Page 14 of Fragments
“Is this your cheesy, cornball way of asking me to go steady, Lex Luthor?” I can hear her grinning, and it flutters my chest with glee.
“Please. I know better than to try to lock you down,” I tease, and she giggles. “You’re a wild stallion.”
“And what are you? A donkey?” She cackles.
“I don’t know. Maybe a zebra?”
We both start laughing.
But then I hear something over the line. A voice that sounds male, maybe more than one. And they’re shouting something.
“Oh, fuck…” Leah mutters. “Shit shit shit…”
My brow furrows, and I sit up in my chair like a reflex. “Is everything alright?”
“Yea… uh… it’s fine,” she breathes, sounding suddenly frantic. And a little scared. “I gotta go.”
“Are you sure…?” I ask. The noises on the phone are getting louder.
Someone isyelling,and they don’t sound happy.
“Bye, Luthor,” Leah whispers, her voice shaking. “Hold out for the real thing, okay?”
“What?? Leah, wait!” I bark into the phone.
But it’s too late. She already hung up.
My stomach is churning with nerves. I want to call her back and check on her, to make sure she’s okay. But then I don’t want to get her in trouble…
I know literally nothing about her situation.
Who were those men? Why were they shouting?
Where the hell even is she??
Instead, I pull up a text to her number.
Me: Leah, just let me know you’re alright. Please.
Of course, I get no response.
Not for the rest of the night. Not for a while.
Not until I finally hear from her again, months later…
When everything gets way too real.
Meanwhile…
(Also 5 years ago)
Disgraced.
It’s not a word that means much to me. In the grand scheme of things I’ve been called, this one actually has a pretty nice ring to it.
I’ve officially been kicked out of college, after two faculty members walked in on my ethics teacher screwing me in his office.
I know. Ethics. The irony was not lost on anyone.
