C A T C H 22 |BWWM|

Ch. 27 • Is It a Date?

Jackson, MS. January 1944
Monday 8:00 pm

Paislee

"Would you stop shaking, Lee?"

Penny slapped her palm onto my knee and rolled her eyes in a way that only Penny could do. I stopped and looked up at my parents who were cuddled up on the chair diagonal to me. Slowly standing, I messed with the hem of my pajamas.

"Sheila said she would call me around this time so I'll be in my room. If the phone rings it's her. . . Just by the way."

"Oki-Doki," My parents mumbled and gave me a weird smile.

Maybe I was acting weird, I couldn't tell. I knew I was terrible at lying and it hurt me to do so. Instead of adding more curiosity to this suspicious situation, I jogged up the stairs and into my room.

The yellow phone sat on my nightstand untouched as I crisscrossed my legs together. For some reason I was anxious. My heart was pumping excitedly and adrenaline coursed through my body. It was like this every time. Finally, the yellow phone that was once untouched was now ringing with tremors. My hand quickly picked up the device and held it to my ear, waiting for that first 'hello'.

I spoke first. "Hello?"

"Is this Pais–"

"You know it is. Hi Deen."

"Hi," He said back.

A sigh of content left past my lips as he spoke quietly. There was no Sheila, or any other imaginary, made-up friend. Just him.

"You sound tired, hon'. Sure you're up for this?" I asked.

"I wouldn't have called if I weren't. I can always squeeze in time for people of importance."

People of importance: Me. It was weird to think of at first but the thought satisfied my smile and made me internally squeal.

"Do you ever get nervous when you call? Like heart-pounding-out-your-chest nervous?"

Deen chuckled lowly. "I guess so, but then when you answer the phone with that voice and I can hear you it's all settled. Whether my parents hear me or are listening through the phone, it kind of slips past my mind."

"What voice? Is it weird?" Concern now coated my voice.

"No, no, no. It's. . . It's like the best sound you've ever heard in five seconds. Your voice sounds so airy and soft. It's filled with some kind of curiosity and it's like when I hear it I can picture you right now. It's just soothing."

"Oh. ." I fiddled with the phone cord and cleared my throat to try to start a conversation that wouldn't make me entirely blush. "How is school, Mr. Popular?"

"Popular? Now that's where you got it all wrong, doll. It's quite the opposite here. People kinda' hate me some days."

"How?" I asked, astonished.

"I'm different. I want something in myself and in my future, that doesn't include hate, stupid, relationships, sex, and hanging out with the wrong crowd. I see past it and it makes me an oddball."

"That's why you'll do better than anyone else in your class. Don't pay attention to 'em.  It's times like this where I'm thankful I go to an all-girls school."

"Seems fun to me."

I sighed and nodded, though he couldn't see me. Shifting on my stomach, I sunk into the sheets.

"It is until it isn't. Girls are catty and jealous and it's always one against another. You know firsthand of what I'm talking about." I thought back to Beverly.