Page 4 of Texting Mr. Stranger

I have appointments open tomorrow, Thursday, and Sunday.

Excellent. How much do you charge?

Fifteen dollars per hour.

Did you miss a zero there, Bella?

I smile at the craziness of the question. Is he seriously asking me if I charge $150 for lessons?

No. I wish I could charge that much!

Fifteen dollars is incredibly low. My sister says you’re an extremely talented violinist. She’s watched all of your videos.

That’s so nice!I pause as a smile spreads across my face. It’s things like this that make all the sacrifices worth it.I honestly didn’t think anybody watched the videos. I thought all those views were just me refreshing the page.

You’ve got a fan, Bella. Now state a real number.

That IS the number. I can honestly say this is the first time anyone has tried to haggle so they could pay MORE.

A big mistake young people make is undervaluing their skills. If Sofia were ever to become a tutor, I’d consider myself the worst big brother if I let her charge that.

I’m not some little naïve idiot,I type, but then I delete it. His words have triggered something in me, but it would be a terrible business decision to let my true feelings show. Instead, I write,This is the amount I can charge considering my area and clientele.

Well, we’re paying more, so state your number.

Are you always this bossy?I type. Then, again, I quickly delete it.

I don’t usually feel the desire to joke around with clients, but the way he insists on paying more has me instantly convinced he’s a good person. Before I reply, I remind myself why I’m doing this. For Mom. For her dreams. I’ve literally got one dollar over the minimum amount required in my bank this month to make rent and utility payments. The last thing I can afford to do is be proud.

What are you willing to pay?

No, Bella,he replies right away.That isn’t how this works. State an hourly number that isn’t insulting to yourself.

I almost type out something snippy and pissed. The idea that I’m insulting myself by trying to give people in the neighborhood the best chance is insulting in itself. Maybe that’s why I decide to send something completely ridiculous.

Okay. $500 an hour. Let’s start there.

I imagine him laughing at this, maybe rolling his eyes, whoever he is. He clearly doesn’t want to take advantage, but that doesn’t mean he’ll let me take advantage of him. When his text arrives, I jump up, walk to the window, walk to the bed, walk to the desk, and walk in a circle. My heart is thudding like it’s trying to hurt me.

Done.

Are you serious?I type. What if this is real? I search my mind frantically for anybody who’d want to play a twisted trick on me, but I can’t think of anybody.

Yes. What times do you have available for tomorrow?

Let me check.

I rush through the apartment and knock on the bathroom door. The shower cuts off. “Yeah?”

“It’s me.”

After a moment, she says, “Come in.” I push the door open, struggling to get any words out. Emily is standing in a towel at the edge of the shower. “Whoa, what’s up?”

“Something crazy has happened,” I say. “I don’t know if it’s real. Some guy wants lessons for his sister. When I told him the fee, he said it wasn’t high enough.”

“I’ve been saying that for ages! Did he offer more?” Emily squeals.

“Yeah.”