The Calls [Jaime Preciado] [Book 2]

February 10th

February 10th, 2014.

“H-Hey, Jaime…”

“Lily? Is everything okay?”

“Y-Yeah, everything’s f-fine…”

“Please, don’t lie to me. I can tell something is wrong. Have you been crying? Where’s Toni, your roommate?”

“She’s a-at work… I’m f-fine, Jaime… Just… [Sniffling.] I swear…”

“Are you hurt?”

“No. [Deep breath.] No, it’s nothing. I’ll… call you back soon.”

“No! Lily, don’t you hang up right now. Keep talking to me. I love hearing your voice. You have a really pretty voice. Has anyone ever told you that? I could listen to you talk for hours. I love hearing your laugh, too. It’s so sweet and perfect. Not high-pitched like those cliché popular bitches at high school. It’s perfect. I can’t even describe it with adjectives other than ‘perfect.’”

“What do you w-want me to talk to you about?”

“Anything. Everything. I don’t care. Whatever comes to your mind. I won’t talk because I just want you to talk. I’m not gonna’ hang up until you do.”

“Okay… Well… I like red roses. They smell nice. They’re pretty, too. Easy flowers to draw. I used to randomly draw them on pictures in elementary school. I usually got in trouble for it, because I was supposed to draw something like a fucking whale underwater or an airplane in the sky. Dumb little shits, not letting me be creative. Whatever… you still there?”

“Where else would I be? Keep talking.”

“Alright, uh… I can’t swim. Never learned how. My parents and I didn’t go to the beach, nor did we have a pool. We didn’t know anyone who had one, either. I’d run through a sprinkler or slide on a waterslide during the summer. Take a shit load of showers or baths. I’m weird, I know…”

“Weird is a good thing.”

“Weird is a good thing on you, Jaime. Weird on me is not good. It’s just… weird.”

“I love weird people.”

“Is Jess weird?”

“No.”

“[Pause.] …uh, I have to go, Jaime… I’ll call you very soon, I promise. Okay? Don’t worry about me. I’m okay.”

“Alright, Lily. Please, stay safe. I love you.”

“…love you too.”

**