Red Volkswagen || h.s.

Forever Winter

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He's up, 3 AM pacing

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BROOKLYN'S POV

The sixth ring doesn't fully finish before it stops, and the line is quiet.

I mean, the line isn't quiet as in he didn't answer, the line is quiet in that he answered and neither of us have said anything yet.

My heart is literally audibly beating out of my chest.

"Brooklyn?"

My shoulders slump in a way similar to how they would when someone is...well, relieved. Is that what I am? Relieved?

"...H-hi." I pathetically stutter out.

Neither of us say anything again for a few seconds, and then words start coming out of my mouth before my brain processes and allows them to.

"Sorry. I wanted to call. I felt like...I needed to." I gulp. "I'm sorry. If you don't wanna talk that's fine–"

"No." He cuts me off. "No, I'm glad you called." He rushes out.

Jesus, I hate this. I hate walking on eggshells with the person who I never once had to walk on eggshells with.

"Uh...how are you?" I ask delicately.

"Um..." He lets out a light laugh that I can detect some sarcasm in. "I'm...I don't know." He sighs. "How are you?"

"I'm...the same, I think." I chuckle in the same fashion. "Why are you awake so late?" I ask without thinking.

"I can't sleep."

His voice does sound exhausted. His usual excited rasp is drained.

"Why are you calling so late?" He continues. I'm surprised he added 'so late' to that question and didn't just stop at 'calling.'

"I couldn't wait. Until morning, I guess." I respond. "I...yeah, I couldn't wait." I feel like I'm talking so softly that he might not be able to make out what I'm saying.

More silence passes and I'm wracking my brain for things to say. I never thought about this part after the initial hello and I have no idea how to do this.

"How's Hawaii?" He asks.

A pang of guilt sounds in my chest at the question.

"It's good. Really fun..." I clear my throat as the thought of last night comes back. "...I really like it."

"Yeah? I'm glad." He says, and I hear some shuffling in the background. "Is the weather nice?"

"Yes." I smile lightly and chuckle under my breath. "Although, I kind of miss beaches that aren't very crowded."

"I bet Cooper would get a kick out of all the people. He'd knock every one of 'em down."

"Yeah, he probably would..." I laugh lightly as I ignore the ache in my chest that comes with every word spoken. I literally have to bite down on my lip and look up at the ceiling so I don't cry.

How did we get to this point?

"Um," I continue with a change in topic, "I've been wondering...about how you've been. Since, you know...everything."