day?] I was half asleep. [Duh.] You're my mom, I thought. But I was too sleepy to type the rest. The next morning, my three roommates and I all overslept for our 8 AM class. I ran out wearing mismatched shoes. Just as I sprinted out of the dorm, I crashed into someone from the boys' dorm across the way. I looked up. It was Liam, the department heartthrob. Liam had the grades, the looks, and the family money. But he seemed to hate me. We were in the same student union department. I asked for his number two days ago. He opened with, "What kind of game are you playing now?" and called me "baffling." My roommates all said, "He looks cold, but I didn't expect him to be so rude." I had planned to confess my crush right there, but his tone forced the words back down my throat. I couldn't let him walk all over me. So I deleted his number immediately. But today, the way Liam looked at me was weird. His eyes were dark and intense, with a complicated flicker of light in them, contrasting sharply with the warm morning sun. I felt guilty under his gaze. Chloe yelled from ahead, "Hurry up, Stella! We're gonna be late!" Yeah, he was definitely judging my mismatched shoes. Chapter 3 We had lectures all morning. Bored, I started annoying my mom again. [Miss me yet?] Send. [I do.] I sent a pouting sticker. [What did you forget?] [I miss my sweet baby angel.] Weird. My mom usually calls me that without prompting. Did she stop loving me after I went to college? I decided to win her back. I’d been talking about a spa trip with her forever, but we never had time. Summer break was coming up soon. [When I get back for break, let's go to the hot springs. I already picked out a swimsuit.] I sent a picture of a hot pink, high-cut, backless swimsuit. [What do you think? I have good taste, right?] My mom stopped replying. She usually loves dramatic swimwear. Liam, who was sitting in the row in front of me, suddenly turned his head stiffly. He gave me a look I couldn't decipher. He seemed to be biting his lip, which was totally out of character for the Ice King. Bro, is that necessary? I wore the wrong shoes once. Do you have to stare? Or is he holding a grudge because I deleted him? My heart was drumming when my mom finally replied. [Okay.] [It's a date then!] During the break, Liam's friend exclaimed, "Dude, your ears are so red! Do you have a fever?" Chapter 4 At lunch in the cafeteria, I snapped a pic of my braised chicken for my mom. [So yummy.] [If only I had a boba tea for dessert.] My mom didn't reply. Probably eating lunch with my dad. My roommates and I were wolfing down our food when a boba tea suddenly descended from the heavens. I looked up along the plastic bag. Liam, in a black hoodie with headphones around his neck, was looking down at me. His ears were still red. "For you." He dropped the line and walked away. My roommates and I were stunned. Chloe said, "He probably felt bad about being rude to you before. Since you deleted him, he feels guilty." I stabbed the straw into the cup and took a huge sip. Even if it was an apology, and even if it was my favorite drink, I wouldn't forgive him that easily! I texted my mom: [Say there's a guy who was really rude to me, but now he's apologizing with gifts. Should I forgive him?] I added: [He's super handsome and has a great body.] My mom replied instantly: [Of course not. Also, what is this guy's name? I'm going to chop him up.] Wow, Mom is feisty today. I quickly soothed her. [It's no big deal, don't be mad.] My mom was getting weirder. I used to text her nonsense all the time, but she was busy and only replied selectively. Lately, she seemed very free. She replied to everything, even punctuation marks, asking if I was okay.
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