You hang up

I kept turning my screen on, hoping I’d receive a text from an unknown number.

Gosh. This was unlike me.

I just met a stranger and I wanted to know more than just his name. I wanted to look into his eyes again. Pull him closer. 

How did he look under those clothes?

A sharp tug low in my stomach snapped me back to the crowded train. Shit. What was wrong with me? I swear I don’t go around thinking of undressing strangers. This was a first. 

I got off at Rosehill station, picked my little sister up from school and we began our usual walk.

“I have homework today.” Kelly announced, her bag bouncing on her back.

“Oh, what must you do this time?” I tightened my grip around her small hand as we reached the pedestrian crossing.

“Miss Davids said we must find pictures in magazines or newspapers of everything that starts with the letter D like dog and… and… what else starts with a D, Kylie?”

“Drugs…” I said before I could stop myself.

“Yeah, yeah, and paste it all in our homework book.”

Where in the world was I to find a magazine? Everything seems to be evolving and moving away from paper except the education system. 

But cool.

“Let’s stop at the library and I’ll print everything that starts with the letter D and you’ll just cut it out.” I smiled down at her.

“Okay.” She showed her little rice teeth.

I outsmarted Miss Davids. I copied and pasted every object that G****e listed starting with a D onto one page and printed the page out.

And no, Clandor still didn’t text!

I was beginning to think that Gordon forgot. Or maybe he did speak to Clandor but he just wasn’t interested. Oh my god, what if he already had a girlfriend? Embarrassing.

Or maybe he was single but I was just not his type. 

I mean he saw me in my uniform. I didn’t like how I looked in my uniform.

Horrible.

It was frustrating, but not for long because when we walked into the house, there was something worse to be frustrated about. 

The sink was full of dishes. All waiting for me.

“Hi mom,” I greeted as she walked down the stairs to us. 

She was already in her waitress uniform and had her bag on her shoulder and an unlit cigarette between her slightly perked lips.

Kelly went to give her a hug.

“Hi baby, how was your day?” She kissed Kelly on the lips.

I watched as Kelly followed my mom around the room showing her the picture we printed. 

My mother rarely smiled. She always wore a tired-but-got-it-all-together look. She always held her head high and her hair was always either down or in a low ponytail behind her head.

I was going to complain about the dishes, but I felt bad. So I left it.

I placed my bag on the couch and began tidying up the house, afterwards I moved to the kitchen space and did the dishes as Kelly did her homework. After the dishes I warmed up yesterday’s food and sat down to eat with Kelly.

Kelly watched The Simpson’s as she ate and I browsed through TikTok. She was only 6 and shouldn’t be watching The Simpson’s but it was funny and I liked that I could sidewatch.

Someone knocked. We ignored it. 

My mom was at work and me and Kelly were at home. The world outside didn’t matter. As a result, I didn’t have any friends in the area. Macy lived a few stations away. So really it was just Kelly and I when I was home. She felt more like my child and sometimes I felt like a single mother.

My mom was always at work, pulling double shifts or going from clocking out of one job to clocking in to another. My job didn’t pay much and neither did hers, but together, we made sure bills were paid in time and that we never went to sleep hungry.

A text popped into my phone.

Clandor?

My heart stopped just for a moment before I realized who it was.

Ahg… 

Mike: U home? I’ve been knocking.

I rolled my eyes and reluctantly got up to get the door.

He had a small unsure smile as he looked down at me. That smile that made me feel like I owed him something.

“Hi, Mike.” I forced a smile.

Meet Mike, the only person who still wouldn't leave me alone besides the countless attempts to scare my neighbours away and get them to leave me alone.

“I got you a slab.” He held it to me.

I was tempted. It’s been a while since I had chocolate.

“Thank you, Mike.” I took the slab.

“Uh… did you just get back from work?” He gestured to my uniform.

I nodded. “Yes actually and I was just eating.” I opened the door wide to show him the proof.

“Hello, Mike!”

“Hi, Kells.” 

“How’s Minnie?”

I stepped aside and waited for them to finish their chat.

“Mike, I’m really tired…”

“Oh, sorry.” He stepped back out of the doorframe. “Anyway, I just wanted to ask about your plans for tomorrow after work.”

“There’s a parent meeting at Kelly’s school.” I said softly so Kelly wouldn’t contradict me.

“Oh… maybe this weekend then?”

“Why? What’s happening this weekend?”

“I wanted to watch the new Avatar… I – I still haven’t watched it…”

I pressed my lips together, holding back the urge to ask what that had to do with me even though I could anticipate the response.

“I would really like for you to join me.” He finally asked.

“Uh… can I let you know?” I asked.

He nodded. “Of course.”

I nodded. “Cool then.”

“Cool.”

“Bye.”

“See you.”

I closed the door and then grimaced. This guy just wouldn’t give up. He’s been trying to take me out on a date ever since they moved here. That’s 6 months ago.

My phone began ringing – unknown caller.

Oh. Shit.

I picked up, feeling my heart hammer against my sternum.

“Hello?” Me.

“Kylie.”

The way he said my name, so slow…. deliberate. I had never heard my name sound so good before. 

“Clandor…” I tried to sound composed, mysterious, even though I was smiling from ear to ear.

“So, talk to me.”

I sat down on the edge of the couch, suddenly hyperaware of my breathing, how my fingers curled into the cushion and the fact that Kelly was watching cartoons five feet away and I was melting over a man I met hours ago.

“Uh… so you called…”

“I did.” His voice lingered after he said the words. Unhurried. Comfortable. “How old are you by the way?”

I bit my bottom lip and found myself smiling like an idiot. “Why don’t you guess?”

He gave a low chuckle, awakening something warm and… and woman in me. “You look like you look younger than your age.”

I laughed. “Well, I actually do.”

“Then I’m guessing 25?”

I laughed. “Wrong. 22.”

“Still a baby.”

My mouth flung open before I laughed. “Well, how old are you?”

“Take a guess.”

“You look… 28…”

He gave that soft chuckle again. “I’m actually 25.”

“Well, you’re only 3 years older than me.”

“Three years is a lot.”

From there the conversation flowed effortlessly. I went from lying on the couch to strolling slowly upstairs and lying on my bed.

We spoke about my job, his job and being single. He was funny and kept making me laugh. 

“Are you working tomorrow?” He asked.

Tomorrow would be the beginning of my 7-day-off.

“Can you see me tomorrow?”

I beamed with joy.

“Yeah… we can do that.”

We spoke for what seemed like forever after that until his side went quiet.

“Clandor?”

Silence.

I could hear him snore faintly.

I smiled warmly, realizing he fell asleep talking to me. No one had ever fallen asleep talking to me before. 

I stayed on the line longer than I should have until I saw the time.

11.14pm.

Shit. Kelly was supposed to have brushed her teeth and been in bed 3 hours ago.

I rushed downstairs and found her fast asleep on the couch. My heart melted.

I picked the remote up from the floor, switched the TV off and then carried her up the stairs and into our bed.

So tomorrow I was seeing Clandor again… and I didn’t realize I had just stepped into a story I wouldn’t be able to walk away from.