earbuds

one

I put the earpieces in my ears and took a listen. Nothing. "I don't hear anything." I say.

"The other person is probably asleep. It is almost midnight." My mom suggests, smiling and taking my plate that has cake crumbs and putting it in the sink.

"Maybe, but it's still weird. I thought they would be excited." I questioned still, but shrugged. "I'll get some sleep, that might be it."

I went into my room and turned the lights off, holding the earbuds in my hand and waiting for my mom and dad to fall asleep or leave the house for work. They work opposite shifts at the place that produces and monitors the soulmate earbuds. Monitors in a not listening in way, but constantly trying to improve and fix bugs and stuff. I don't believe they actually listen in on conversations.

The car grumbles awake and it drives off, my eye catches it before I can't see it. The footsteps get quieter until I can't hear them anymore. I sigh quietly and place each earbud in at a time.

"Hey, I don't know if you want to talk right now, or at all because I completely understand, but my name is (Y/n). I just turned 18 yesterday. I have to be a little quiet because my mom went to work and my dad is asleep and has to work tomorrow." I say, hearing a grumble from outside my door. My dad. The footsteps walked away.

"Before I go to sleep, I wanted to say that I'm honestly really excited to-"

"I don't want to talk to you." He said, taking a breath.

I sigh and pull them out of my ears. "Of course, I understand, just know, you don't have to talk. I'll be doing the talking."