Page 35 of Damsel in Defense
Another five minutes pass, and I’m really starting to worry.My thumb hovers over the Call button, but I don’t want to jump the gun.Am I letting my imagination get the better of me?
I’m just about to say “fuck it” and call her when her face appears on my screen.Holy shit.She’s calling me.
“Hey.Everything okay?”I ask, my voice brisk with worry.
“Well, hello to you too,” she laughs over the line.“Yes, everything is fine.Saw your text and figured it’d be easier to call you since I’m walking home.”
“You should have grabbed an Uber, Victoria.It’s too late to be walking alone.”
“I know, I know.I didn’t mean to be out so late, but I forgot my guitar, like an idiot, at the studio and had to turn back right as I got home.I’m speed walking, so I’m almost back.”
“Victoria,” I sigh, feeling both relief at hearing her voice and a pinch of nervousness that she’s out so late.I’m not her keeper; I just want her to be safe.
“Mason,” she mimics back.“I’m fine, really.”
“I know.I just hate that I’m not there walking with you.”
“That’s sweet.But you’re focusing on other, more important things at camp, right?You’re honing your skills and bonding or whatever.”
I chuckle at her wording.“Or whatever.Yeah, I guess I am.What about you?I saw that you’re writing again.”
“I am!Oh my God, Mason.It’s a miracle.The words just started coming to me last night, and I couldn’t stop.I had to practically beg to move up my studio time to today, but it worked!”
“That’s fucking awesome, honey.I’m so happy for you.I had no doubt that it would come back to you.”
Her voice is quiet as she replies.“Thank you.Ihadhugedoubts, but something has felt different the last couple of days.Like my emotions and senses have been heightened, and I was finally able to capture everything.”
“Love that.”There’s a beat of silence as I gain my courage to say the next part.“I miss you.I wish I was with you tonight so we could celebrate.”
I don’t know what I was expecting her to say, but it’s not what she mutters next.
“I—what the—?”
Sirens start blasting through the phone, and the background noise drowns out Victoria’s voice.
“Victoria?Honey?Victoria, what’s happening?”
“I’m not sure,” she yells, “but there are fire trucks outside our building.Maybe there was a fire.”There’s more shuffling.“Excuse me?What’s happening?”
“Ma’am, please take a step back.We have a situation on the thirty-sixth floor.”
“I live on that floor.Please tell me what’s going on.”
There’s a loud crackle on the line that makes Victoria’s voice almost unintelligible, and then the call ends, thebeep, beep, beepa deafening tone in my ear.
I’m frozen, still absorbing what just went down.She was walking home, alone.Emergency services were at the building.Then something about a fire.
“Oh, fuck.”It hits me all at once.I need to go.I need to get to her.
Clutching my cell tight in my hand, I scramble around the room, looking for my keys and wallet.Once I have those items, I’m out the door and heading toward the stairwell.My brain might be going a mile a minute worrying about Victoria, but I still have the frame of mind to know I can’t leave without telling someone.
Reaching the eighth floor, I sprint down the hallway, eyeing each door number.Finally seeing the one I want, I start pounding on the fake wood.
“This better be good,” I hear grumbled from behind the door.
“Coach.It’s Mason.”
The door opens on a fast swing.Coach Taylor leans against the edge of the frame, one hand still on the handle and the other rubbing a sleepy eye.
