𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐞 | ✔

ᴛ ʜ ʀ ᴇ ᴇ

DEVI BHATT

"For fucks sake, what Call Centre is repeatedly calling me at four AM in the morning?" I yank my phone off its wire and answer the call.

"Do you have any idea of what a time difference is? yes a time difference so if you want to scam people it's best to do it when they're in a fucking good mood, which pro-tip, is NOT four AM in the morning cause right now it's currently that."

I take a breath before continuing, "So take a stick and shove it up your cheap hairy ass and go jump in front of a train because you'll be doing us all a favour," I wince, "okay that last bit was a bit mean I hope it didn't hurt you because I didn't mean it. If you go jump in front of a train you won't be doing anyone a favour because your family and friends will be sad. Even me! so please don't otherwise I'll feel guilty and yeah. But I also meant the first thing, so you can shove a sti-"

"I didn't think you liked my ass so much, Devi," the guy on the other line murmurs. Grisha. "So feisty."

Embarrassment floods my cheeks when I hear Grisha's raspy voice fill the speaker. Distant laughing is heard through the phone- must be Feliks and Demyan.

"How did you get my number?" I whisper hiss, then add, "and I'm not thinking about your ass."

"I need you, Devi," his voice send shivers down my spine.

"No. You do not need me. Now get lost," I shout.

"Ayo boss, she told you to get lost! You gonna take that?" Feliks is now on the phone. "Hey there, it's Devi isn't it? it's me Feliks."

"Did that man just cut me off and give someone else the phone? Who the hell does that? Give it back. Now."

"I'm sorry but I literally can't he's just walked off muttering 'good luck'. Should I be concerned?" he sounds genuinely scared.

"Your boss is a complete dick, can you tell him that?" I whisper.

"As much as I'm liking you right now, no. Do you know what he'd do to me if I did that?"

"He abuses you? oh my god get out of there whilst you ca-"

"Gods no, why the fuck would he be hitting a grown man? The boss man got some real dirt on me that he might tell Demyan. I wouldn't hear the last of it if he told anyone," he groans. "We threaten each other with secrets, not fists."

"Oh," I pause waiting, "well aren't you going to tell me?"

His laugh rumbles into the speaker, "alright, alright. Before Grisha found me, I didn't know what the hell urinals were. So I thought it was a fountain you use to wash your hands." He cringes. My jaw drops, and I burst of laughing. Quietly of course.

"I-I-I'm trying to hold in my laughter right now, you shouldn't have told me this at four am. I live with my parents still," I go under the covers to hopefully diffuse some of the laughter.

"Feliks! Have you done what I told you?!" I hear Grisha yell in the background.

"Done what?!" I yell into the phone. Oh shit, I hear my mother get up.

"Has he not even," he sighs, "Feliks do you know how to do anythi-" I cut off the call at the sound of the door handle turning.

I'm faced away from the door, slowly but quietly placing my phone on the ground.

"Devi? are you talking to someone?" she asks quietly tired.

Feigning my sudden wake up, I try to sound tired when I reply, "No, no it's probably me sleep talking. You know I do that sometimes, mama." I definitely do not, but we say this anyways.