Shy bunny

𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒖𝒆

𝑺𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒓𝒖𝒊𝒏 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈'𝒔 𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒅.

The house was wrapped in the kind of silence that only came in the early dark—when the sun had long since slipped behind the trees and the sky was a velvet bruise. Crickets chirped outside, steady as a heartbeat. Inside, the air was thick with the buttery scent of popcorn beginning to burn. The sound of kernels rattling against the microwave's glass plate echoed through the kitchen. Casey Becker twirled the phone cord around her finger like it was a lasso and she was trying to wrangle boredom. Blonde hair tucked behind her ears, smile painted on like always—perfect and empty. She leaned against the counter, the cordless phone pressed between her shoulder and cheek, lazily answering the voice on the other end like this was just another night in a town where nothing ever really happened.

"Damn, what is taking Steve so long?" Casey muttered, pulling the phone away from her ear just long enough to toss an annoyed glance toward the back door. The porch light buzzed but showed nothing but still grass and her own reflection in the glass.

She hung up the phone...

"I told that idiot to come before the movie started." She huffed, rolling her eyes as she paced the kitchen. "Should've known better after ditching Stu for him. At least he had a car that worked."

Then the phone rang...

"Hello?"

From the living room, a timid voice squeaked out.

"Um... I—I finished your homework..."

Casey spun, eyes sharp, as if she'd momentarily forgotten you were even there. She stalked toward the living room doorway where you sat curled up on the couch, binder in your lap, pen still in hand.

"Oh, finally! Took you long enough," she snapped, snatching the paper from your hands without a thank-you. "Wow, what would I do without my little charity case?"

You flinched at the words but said nothing, ducking your head like always.

Casey was already back on the phone, voice syrup-sweet. "Sorry, someone had to take care of my homework. Anyway..."

"Hello?" Casey said into the phone again, her tone shifting from annoyed to flirtatious like someone flipping a light switch. She toyed with the phone cord, leaning against the counter with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Who is this?" she asked, playful.

A voice, smooth as silk and just a little too amused, slid through the line.

"Just someone who wants to talk."

Casey blinked, caught off guard for a second—but not scared. Not yet. This town was full of weirdos. Maybe it was Steve, messing with her. Or one of Stu's idiot friends pulling a prank. She laughed, short and sharp.