The Butterfly Effect

Chapter 4

Leaning her head against Sean's car window, Allison sighed heavily as she dwelled on her thoughts. This afternoon, she had viewed one of Sean's basketball teammates' Instagram Story of their morning practice earlier and there hadn't been a sight of her boyfriend's presence there who was the team captain. Seeing it, she just tried to be positive and thought that maybe he was just out of frame that time.

So, around 3:00 PM today, her instinct had told her to just call him because his practice must be done already. But he didn't pick up her calls a couple times until she tried calling him for the fourth time. The way he talked when he had picked up her call was weird, telling her that he was out with his teammates after practice to get some lunch and hang out a bit.

Somehow, the deepest part of her heart couldn't shake the feeling that he wasn't telling the truth to her, but she had kept silent about it. Instead, she asked him out tonight to see his reaction. Sure enough, he sounded panicked yet he agreed to go out with her.

And here she was now. Her date with Sean tonight had been going badly. He was so quiet today and Allison was the only one who had been trying to find topics to talk about, but all he did to respond was mumbling. For a million times today, she sighed. At the moment, Sean was at 7-Eleven and left her alone in his car. He had even asked her just once if she wanted to come or not. Something was off about him, she noticed that.

Do I bore him? Or something has been distracting him all night? Allison asked herself.

Suddenly, the corner of her eye caught Sean's phone light up in the dark and rang. Someone was calling. For a few seconds, Allison just ignored the call but it kept ringing. She wasn't sure she better picked it up or let it go straight to voicemail. At last, she scooped up his phone out of huge curiosity inside her. The screen showed the name 'Jessica' then she answered it.

"Hello, Sean?" A girl's voice was heard on the other line.

"Hi," Allison replied. "Sorry, but if you're looking for—"

"Who's this?"

"Allison—" But the girl on the other line, who Allison was sure was named Jessica, hung up the phone right after she mentioned her name and it made her frown. "Who's that girl?" she muttered.

The next second, Allison heard someone open the driver's door and saw a dark-haired guy hopping in with a reusable shopping bag in his hand. His eyes instantly fell on his phone in her grip.

"What are you doing with my phone?" Sean asked before she had time to put it back.

When he snatched it from her hand, Allison could clearly see panic on his face. Sitting still, she simply said, "Someone called you."

A muscle under his eyes twitched and his face paled. "Who?"

"Jessica," she replied. "Who's she?"

He stiffened. "Did you pick it up?"

At first, she was unsure, but then she nodded. "Sorry."

Sean groaned then started the engine and drove his car out of the parking lot. Silence filled in between them. Allison glanced at the speedometer then at her boyfriend. The angry expression crossed his face as he drove his car in extreme speed. It had never come in her mind that he would be this mad over one stupid little thing.

Unless, whoever this Jessica is, is not just 'a stupid little thing' for him, she thought.

"You shouldn't have done that, you know!" Sean snapped in a sudden.

Allison was aghast because he had never raised his voice like that to her before. "Why? I thought it wouldn't be that big of a deal."

"You have no rights to pick up any call on my phone!"