Just Like That

73. "I needed this"

Breanna Michelle Santana

I screamed myself awake from a nightmare. It started off seemingly okay and then got progressively more depressing, ending with me lonely and killing myself. I'd ask my mother to interpret that but I felt the answer would concern everyone.

Dripping in sweat from my mid-day nap, I looked at my phone for the time. 4:19 PM. Since I had nothing else to do, I wanted to just go back to sleep and escape reality.
I couldn't believe things with Grayson went down like that last night. My head pounded from a night of screaming and crying myself to bed.
I kept going back and forth from blaming him to hating myself and none of it was helping. The fear was that our issues were bigger than us and would require professional help to finally solve.

As I went to get comfortable back on the couch in Dad's living room, my stomach growled. Deciding not to deprive myself anymore, I got up and made my way to the kitchen where I popped some chips in my mouth and prepared to whip up a sandwich.

Just as opened my mouth to take a bite, my phone rang. It was an unexpected call and I curiously wondered from who.

With my face twisted, I bit into my turkey sandwich and glided over the hardwood floor back to the living room where my iPhone was on top of the coffee table.

It was Holland who's number I never deleted after we contacted about me shooting her maternity shots and wedding.

I instantly went "what does she want" in my head and thought to ignore the call.

As I sat down and pushed my phone away, it kept ringing. I anxiously watched it until the call dropped. Relieved, I let out a "phew" and clicked on the tv.

No more than ten seconds later did my phone start to ring again.

What if it's an emergency, I thought.

Who am I kidding, I'm no good at ignoring people. So, I answered it and prepared myself for her bitchiness. That's how she was to me, rude. I wish I knew why but I just figured it was because of mine and her brother's turbulent relationship.

"Brea?" I let her speak first.

"Yes," I returned hesitantly, my mouth still full.

I chewed slow as I listened to my ex's sister. "Hey. How are you?"

"I'm fine, Holland."

"I hear you're back in town," she led with.

I swallowed hard. "Bad news travels fast," I sassed.

She laughed a little. "I want to talk, please."

Angie suddenly came downstairs and adjusted the strap to her red heels at the bottom of the staircase. She bent over and waved at me. I smiled back and then paced to the sliding glass door that took me outside.

"Look, I'm not trying to fight, alright-"

"Brea," she paused, "come outside."

My eyebrows furrowed, confused. Over my shoulder, I glanced at Angie who came to the sliding glass door and peeked her head through the cracked opening she made. "You expecting company, sweetie," Angie asked me.

That's when I heard the beeps, indicating Holland hung up. I looked down at my phone and then trekked back inside and through the house to get to the front door only to see Holland in her Prius right outside.

The Jansen's are going to be the death of me, I thought as I shook my head and jogged down the steps.

Before getting in the passenger seat of Holland's car, I waved at Angie shouted for her not to wait up for me.