“Ahhhh. That’s got to suck.”
“I don’t mind. I like my alone time,” Caroline confided.
“Well, I don’t mind that he’s gone either.”
Caroline heard his voice cut out toward the end. “Jackson? Jackson?” She pulled the phone away from her ear and held it in front of her. The screen read, “Call Disconnected.”
Before she could redial his number, she got a text message that said, “Sorry. We get spotty service in our apartment sometimes. Call my home phone.” He included the number and she smiled as she dialed.
“Hello?” A male voice that was clearly not Jackson’s answered.
She was caught off guard. “Um, hi! Is Jackson there?” she asked politely, unsure of who was on the other end of the line.
“Depends. Who’s this?” the voice asked with attitude.
“Caroline,” she informed with equal attitude.
The voice on the other end of the line laughed heartily. “Oh, Caroline! The one from California?” he asked, dragging out the name of her state.
Caroline got excited that whomever she talked to knew who she was. “That would be me.”
She heard Jackson and another voice yell in the background, but she couldn’t make out what they said. The voice on the phone remarked, “He’s not here,” and the voices in the background got even louder.
“Oh really?” she asked playfully. “Then why can I hear him yelling in the background?”
“Maybe you’re hearing things.”
Caroline was confused. Was this guy just playing around with her, or did he intend to be mean? Before she could say anything more the voice said, “You know—Caroline from California—maybe you should be calling your boyfriend instead of my friend,” and she heard the phone click.
Caroline’s jaw dropped in shock as all air ceased to exist within her.
****
“What the hell, man?” Jackson yelled at his roommate.
“You’re such a dick,” Alex added.
“Whatever. Why is she calling here? What are you doing, Jax?” Tommy chastised his best friend.
“I’m not doing anything. What’s your problem?” Jackson yelled.
Tommy shook his head in disgust. “You’re being an idiot. Not to mention a complete asshole. She has a boyfriend!”
“We all know she has a boyfriend,” Alex chimed in.
“Shut up, Alex.” Tommy turned to look at him. “You think this is cool? No big deal that Jackson is talking to someone else’s girlfriend?”
Alex shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s not my business and…it’s not like she’s married.”
Tommy spat out a laugh. “Really, Mister Get-involved-in-everyone-else’s-business? Now you see fit to stay out?”
“Enough!” Jackson’s voice echoed through their apartment. “She and I are friends. We talk. Now back off.”
Jackson grabbed the cordless phone, walked into his room, and slammed the door behind him as he dialed Caroline’s number.
“You know this isn’t cool, Jackson,” Tommy yelled loud enough for him to hear.
“Hello,” she answered quietly.