The Boyfriend Designer - Christopher Harlan Page 0,71
tried to get in contact with you?” Tori asks.
“A lot.” I tel her. “But I’m not answering—and this time he can’t use his platform to force me to talk to him. He wouldn’t dare.”
She leans forward. “I know this is going to sound weird ‘cause it’s me and I’ve never really been a fan of Conor’s message. . .”
“I sense a big but coming.” I snicker. “I just heard what I said.”
“Focus, Shosh.”
“Sorry.”
“Look, I know this is going to sound unexpected coming from me of all people because we both know I’m not the biggest Conor fan in the world, but maybe you could just hear the guy out. There might be a reasonable explanation.”
I’m amazed that she can say that with a straight face. “You mean a reasonable explanation for him kissing a girl he told me he spent thousands of dollars and hours getting a restraining order against? How would that scenario have even played out, Tor? He would’ve called the cops the second he saw her just like he did at our live event. It doesn’t make sense unless he’s just a cheater.”
“I guess.”
“Come on, you almost became a professor with your fancy book learning. What’s that thing we learned about in college? The razor thing?”
“Oh. You mean Occam’s razor?”
“Yes! That guy’s razor, that what I said. It means...”
“That the simplest explanation is probably the best one. I get it. All I was saying is that maybe there’s a different simple explanation you’re not thinking of.” I love that she’s trying to make me feel better, I really do, but she’s reaching. . . badly. There’s no explanation that makes sense except Conor being everything I was afraid he might really be all along. “I just. . . I wish that I was wrong about him. I wanted to be this whole time.”
My ears perk up. “What was that? Did I hear the sound of Tori Klein saying that she was wrong?”
“Stop.”
“No, wait, I’m just confirming though. You were. . .”
“I’m not ready to say I’m wrong yet,” she tells me. “And not because I need to prove a point, but because I still don’t want to be right. I say text him back and hear his side, but it’s your life and your relationship.”
“I appreciate it.” I answer, and I really do. What I need is some advice without being told what to do, and Tori’s great at that.
“I need to get going.” She tells me.
“Right now?”
“That sounded dramatic didn’t it?”
“I’m used to it, but yeah.”
Sweet burn, Tor, but I’ll get you back. “I just saw what time it is. Sabina’s coming by.”
“You’ve been spending a lot of time with this girl—you planning on replacing me?”
“There’s no replacing Tori Klein. I’m just paying it forward.”
“What’s that?”
“I’m doing for her what you did for me.”
“And what’s that?”
“Being her Mr. Miyagi.”
“What?” She asks, puzzled.
“You know—wax on, wax off. You’ve seen Karate Kid. I’m doing that for her.”
“Teaching her to fight by teaching her how to clean your place? Can I borrow her when you’re done.”
“No, I’m sure she can clean fine on her own. I mean I’m doing what you did for me—I’m teaching her how to be what she doesn’t realize she can be.”
Tor smiles. I wanted her to. I’ll always be in her debt for all she’s helped me with. The least I can do is pay it forward.
“I love that.”
“Thanks.” I say, smiling. “Now go, I’ll text you later.”
“Love you, bye.”
“Love you too, bye. And Shosh?”
“Yeah?”
“Consider what I said.”
I always do, Tor. Even when I pretend like I won’t.
Especially when I pretend like I won’t.
Conor- Two Weeks Later
“Who the hell was Murphy, anyhow?”
Man, the hits just keep on coming.
I don’t actually know who the hell Murphy was, but his law has been working wonders on my life for the past few weeks now.
Not only have I not heard back from Shoshana after an insane amount of messages, but I also woke up to a message that now YouTube has demonetized some of my most popular videos.
Demonetization is like influencer cancer—it’s always bad, but there are levels to how bad. The worst type is when they demonetize or de-platform your whole channel, but thank goodness that hasn’t happened. But this is like late stage 2, early stage 3 level stuff.
Ten videos in all got buried, and of course the ones that had the most views, including the infamous “Smash or Pass” with Shoshana. It’s not the end of the world, but it’s a hit to the