I Could Die For You (Editing In Progress)

82

I woke up the following morning, with a Twizzler stuck in my hair and the phone ringing. The piercing sound drew me towards it, in hopes to shut it the fuck up. I picked it up and tried to be pleasant. But who in the name of the sweet Lord, calls so early?

"Hello?" I said, trying to hide my rash tone.

"Hey, is this Lilly?"

"Yeah. Who's this?"

"Shift, from Jack's Music Store over on Second Street. I'm calling about your application."

"Oh! Yeah, what about it?"

He chuckled, "You're hired! You start Monday."

"Monday, huh?"

"Yep. Is that okay...?"

"Yeah, yeah. Would you uh.. mind telling me what today is?"

He laughed again.

"Thursday."

"Oh, alright. Well thanks, Shift. I guess I'll see you Monday.. at?"

"Eight o'clock on the dot."

He sounded like a nerd.

"Eight o'clock. Okay, bye then."

"Bye Lilly!"

I hung up the phone and made my way into my bedroom where I collapsed onto my bed, prepared for myself to drift back off to sleep. The time on the alarm clock read 12:00 (pm). I guess it wasn't early after all.

***

I woke up again to the sound of a phone going off. This time it was one o'clock, and I had slept about an hour. I sluggishly got up from the bed and walked to the phone, picking it up and practically slapping it against my face.

"Hello?!" I didn't mean for it, but my tone came out somewhat annoyed.

"Lilly! Oh my God, I haven't heard your voice months!"

"Uh.. who's this?"

I heard a stunned, yet humored gasp. "Stone!"

"Stone?!?"

"Yeah dude! How ya been?"

"You better sit down if you want to hear that story."

"Well it's a good thing I'm near a couch, 'ey?"

Stone and I talked for maybe an hour, catching up on the six months we spent away from each other. I told him about everything I went through, and listened to everything he said. He asked why I hadn't called one of the guys up, I told him the last thing on my mind was to reconnect with pain. He sounded like he understood, but he still seemed upset I didn't put in a call.

Although I hoped he wouldn't ask, I knew he would.

"What.. what happened with you Lilly bug?"

I paused and then let out a meaningless laugh, remembering how often the guys called me that, all in the matter of teasing. Anthony gave me that nickname the first few weeks we started to date, and the other guys thought it was hilarious. So now, I guess, they all call me it.

With much reluctance and a sigh, I explained the night of June 6th, when I left Anthony's company for good.

"I thought that's what happened," he began, "Of course, I didn't want to believe the rumors, but they were all unchanging. Same story, repeated a hundred times through a hundred lips. I'm sorry Lil."

"It's okay. I'm.. I'm over it."

"Are you sure?"

"As sure as I can be really. It's nice to hear from you though, Stoney Poney."

"Same to you kid. The guys and I miss seeing you trip over yourself in airports."

I laughed, "Yeah, I bet."

"You know, if we claim to miss each other so much, why don't we go out for some beer some time? Since we live in the same city and shit, I don't see why it's so difficult." His laugh hadn't changed, which I appreciated.

"I suppose. Tomorrow at 7?"

"Sounds good. Maybe I'll bring along some of the guys too?"

For some odd reason, my heart skipped a beat at the thought of seeing the guys I hadn't seen in so long.