Smiley

A NETFLIX SERIES

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See, I decided to call you in the end.

STOP

I spent ages wondering whether to call just to get your voice mail.

I haven't heard from you in two weeks, so I thought, "I'll call."

"He can't have seen my messages on Insta or Grindr."

I know you're busy with work and don't check them.

I forget not everyone's like me.

I can't stand a red notification on my screen.

Those bastards make them red so you can't ignore them.

Show me your inbox, and I'll tell you what you're like.

You're one of those people with 340 unread messages

and no spam filter.

I know you don't reply straight away.

That's why I WhatsApped you.

And I know you read them. There's a double tick next to them all.

All 23 of them.

And you still won't reply.

Which is weird as the last few weeks weren't like that, right?

-Are you calling that dick Lolo? -No.

I loved it when you'd send me a photo and I'd guess where you were.

-I made lentils. -I'm on a diet.

Always dieting, always want seconds.

You'd send me a photo at any time, day or night.

And the game was on.

WHERE AM I?

I'd ask you questions

and you could only answer "Yes" or "No."

-A PUBLIC RESTROOM? -YES

-IN THE CITY CENTER? -YES

We could spend an hour playing.

THE FNAC RESTROOM?

I was so happy.

YES

Especially with the last question.

You always sent the same reply.

Mom, what are you doing?

You're always tapping, like a bird on a glass roof.

I remember when you sent the photo of the wall.

A random brick wall, no other clue.

WHERE AM I?

I replied straight away.

I got it right the first time.

AT YOUR HOUSE

I recognized the wall in your room.

And you said, "This is magic."

And it was.

It was. For a while, it was.

The next day, you made me breakfast, and I ate your madeleines with jam.

Me! I don't even eat sugar. I prefer toast,

but I didn't want to destroy the magic that was still there.

I sent you a message as soon as I left.

A very simple message.

A smile.

SEARCH EMOJIS FREQUENTLY USED

A smiley.

And with a smiley, I was telling you that I wanted to do it again the next day.

I already missed you,

that I had finally found someone I fit with.

Someone I felt sexy, funny, witty with,

who laughed at the same things as me.

Someone I didn't have to pretend loved me for who I really am.

Someone I could look and laugh at my childhood photos with

and say, "You're even more handsome now."

And think, "He'll still be telling me this in five, ten, twenty years."

Someone to imagine the corniest things ever with

and deep down wish that they'd actually happen someday.

I said all of that to you with a smiley.

You could have replied in many ways.

There's an infinite number of keyboard combinations

to just say one thing,

"I feel the same."

But you never did.

You know the worst thing?

One day we'll bump into each other, and I'll smile so I don't seem bitter,

and you'll say, "I'd rather be friends and not ruin things with a relationship."

And all the bullshit guys like you make up

so you can fuck one guy, then another, another,

and then complain, "No one finds their perfect guy."

Am I the perfect guy? I don't know.

But I could be the one who loves you.

But you treated him like shit

because the asshole believed for a few moments

that all this was really magic.

So you can go fuck yourself.

You, your phone, your magic,

and your fucking inedible madeleines with jam, you prick.

SUNYER ARCHITECTS

Long message. Who was it?

I have no idea.

-It wasn't for you? -Don't know.

A hysterical guy yelling at his boyfriend about...

industrial pastries. I didn't really understand.

If you were anyone else, I'd think you'd broken his heart and forgotten.

I've broken lots of hearts.

But I remember them all. Why are you laughing?

You mean,

you remember none!

-I think it was a case of crossed wires. -No way.

That's only in Howard Hawks' movies.

Like, "Operator? There's a lady calling from Seattle who lost her dog."

-That doesn't happen anymore. -It's weird to call the wrong number.

He used a landline.

He must've dialed the wrong number.

-Why would anyone do that? -Sunyer's waiting for you.

-I don't think he's in a good mood. -Oh great.

Have you called a guy from a landline so he didn't know it was you?

Yes. Once.

When I was 15. Typical girlish reaction.

-Why? -Never mind. Thanks.

-Thanks, Lis. -Welcome.

Your stranger is very mature. So mature.

Would it be weird if I called him?

-Why would you do that? -I don't know.

Maybe he regrets what he said to his boyfriend.

So he'd be able to pretend it never happened.

-It'd be like time traveling. -Right.

What do you always say about time travel movies?

-Changing the past fucks things up. -Exactly.

But listen, I'd want a return call telling me about my mistake.

Didn't you say he was hysterical?

When he wasn't yelling, he seemed nice. He said he believed in love.

-Don't project. -I'm not.

-Yes, you are. -No, I'm not.

You are. You're getting carried away.

It'd be easy for you to hook up with Ramón.

-No fucking way. -What?

-No. -He's our best architect.

-So? -He's had a crush on you forever.

I'm not hooking up with a co-worker,

especially one who collects Pokémon at 35.

Very well. Maybe your mystery man collects dead bodies!

-You are so dramatic. -Dramatic?

Delete it and forget about him.

By the way, tomorrow's dinner is a costume party.

-I don't think I can go. -No. Don't be a party pooper.

Bruno. Bayona, Sauquillo, Oyarzabal are going.

-It's been... -Oyarzabal!

There's a reason we haven't seen our classmates in ten years.

I haven't been out in ten months, not even for a sparkling water.

You can go alone. I don't think anyone'll miss me.

-I'll miss you, Bruno. -You see me every day.

But not partying like we used to. Don't you remember, Bruno?

How much fun we used to have. Don't you want to relive that?

-Not even for one night? -I want to enjoy my Sunday.

Please.

Just dinner.

-Awesome! -That's all.

-The theme is "famous architects." -Who came up with that?

-Me! -No shit.

Don't pick Gaudi. He's mine.

Good morning!

Is it?

You're so nice, you always end up with assholes.

-It's just bad luck. -Bad luck?

-It's always the same. -It's my fault?

Do you want to go through a list of your exes?

I'd rather be friends

and not ruin things with a relationship.

You get it, don't you?

Couples break up eventually, but friendship is forever.

Monogamy is for repressed people. It just makes you unhappy.

Is that what you want? Being tied to someone forever?

We'll get bored in bed, and then what?

Let's be friends.

-Let's be friends. -Let's be friends.

Let's be friends.

But if you want, we can still fuck. I have a great time with you.

-See a pattern? -Yes, they're all bastards.

-Bastards with perfect abs. -So?

If you keep doing the same thing, you'll get the same result.

Einstein said so.

-Patri, it's me! -Close your eyes!

Cut the crap. Come on, I'm with Álex.

Close your eyes or I won't let you in.

-Are you ready? -Yes, you're so annoying!

One, two, three!

The parquet is cute, isn't it?

I just need to do the small room and that's it.

-It's great, right? -Right?

Does it smell a bit funny or is it me?

I burned some white sage to cleanse the energy in the apartment.

Yes. It's really clean, yeah.

This isn't the floor we chose.

-But you liked it the most. -And it's the most expensive.

We can't go over budget, Patri.

Oh, my love, don't be a party pooper.

If you don't like it, why leave me in charge?

-When are you moving in? -The developer says January.

Yes. Hopefully your friend will have cheered up by then.

I am cheerful.

I know what'll cheer you up! Follow me!

You already brought it.

A plant is the first thing that goes into a new apartment.

And you put a plaque on it!

VERO AND PATRICIA SEVEN YEARS GROWING TOGETHER

Welcome to our new life, my love.

Hello?