Dialing
Cherry
//call received//
Cerise: Hel--
Devin: Cherry, what the fuck?!
Cerise: [yells] What?! What happened?
Devin: Why is your hand bandaged?
Cerise: Oh... that... how did you know?
Devin: I can see you in The Brewery right now. What even are you doing there at this hour?!
Cerise: [indignantly] God, it's only eight! And Jenny wanted a latte.
Devin: Who the fuck drinks a latte at night?!
Cerise: [loudly] Jenny does! Cigarette, will you stop shouting, please.
Devin: Fine.
Cerise: [exhales]
Devin: Are you going to answer me? Or should I just say that Christian did it...?
Cerise: Cigarette... [sighs shakily]
Devin: You never had influenza. It was this, huh? You were beaten again.
Cerise: I-- yes... he beat me again. He was pretty mad at me for getting suspended.
Devin: That bloody bast--
Cerise: [urgently] Please don't be mad! Please... I'm fine, really.
Devin: Fine. [scoffs] I can see that.
Cerise: Where are you...?
Devin: Stop looking around like that, Cherry. You won't find me.
Cerise: Are you a stalker by profession? [nervously laughs]
Devin: [deadpans] No, by passion.
Cerise: Right... uh...
Devin: [chuckles]
//"miss, who did you say the order was for?"//
Cerise: Oh, um, Jennifer. J-E-N-N-I-F-E-R.
//"alrighty, here you go."//
Cerise: Thank you.
//"have a nice night, miss."//
Cerise: Yeah. You, too. [into the phone] Cigarette...?
Devin: Here.
Cerise: I've gotta go now. I'll call you as soon as I get home, okay?
Devin: Okay.
//call disconnected//
***
Dialing
Cigarette
//call received//
Cerise: Oh, hey! [rambles] I know I said I'd call as soon as I got home, and I know you tried to call but I'm sorry I didn't pick up, and it's almost one now, and you were probably asleep and I shouldn't have called--
Devin: It's alright, Christ. Chill now.
Cerise: [awkwardly laughs] Right. I thought you'd get mad. Are you mad?
Devin: No.
Cerise: Oh, okay. Cool.
Devin: So...?
Cerise: So... I'll let you sleep now, or you should get back to whatever you were doing and I'll hang up now.
Devin: Well, don't hang up just yet... this can't be the only reason you called.
Cerise: Actually... do you remember our deal?
Devin: [sighs] Yeah, I do. Go ahead. Ask your question of the day.
Cerise: So, since you'll not be telling me your real name anytime soon, tell me why you asked me to save your number as Cigarette?
Devin: Because I didn't want you to save it as Stalker Bully Diary Entry Stealer Person.
Cerise: [giggles] I wouldn't--
Devin: [interrupts] Also because I love smoking. I smoke a lot. I smoke and drink like I have a death wish.
Cerise: Oh...
//long lapse of silence//
Devin: [yawns]
Cerise: Cigarette...?
Devin: Right here.
Cerise: Do you, really?
Devin: Really what? Smoke a lot. Definitely.
Cerise: No. Have a death wish?
Devin: [after a beat's quietness] I don't know.
Cerise: You don't know?
Devin: Look, Cherry. I'd love to keep talking but it's late and you may be suspended but I've got school tomorrow... so... [yawns again]
Cerise: Of course. I understand. Goodnight, Cigarette.
Devin: Mhmm... goodnight, Cherry.
//call disconnected//
***
YOU ARE READING
🗸 the quintessences of cherry & cigarette
Short Story|| in which a broken boy takes interest in a broken girl and they realize that neither of them require fixing when they fall in love with each other's pieces, flaws, frayed ends, and quintessences || [ love unconditionally ] [ adore irrevocably ] 𝓬...
