Page 62 of Accidentally Falling For My Best Friend
This movie isn’t as funny without you to say all of the lines with me
Oakley
I don’t know how I’m going to sleep tonight without you in my bed.
Oakley
Was that weird to admit? I know we haven’t really been talking about what hooking up means, but I’m getting sick of filtering myself to you—I never have before
Oakley
Fuck, why did I say that over text. Ignore me, I’m just being overly sentimental about us missing out on our Christmas traditions
Oakley
I’m choosing to believe that your phone died and you haven’t found anew charger yet, not that you’re ignoring me…
Oakley
Also, did the plane mess up your monitor or something? I got the alert that it went offline in my app when you were on your flight but it never turned back on. Can you at least reset that so I know you’re okay?
Oakley
Fuck it, I already sound really clingy, I might as well go all in. I really miss you. Merry Christmas, Parker
Oakley
Charge your damn phone.
I’m staring at my unread texts from last night, refreshing the screen like that will somehow change the fact that Parker hasn’t even opened them. He has read receipts on, but the last message he saw was the picture I sent of my brothers and I watchingChristmas Vacationtoo.
Logically, I know that means his phone must have died and he couldn’t find another charger, but emotionally, I feel like something is wrong. My anxiety is already through the roof being away from him, add in not getting any responses, and I’m worried I might have some sort of outburst soon. I’m sure I’ll be anxious for a whole other reason when he actually does read those messages, because I did sound more lovesick than I intended, but for now, my focus is on making sure he’s okay.
I had trouble falling asleep last night with his lack of response, but I had tried to reassure myself that he didn’t bring a phone charger, and that he’d find a way to charge it in the morning.
Yet here we are,and it’s well past morning.It’s nearly two PM on Christmas day and still no response.
Aspen also isn’t responding. I texted Sage, and she hasn’t heard from her either. I’m staying at my grandparents’ house for the holidayand none of my brothers or any of the other friends we’ve texted have heard from Parker either. I tried to hold back from texting his mom, not wanting to worry her if he’s just without a charger, or if I said something wrong and he’s ignoring me, but I gave up on that a few hours ago. My heart sank when she said she also hadn’t heard from him, and we promised to update the other when we do.
My brothers know I’m distracted and they’ve been trying to cheer me up, but there’s no use. I’m sitting on the couch with Spot, waiting for dinner to be served, ignoring my relatives. Trying to put on a happy face for the sake of my family is rough since I don’t actually know what, or if, anything is wrong. But if Cody’s worried expression as he stares at me from the opposite couch is any indication, I don’t think I’m doing a very good job of hiding my worry.
“Still nothing?” Beck checks. I shake my head, my leg bouncing uncontrollably with my pent-up nerves.
“Aspen must have forgotten her charger, too,” Cody offers, again.
We’ve all speculated why they would both be ignoring me because they stopped responding around the same time late last night. There’s no reason either of them would be leaving the house at midnight on Christmas Eve, so a car crash seems unlikely.Unless they left to find a phone charger.But the stores would be closed so that doesn’t really make sense either.
I’ve also been checking any Atlanta news channels I can find. Surely if there was some sort of tragedy, someone would be reporting on it, even if they didn’t include names.So if they’re okay, why aren’t they responding?
Finally, my phone vibrates, and my entire body seems to soar with hope when I go to answer, assuming I’ll see Parker’s name on my screen.
But it isn’t him.
It’s Aspen.
Which means something bad happened to Parker.
My gut drops and I go cold, like the blood has been drained from my body, stealing any sign of life from inside me. I’m sure I look like I’ve seen a ghost as I jump up from the couch, leaving the room as I desperately pick up the call. “Aspen, what’s wrong?” I demand.
