A Text Away

Chapter One

°Allison: Present°

My fingers tapped against the black mug in my hands, a gift from my brother, as I stared at my phone. Not only had I awoken to a friend request from a Liam Duchen, but I also received a good morning from the unknown man also. Which was something I didn't know what to do with.
I didn't know the guy and the only reason he had my number was because he was nosey.
So it would be easy to just ignore the man, go about my day normally with ease.
A smile rose to my face as I sipped the coffee as I checked the time. I still had an hour to leave for work and honestly I was gonna use it wisely.
But as soon as I picked up my phone it vibrated again.

Received: 7:13am: Unknown
You know it's rude to ignore people little Tanor?

The text made me sigh softly, eyes jumping between the message and the friend request on Facebook hidden in my notifications. It would be so easy to respond. To have a nice conversation with a man I never met or barely knew.
Plus he wasn't a totally stranger if he was my brother's best friend, right?
Of course I was wrong, because honestly the only reason I knew his name was because of the friend request.

Received: 7:20am: Unknown
Your hurting my feelings little Tanor.

I rolled my eyes as I quickly swiped over his message, staring at the two newest ones. The internal battle of whether or not I should text back was different. Talking to a random stranger like this was different. Especially since my previous boyfriend was my friend's friend. A man I came to know very well in two years before he said good-bye.
The thought made me bite my lip and slam my mug down. There was no use in thinking about the man before my day.
"He can go fuck himself for all I care."
I blinked away the heaviness in my eyes as I gathered up my things for work.
My fingers suddenly hovering over the keyboard to reply to my brother's friend.

Sent: 7:55am: Unknown
Sorry random person who stole my number.

I snickered as my shoes squeaked against the flooring in the hallway of my apartment complex. The smell of cleaner and Mrs. Roders farmer's scrambler filling the hall. I've grown used to the smell, the scent becoming familiar over the two years I've lived in the complex.

Received: 8:06am: Unknown
I mean your brother knows me so not random.

A chuckle fell from my lips as I rolled my eyes, quickly pocketing my phone as I approached my car. I tried to ignore the fact it buzzed in my pocket, tried to ignore my curiosity that was bubbling in my gut.
Tried to ignore the guilt of texting him back.
It wasn't my fault he left me, so I shouldn't be guilty for talking to somebody else?
It's not like I'm dating somebody new after a week, like he did.
I rolled my eyes as a breath fell from my lips, my fingers drumming against the wheel as I made my way to work.
The sounds of the city made me hum in content, growing up in this place made the country side an uneasy setting for me. It was too quiet.
Another ding made my eyes flicker towards the phone on my seat, it was tempting to look at the message. a part of me anticipating the response from the man. Though when the looming building of Greyston Publishing came into view, the notification on my phone forgotten. Instead I focused on the corrupted standards of the company.
The only publishing company where dreams become reality. What a load of bull.
I rolled my eyes as I turned into the parking garage, a huff of amusement falling from my lips. The place would only end up with you tumbling down the slope. Which was something I didn't plan on doing, instead I looked high and low for some other opportunity, one that didn't have me working myself to exhaustion.
My car rolled into the parking garage, passing by a few people lingering by their cars. Technically we didn't have a set deadline as long as we got our work submitted by our deadlines. Which meant dealing with the authors on a regular basis.
A breath feel from my lips as I grabbed my phone, watching the green light blink like a bomb about to go off. Some part of me knew the probability of him sending another message was low, for all I knew it could be my brother or some sort of spam mail. Or maybe it was a happening it was. A hope to be distracted from the sudden new person in my life, from the fear of everything being mixed up before being left to pick up the pieces again. It was always hard to be social, so KI found content in only having a couple of friends and my brother.
My hands unlocked my phone, and sure enough it was some spam mail I ended up deleting in a second.
"Get it together Allison."
I mumbled as I made my way through the halls of the quiet building. You could hear the sounds of keyboards being used, along with the quiet chatter over the cubical walls. The scent of fresh coffee telling me it had just been brewed, which was gonna be needed if I'm still editing the magazine article about fish and their migration patterns. Something I was already bored with reading and retyping.
"Morning Allison."
The soft voice of Veronica mad me smile, my attention landing o a short Latina women.
Her smile was wide and bright against her red lips, bright brown eyes watching me as she waited for a response.
"Good morning Roni."
She smiled at the nickname, blowing a piece of curly hair out of her face. Her lean body leaning back into her office chair as she smoothed her blouse.
"How was your show last night?"
I shrugged as I glanced at the paperwork o my desk, trying not to remember how my eyes burned from crying and the tub of ice cream I devoured.
"It was amazing."
Yes lying was the only was I could make it through the the day without sobbing over a dam breakup. If that was wrong, then I have finally given up on the life around me.