(Takes a deep breath)
It's a good day.
The sun is shining.
A cool breeze is blowing.
Birds are chirping.
The air i–
"I hate this!" Claire shouts.
(Sighs)
"Can you please put away your damn phone?" I say to Claire.
She waves it in front of me. "He hasn't even replied to my texts. He could at least do that!"
In a nutshell, Ben is not picking up her calls or replying to her texts.
In a broader view, this was expected. He and Luke are out of town on business. Ben had already told her that he might be unreachable for a while. But Ms. Impatience doesn't care about such minor details.
"He'll call you back when he is free. Stop acting like a crazy, possessive girlfriend and put your phone away before I take it from you and shatter it to pieces."
We're at a very serene park. She's killing the mood.
"Of course, I'm crazy and possessive. That's how mates should be. Not like you, who probably is happy Luke is away."
I'm not happy Luke is away. But I'm not going to get myself admitted to a psychiatric ward before he returns either. "I've heard only insecure people get possessive," I tell her.
"Oh, please. Like you never thought of strangling Katie whenever you saw her with Luke."
I shake my head. Strangling is not my style.
"I don't believe you," she says. "But any way you're lucky Ben is always with Luke. You won't have to worry about the girls paying attention to Luke while my Ben is with him."
I cough. "What did you say?"
"What? It's the truth. People don't get possessive over something that's not precious enough to get stolen."
"Oh, so your precious Ben is made up of what? Diamonds and gold? Should I get you theft insurance for him?"
"He's better than diamonds and gold. He's handsome."
"Luke is handsome, too!"
"Not as handsome as Ben."
"No. Not as handsome as Ben. Luke is even better looking."
"You do realize Ben is taller than him, right?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know eight nanometers is considered a valid height difference. If Ben is taller than him, then Luke is faster than Ben!"
"Like you've seen them race!"
"I don't have to see them. They are just like us. And I always win a race against you."
"In that case, I always win a fight against you. Ben is stronger than Luke."
"Like you've seen them fight!"
"Why do you care? You are not even dating Luke."
"Why do you care? Ben is not even picking up your calls."
"Like Luke is going to pick up yours!"
"Yes, he will!"
"Fine! Call then! Let's see if he picks up!"
Panting, we both glare at each other.
I raise my head and take out my phone.
Luke, I press on that name.
