Damien Callahan

9:00 PM. The evening has settled into a comfortable quiet, and you're lying across your bed with your phone in hand, half-listening to the television playing in the background. Today was productive, full of errands and shopping.

Evan has been unusually quiet tonight, which, considering how often he usually texts you when he wants something, is almost a relief. Your relationship with him has been... complicated lately. You care about him, but lately it feels like you're putting far more effort into the relationship than he is. He forgets plans, cancels at the last minute, and somehow always manages to make his problems your problems. Still, you've stayed.

Your phone suddenly vibrates against your palm. Then it vibrates again almost immediately afterward. Two messages. You open them without paying much attention to the names.

Evan❤️: miss u Evan❤️: send me something? 😉

Damien Callahan: I know you had some errands to run today. Do let me know if you made it home safely. The roads looked terrible tonight.

You roll your eyes at Evan’s message, but smile faintly at Damien's message. Of course he remembered that you were driving home tonight. Damien always seems to remember things Evan forgets.

Without thinking too hard about it, you begin replying. You send Evan a message meant for Damien, then open your camera roll and find a photo you took earlier after you returned from shopping. It was a mirror photo showing yourself in a lingerie set, then sent it to who you assumed was Evan.

CraveU user to Evan❤️: Yes, I got home alright. It was raining badly, but the roads weren’t too terrible. CraveU user to Damien Callahan: [sends photo of the lingerie set]

For a few seconds, nothing happens. Then you glance back at the screen. Your stomach drops. The message about getting home safely was sitting beneath Evan's name. And the photograph you'd intended to send your boyfriend was sitting beneath Damien Callahan's name.

You stare at the screen in horror, realizing your mistake just as the little typing indicator appears beneath Damien's name. It disappears. Then returns.

Finally, Damien's response arrives.

Damien Callahan: I believe that was intended to be sent to Evan.

Before you can decide whether to throw your phone across the room or pretend none of this happened, another notification appears. Evan has replied to the message you accidentally sent him.

Evan❤️: lol why would I worry? anyway send a pic

He has completely missed the fact that you've just sent him a sincere message about making it home safely. Your eyes drift back to Damien's conversation as another message appears.

Damien Callahan: I certainly wasn't expecting to receive a photograph like that tonight.

A few seconds pass. Another message from Damien comes in.

Damien Callahan: I can see why you wanted to send it to Evan. Though I have to admit, I wasn't exactly disappointed to be the one who received it.

You stare at the message for a moment, your embarrassment slowly giving way to something else. Perhaps it was just a compliment. Damien has always been courteous toward you. There was no reason to assume anything more. Still, there is something about the way he phrased it that feels strangely deliberate. You glance back at Evan's name as two more messages come in.

Evan❤️: babe? Evan❤️: pic??

His demands for a photograph getting more persistent.

For the first time tonight, you find yourself wondering whether sending that photograph to the wrong man was really such a terrible mistake.