AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I don’t want to be confrontational.”
“Since whe—hmmm.” She paused. “Just answer it.”
Though skeptical, I obliged. It was factual that he’d intentionally ended the call, but I was interested in learning why, just as much as Jae.
“Hello?” I answered.
“Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. sharp. Round one of your interview. I won’t wait around for 9:01. Address is 15921 Meadow Creek is the address. Find your own way.”
“Okay. Wednesday,” I rushed out. “At 15921 Meadow Creek. Is there anything else?”
“Yeah. Don’t ever call this line again.”
The call ended abruptly for the second time. It was more apparent to me now than it had been before that revealing his personal contact information wasn’t his intentions. More than likely, he didn’t understand the intricacies of the platform and didn’t know that his phone number would be public knowledge as a consequence.
“Well, isn’t he the Grinch?” Jae scoffed, sliding back to her side of the couch. I hadn’t noticed how close she’d gotten during the short conversation between the two of us.
“If I unknowingly shared my cell number on a website with thousands of daily users, I’d be a bit grumpy, too,” I responded, the desire to come to his defense stomping me in the center of my chest.
What are you doing, Aeir?I asked myself, crinkling my brows as I thought of a logical explanation for the abyss developing after our call ending and serving on the defense team of someone I didn’t know even a little.
“Wait, listing his number was an accident?” She chuckled.
“It seems that way.”
“Yeah, he’s fuming right now. I would’ve hung up on you, too.”
Relief washed over me as I realized I wasn’t the only one thinking that way. Jae felt it, too.
“Right.” I nodded.
“Anyway, interview? Okay. New job, new city, who dis?” she joked, clapping her hands together before picking her plate up again.
“I don’t have it yet. It’s just an interview and round one, I believe.”
“Girl, round one, round two, it doesn’t matter. You’ve got the job and you’re going to call me from Berkeley and tell me all about it once it’s confirmed.”
“Thanks for your vote of confidence, Jae. I really appreciate it.”
“Not as much as you’re about to appreciate these drinks we’re about to go downstairs to the bar and guzzle. Hurry up and put something on your stomach. You’re going to need it!”
“Jae. I don’t know if that’s a good idea. It’s still so early a—”
“Too early to have a sip of something satisfying, but not too early to pack your few pieces of clothes and take off to Berkeley. Honey, you better eat that food, and eat it fast because you owe me this, at least. I just got you back and you’re leaving me already. We’re having a few drinks. Wednesday is less than a week away!”
My smile nearly touched my ears as I watched her fork the food on her plate while chewing me out. She’d attempted to conceal the pain my decision was inflicting on her, but I could hear it in her voice and feel it radiating from her frame.
“I’m sorry,” I admitted.
“Sorry? For what, Aeir?”
“For leaving so soon. I just… I’m ready to live, Jae. I don’t feel like my survival was on accident. I wasn’t supposed to live. According to medical studies, I should be dead or at least paralyzed without any brain activity. A vegetable for the rest of my life. I’m not and I don’t want to waste another second of life not living.”
“And you shouldn’t. Don’t apologize to me for doing exactly what I’ve been wanting you to do. I’m a big girl, Aeir. Will it hurt not having my best friend around? Of course. But I’d rather hear your voice on the phone or hop on a plane to visit than to see you lying so still in that hospital bed with little to no signs of life. So, don’t mind me. I’m just happy and a bit sad at the same time. I’ll work through my thing. You just keep pushing forward, baby girl.”
“I will.”
Instead of continuing to push Jae’s pain points, I dug into my food as well. Thoughts of Berkeley and the life ahead of me circulated. I couldn’t help but smile at the millions of possibilities. I loved Channing with everything in me but my heart didn’t belong to the city anymore. It was ready for a new home.
