A Of My Heart

Who Are You?

Alyssa walks past their room just as the phone rings.

"Alicia! Your phone!" She yells down the stairs.

Alicia doesn't answer.

"You're not gonna answer?" she yells again.

All she hears is a loud grunt from downstairs in response.

"Well excuse me for being a good sister" she huffs as the phone stops ringing.

Alicia mutters some not-so-nice words about her being a 'nice sister'.

"How about you take out your anger on your celery sticks instead of me!" She yells again, just as the phone rings again.

"Leave it!" Alicia hollers back up at her.

"How rude!!" Alyssa says, exasperated.

"You better stop talking, there kid before I show you rude!" Alicia says, sounding closer to the stairs now.

The phone stops ringing again. Starts up 3 seconds later.

"Well, I'll never!" Alyssa responds to her threat. "They're calling again, I'm going to answer", she says gleefully as she hears her sister start stomping up the stairs.

"Do not answer that phone Alyssa!"

"Oh hush" she mutters and swipes to answer the call.

"Alyssa, what did I just tell you! Put the phone down! It's not even yours! Hang up immediately."

"Hello?"

"Shut up!" Alyssa hollers at Alicia, who stands in the doorway, eyes wide and desperate.

"I- okay...." She decides to graciously acknowledge the unknown caller.

"Not you sorry" she says to him. Turning to Alicia, she puts her hand on her hip and glares at her, "Do you mind, I'm trying to take a call"

Alicia mimics her pose and glares right back. "Th!ts my phone, you bafoon! Stop trying to butt into my life all the time with your eavesdropping ways!"

"You've got to be kidding me! It was one time!" she shakes her head ruefully, "Gosh, fine! I won't tape any more walkie-talkies to your wall, sheesh"

"If she had a diary, that wouldn't have happened" she says mumbling to herself.

"Why don't you think I have one anymore? You and Logan, that's why!" she says to her.

Alyssa shakes her head as if victimized. "You do it once and they never let you forget"

The guy laughs in her ear.

"Are you laughing at me?" she asks him, outraged.

"Uh-...nope" he says

"You're laughing!"

"I...pfffhahaha" he bursts out laughing. Not just chuckles either, full blown belly laughs.

Opening the bottom drawer of the desk, she pulls out a bag of doritos and digs in.

"...You...I...why are you laughing?" she splutters as Alicia just looks on annoyed.

He clearly hadn't composed himself enough and doesn't respond.

"And he's still laughing at me...do you always have weirdos calling you?" she says to Alicia, as if there weren't just yelling at each other.

She looks at her pointedly, as if to say, 'This is nothing compared to the people I live with'

"Can I talk to Alicia, please?" he asks quietly. "And I am not a weirdo" he adds, clearly affronted by the supposition that he was one.

"The evidence suggests otherwise"

"How so?"

Alyssa makes a 'Get a load of this guy' expression towards Alicia.

"Well, you're clearly not in my sister's contacts, so you're probably a stalker. Maybe another rando Thee Joker is using to get back into her affections - not happening buddy - AND...you're laughing at me!"

"Well, I'm not in your sister's contact because this is the first time I've called her on my own phone. Who's Thee Joker and why is he trying to get BACK into her affections? AND, you're funny. Talkative but funny"

"Hmmm. She doesn't know you. Thee Joker is some guy who called her every day for weeks, got her hopes up, let her down and is still trying to drag her down with him. And I am not talkative but thank you very much for saying I'm funny. I do try, you know"

"She does know me. Once she hears me, she'll know. I guarantee it. Thee Joker sounds like a major douche. What do you mean he's still dragging her down? And you are, little Miss Chatterbox"

"Do you hear this kid? Chatterbox my butt. How could I be talkative? I talk the least out of everyone here!"

Alicia snorts loud enough for the kid to hear her. "Take it off speakerphone, chatterbox"

"Well, if you want chip cheese on your phone, I'll take it off speaker"

"I'm on speaker? Cool. Hi Licia, whose Thee Jo-"

Alicia makes a slashing motion with her hand.

"She said to tell you that she can't talk right now" Alyssa says, mouth full of chips.

"Why not?" he says, whining slightly.

Swallowing, she grins. "Are you whining?"

"Of course not" he scoffs, annoyed at the assumption.

She grins even wider and giggles a little bit, "You're definitely whining"

"Well, she hasn't called in forever" he says, this time sounding very sad about it.

Considering the tone, she asks "What does that mean?"

The guy Alicia knows but still hasn't introduced sighs heavily. "She used to call often but now I don't even hear from her" She held out chip for Alicia. "She's kinda scary but she's fun to talk to"

Alicia takes the chip.

And then the bag.

The last comment makes her pause. "Do...Do you like her?"

The boy doesn't answer but let's out another belly laugh that makes her feel lighter.

"Why is everything so funny to you?" She asks him, taking a chip.

He simmers down again. "Sorry, sorry." He takes a calming breath and answers, She's nice but I definitely don't like her, gross"

Alicia glares at the phone, "Excuse me?"

He splitters slightly before backtracking. "I didn't mean it like that! Licia, you're like a sister to me"

"And older and wiser sister you mean" Alyssa says sagely.

"Yes, of course"

"And is smart"

"Without a doubt"

"And Thee Joker should be kissing the ground she walks on, because she gave him a chance"

"Yes, he should be"

"And I'm the most beautiful girl in the world" she says, knowing that at that point he wasn't exactly listening.

"Yes, yes...wait a second" he says

"Yes?" She says indulgently, munching on a mother chip.

"Who are you?" he says genuinely confused.

"I'm-

Just then, Logan walks into the room and grabs the phone.

He looks at Alicia as she makes the slashing motion again.

"Wait Logan don't hang u-"

*Your call has ended*

**********

And so they finally meet...sorta