Eleven o’clock

He called her every night, just around eleven o’ clock. She didn’t need him to, but she looked forward to it. HIs voice was soothing, it comforted her, even on the worst nights, even with just a few words her mind was at ease. Sometimes she would get too comfortable, too relaxed, and left him to listen to only the sound of her breath as she peacefully slept. He didn’t mind, It was one of the many things he loved about her…

She lay in bed, opening her phone to illuminate the dark room. Eleven thirty five, Nothing. It was odd, but understandable. Things come up she thought. Twelve fifteen. He’s probably just lost track of time. I hope he’s okay. One thirty. I can’t sleep. I’ve heard nothing. She said a prayer, under her breath, hoping he got home safe.

Seven seventeen, she didn’t sleep. She tossed and turned, she thought of the best scenarios. Maybe his phone died, maybe it broke. She thought the worst, what if there was an accident, what if he is gone? She shook her head, as if to remove the thoughts, like she was some form of human Etch-or-Sktech. These things couldn’t be, calm down.

Ten thirty. His name appeared on her phone, hoping to hear his voice, she picked up. It was most certainly the man she knew, but even just the tone in the way he said hello seemed so empty. She intently listened while he gave her his evening itinerary, and how he had stayed at a friends because he had been drinking. She couldn’t comprehend why he sounded so empty, so robotic. She wasn’t listening to his words, but she was trying to find the comfort in his voice, and she found nothing….

The phone call she received that morning, always stayed fresh in her mind, but it soon got brushed away by the normality. There were no more nights lying awake or worrying. He always called, at his own choosing. She didn’t bring much thought to that phone call until the pieces of the puzzle slowly came together.

A year had passed since that night, and things were better than ever. She decided to pack her things, and accompany him at college. She would spend more time with him, his friends. She would meet new people and discover new things. She’d be far from home, but she didn’t mind, he was always there to take care of her, and to comfort her when things were hard.

Move in day went a lot worse than she thought, she saw old friends reconnecting. Girls hugging and squealing since they hadn’t seen each other in months. She felt alone, she missed the girls she had grown to love. They spent all their time together, and now they were so far away…

Tomorrow he would be coming to sweep her off her feet and her roomate would be moving in. She wasn’t quite sure of her roomate and didn’t know how she’d be to live with. But, He suggested they live together. He wouldn’t set her up with something bad.

It ended up being like something you see in the movies. They were happy and they spent all their time together. He’d walk her to class and give her a kiss goodbye. They’d do crazy things on the weekends, they’d take road trips, visit their families. She’d let him drive her car, they’d laugh, they’d sing. She would move from her seat and pull herself up out of the sunroof and smile, she loved to feel the wind in her face and would laugh at his deep concern for her life, and her sanity. Those moments were like nothing else, and she thought they would last forever.

Her roomate, was starting to become more of a friend. So they had planned a day to spend together. They would go shopping and then grab something to eat. She was excited, it would be nice to have a female friend around this place, she thought. Her roommate drove to the shop, it was quite, antique and there wasn’t any other customers in sight. They were chatting about relationships, and life, just like any other girls would do. It all seemed so ordinary, “Well you know you and I are starting to become good friends, and good friends always tell each other the truth…” the roommate began. Her heart sank, what is she going to tell me? Is she moving out? Did she really not like me? She braced herself waiting for her roommate to unleash whatever secret was about to come. “You know, I am friends with him, but I think you deserve to know…they slept together. I know you think they are just great friends, and you are so good to both of them, but they slept together.” A rush came over her, the tears slapped the floor, she darted, the antique cow bell slammed against the door, leaving the roommate inside with the two middle aged cashiers.

She fumbled to find his number in her phone, he answered. I know everything she said. He was getting in to class. They would talk later. She stormed down the highway. The tears wouldn’t stop flowing, the ache in her heart moved though her body, feeling the deepest ache in her soul. She remembered the call, and now knew why a year prior the call at Eleven O’ Clock never came.